BuffaloDelorean

I've started tracking down a lot of the Dark Horse Star Wars stuff recently, and I really couldn't agree more. Especially with how many series got cut off by the license changeover before they could provide satisfying conclusions.

I picked up the Quill/Warlock pack today, and their faces are really a highlight, there's a lot of personality in them for each character. I don't like the look of the hair on the movie Star-Lord mask, so I'm probably going to move this figure's mask to the movie version, even though the hair is substantially lighter. Moondragon's head in my set has a stray blob of paint over her lip, but from a distance it's easy to ignore. The hairpiece hole for a bald character is annoying, though. I'm still deciding whether or not I'll go back for the other two sets to complete Moondragon, since it's not the classic Avengers version.

Yeah, that's the picture I think they drew from. I can understand sticking to familiar characters to wider audiences, but I'd say Groot, Phyla, and Bill would work about as well as Gamora, Angela, and Warlock.

Gamora and Quill are from two different versions of the team. Gamora's from the Bendis run, so she goes with Nova, Captain Marvel, Agent Venom and Godkiller Iron Man, but we don't have any of the other four movie Guardians from that era. Star-Lord (and the rest of the wave) are from Donny Cates' run, which is missing Groot, Beta Ray Bill, and Phyla-Vell.

For a while there was a box set or wave every year for a new event, but most of Marvel's big events haven't really been well-received lately. Secret Wars was, but the wave was completely based on the Battleworlds instead of the main series, so I don't know if that counts.

I'd be fine with just short arms and legs for dwarves and hobbits. Gollum would work with a small chestblock and narrower legs, like Rocket or Sonic.

If it isn't because of cost or sell-through, stepping on another licensors toes seems possible. Maybe a licensor who already makes BaFs, or one whose whole product is building-based. The only problem I've ever had with minimate packaging is when I can't check the whole figure for the best paint.

New Lord of the Rings minimates could be very exciting, I wonder if there's any chance.

I'd say it's less artistically interesting, but well-designed and a lot more cohesive with modern 'mates. The old Dark Phoenix is a really cool figure, but it's so simple and stylised that the only thing it really fits in with is the Cyclops from the same pack. I'm glad we're getting a new one. Bomberclops getting an optic blast does a lot to make it feel more worthwhile, although I'm sure it'll be just a shade off the last version...

No new Emma Frost is a shame, but so far this wave looks fantastic, and it's good to hear we're finally getting a new Dark Phoenix. Hopefully Cyclops is the proper classic design.

It's true that there should be a new Dark Phoenix, but finally getting a (Dark) Phoenix Saga wave is too exciting for me too really mind. This wave looks as well done as 80, and the character choices are much more appealing to me. I hope the last pack has a new White Queen in it, even though that doesn't fit the cosmic theme of the other two.

These look great, especially Deathlok and Constrictor, who I'd agree are two of the most important unmade characters. I do really wish Mockingbird was classic, but it's nice just to get her.

The figure behind Iron Man looks like Yelena Belova to me.

It's funny, with the lower number of Marvel Minimates releases recently, I've been getting into the 3.75" Star Wars line, and you see a lot of the same kind of worrying about limited releases and the potential end over there. As long as those lines last, I'll be happy cherrypicking a few classic characters once or twice a year.

Rescue and fat Thor seem like the only really big holes for Endgame, although I'm hoping the DnAish costume for Rocket sticks around for Guardians 3.