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What if prices go up?


monron999

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So I saw JC raise this question on his Toyfair wrap up video and it so happens I had been speculating the same thing and I was wondering how many of us had this thought. Firstly, it struck me as odd when rumors of "premium" MCU figures started to hit the web. What exactly did premium mean? Would they come with extra accessories, dioramas or stands or maybe power effects or some kind of mechanical or light up effects? Turns out it's none of that. It turns out premium isn't much more, if anything, than what's typically standard for any single card ML figure, but without a BAF piece. I'll admit, even as anti-MCU as I am, the Ronan figure looks good but what exactly is premium about it? Finally, I figured it out and you know what it was? The price. Twenty five dollars, for what? A pretty box, facial scan head sculpts? No thanks, personally I thought the sculpts before the scan technology were better and I'm not being facetious. Just look at the latest MCU Black Panther and Captain America headsculpts. They look nothing like the actors who they're supposedly modeled from. But that's beyond the point.

 

The question posed by JC was this: Even though the price of the standard ML single card figure is said to remain at $20, do you think the elevated price of the MCU 10th Anniversary figures is a test market to see how the consumer would react to an all out price hike on all ML figures? This was actually my suspicion even before he said it. So the resulting question is to how this would affect your purchasing of ML if that were to happen. Would you still support the line or would you not?

 

Personally I would land right about in the middle of this issue. Of course I would still buy ML, but I can guarantee I would be a hell of a lot more discerning with my dollars. First off, at the risk of turning this to another MCU vs Comic figure debate, I would never purchase another single MCU figure again. I am a comic fan first, a character fan next, a movie fan after that, and a fan of the actor a distant last. Though for the most part I do feel the actors who play the roles are well suited to do so, I really don't care to have a Captain America with Chris Evan's face or an Iron Man with RDJ's face. Honestly, the could wipe the slate clean and install all new actors and I would still watch the movies. The actors likenesses are of very little concern. Secondly, good luck getting away with anemic figures like Rocket and Spider-Ham. Third, there''s no way in hell I would convince myself to buy any repeat figures. Most of them happen to be MCU, so there would be some overlap, but there are a few comic figures like Wolverine, Deadpool, Spider-Man and some others like Gladiator that would apply. Lastly, though I've been a huge proponent of the thinking that not all BAFs need to be of a larger scale, I would be more apt to change my opinion when paying an extra $30 to $40 per complete wave. I mean, with all that extra cash would we be outta line to expect a bit more plastic in trade. From my stand point it may be a good thing. It could save me some cash in the end. Anyone else have any thoughts?

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I echoed these thoughts when they announced these would be "premium" figures. Just a fancy box (I don't include the face sculpts because we were getting them before all this price hike talk). If the prices of the main line product increases, it will be due to the "success" of the 10th Anniversary line which are of course all...I won't say it. I will say this however; if this turns out to be the case, thanks again to those this applies to.

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I don't think the main line will go up any time soon. Like Hasbro has been calling this line it is line a Special Edition line for the 10th anniversary. It's kinda like the Mattel Multiverse Premium line with the TV Flash and Val Kilmer's Batman. They are darer then the regular line.

 

Also the line is more expensive for several reason not just the box (except for one aspect which I'll get into in a bit). Like people have been saying there is the face printing tech which make the figure 10 times better then the faces on the regular line (just look at the recent Cap from the Infinity line).

 

Second while some, not all, use older molds for the figures, most are brand use extremely detail builds of the figure you usually wouldn't find in the regular line. Just look at say at the Ant-man from the 2-pack and compare it to the one from the original Ant-man series. Uses some parts from that figure but with some better parts. Now look at all the brand new figures like Red Skull (and Hydra Soildiers), Ronan, Yellowjacket, Crossbone, Trevorin, Pepper Pott and even the Mark VII Iron Man are all brand new sculpts. So alot of that extra money is going to pay for all the brand new and alot of the time, exclusive to that figure sculpts that they might not ever use anymore.

 

Thirdly, the Box itself is unique with the moral being a extra addition to the line. Not only that but alot of the set come with a good bit of accessories. From Red Skull being able to be a number of Hydra soldier to Cap coming with an Alternate head to Iron Man with his repulsar blast, these are included in these set as standard, unlike the main line where we might be lucky to get any accessories that is not the BAF.

 

Finally and probably my biggest point, this line is an Adult Collectors line. Now before anyone gets onto me about it, yes the main line is a adult collectors line however it is also marketed toward kids as well. Hell the BAF part is something marketed toward kids as well. However this is a line that seem to be marketed toward Adult collectors exclusively. Do you think a child would want a MCU Red Skull or Yellowjacket? not really as they are currently not in the most recent movie. Most Adult have asked for those figure and Hasbro is making it for them not the kids. Thus the reason for the fancy boxes to separate it from the main line.

 

Now like Mako said, The price of ML will eventually go up but it won't be because of this line but instead the rising price of oil and stuff.

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I don't think the main line will go up any time soon. Like Hasbro has been calling this line it is line a Special Edition line for the 10th anniversary. It's kinda like the Mattel Multiverse Premium line with the TV Flash and Val Kilmer's Batman. They are darer then the regular line.

 

Also the line is more expensive for several reason not just the box (except for one aspect which I'll get into in a bit). Like people have been saying there is the face printing tech which make the figure 10 times better then the faces on the regular line (just look at the recent Cap from the Infinity line).

 

Second while some, not all, use older molds for the figures, most are brand use extremely detail builds of the figure you usually wouldn't find in the regular line. Just look at say at the Ant-man from the 2-pack and compare it to the one from the original Ant-man series. Uses some parts from that figure but with some better parts. Now look at all the brand new figures like Red Skull (and Hydra Soildiers), Ronan, Yellowjacket, Crossbone, Trevorin, Pepper Pott and even the Mark VII Iron Man are all brand new sculpts. So alot of that extra money is going to pay for all the brand new and alot of the time, exclusive to that figure sculpts that they might not ever use anymore.

 

Thirdly, the Box itself is unique with the moral being a extra addition to the line. Not only that but alot of the set come with a good bit of accessories. From Red Skull being able to be a number of Hydra soldier to Cap coming with an Alternate head to Iron Man with his repulsar blast, these are included in these set as standard, unlike the main line where we might be lucky to get any accessories that is not the BAF.

 

Finally and probably my biggest point, this line is an Adult Collectors line. Now before anyone gets onto me about it, yes the main line is a adult collectors line however it is also marketed toward kids as well. Hell the BAF part is something marketed toward kids as well. However this is a line that seem to be marketed toward Adult collectors exclusively. Do you think a child would want a MCU Red Skull or Yellowjacket? not really as they are currently not in the most recent movie. Most Adult have asked for those figure and Hasbro is making it for them not the kids. Thus the reason for the fancy boxes to separate it from the main line.

 

Now like Mako said, The price of ML will eventually go up but it won't be because of this line but instead the rising price of oil and stuff.

Well said! 100% agree
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You make some interesting points. Allow me to pose questions;
If what you say about the all new sculpted and face printing are grounds for the pricing, then does that mean for the movie based waves where A-the MCU figures get the same treatment (even Iron Man now)? If that's an excuse for elevated pricing with the 10th Anny line, then why wouldn't they use it for the main line? B-If that IS a reason, then does that mean (or better stated, can we hope for) the end of MCU based waves? Will it be the precursor to main line/premium line separation? After all, with this line, they've shown they can sell a BAF as part of a 2 pack. (In fact, both figures are large). Interesting times ahead for us all (I wonder what that Hulkbuster/Hulk 2 pack will sell for?)

As for you Mako, you're absolutely right; that's the price of being a collector. If you can, please impart that FACT to all the "redo because I don't wanna pay eBay prices" people out there (fortunately with the MCU issue dominating the forums, we haven't had to deal with that for a while. However, in the event of a line separation, I believe that tidbit will rear it's ugly head again).

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You make some interesting points. Allow me to pose questions;

If what you say about the all new sculpted and face printing are grounds for the pricing, then does that mean for the movie based waves where A-the MCU figures get the same treatment (even Iron Man now)? If that's an excuse for elevated pricing with the 10th Anny line, then why wouldn't they use it for the main line? B-If that IS a reason, then does that mean (or better stated, can we hope for) the end of MCU based waves? Will it be the precursor to main line/premium line seperation? After all, with this line, they've shown they can sell a BAF as part of a 2 pack. (In fact, both figures are large). Interesting times ahead for us all (I wonder what that Hulkbuster/Hulk 2 pack will sell for?)

h

As for you Mako, you're absolutely right; that's the price of being a collector. If you can, please impart that FACT to all the "redo because I don't wanna pay eBay prices" people out there (fortunately with the MCU issue dominating the forums, we haven't had to deal with that for a while. However, in the event of a line separation, I believe that tidbit will rear it's ugly head again).

 

To answer your first part, the main line MCU aren't really getting that same treatment at the moment. That is mainly because they are for mass retail so they have to make them fast and ready for the store, hence the reason most of the figures are the same figure with new parts. however and this will answer your second part, no there will not be a separate line for MCU. the 10th line is just giving us figure based on the biggest MCU movie of those year leading up to infinity War. The main MCU wave will focus on what is currently out there, not what is forgoten. I will maintain my view that separating the line is a bad idea for those who like other lines beside X-men and Spider-man.

 

Like I said I do think prices will rise, but I don't think it will be because of this. I think it will be more because that the way things are at the moment. prices will always rise and that just the way of it.

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I agree that prices will eventually rise (again). That's an inevitable fact of life, not just Marvel Legends collecting. I also agree it would be a bad idea ( I was trying to play at humor with my "Hope for" line). I just think having the MCU dominate the waves is a bad idea financially for Hasbro, and personally for us (no need to go into the reasons. We've all have spoken on them ad nausieum).

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I agree that prices will eventually rise (again). That's an inevitable fact of life, not just Marvel Legends collecting. I also agree it would be a bad idea ( I was trying to play at humor with my "Hope for" line). I just think having the MCU dominate the waves is a bad idea financially for Hasbro, and personally for us (no need to go into the reasons. We've all have spoken on them ad nausieum).

 

LOL so true. let not start THAT arguement again. the way I thinking of it is the Spider-man and X-men lines (including Deadpool etc) are comic focused because despite how much we whine about getting another Spidey or Wolverine, they sell no matter what. At least to cater to fans they always try and do something new.

 

but for the MCU line, which include everything from Capt to Guardian to Avengers and Solo film (Basically everything that has a film out) has to include stuff from that flim. When they were starting out the characters were few in between with it mostly focusing on the main and the villain. but as the 10 year went on they have expanded their select so much that we have forgotten just how many characters are in the MCU. that's why things like Black Panther had to have so many MCU figure as (if you have seen the movie) were the main character. The Infinity War line also has to have so many MCU character because their are so many MCU characters in the film. But hasbro knows that we want comic figure so they are trying really hard to include new, remake and previously expensive comic figures in the mix rather then the constant rehashes, which they have actually rarely don't these days, with Young Thor and ANAD Iron Man being the only ones that come to mind.

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Holy crap! Canadian here. And I only collect MCU. I pay just over 30 bucks for new MLs at Walmart. 2packs and 3packs are priced accordingly except at Toysrus where they add an extra 10 bucks to multipacks then put them on sale forever. I survive.

 

Pre Toyfair I was all about spreading positivity and MCU and Comic fans living in harmony as we all take turns high fiving hasbro. Post toyfair I feel like hasbro did something to me that was not consensual and left me sore. No accessories. Fancy boxes. And hulkbuster is a pretty big F U to any MCU fan that bought an entire comic wave to get him. But at least were getting new figures. I guess.

 

Anyway, this does stink like a price increase test. If it is I have to bail entirely. THE "PREMIUM" MLS WILL BE 35-40 BUCKS HERE! Im an obsessive collector. If i cant afford my addiction ill find a cheaper one. Its how it works. I bailed once before because of scalpers greed. Im now about 20 figures deep into my MCU mark 2 collection. Id hate to bail again because of hasbros greed. I mean accessories. A light up feature. Anything to make this more than just the same stuff (less in some cases) for MORE MONEY.

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I don't think the main line will go up any time soon. Like Hasbro has been calling this line it is line a Special Edition line for the 10th anniversary. It's kinda like the Mattel Multiverse Premium line with the TV Flash and Val Kilmer's Batman. They are darer then the regular line.

 

Also the line is more expensive for several reason not just the box (except for one aspect which I'll get into in a bit). Like people have been saying there is the face printing tech which make the figure 10 times better then the faces on the regular line (just look at the recent Cap from the Infinity line).

 

Second while some, not all, use older molds for the figures, most are brand use extremely detail builds of the figure you usually wouldn't find in the regular line. Just look at say at the Ant-man from the 2-pack and compare it to the one from the original Ant-man series. Uses some parts from that figure but with some better parts. Now look at all the brand new figures like Red Skull (and Hydra Soildiers), Ronan, Yellowjacket, Crossbone, Trevorin, Pepper Pott and even the Mark VII Iron Man are all brand new sculpts. So alot of that extra money is going to pay for all the brand new and alot of the time, exclusive to that figure sculpts that they might not ever use anymore.

 

Thirdly, the Box itself is unique with the moral being a extra addition to the line. Not only that but alot of the set come with a good bit of accessories. From Red Skull being able to be a number of Hydra soldier to Cap coming with an Alternate head to Iron Man with his repulsar blast, these are included in these set as standard, unlike the main line where we might be lucky to get any accessories that is not the BAF.

 

Finally and probably my biggest point, this line is an Adult Collectors line. Now before anyone gets onto me about it, yes the main line is a adult collectors line however it is also marketed toward kids as well. Hell the BAF part is something marketed toward kids as well. However this is a line that seem to be marketed toward Adult collectors exclusively. Do you think a child would want a MCU Red Skull or Yellowjacket? not really as they are currently not in the most recent movie. Most Adult have asked for those figure and Hasbro is making it for them not the kids. Thus the reason for the fancy boxes to separate it from the main line.

 

Now like Mako said, The price of ML will eventually go up but it won't be because of this line but instead the rising price of oil and stuff.

No, I don't really believe all of that is a factor. First of all I don't think they're putting all that much extra love into the figures. Sure, the figs used for the reveals and press images look superb, but so do most of the press images for almost every other MCU figure. You, more than anyone, has to realize these are show room models with fresh paint and perfect lighting and settings that make the figures look better, many times over, than the actual product. Anyone who doubts that need only look back at the Hascon presentation where all the figures strewn out across the table were so vivid & shiny & perfect. Someone even interviewed the painter(s) that came along on the trip & pretty much all conventions to make sure everything looked perfect. As far as the facial scan tech, my comments were partially tongue in cheek and I actually agree with Rukk that it was tech that was gonna be used on every MCU figure from this point on anyway, but hey, somebody's gotta pay for those actors to be inconvenienced and that extra employee to hit the enter button on the keyboard to start the process, right? Also, regarding each figure requiring new molds, again, don't they all pretty much get new molds anyway? Even the 3 Starlords we got last year were all at least 70% unique to each one. Believe me, I checked. So I'm really not buying that part either. A new sculpt is a new sculpt, I really don't see how the new Red Skull mold involved all that much more cost to produce than the first one, other than normal inflation & the aforementioned scan tech. And what about all the so called "premium" accessories? C'mon, tiny hands and guns and a few extra head sculpts versus a giant hunk of plastic typically used for most BAFs? Please, the cost's would be a wash at best. Furthermore, I don't see that the Red Skull figure consists of any more options than the Nick Fury/Dirk Anger/SHIELD Soldier figure from the MCU Giant man wave. I just don't see it under any rationale. It just doesn't add up.

 

On the other hand, if this is the testing point to gauge whether a separation of the MCU and comic figures into two distict brands is a viable option, let me be the first to say I'm all on board. Not just because I prefer the comic figs much more, but so that we now have the option whether to purchase them or not instead of feeling like they're being forced down our throat to complete that BAF, which is usually awesome, for the most part. Seriously, I think I speak for at least 90% of the comic fans when I say we would much more prefer, say a Tarantula figure on an almost 100% reused mold, minus the head sculpt, over yet another MCU Captain America, Iron Man or Starlord. On the other side, as not to seem like I'm picking on MCU fans, I've found recently that there are a lot of collectors that prefer only MCU figures. This would also allow them the freedom to buy only the movie figures they want as well if they don't particularly like or feel like buying the comic figures. On that end I can see justification for cost increase as pretty much every single figure would require a new mold and the lack of a BAF would help level out costs when one of the larger figures, such as Hulk or Thanos, has to be produced. As usual, I would fall on either side. I would love the option to get a MCU Ronan or Yellowjacket or Trevor or Crossbones, but could care less (or couldn't care less) about Captain America or Iron Man (oooh, but he has the wing flaps...give me a freaking break!). If that's the case, let's do it. Let's call it a success. Let's make ML comic again, and occasionally throw in that "sure to sell" movie figure in there and then have that premium line to put out all those actor action figures that are also in demand. If it's a permanent thing with the end result of ML going back to it's comic roots, I take it all back and it's the best idea Hasbro has had yet.

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I don't think the main line will go up any time soon. Like Hasbro has been calling this line it is line a Special Edition line for the 10th anniversary. It's kinda like the Mattel Multiverse Premium line with the TV Flash and Val Kilmer's Batman. They are darer then the regular line.

 

Also the line is more expensive for several reason not just the box (except for one aspect which I'll get into in a bit). Like people have been saying there is the face printing tech which make the figure 10 times better then the faces on the regular line (just look at the recent Cap from the Infinity line).

 

Second while some, not all, use older molds for the figures, most are brand use extremely detail builds of the figure you usually wouldn't find in the regular line. Just look at say at the Ant-man from the 2-pack and compare it to the one from the original Ant-man series. Uses some parts from that figure but with some better parts. Now look at all the brand new figures like Red Skull (and Hydra Soildiers), Ronan, Yellowjacket, Crossbone, Trevorin, Pepper Pott and even the Mark VII Iron Man are all brand new sculpts. So alot of that extra money is going to pay for all the brand new and alot of the time, exclusive to that figure sculpts that they might not ever use anymore.

 

Thirdly, the Box itself is unique with the moral being a extra addition to the line. Not only that but alot of the set come with a good bit of accessories. From Red Skull being able to be a number of Hydra soldier to Cap coming with an Alternate head to Iron Man with his repulsar blast, these are included in these set as standard, unlike the main line where we might be lucky to get any accessories that is not the BAF.

 

Finally and probably my biggest point, this line is an Adult Collectors line. Now before anyone gets onto me about it, yes the main line is a adult collectors line however it is also marketed toward kids as well. Hell the BAF part is something marketed toward kids as well. However this is a line that seem to be marketed toward Adult collectors exclusively. Do you think a child would want a MCU Red Skull or Yellowjacket? not really as they are currently not in the most recent movie. Most Adult have asked for those figure and Hasbro is making it for them not the kids. Thus the reason for the fancy boxes to separate it from the main line.

 

Now like Mako said, The price of ML will eventually go up but it won't be because of this line but instead the rising price of oil and stuff.

No, I don't really believe all of that is a factor. First of all I don't think they're putting all that much extra love into the figures. Sure, the figs used for the reveals and press images look superb, but so do most of the press images for almost every other MCU figure. You, more than anyone, has to realize these are show room models with fresh paint and perfect lighting and settings that make the figures look better, many times over, than the actual product. Anyone who doubts that need only look back at the Hascon presentation where all the figures strewn out across the table were so vivid & shiny & perfect. Someone even interviewed the painter(s) that came along on the trip & pretty much all conventions to make sure everything looked perfect. As far as the facial scan tech, my comments were partially tongue in cheek and I actually agree with Rukk that it was tech that was gonna be used on every MCU figure from this point on anyway, but hey, somebody's gotta pay for those actors to be inconvenienced and that extra employee to hit the enter button on the keyboard to start the process, right? Also, regarding each figure requiring new molds, again, don't they all pretty much get new molds anyway? Even the 3 Starlords we got last year were all at least 70% unique to each one. Believe me, I checked. So I'm really not buying that part either. A new sculpt is a new sculpt, I really don't see how the new Red Skull mold involved all that much more cost to produce than the first one, other than normal inflation & the aforementioned scan tech. And what about all the so called "premium" accessories? C'mon, tiny hands and guns and a few extra head sculpts versus a giant hunk of plastic typically used for most BAFs? Please, the cost's would be a wash at best. Furthermore, I don't see that the Red Skull figure consists of any more options than the Nick Fury/Dirk Anger/SHIELD Soldier figure from the MCU Giant man wave. I just don't see it under any rationale. It just doesn't add up.

 

On the other hand, if this is the testing point to gauge whether a separation of the MCU and comic figures into two distict brands is a viable option, let me be the first to say I'm all on board. Not just because I prefer the comic figs much more, but so that we now have the option whether to purchase them or not instead of feeling like they're being forced down our throat to complete that BAF, which is usually awesome, for the most part. Seriously, I think I speak for at least 90% of the comic fans when I say we would much more prefer, say a Tarantula figure on an almost 100% reused mold, minus the head sculpt, over yet another MCU Captain America, Iron Man or Starlord. On the other side, as not to seem like I'm picking on MCU fans, I've found recently that there are a lot of collectors that prefer only MCU figures. This would also allow them the freedom to buy only the movie figures they want as well if they don't particularly like or feel like buying the comic figures. On that end I can see justification for cost increase as pretty much every single figure would require a new mold and the lack of a BAF would help level out costs when one of the larger figures, such as Hulk or Thanos, has to be produced. As usual, I would fall on either side. I would love the option to get a MCU Ronan or Yellowjacket or Trevor or Crossbones, but could care less (or couldn't care less) about Captain America or Iron Man (oooh, but he has the wing flaps...give me a freaking break!). If that's the case, let's do it. Let's call it a success. Let's make ML comic again, and occasionally throw in that "sure to sell" movie figure in there and then have that premium line to put out all those actor action figures that are also in demand. If it's a permanent thing with the end result of ML going back to it's comic roots, I take it all back and it's the best idea Hasbro has had yet.

 

Dilly Dilly

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am glad Hasbro is doing this..hopefully they will start seeing losses in this line and decide to go back to to the 3.75 scale..where we are dying to pay these prices for anything on the shelf...LOL

 

When it comes to action figures, I'm so over the 3.75-4" scale. I retain my entire vintage (82-94) GI Joe collection, but that's it for me.

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