Fantastic Four: First Steps - SILVER SURFER!

Marvel Legends - Fantastic Four: First Steps - Silver Surfer - Hasbro 2025

Shalla-Bal is a legacy character in Silver Surfer lore. She first appeared in Silver Surfer #1 back in 1968 as Norrin Radd's (the original Silver Surfer's) love interest on their homeworld of Zenn-La (where she also happens to rule as Empress). Like most unpowered (yet powerful) female love interests (ie Lois Lane, Mary Jane Watson, Carol Ferris, Pepper Potts, Betty Ross, etc), Shalla has occasionally adopted the abilities and identity of her titular male counterpart. In Shalla's case, this has almost always happened in alternate-universe scenarios or issues of What If. Over the years, she has wielded the Infinity Gauntlet and become (at least) two different Heralds of Galactus. Her specific incarnation as Silver Surfer was in the Earth-X storyline from 2000. Shalla's surprise appearance in the Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer was very exciting for me, but her prescence is also a bit of a potential clue to the plot of the film (don't Google her before the movie if you don't want spoilers). Let's check out Silver Surfer below!

Marvel Legends Vintage - DARK PHOENIX!

Marvel Legends Vintage (Toy Biz) - X-Men: Dark Phoenix - Hasbro 2023

The Marvel Legends Vintage line on the large retro Toy Biz cards are very hit or miss for me. For the most part, when I think of this line I am in awe of the amazing new characters or character upgrades that we've received: Tigra, She-Hulk, Hallow's Eve, Blue-suited Wasp, Spiral, Titania, Gwen Stacy, Dazzler, etc. All of these are amazing figures that might not have easily found a home in a traditional BaF Wave. But on the flipside, I also see all the lazy repaints or kitbashed releases that fill the toy aisles: Black Widow, Storm, the newly-announced Mystique, Black Cat, Lady Loki, Scarlet Witch, and even Spider-Woman (which I loved, despite her just being a repaint). The problem is that there are much more interesting options for these slots. This Dark Phoenix is a good example of a slight retool and repaint that I feel wasn't entirely necessary. The bright colors and pinless joints are great, but the older version just looked more dynamic (IMHO) in darker colors and with longer legs. Let's check her out below.

Marvel Legends - MANTIS!

Marvel Legends Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 (Cosmo) - Mantis - Hasbro 2023

I have a serious backlog of toys to open. Sometimes I forget what is buried in the back of my closet until a series of random events forces me to go digging. In this case, I found the new Ghost-Spider Epic Hero Series figure at Walmart last week. That made me think of how few female characters have been in that line so far - Rogue and Storm from X-Men '97 immediately spring to mind. But also that random Mantis from the third GOTG movie. I had her somewhere. But I couldn't review her until I also unearthed her Marvel Legends figure. Truth is, I didn't enjoy Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol 3, so although I always love Mantis and these figures are great (I didn't hesitate to buy them), I was just unmotivated at the time. But a few years later, with almost zero memories of the movie, I can fully appreciate these toys on their own merit. I even like the blue and red "Rawhide Kid" uniforms that disappointed me so much in the theatres. Time heals all critiques I suppose. Let's check out GOTG3 Mantis below!

Marvel Legends - MOONDRAGON!

Marvel Legends - Guardians of the Galaxy - Moondragon and Drax - Hasbro 2024

Moondragon is yet another character that I was first exposed to when reading the Infinity Gauntlet in my formative middle school years. I often blame those stories with souring my love for superhero comics for a solid decade (the constant crossover hype and disjointed story threads left me feeling like an unsatisfied sucker after years of dedicated reading). But at the same time, those stories first exposed me to characters I'm still fascinated with decades later - like Gamora, Nebula, Nova, Mistress Death, and Moondragon. Moondragon has been on my want list for many years, but I was also apprehensive because I didn't expect a toy to capture her essence. And I hate to say it, but I think I was right. While I was happy to finally have a Legends figure of Moondragon, I'm a bit underwhelmed at the result. There's no single improvement I can suggest, but she just seems "meh" to me. I'm reminded of my reaction to the 2017 Polaris figure - it completed the assignment but left me wanting more.

Marvel Legends - TITANIA!

Marvel Legends Vintage Card Series - Secret Wars Titania - Hasbro 2024

Marvel Legends has been really great about getting us figures of never-before-made characters recently. Since 2023, we have been blessed with figures of Destiny, Lilith, Goblin Queen, Power Princess, Namorita, and Clea. All fairly unlikely releases, but fantastic additions to an already diverse lineup. The most recent surprise character is Titania. She was introduced in Secret Wars #3 in 1984 as an unpowered civilian (and wannabe hero) Mary pretending to be Julia Carpenter (Spider-Woman). When her town is taken as part of the Battleworld plot, Doctor Doom is desperate to bolster the ranks of villainous team and uses alien technology to turn Mary into the powerhouse Titania (and her friend Marsha becomes Volcana). After a lifetime of being bullied and neglected, she relishes in her new powers and lashes out at the world. She has been a member of many teams including Masters of Evil, Frightful Four, and Gamma Flight and has luckily managed to stay relevant. Let's check out Titania below!

Marvel Legends - PRIME SENTINEL!

Marvel Legends - Haslab X-Men Sentinel - Prime Sentinel (Female) - Hasbro 2021

I remember back in 2020 when a new tier for the X-Men Sentinel Haslab campaign was unveiled showing a female Prime Sentinel in 6" Marvel Legends scale. I was pretty obsessed. The Haslab campaign was expensive at $349.99, but somehow I convinced myself it would be a good investment and purchased two (despite having zero desire for a 26" Sentinel figure). But a year later when they arrived, I could not have predicted that I would be in the middle of moving house with all my belongings packed in boxes. There couldn't have been a more inconvenient time to get two large parcels that together were the size of my stove. In the new house, they got put in a basement closet and promptly got buried. A few months ago I decided to sell them unopened (and, yes, I did indeed profit handsomely) and just buy a loose Female Prime Sentinel on eBay. I don't know much about this figure except that the Prime Sentinels are cyborgs created by Bastion. But I think her design is striking. Let's check her out below!

Marvel Legends - DESTINY!

Marvel Legends -  X-Men: Rogue and Destiny 2-Pack -  Hasbro 2024

The powers that be behind the Marvel Legends line have been reading my mind recently. A Destiny figure has been on my wishlist for years, but I figured that an older (sometimes elderly?) blind lgbtq precog would be an unlikely choice for retail shelves. But I wasn't considering two things: 1) Online retailer exclusives are great for obscure character releases. And 2) Destiny had a major popularity boost due to the 2022 Destiny of X storyline. Regardless of the factors behind her release, I'm just ecstatic to finally have a true action figure of Irene. The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants were my favorite adversaries when I first started reading X-Men in the 80s, and I'm glad the roster is finally filling out. This figure was really tricky for me to photograph. The metallic facemask messes with my camera's color sensor and every photo ends up looking like a different shade of blue. I took hundreds of photos of her, but this set (with flash) looked the most consistent. Let's check out the long overdue Destiny figure below!

Marvel Legends - ROGUE!

Marvel Legends -  X-Men: Rogue and Destiny 2-Pack -  Hasbro 2024

Rogue was one of the very first female villains I was exposed to in the Marvel Universe. I had picked up a backissue of Dazzler sometime in the late 80s and was obsessed with this green-suited young woman causing chaos. I picked up all her early appearances in books like Avengers and ROM Spaceknight and couldn't get enough. I thought it was great when she came to the good side and joined the X-Men, but I think I was the only fan that wasn't on board with her transformation into a sexpot in the 90s. It just seemed too out of character to me. But that popularity is why we get so many cool toys of her, so I try to embrace it. A first appearance Rogue has been on my Marvel Legends wishlist for many years, and so has Destiny. So this 2-Pack is like a dream to me. The Rogue figure isn't perfect. I find her hair especially baffling. In this era, she always had two white streaks coming off her temples (often curling up in little Quicksilver-esque whisps). This slicked-back center streak just looks odd and a little boring to me. 

Marvel Legends - LILITH!

Strange Tales (Blackheart Series) - Lilith Mother of All Demons - Hasbro 2024

In 1992, in the pages of Ghost Rider #28, the second character named Lilith was introduced into the Marvel Universe. The first Lilith was Dracula's Daughter and has been a fixture in Marvel's more macabre comics since 1974. But this new character was very different, both visually as well as her role in the comics. This Lilith is an ancient (Atlantean) deity known as The Mother of All Demons. She actually gives birth to demons who are forever obedient to her. I remember reading her first storyline as it was published. There was a random X-Men/Ghost Rider crossover (#26-27) that got me to read my first Ghost Rider comic, and the immediate next issue (which I decided to stick with) was the start of the Rise of the Midnight Sons arc that introduced her. She has always been a visually iconic character to me. But I won't lie, I had completely forgotten her name until this figure was announced. This action figure is a blast from the past and a really great Halloweeny character to revisit. Let's check her out below!

Marvel Legends - WARBIRD!

Marvel Legends - Marvel 85th Anniversary - Warbird (Target Exc) - Hasbro 2024

Few comic characters can change names and costumes repeatedly and stay dynamic and interesting. But then there is Carol Danvers. Carol first became Ms. Marvel in January 1977. This original costume was my favorite with a very 70's feathered hairdo and bare midriff (sadly unproduced in the Marvel Legends line). But in less than two years she ditched that for a black outfit with a lightning bolt. I wasn't a fan of this look for a long time. Perhaps because it replaced my favorite or perhaps because it was often drawn as a high-waisted thong (which seemed gratuitously objectifying, even amidst the abundant cleavage and navels in comics).  But I eventually changed my tune (specifically when her 2014 Legends figure was released). In the May 1998 issue of The Avengers #4, she first adopted the name Warbird in connection to the black costume. This Target Exclusive figure represents the Warbird era well and marks a new level of quality and articulation for female Legends. Let's check her out below!

Marvel Legends - SHE-HULK!

Marvel Legends - Vintage Series (Iron Man Card) - She-Hulk - Hasbro 2024

I love how every few years we get a new She-Hulk figure that is an improvement over the last. Jennifer Walters is a nuanced character who has been portrayed in a variety of different ways by different creative teams. Choosing a single version to represent her is truly an impossible task, especially because the visual differences are so subtle. To me, this newest Marvel Legends figure represents the She-Hulk that I was first exposed to in the early 90's run of Sensational She-Hulk during the John Byrne era. Now, this isn't necessarily my favorite version of She-Hulk to read (the comedic elements and early-90s vibes just aren't my thing).. but visually this is still the most iconic and timeless She-Hulk to me. It also is a great representation of her first 1996 Toy Biz action figure. I don't think she ever had a toy connection to Iron Man like this current release suggests, but it's a great figure all the same. (I hope we get a purple/blue repaint of Julia Carpenter on this card next. That would make sense). Let's check out She-Hulk below!

Marvel Legends - JEAN GREY!

Marvel Legends - X-Men '97 Disney+ Vintage Wave 2 - Jean Grey - Hasbro 2024

I just finished watching X-Men '97 and I am quite the fan. There was always something a little off about the original X-Men the Animated Series to me. I always had trouble taking it seriously. But this 27-years-later continuation is what I always wanted that show to be. Everything is a little elevated: the drawing style, the storytelling, the voicework, and the overall feel is more polished. My only issue is that way too much happened in 10 episodes. It buzzed through Inferno, Zero Tolerance, Trial of Magneto, and E is for Extinction storylines in rapid pace. It presented well, but the source stories are great and could have been expanded upon. Jean Grey got a decent amount of screentime, which was expected. But what I didn't expect was to get the nicest Jean Grey Marvel Legends figure to date from it. This 90's costume can be a little awkward in toy form, her shoulderpads and face-cropping headgear doesn't always translate well into plastic. But this one got it right. Let's check out Jean below!

Marvel Legends - WASP!

Marvel Legends - Avengers Classic Giant-Man and Wasp 2-Pack - Hasbro 2024

Way back in 2010 when the Avengers (2012) movie was first announced and rumors started to fly, I was very excited at the prospect of seeing Janet van Dyne as the Wasp on the big screen (and of course getting lots of cool toys). Janet was one of the original Avengers from 1963 so I (wrongfully) assumed her presence would be a given. But no, in her place was Black Widow, a non-powered espionage-based character who didn't join the Avengers until 1991. I was baffled and upset. I eventually grew to really like the MCU Black Widow, but Wasp was a glaring absence to me. The character eventually appeared in the Ant-Man movies (not donning a costume until 2018) but as a new character, Hope van Dyne, the daughter of Janet and Hank. Janet eventually appeared in the MCU played by Michelle Pfeiffer and got decent costumed screentime in Quantumania (but almost no merch). In the time, a classic helmeted Wasp figure rose to the top of my most-wanted Legends list. It took years but she is perfect.

Marvel Legends - GOBLIN QUEEN!

Marvel Legends - X-Men '97 Vintage Wave 2 - Goblin Queen - Hasbro 2024

Sometimes I feel bad for all the casual X-fans tuning into the movies and cartoons and trying to figure out the history of Jean Grey. She is an intriguing character that finds herself in the epicenter of the X-Men's greatest stories. But even as a longtime fan, I can't deny it gets a bit confusing. One of her most iconic incarnations (for me) is when her clone, Madelyne Pryor became the Goblin Queen in the Inferno storyline from 1988-89. I was an avid reader of The New Mutants (and X-Terminators) at this time so I was getting a live feed of this story as it was being published (albeit focusing on Illyana). When the promotional material for X-Men '97 was first shown last year, I was excited to see the Goblin Queen. The Inferno storyline was one of the few major X-events that wasn't ever touched on in X-Men: The Animated Series. Amusingly, even though we've now seen the Goblin Queen in the new series, the story was barely scratched. But, hey, at least we got this great figure of her. Let's check out Madelyne below!

Marvel Legends - ARMORED PSYLOCKE!

Marvel Legends - Wolverine 50th Ann 2-Pack - Lady Mandarin - Hasbro 2024

Of all the X-Men, I've always felt that Psylocke has had the most interesting and extreme design changes. The fact that she was quite literally body-swapped in the 1990 Acts of Vengeance storyline just increased her number of unique appearances. Prior to 1990, Betsy Braddock was a lavender-haired British psychic telepath. But then she was brainwashed by The Hand and body-swapped with the East Asian assassin Kwannon and refined her powers to now present as her signature "psychic knife", a pink dagger-like energy spike emanating from her fist that can scramble someone's brain. Her first appearances with her new body and powers were costumed in this Lady Mandarin battle armor. She only used that name and costume for a few issues, but they were featured on the first two covers of the iconic Jim Lee run on X-Men (issues #256-257). Even though this is my least desired Psylocke design to have in the Marvel Legends line, I can't deny how iconic it is. Let's check out Armored Psylocke below!

Marvel Legends - HALLOWS' EVE!

Marvel Legends Vintage - Spider-Man Legends - Hallows' Eve - Hasbro 2024

Hallows' Eve was my favorite comic discovery of 2023. She was introduced as a new villain in the pages of Spider-Man the year before, but I didn't become a fan until her solo mini-series was released in TPB (appropriately during Halloween week 2023). Janine Godbe had been (an unpowered) character since the mid-nineties as the Scarlet Spider/Ben Reilly's love interest. A mere 29 years later during the Dark Web crossover event, she became the center of attention. Without spoiling too many origin details, her transformation involved the Goblin Queen, the demon S'ym, and the realm of Limbo. She now carries a bag full of traditional Halloween masks, that give her the powers and traits of that mask character. So when she dons the werewolf mask, she becomes a werewolf. But similar to The One Ring, the masks have corruptive qualities. For instance, the vampire mask threatens to completely overrun her humanity when she uses it. I think she's so cool and I can't wait to read more of her.

Marvel Legends - POWER PRINCESS!

Marvel Legends - Void Build-a-Figure Series -  Power Princess - Hasbro 2023

Something I love about the DC vs Marvel rivalry over the years is the constant reinterpretation of each other's ideas. Regular comic readers could list dozens of storylines and characters with blatant similarities between the two companies. Sometimes these can seem like a competitive swipe, but othertimes they can be a respectful homage. I've always viewed Marvel's Squadron Supreme as the latter. Debuting in the pages of Avengers in 1971, Squadron Supreme was an alternate interpretation of the Justice League. The Wonder Woman of the team, Power Princess, wasn't introduced until 1982 (although Warrior Woman was technically introduced in 1975, she wasn't reimagined and intertwined with Power Princess until modern times). The current Power Princess we see in this action figure seems to be based on her design in the 2021 Heroes Reborn series, which is even more of a blatant Wonder Woman parallel than any of her previous looks. She looks great though. Let's check out Power Princess below!

Marvel Legends - NAMORITA!

Marvel Legends - Void Build-a-Figure Series -  Namorita - Hasbro 2023

Marvel Legends has a knack for releasing an in-demand character in the wrong costume. I've been predicting a Namorita figure for several years now. The original New Warriors lineup from 1990 is iconic and several characters have already been released. When this Void wave was announced, we already had 3 of the 6 members (plus the brown Nova on the way). So suddenly we got the final two, Namorita and Marvel Boy, announced. But Marvel Boy was in his 2014 costume and Namorita was in her blink-and-you-miss-it 2005 design that she only had for six issues. The saving grace is that both costumes are cool. To be fair, I always hated this Namorita design, but this figure makes me appreciate it in a new light. She's quite a stunning figure. The last few comic-based females in this line have been exceptionally and surprisingly beautiful (Clea and Daredevil Elektra come to mind). And the nice thing is that this sculpt will almost certainly be repurposed for her classic look. Let's check out Namorita below!

Marvel Legends Vintage - SPIRAL!

Marvel Legends: Vintage (X-Men Toy Biz) Series - Spiral - Hasbro 2023

While the majority of the releases in the Marvel Legends Vintage carded line seem to be simple redecos or even straight-up re-releases, every once in a while they knock it out of the park with a wholly original character. I realize there was already a Marvel Legends Spiral made back in the Red Hulk wave, but that was already fifteen years ago (and light year's away in terms of sculpt and production quality). Spiral was introduced in the 1985 issue of Longshot #1 created by Arthur Adams and Ann Nocenti (two of my very favorite 80's talents). She soon left the Mojoverse and entered the main X-Men universe as a member of Mystique's Freedom Force. Given her extra arms and arsenal of blades, she is often downplayed as a simple swordwielder. But what always intrigued me about Spiral was her mystical spellcasting abilities, usually accompanied by a dance and a blur of elaborate hand gestures. She is a fascinating character with a sympathetic backstory. This figure is an unexpected but fantastic representation of her.

Marvel Legends - MANIA!

Marvel Legends - Venom Space Knight and Mania 2-Pack - Hasbro 2023

I always wanted a female version of Venom, but I never loved the 90s Bride of Venom figure. When I became aware of Mania in Venom #40 (2013), I thought she was perfect. The Mania symbiote was introduced nine years earlier as a clone made from a piece of Venom's tongue. By 2013 she had found her newest host, Andrea (Andi) Benton, and became a very buzzworthy character. Andi as Mania was young, punky, had a cool look, and best of all she was based in my city of Philadelphia. Besides an amusing interlude of Cyclops eating a cheesesteak a few years ago, this Venom storyline and modern Shazam books are the only mainstream superhero comics I know that is based here. In 2014 when the Anya Corazon Spider-Girl figure came out, I bought a second with intentions to modify her into Mania. Those plans never materialized, but she's always been on my wishlist.  It's exciting to finally see her in plastic all these years later. And the execution of this character is perfect. Let's check out Mania below!