MCU Infinity Saga - RESCUE!

Marvel Infinity Saga Super Hero Series 01 - Rescue - Bloks/Buluke/Blokees 2024

Once again I'm playing catch-up with the toy trends and just beginning to dabble in the blind-box Blokees figures that are all the rage in the toy stores. I've been very aware of the Transformers products, but just learned of the extensive Ultraman lines and these newer Marvel Cinematic Universe waves (plus a series for Spidey and His Amazing Friends). I actually don't love the human faces made for this scale - they look a tad too cartoony for me - but luckily the only two MCU females so far (Wasp and Rescue) are completely masked. I have a major fondness for Pepper Potts in her cinematic blue Rescue armor. Back in 2019 I was bummed that she wasn't in her traditional red comic colors, but the blue has really grown on me. It's doesn't hurt that this armor has sparked a significant amount of toys, whereas the comic version got almost no recognition. Plus I think it made way for Ironheart to adopt red armor (and I can admit I like her even more than Pepper). Let's check out Rescue below!

Iron Man and His Awesome Friends - IRONHEART!

Iron Man & His Awesome Friends - Armored-Up Avengers Pack - Hasbro 2025

Back in October I came across a press release about a new Disney Jr Marvel series titled Iron Man and His Awesome Friends. Based on the marketing of the similar Spidey and His Amazing Friends, I was instantly excited about the potential for this exact toy I now hold. Ironheart has been an obsession of mine for quite a few years now. I was a little late to the party, picking up my first issue around 2018 (a couple years after her debut). But I was instantly hooked and quickly read all her previous stories. Then the world took notice and she appeared on the big screen in Wakanda Forever (2022) which leads to her upcoming solo series on Disney+.  Having her appear in the Disney Jr Spidey universe is a no-brainer. She has already starred in several Marvel Rising storylines, but these preschool-aimed cartoons have a proven track record and a huge audience. As of this post, the release date of this new series is still a vague "Summer 2025", but I'll keep checking for updates. Let's check out Ironheart below!

Marvel Basic Series - IRONHEART!

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Basic Series 1 - Ironheart - Hasbro 2022

The new trend for the Hasbro basic series MCU figures to have elaborate action features is admittedly not my favorite thing. The figures from Thor: Love and Thunder (Mighty Thor at least) were awkwardly engineered with the action features having too much influence over the sculpt. But last week I walked into Target and saw this unexpected Ironheart Battle Action figure (only Namor, Shuri, and Attuma were in the advertisements), and I was pleasantly surprised at the overall design. Her action feature does not effect her overall appearance, which is a great start. When you squeeze Ironheart's left leg inward, her two cannons move from a back-mounted downward-pointing position, to a shoulder-mounted forward-facing position. It makes a lot of sense and is a fun feature that I fully support. The Shuri from the same wave has awkwardly positioned arms and seems wholly unappealing, but Ironheart is fun, simple, and displays well. Let's check out the Wakanda Forever Battle Action Ironheart below!

Marvel Legends - IRONHEART!

Marvel Legends - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Ironheart - Hasbro 2022

Riri Williams has had a lot of interesting armor configurations since her debut in 2016. Her first was a bulky suit made from pieces of Iron Man's armor that she scavenged and reverse engineered. When Pepper Potts insisted that her genius (and heroics) be acknowledged, she quickly acquired the resources to upgrade to a sleek classic-looking "Iron Man" suit (this was my favorite iteration so far). After a few years she got a redesign into a pink/magenta suit with a subtle heart motif and a clear visor. This wasn't my favorite look, but it was very original (not derivative of Tony's look) and the stories were still great. When her solo series ended, I lost track of her development. But now her upcoming appearance in Wakanda Forever has me energized to fill in the gaps. This cinematic design looks like a great blend of the two main comic looks. I love that she's starting off with a unique design, easily distinguishable from Tony and Pepper. Let's check out Ironheart below!

Titan Hero Series - IRONHEART (BOTH VERSIONS)!

Marvel Titan Hero Series - Wakanda Forever - Ironheart (x2) - Hasbro 2022

I have known that there was an Ironheart television series coming out on Disney+ for a couple years now. This character is one of my favorite things to come out of modern Marvel comics so I was pretty excited for this show. But I was completely unaware that she was making her live-action debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever until I saw a blurry leaked photo of this Marvel Titan Heroes Series figure in Wakanda packaging. But this actually makes sense since Shuri was a major character in the second story arc of the Ironheart comic (fingers crossed Silhouette makes a cameo!) But another surprise came when two versions of this figure were released simultaneously. There are some significant differences, but my favorite version is actually a combination of the two so I thought it best to post a joint review to explain my reasonings. I also understand that Riri has at least two additional costumes in this movie so I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of her in the toy aisles. Let's check out Ironheart below!

Marvel Legends - PEPPER POTTS RESCUE!

Marvel The Infinity Saga - Avengers: Endgame – Rescue Armor - Hasbro 2021

Back in 2013 the collector world was teased with images of a Pepper Potts Rescue figure (with an unmasked head) as part of the third wave of Marvel Legends figures for Iron Man 3. This wave was cancelled and I was very upset about it. I had goals at the time of assembling an all-female Avengers lineup. And I honestly thought Rescue and American Dream were extremely unlikely to ever be made. But then three years later in 2016, the cancelled Rescue figure was made available as a Marvel Unlimited subscription exclusive. I was thrilled. But many collectors were not since this new version did not include the alternate unmasked head. When the Gweneth head was released with the odd shoeless sports bra figure, I saw a lot of kitbashes trying to fit it on the original Endgame figure (they never looked right). But finally this new Infinity Saga 2-pack gave us multiple Pepper heads. Unfortunately the head I was looking forward to most (the raised visor) is plagued with a horrible paint job. You can't win them all.

Marvel Legends - IRONHEART!

Marvel Legends - Ursa Major Series - Riri Williams Ironheart - Hasbro 2021

I have a confession to make. As much as I love the trend of having a young female character adopting the mantle of an established hero, I usually have trouble reading the actual comics. I have come to the conclusion that I am just not in the target demographic. Plus the typical art style employed in these books traditionally isn't my favorite. I'm always so optimistic, but I'm usually left deflated. Ironheart, however, is a huge exception to this trend. I was a little late to the game and Riri already had two collected editions on the shelves when I started reading, but I was hooked right away. The story, art, and character development was simply amazing. The only thing that slowed my momentum was her updated pink costume with the blue heart on her forehead (not my favorite design). And eventually her fantastic solo title ended. Riri has been on my Legends wishlist for years and this long-awaited result is perfection (soooooo glad it was her first official armor and not the newer suit). Let's check out Ironheart below!

Marvel Legends - RESCUE!

Marvel Legends - Avengers Endgame (Hulk Build-a-Figure) - Rescue - Hasbro 2019

This Rescue Marvel Legends figure is a long time coming. Back in 2013, there was a third wave of Legends figures tied to the film Iron Man 3. It's pretty rare for a third wave of movie figures, so I wasn't totally surprised when the wave never hit the shelves. But the Pepper Potts Rescue figure that was supposed to be included was a major loss. But in 2016 we were given a fun bonus in a limited release of the figure as a Marvel Unlimited subscription exclusive. Unfortunately she didn't come with her alternate unmasked head (from the 2013 solicit), and the subscription to get her cost $100. So actually purchasing her proved difficult for the majority of collectors. But then earlier this year, Rescue finally made her MCU debut and I knew we'd be getting some awesome merchandise. It's also pretty impressive to get a Marvel Legends figure that has 100% new tooling. I've become so accustomed to seeing the same bucks over and over again that this was a welcome surprise. Let's check out Rescue below!

Avengers Basic Series RESCUE!

Avengers Endgame - Basic S02 Iron Man and Rescue 2-Pack - Hasbro 2019

I really thought Avengers: Endgame was a terrific movie. Despite my love for comics and superheros, I often shy away from film versions of the genre. Especially when something is pitched as a huge blockbuster with an expansive cast.  I still always see these movies of course, but my hopes are never very high. I much prefer smaller-scale films with detailed character development. But Avengers Endgame surprised me. It really look advantage of the groundwork laid by the 21 (!) previous MCU movies and told a compelling, cohesive, and exciting story. And it may seem silly, but one of my favorite take-aways was the long-awaited cinematic debut of Pepper Potts in her Rescue armor. She only had seconds of screentime, but it really made an impression on me. And it appears the merchandising community too notice too because there is a flood of Rescue product coming. My first purchase was a Funko Pop, but this basic figure it the one I was really looking forward to. Let's check her out below!

X Faction - IRON LADY!

Iron Lady (Unlicensed Pepper Potts Rescue) PVC Statue - X Faction Studio 2017

This was a figure I really struggled with. I've seen it popping up on eBay for a few years and I always been really intrigued. I love Rescue as a character. There have been so few female Iron "Men"  in the comics (Rhodey Stark and Antoinette Stark come to mind - but they are both one-and-done type characters). So when Pepper Potts donned the armor I finally thought we had one with staying power. And I have been proven right. The new movie has really solidified her in the public eye. And I really like the blue armor in the MCU. But it made me quickly nostalgic for the classic red armor (which I felt would be completely phased out in the blink of an eye). So I caved and bought this Iron Lady. There are two big moral problems with this figure. Firstly, she's unlicensed. I'm known to pick up the occasional bootlego, but in general I like to respect intellectual property. Secondly, there is some major dubious intent here. Be forewarned, this is an adults-only collectible. Let's check out Iron Lady below!

Early 2018 Collection of MARVEL MINI-MATES!

Marvel Mini-Mates Series 74, Walgreens Wave 8, & Movie Exclusives - DST 2018

I could rant on forever about my love of Mini-Mates. If you can embrace the Lego-like blocky style, you will find this line to be the most collector-focused and thorough series out there. The obscure character selection and team-building rosters are like nothing I have ever dared wish for. I look forward to every interesting release and I can't wait to see what else the future brings. I have waxed poetic about Minimates over and over again, so I am just going to put my wishlist in writing. As far as spider-ladies, I would love Mania, Lady Spider, Scream, Madame Web, Madam Web (Hostess), Animated Anya Corazon, and Agony. Outside of the Spider-Verse, I would love Namora, Namorita, Jocasta, Skids (and Rusty), Hellcat, Sharon Rogers, Red She-Hulk, America, American Dream, modern comic Sif, Binary, Hebzibah, and a new Firestar. Whew. Now let's see how many of these come to fruition in the next few years. Most are a longshot, but so was Madame Masque, so there's hope. Let's check out the newest batch below!

Marvel Gallery - IRONHEART!

Marvel Gallery PVC Statues - Ironheart (Riri Williams) - Diamond Select Toys 2017

One of the greatest joys of collecting is when you've been eyeing a product for months, with no intent on actually buying it, but then the stars align and it finds its way into your hands anyway. I always have lots of reasons to refrain from a collectible purchase, but mostly it comes down to space/scale, not wanting to "start a whole new collection," and the trusty standby: price. But then there are these rare occasions when you stumble across a a deal you can't pass up and you cave. I recently picked up this Ironheart 11.5" PVC statue at GameStop for $11 and I'm thrilled with the purchase. I've eyeballed a lot of the Marvel Gallery statues in the past (Lady Deadpool in particular), but all it took was a crazy sale to get me to break my resolve. It doesn't hurt that this is the first piece of merchandise of Riri Williams as Ironheart either. I read the first bunch of Invincible Ironman issues and loved her. Hopefully this is just the start of many Ironheart products (I just bought her Minimate today!). Let's check her out below!

Marvel Legends PEPPER POTTS as RESCUE!

Marvel Legends - Rescue - Marvel Unlimited Subscription Exc - Hasbro 2016

One nice thing about Hasbro's handling of the Marvel Legends line is that a lot of cancelled figures eventually get released in one way or another. The recent TRU Build-a-Figure Jubilee was resurrected from a cancelled wave and I have hopes that we'll see that Lyra figure eventually. This Rescue was originally shown at SDCC in 2013 as a part of the third wave of Iron Man Legends released in conjunction with Iron Man 3. The wave was scheduled for November 2013 but got the axe. Then years later she shows up as a 2016 subscription exclusive for Marvel Unlimited (a digital comic subscription service). She comes with the $99 package that gets you a year's access to the Marvel catalog as well as a few print comics with exclusive covers, and some pins. I personally still read my comics in paper form, so I found this release to be a little frustrating, but I got her eventually on eBay for an "okay" price (the second highest price I've ever paid for a Legends figure). Let's check out Rescue below!