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I'm not sure about a whole wave of Ghost Rider moviemates, but I'd definitely be up for a comic-based Midnight Sons box set.

After a brief look at some of the sales data I get the impression that the main Avengers books may have been outselling the main X-Men books over the past five years or so, though adding the different titles and spinoffs together is way more math than I'm up for. And that's sales, not popularity, so you may be right. I think what's more important is the question of who's more popular with guys named Chuck who work at DST, and I'm pretty sure the X-Men win that battle hands-down.

In TRU's defense, I'm not sure they really know how to sell anything.

While I don't have any real serious complaints about Marvel minimate character selection, I think MU might be doing a better job balancing characters from different sources so that fans of any one property don't feel left out.

Looks like Hawkeye is getting a new costume that's closer to the movie or Ultimate versions. I guess it would be a good excuse to make a new Hawkeye, but I'd like a redo of a more classic version first.

Yeah, the MVC3 Wolverine has been shown with the same mask. I'm hoping that it's a production issue and MVC3 will come with the mask this Wolverine was shown with, but I don't think it's likely. At least this one can be mostly saved with the pulled-down mask and a head swap.

Blade has a hole in his head and Wolverine comes with the wrong mask? Sounds like they did a good job of screwing up the somewhat worthwhile 'mates in the set.

Not a big fan of Alpha Flight, but I think they would make for some cool 'mates. I'm curious to see how that might break down. I thought the most interesting part was just how much of the decision-making is Chuck's responsibility. I guess I assumed it was spread around a little more than that.

Whether the policy regarding variants is a rule or a guideline, does anyone actually care? It's not like variants are difficult to get now like they were at the beginning of the line. It also seems to me that an extra character might be the kind of incentive LCS owners need to keep ordering minimates.

The fact that the face won't be printed over sculpted eyes that it doesn't match up with puts it over the top for me.

That SHIELD agent is cool, but I'm disappointed it doesn't look like it will be paired with Nick Fury and Maria Hill for maximum army building potential.

Love the skeleton, also love that the swords look to be a little more realistic than the ones in the TRU wave.

I think 20+ waves of uber-detail, the fact that it gives DST a good reason to revisit popular characters, and the general success of the Minimate brand in its current form strongly suggest DST isn't going back to more simplistic designs.

I think this is exactly right. Minimates certainly has the largest representation of the Marvel universe, even if you were only to count current style and the not the earlier waves. But MU has done a surprisingly good job at incorporating a wide variety of characters, especially ones (Wrecking Crew, Constrictor, Darkhawk) that have not been made before. I think this makes it feel like Marvel minimates are falling behind even if it isn't true when you look at the selection of characters.

I was disappointed Firelord wasn't in the set, but these look good enough that I can get over it. Unfortunately this probably won't be stocked at a lot of TRUs. I'd love Rocket Raccoon too, especially after getting the MU set. I'm not sure he'd work near as well as a 2" minimate. I'd like to see what DST could do with him at 1" tall, even without articulation, as long as he came with a big gun.

But we don't have a definitive comic Sandman. You can mostly piece one together out of the parts that are available, but DST could knock a new one out of the park. Sure, I'd like Morbius, Prowler, and Tombstone too (not Will o' the Wisp), but characters like Sandman are way more important for my Spider-man display. But we HAVE Sandman! 4 of them! It's not my ^#&4ing problem that you aren't happy, so excuse me if I'm not willing to give up a spot for a character that I already have, when it could be used for someone that I need. Overreact much? I could write about how it's silly to even think a redo of a popular character is "taking" a spot from an obscure character, but let's just get a little perspective: People are getting bent out of shape at the idea of Hammerhead, Will o' the Wisp, Tombstone, etc getting pushed back or never getting made. Really? It's fantastic that these characters are even remotely possible. Are we so entitled that the possibility of not getting Prowler is a major affront?

But we don't have a definitive comic Sandman. You can mostly piece one together out of the parts that are available, but DST could knock a new one out of the park. Sure, I'd like Morbius, Prowler, and Tombstone too (not Will o' the Wisp), but characters like Sandman are way more important for my Spider-man display.

I'd love some Hellboy 'mates, especially if they did them in Mignola's style. Winter Soldier seems like a good example of one of those inexplicable blind spots DST seems to have. He would have been a good choice any time in the past five years and a great choice this year as a Captain America tie-in, but now Chuck thinks that ship has sailed? I'd get it if a lot of unique parts were involved, but you could make a passable Winter Soldier with parts already available. Like BHM said, release him in a pack with Falcon and make everyone happy.

Maybe they were trying to make sure you couldn't return them to another TRU on an older receipt? Based on what I've read elsewhere, there's a lot of people that would try that. Of course that makes more sense for items that are also sold at Target and Wal-mart.

I can definitely understand the frustration. I certainly can't display the new and old minimates together, or at least very few of them. With figures like Juggernaut and the new Hulk I think we're on Minimates 2.0, which I personally am a big fan of. But if you loved the original style then it's no fun and you're probably out of luck, I don't think it's very likely DST is going to return to it.

Off the beaten path? Are you suggesting that DST should never have made another Spider-Man in his black costume? Or that Stealth Iron Man, a Doom with a face instead of a mask, yellow Daredevil, etc, should be off the table? Given all the changes that have been made to minimates in the past few years, both design and distribution, I don't see why anyone would expect DST to be handcuffed by a policy from the very beginning of the line. If they think updating characters that were formerly variants can help the line, I'm 100% behind them.

It will certainly be a waste if DST doesn't put out an Avengers-themed comic wave next year. They could easily knock out some of the remaining Avengers and throw in a villain or two. I think that would make everyone feel better.

Another update. Top 10: * Fat Cobra * Major Victory * Gladiator (Kallark) * Annihilus * Black Knight * Iron Fist (Orson Randall) * Darkhawk * Drax the Destroyer (Guardians of the Galaxy) * Star-Lord * Executioner (Has to come with an axe and two M-16s.)

"Civilianized Thor" was one of my top ten most wanted 'mates, and since Cap's jacket looks to have an Avengers logo I'll probably pick up multiples. Another Cap or Thor villain would have been good to see, but are we really complaining that Series 42/ TRU 12 is only giving us Baldur, Crossbones, Arnim Zola, Beta Ray Bill, Thunderstrike, and the Stone Men from Saturn? I'd like Falcon, Zemo, and Kang too but it's not like DST is just making more blue and red Spideys.

Hasbro has done a surprisingly good job getting out a varied selection of characters. DST should take note as a character that can support a MU or ML release can probably make it in a 2-pack. That being said, even in just the past year nobody beats minimates on character selection. A few glaring omissions in the lineups doesn't change that.