I saw reported sightings of the new set of exclusive Toys R Us Marvel Minimates Wave 17 for the first time this morning, and decided to make it my new quest to see the Minimates wave in person. But, well… It wasn’t much of a quest. I drove to one Toys R Us, walked down the action figure aisle, and all four two-packs of the TRU Marvel Minimates Series 17 figures were just sitting right out front on the pegs…

Ordinarily I have really terrible luck with finding Marvel Minimates at retail. I only saw Toys R Us Minimates Series 16 in stores once, and I never saw the Minimates Phoenix Five Emma Frost and Colossus two-pack at all. So it was a pretty big shock to me when I not only found the latest Marvel Minimates wave at Toys R Us, but they actually had all four sets in-stock!

The four new Marvel Minimates TRU Series 17 two-packs are as follows–

Marvel Minimates Rescue & Robot Hulk: This two-pack is definitely the gem of Marvel Minimates Series 17, and the one set I purchased from this series. Pepper Potts finally appears as the superhero Rescue (billed as “Rescue Armor Iron Man” on the packaging) in Marvel Minimates form after her previous appearances as a civilian non-combatant. I don’t know if the Hasbro Iron Man 3 Rescue Marvel Legends figure will ever see production, but I sure am glad to own this Rescue figure!

As much as I like the Minimates Rescue, however, she’s not the figure I like most in this series. That honor goes to the unexpected reemergence of Robot Hulk in toy form! I have fond memories of the wacky Robot Hulk action figure released in the Toybiz Hulk Legends line (which, by the way, still sells for a healthy $50+ on eBay all these years later–if you can find it at all), so I’m pretty tickled to see one of the craziest Hulk iterations make a return as part of Toys R Us Minimates Wave 17.

Marvel Minimates Superior Spider-Man & Ultimate Electro: This is a super easy pass for me. Already got a Superior Spider-Man Minimates packed with a Nova from the specialty stores Minimates wave, and this Ultimate Electro does nothing for me. I know this look for Electro is being popularized in time for next year’s Amazing Spider-Man 2 movie, but the ridiculous green and yellow spikey-headed Electro will always be “my” Electro.

Nova & Alien Symbiote Venom: Another pass for me, as I have Nova from a recent wave and a classic Venom Minimates figure from the 2012 Venom Through the Ages Minimates pack. Nice pack for people who didn’t buy last year’s Venom Minimates set, however.

Marvel’s Hawkeye & Black Widow: I bet this set sells like wildfire to fans who don’t already own Black Widow and Hawkeye Minimates, but I’m satisfied by the movie Avengers Minimates Black Widow and Hawkeye set released in 2012. If you don’t have that set, this new Marvel Now Minimates pair of Black Widow and Hawkeye is a great buy.

All in all, my Marvel Minimates Series 18 haul consisted of just one pack, but it was definitely worth my lengthy 20 minute quest to get the Rescue and Robot Hulk Minimates two-pack. The sets are now available exclusively at Toys R Us stores for $7.49 plus tax (as well as from the Toys R Us online store).

Thoughts on the Series 17 Toys R Us Marvel Minimates exclusives, Marvel fans? Will you be picking up any sets from this wave?