Alex Carter
At last year’s Comic-Con, Marvel Legends left collectors in awe with the unveiling of a new action figure, Crystar, a beloved character from the ’80s. This year, they’ve outdone themselves by bringing back ROM, one of the pioneering electronic toys from the ’70s. Marvel had previously created a comic book based on ROM, but it was unclear how many rights they held to the character. Well, the mystery is over. Rom is officially joining the Marvel Legends lineup.
When asked about the possibility of more Crystar-related characters, Hasbro’s Ryan Ting intriguingly responded, “Potentially.”
Wings of Desire
The most jaw-dropping reveal was the colossal Dragon Man, which will be available for preorder to gauge demand. This means a longer-than-usual lead time, but it won’t be a crowd-funded HasLab project.
Ting explains the difference between crowd-funding and open preorders, stating that with crowd-funding, there’s a minimum threshold that must be met. With open preorders, the product is definitely happening, it’s just a matter of determining the right quantity. This flexibility allows them to potentially reopen preorders down the line.
Ting and his colleague Dwight Stall often find themselves in friendly debates that mirror those of the fans. For instance, when deciding on a two-pack for the Infinity Saga movie-based line, Ting favored Chitauri, but Stall’s choice of the Outriders from Infinity War ultimately prevailed.
Hoofing It
The duo also have an ongoing debate about the inclusion of horses in the line. Stall, in response to a question about the Venom horse in the latest movie trailer, urges fans to petition Ting for more horses in the Marvel Legends line. Ting, however, playfully responds with a firm “neigh!”
Enter the Void
There’s a shared excitement over the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine action figures set to release in October. Ting explains that the shifting movie dates have made it a bit of a challenge, but they’re committed to delivering the best possible figures to the fans.
Stall shares that Marvel Studios provided them with assets for about six characters approved for pre-release development. They had to make some educated guesses based on the assets and context they were given. They decided to focus on the characters they knew fans would love, like Logan, Wolverine, Headpool, and Deadpool, and get those out as quickly as possible.
Stall adds that they’re already starting to make lists based on what they’ve seen in the film. However, fans shouldn’t expect any spoiler characters in toy form until at least a year from now.
First Steps and More
As for variants, we asked how a new Fantastic Four movie might affect the chances of a John Krasinski Reed Richards figure, as seen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Stall says it’s a possibility, but for now, they’re focusing on the new cast and entertainment. However, he doesn’t rule out revisiting the idea in the future.
And what about a Ryan Reynolds likeness for Deadpool, or even Nicepool? The answer to that remains to be seen.
Stall hints that if they’re able to activate on unmasked portraits, they will. Ting adds that they’re always negotiating and trying to bring the best product to their consumers. Stall concludes by encouraging Ryan Reynolds to sign a deal, unless he wants Green Lantern figures to be the only ones with his face.
Check out a few more Marvel Legends photos below.
