Comics are never void of superheroes. Their interesting storylines and attractive colors make it a fantastic way of imparting the reading culture. The level of creativity in comics massively increased with the rise of new companies and writers.
Martin Goodman founded Marvel Comics, formerly Timely Comic, in 1939. It was not until 1961 before the Marvel era kicked off. The company launched “The Fantastic Four,” created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and others. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby became the star writers of Marvel Comics, working on some of Marvel’s most popular superhero comics, ranging from Fantastic Four to Amazing Spiderman, Iron Man, and even the Avengers. Marvel Comics has been one of the ever-present and most popular comic production companies since the 1960s, and Marvel Comics produced some of the most popular superheroes.
Due to the wide variety of superheroes and supervillains showcased at the Marvel Universe, toy industries have made it a source of inspiration for toys. That became an opportunity for them to target many comic lovers that will gladly buy a replica of their favorite comic characters. Marvel Comics produced over 300 thousand comic books and, in the process producing over 50 thousand comic characters. Marvel Comics has been a target for toy companies worldwide to model toys after their comic characters.
Presenting the top 10 toys based on characters from Marvel Comics.
10. Hasbro’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine: Comic Series Wolverine (2009)
X-Men Origin: Wolverine illustrates stories of a disturbed mutant who witnessed his father’s murder by the man he thought was his father. This experience awakened his mutating ability. As he attacked his assumed father, bones came out from within his fingers. He ran away from home with his half-brother, after this incident. After his tribulations at so many wars and his rebirth with the indestructible metal “adamantium,” he meets Professor Xavier and his X-Men. He became a prominent member of the superhero gang. He has animal-like instinct, superhuman strength, durability, fast healing, retractable claws, slow aging, among other super abilities.
Hasbro produced the yellow and blue costumed wolverine with the adamantium claws out to mimic a battle-ready Wolverine in his X-Men uniform in 2009, making it a worthy gift for all millennial kids worldwide.
9. Hasbro’s The Incredible Hulk: Classic Hulk (2008)
Bruce Banner is an intelligent scientist who suffered extreme exposure to gamma rays. The man with a genius intellect now shelters in his body a big green, sometimes grey, beast whose anger purely controls it. Dr. Banner does not control where or when this monster appears, and he does not hide his resentment towards Hulk. The Hulk’s emergence is usually to fight evil or when Bruce Banner is in danger. The Incredible Hulk: The last Call depicts Hulk’s destructive actions and how Bruce Banner hates having to face the consequences of his actions.
Hasbro produced its line of Hulk toys in 2008. They were unique because of their noticeable green or grey color, monstrous stance, and ragged trousers.
8. Toy Biz’s Fantastic Four: Mr. Fantastic (1994)
The Fantastic Four features four superheroes who got their powers after exposure to some strange cosmic rays. This strange exposure occurred when they went out in space to conduct a science exploration. The group leader Reed Richards, also known as Mr. Fantastic, has a superhuman elastic body, making him able to bend his body into any size or shape. The coming of Galactus depicts the Fantastic Four struggles to defend the planet against an immensely powerful adversary. Galactus was infamous for conquering planets and ridding them of all the essentials of the planet. The Fantastic Four asked for the help of the Silver Surfer, who used to be the Galactus ally. They successfully repelled the attack of Galactus and kept the planet safe.
Toy Biz released Mr. Fantastic in the year 1994. The 5″ toy was one of many series produced during this time.
7. Hasbro’s Iron Man – The Armored Avenger: Hulkbuster Iron Man
A rich billionaire playboy turns superhero; this is the best description for Tony Stark’s Iron Man. Although he has no superhuman abilities, his genius intelligence of physics helped him build a suit of armor to fight evil in the world. The Invisible Iron Man depicts this hero’s stories, particularly his encounter with Hulk, who is usually his friend when he is Bruce Banner. Bruce Banner and Tony Stark built a reinforced Iron Man suit with the sole purpose of containing Hulk whenever he goes on his anger rampage. They named the suit “Hulkbuster.”
In 2012, Hasbro produced the Hulkbuster as part of an Iron Man toy series called The Armored Avenger. The Hulkbuster is robust and heavier than the regular Iron Man suit.
6. Mattel’s Marvel Super Heroes – Secret Wars: Daredevil, Spider-Man, and Captain America (1984)
This Marvel comic depicts the Beyonder, removing superheroes and supervillains from the Earth to a place called the ‘Battleworld’ to fight. This comic is the first of many comics that shows more than one superhero working together to defeat a particular foe. This battle saw Captain America, Spiderman, Daredevil, X-Men, and a host of other superheroes fighting alongside each other.
Mattel produced a series of secret wars-inspired action toys in 1984, with this 3-pack includes Captain America, Daredevil, and Spiderman in his all-black symbiote suit.
5. Toy Biz’s X-Men – Age of Apocalypse: Magneto (1996)
Age of Apocalypse follows Professor Charles Xavier’s son, Legion, who, in a bid to make his father’s dream more acceptable, decided to go back in time to kill his father’s ultimate antagonist ” Magneto.” He forgot that they used to be friends. Legion’s attempt on Magneto’s life failed catastrophically when the Professor sacrificed himself to save his friend’s life. The Professor’s death caused ripples all over the world, and everything changed completely. In addition to that, Magneto, a notorious supervillain, now leads the X-Men to continue the vision of the now-deceased Professor Xavier. Magneto led the X-Men against a formidable Apocalypse.
In 1996, Toy Biz launched a series of Magneto action toys adorned in a colorful costume and removable helmet.
4. Hasbro’s Captain America – Civil War: Hero vs. Hero Faceoff
Marvel Comics gave us an awesome match-up of a sizable number of superheroes together in one comic. It started when the government brought out a scheme to register all superhumans and monitor their actions. Some section of the superheroes in the Marvel Universe led by Tony Stark’s Iron Man agreed to join the government’s program declaring those that did not join (led by Captain America) as outlaws. This comic book gave us a battle amongst heroes rather than the conventional heroes versus villains that we expect to see.
In 2016, Hasbro gave us a box set of heroes. It includes nine (9) different superheroes, so kids can use their imagination and set up their matchups.
3. Toy Biz’s The Amazing Spider-Man – 12” Posable Spider-Man (2006)
This comic issue depicts one of the most surprising death in the Marvel Universe. You can take out the surprising part because it is already in the title. The Green Goblin took Gwen Stacy, Peter Packer’s girlfriend, and threw her off a bridge. Spiderman tried to save her by using his web to catch her by the ankle. But the impact of the sudden stop snapped her neck, and she died instantly.
Toy Biz in 2006 made a 12″ action series of the Amazing Spiderman.
2. Toy Biz’s X-Men Phoenix Saga: Phoenix (1994)
Jean Grey is an enormously powerful X-Men mutant whose powers are like Professor Xavier’s psychic ability. Jean Grey encountered a powerful life force entity, The Phoenix. The Phoenix increased her power, which later overwhelmed and corrupted her. Jean Grey became the Dark Phoenix causing havoc throughout the universe. The X-Men stopped her by some unconventional means, which resulted in the temporal death of Jean Grey, but just like the Phoenix, she rose again.
Toy Biz produced the Phoenix toy in 1994. It was a 5″ beautifully colorful figurine of the powerful Phoenix.
1. Hasbro’s Marvel Avengers – End Game: Thanos (2019)
Who better to challenge the incredible Avengers and give them a run for their lives than the mad titan, Thanos? Thanos had one plan, to assemble all the infinity stone in his gauntlet and eradicate all life just to win over a woman. His plans almost came to fruition. He obliterated half of the universe with just a snap of his finger. Most of our favorite superheroes were gone. It was Thanos’s adopted daughter, Nebula, which corrected this cosmic upset and restored the dead.
Hasbro produced this figurine of Thanos with the Infinity Gauntlet in 2019.
Final Thoughts
Marvel Comics is solely based on the superhero, action, and sci-fi storyline, which allows for the creation of a protagonist and an antagonist. This kind of storyline encourages kids to attach to a character, especially the protagonist of the story, and this will allow kids to crave toys or figurines that will allow them to constantly remember and play with their favorite character.
Author: Chris Ingledue
Contact: email
Bio: I am the founder and owner of Wheeljack’s Lab pop Culture and Toy Shop. My vision has always been to reunite customers with their favorite childhood toys and pop culture, triggering fond memories, and reigniting their imaginations. Every day, I work in the “lab” where it’s Christmas 365 days a year. I scour the internet, like when we had the Sears Catalog of yesteryear, for the next great treasure. Then, I await the arrival of the postman as if he were Santa Claus himself and helping collectors worldwide with their own versions of Christmas. Every day as a vintage toy buyer is an absolute joy!