Opinion - Marvel Legends BAF Vs. Deluxe Figure

Jay Cochran - June 23, 2022

By Tarot:

Many people seem to still be debating whether Hasbro should get rid of the Build-A-Figure (BAF) concept and just release larger figures as Deluxe ones. Now I don't want to really make this about rising prices which I think we can all agree on suck. I am not saying that doesn't play some role in this, but I think Hasbro has been doing something different with the BAF in recent years. At least when it comes to the comic based ones. Instead of releasing big name characters as BAFs like Rhino, War Machine or Thanos, they have been doing more obscure characters that would probably never sell that well as Deluxe releases. Just look at the last few BAFs they have done. Bonebreaker, Controller, Armadillo, Mr. Hyde, Stilt Man and Ursa Major. Other than long-time comic book readers, many people probably have never heard of or know little about these guys. Because they are less known, I think less people are interested in getting them. Now it's true that the original concept behind the BAF when Toy Biz started doing them was to entice more people to buy all the figures in a wave in order to get the more sought after Build-A-Figure. My theory does somewhat contradict that and Hasbro is still doing less known characters as single releases such as Frog-Man and White Rabbit, but look what happened when they did that Compound Hulk figure as a Deluxe. It was recently put on clearance for under $15 by Walmart. I just don't think the less obscure characters will work well being sold as one-off deluxe figures.

As for the Deluxe, I think it works great for the more well known characters. The recent Rhino that was originally done as a BAF has seemingly been quit popular as was the comic based Thanos they did.

This theory of mine doesn't really apply to MCU based BAF and Deluxe figures. The characters picked by Hasbro for those seem to be based more on studio direction. As for how well they sell, well that seems to be based on how well they are perceived in the movies they appear in. The recent Rintrah BAF from Multiverse of Madness didn't seem terribly popular with many collectors but he only ended up with a few minutes of screen time in the movie. The Deluxe Eternals Kro figure also seemed to sell poorly but I think thats because that movie wasn't well received in general by many. If you take someone like Thanos who has been released as both a BAF and Deluxe figure, that one seems much more popular. Movie marketing is a powerful thing and shouldn't be underestimated in how it can influence the popularity or unpopularity of a figure.

So in finishing, my theory is that Hasbro is leaving the BAF for the more obscure type characters and saving the Deluxe releases for the more well-known characters. Let me know what you think and whether you want to see the BAF concept go away completly or want to see less in the way of Deluxe type releases.

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Comments...

Last 10 comments - ( Read All Posts )

bashpics99 - 2022-06-28 @ 8:46 pm

Yeah if BAFs are done away with and they just did deluxe releases i don't think we get figures for stiltman, grizzly, armadillo, sugar man, xemnu, or controller. since the alternative to a BAF piece is what, maybe an extra pair of hands or something, i think its still probably beneficial overall.

I do feel getting a BAF piece represents additional value even if it just ends up in a storage bag, especially compared to retro packaging which i really don't have much use for.

any other comments i have would tie into price/cost so I'll stop here.

SpiderS - 2022-06-28 @ 8:29 pm

As said above obscure ones don't have much chance with deluxe editions so the current strategy of BAF and exclusives + bafs getting redos as exclusives is fine, it will give us more variety overall.

Lord_Scareglow - 2022-06-28 @ 7:55 pm

On 6/28/2022 at 2:54 AM, leokearon said:
Would we not get the obscure characters if not for the BAFs? It is an argument for the BAFs that has been around for ages and personally I don't buy it. Other ranges like Transformers throw in lesser and obscure characters for the fans all the time and they don't have BAfs. The obscure characters are the figures that keep the older collectors interested in the line as it gives them something new to their collection.

I have a strong feeling not many would be feasible as Deluxes, sure the older collectors would love to get some figures like Xemnu and Ursa Major but that figure on retail shelves as a stand alone probably wouldn't sell to the masses at large, I don't think the people who are older collectors with great knowledge of the marvel universe count for as many sales as one would imagine, you can even see that some of the more lesser known deluxes didn't do well on the market, Mojo, Toxin (even though hes a symbiote), Meastro (even though hes a Hulk) and MCU Surtur for example, they didn't sell extremely well and went on discount quite quickly, so no I doubt that Hasbro would be looking to make the BAF extinct and instead selling a say Sasquatch deluxe.

Atlantis - 2022-06-28 @ 7:29 pm

On 6/27/2022 at 10:54 PM, leokearon said:
Would we not get the obscure characters if not for the BAFs? It is an argument for the BAFs that has been around for ages and personally I don't buy it. Other ranges like Transformers throw in lesser and obscure characters for the fans all the time and they don't have BAfs. The obscure characters are the figures that keep the older collectors interested in the line as it gives them something new to their collection.

I don't think every "obscure" character is destined for BAF, but ultimately that's a call made by Hasbro and their beancounters. They're who determine what figure is going to be a Deluxe, which ones are BAFs, or even what a BAF is. Personally I'd love more obscure characters because not only do they make for killer figures (Psycho-Man, Armadillo, Xemnu, Nimrod to name a few) they help keep the mainstays like Spider-Man, Wolverine etc. from burning out too soon.

leokearon - 2022-06-28 @ 6:54 am

On 6/27/2022 at 9:58 PM, Lord_Scareglow said:
I'm torn on this one, I would be fine if BAFs would go away, and instead we get deluxes, because I wouldn't have to buy a whole wave to build a figure I want, and have to resort to buying figures I don't want, it's not really great to be spending so much on a figure I have no desire for other then the BAF piece with these crazy price hikes, but on the other hand likely we wouldn't get the strange or odd figures that we get because of the BAF program, so I'm torn, because I really like that we have gotten characters like Xemnu, Ursa Major, Titus, Wendigo just to name a few...who likely would never be made into deluxes.

Would we not get the obscure characters if not for the BAFs? It is an argument for the BAFs that has been around for ages and personally I don't buy it. Other ranges like Transformers throw in lesser and obscure characters for the fans all the time and they don't have BAfs. The obscure characters are the figures that keep the older collectors interested in the line as it gives them something new to their collection.

tarot - 2022-06-28 @ 1:07 am

On 6/28/2022 at 1:13 AM, Atlantis said:
My point eaxctly. Not only would we not likely get those types of figures as Deluxes, the ones we would get would be at $60-80.00+, because hasbro has already seen collectors pay upwards of $50.00 for figures not even worth that. There's blood in the water and they're not letting go unless we speak up (with our wallets). Anyway, for now, I'm glad the BAFs are not going anywhere.

liike we said it at the start but this is not a thread about the prices. We have had enough discussions about shitty prices. Please discuss the topic at hand.

Atlantis - 2022-06-28 @ 12:13 am

On 6/27/2022 at 12:58 PM, Lord_Scareglow said:
"...likely we wouldn't get the strange or odd figures that we get because of the BAF program, so I'm torn, because I really like that we have gotten characters like Xemnu, Ursa Major, Titus, Wendigo just to name a few...who likely would never be made into deluxes..."

My point exactly. Not only would we not likely get those types of figures as Deluxes, the ones we would get would be at $60-80.00+, because hasbro has already seen collectors pay upwards of $50.00 for figures not even worth that. There's blood in the water and they're not letting go unless we speak up (with our wallets). Anyway, for now, I'm glad the BAFs are not going anywhere.

Lord_Scareglow - 2022-06-27 @ 8:58 pm

I'm torn on this one, I would be fine if BAFs would go away, and instead we get deluxes, because I wouldn't have to buy a whole wave to build a figure I want, and have to resort to buying figures I don't want, it's not really great to be spending so much on a figure I have no desire for other then the BAF piece with these crazy price hikes, but on the other hand likely we wouldn't get the strange or odd figures that we get because of the BAF program, so I'm torn, because I really like that we have gotten characters like Xemnu, Ursa Major, Titus, Wendigo just to name a few...who likely would never be made into deluxes.

leokearon - 2022-06-24 @ 8:16 am

On 6/24/2022 at 4:36 AM, Air-Walker said:
Great topic!
The only way BAFS can still work imo is if they are even more wave specific, as in specific to a story-line and all the characters featured therein.

It would be a good idea, but Marvel Legends wave selection and Bafs hasn't been very logical and I doubt that will change.

Atlantis - 2022-06-24 @ 7:20 am

On 6/23/2022 at 7:36 PM, Air-Walker said:
"....The only way BAFS can still work imo is if they are even more wave specific, as in specific to a story-line and all the characters featured therein...."

I can see that. Sadly the team doesn't pick the waves the way we collectors would want. I'd love to get the Griffin and/or the Harpy, but the way for that would be BAF, because getting either as a Deluxe (with the prices they now know they can get away with charging), we're looking at $60-80.00. And Marvel Legends just aren't worth that. One other thing, I feel they can do a BAF wave with 4-5 figures instead of the standard 7. Head for one figure, upper/lower torso for another, 2 arms for figure #3, 2 legs for figure#4, wings and tail for the 5th figure. Something like that anyway.

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