I saw at another site that Marvel / Toybiz is releasing a 4" line of their characters called Super Hero Showdown. Here's a link to pics:

http://69.93.119.2/photosSHTC/showgallery.php?cat=660

This looks pretty good to me. Now, I can have Captain America and Wolverine fighting side by side with Snake-Eyes. I just hope Wolverine isn't a full 4". For him to be scale to the rest of the Joes he'd have to be around 3" - 3 1/4". If he is 4", though, I guess I'll have to pretend that the Joes are really short. Like, around 5' 6". Dang.

It's about time these other toy companies are trying to enter the 1:18 scale toy world.

***EDIT: ADDENDUM 07-23-2005***

On my way to work, Friday 07-22-2005, I stopped at TRU and picked up the Wolverine/Hulk 2-pack for Superhero Showdown. I also went down the toy car aisle and saw that Maisto had a new line (Series #4,) of their Marvel edition 1:18 motorcycles. Here's a link to their site:

Maisto's Marvel Heroes 1:18 Motorcycle Collection (http://www.maisto.com/products.asp?id=75) (Unfortunately, they just show their newest wave.)

I picked up the new Wolverine Bike, below:

http://img311.imageshack.us/img311/4844/wolverinebike14vu.jpg

As you may or may not be able to tell, the cardbacks are similar to the Superhero Showdown cardbacks.
Here's the bike with the Superhero Showdown Wolverine on it:

http://img311.imageshack.us/img311/1081/wolverinebike29wl.jpg

Sorry for the dark pics. I borrowed one of my co-workers camera phone. I put the toys under a light, and turned the flash on, but to no avail. Oh, well.
Also, in previous waves of Maisto's Marvel edition 1:18 motorcycles they have previously released two other Wolverine bikes. One is a crotch rocket and the other is some sort of customized Harley style bike. They've also released some Captain America Motorcycles, Punisher motorcycles, and so on.

whoa im impressed, and The Punisher looks so great, nice detailing and sculpting aswell! i hope you can remove them from those bases!

Toy Biz to Hasbro: checkmate.


These figs are gorgeous! I'll get the whole line once they come out.

From what the packaging mockup looks like, you CAN remove them from the bases.

Toy Biz to Hasbro: checkmate.

I agree. If I was a Hasbro exec looking at this, I'd be getting a nauseous feeling right now.



These figs are gorgeous! I'll get the whole line once they come out.

Not if I get to them first! :p

-PJ

For once I wish Toy Biz would knock it off with the sinews! Good grief - Spidey and Venom both look strung out! I do like Thing, though. May have to pick him up as a front-line recruit. :D

I agree. If I was a Hasbro exec looking at this, I'd be getting a nauseous feeling right now.




Not if I get to them first! :p

-PJ

But only if you spring for lunch! :D

YES! Doom can stand with Destro where he BELONGS!! Frank Castle can fight COBRA (who killed his family) after serving with Stalker, SS, and SE in Nam!

Anyone got a guess on a when a Deadpool might appear for a Storm Shadow-Snake Eyes-Deadpool diostory?

Anyone got a guess on a when a Deadpool might appear for a Storm Shadow-Snake Eyes-Deadpool diostory?

Nowhere near soon enough!! LOL :D

Nowhere near soon enough!! LOL :D

Finally the Superhero line I've been waiting for since childhood! :D

Estimated arrival at stores??? PLEASE!

Anyone know which characters will be in the first wave?

Finally the Superhero line I've been waiting for since childhood! :D

Estimated arrival at stores??? PLEASE!

Anyone know which characters will be in the first wave?
These are supposed to be Diamond/TRU exclusive for the first year with mass release to follow

These are pretty sweet. Doc Ock is gonna be attacking the Joe base very soon in my house.

I agree. If I was a Hasbro exec looking at this, I'd be getting a nauseous feeling right now.

-PJ

Between the new Microman/Microlady bodies and these, this could be the start of the Silver Age of 1:18 action figures. :D These Marvel Super Hero Showdown figures just stomp on everything else out there, out-detailing Microman and blowing everything else out of the water. I tell you, Hasbro is going to have to up the ante next time they sculpt 1:18 GI Joes. Ahhh, the market is good. :D

These are supposed to be Diamond/TRU exclusive for the first year with mass release to follow

Any dates? Summer or Fall 2005? 2006?

*makes Amazon.com his homepage*

Any dates? Summer or Fall 2005? 2006?

*makes Amazon.com his homepage*

August 2005 for the Starter Sets (Spider-Man/Thing and Wolverine/Hulk, or maybe I got the bricks reversed) and at least the first wave of 4 Booster Packs (single-carded figures). Man, these things are really tricked out with features, between the super-poseability, miniatures game base, trading card, and spring-loaded missile launchers.

Reminds me of the pocket heroes, only way way better.So these are like the new heroclix with the cards and such? I don't know about the game but I'm sure the figures will get alot of play.

These are 4 inch figures right? I found a couple sites refferencing these figures as being 6 inch: http://www.toyglobe.com/MarvelSuperHeroShowdown01.php and http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=TB72800A
And this one refferencing 4 inch figures: http://www.superherotimes.com/newsarchive/000434.php
Am I just looking at the wrong toy line when I see those 6 inch refferences?

The 6 inch ones are the Marvel Legends. http://www.marvel.com/toybiz/legends/index.htm

The 4 inch ones are going to be new figures.

Sweet, thanks for the clarification. Now another question: Which size figure is this one: http://69.93.119.2/photosSHTC/showphoto.php?photo=4341&cat=660&page=1

Sweet, thanks for the clarification. Now another question: Which size figure is this one: http://69.93.119.2/photosSHTC/showphoto.php?photo=4341&cat=660&page=1

That is going to be one of the new ones.
I'm guessing the new line will be called "Marvel Super Hero Showdown" which is somewhat like DC's Heroclix idea. Except they are using actual figures.

Those are nice, but without vintage Joe articulation they WILL NOT be integrated into my Joeverse.

I still might get them, though.

I sincerely hope that Hasbro doesn't try to mimmick or live up to these when and if the 3 3/4" line returns. If they did we would have more of the same problems as with the recent new sculpts. Sure, the proportions are better but they still would look very different next to the classic 1/18 scale Joes.

Those are nice, but without vintage Joe articulation they WILL NOT be integrated into my Joeverse.

I still might get them, though.

I sincerely hope that Hasbro doesn't try to mimmick or live up to these when and if the 3 3/4" line returns. If they did we would have more of the same problems as with the recent new sculpts. Sure, the proportions are better but they still would look very different next to the classic 1/18 scale Joes.

Personally, I'm thrilled that Takara and Toy Biz are pushing the envelope on what can be done with a human figure under 4" tall. A lot of toy lines these days have articulation that varies from one figure to the next (Gundam, Spider-Man, Marvel Legends, Star Wars), with the higher articulation as an action feature (superposeable Spideys, superposeable Clone Trooper), running improvement (Gundam), or bonus on large-bodied figures (Marvel Legends bricks). I'm looking forward to building a universe of 1:18 scale action figures all with T-crotch GI Joe articulation or better. :D

Bumping thread, because I added the statement, below, to my original post.

On my way to work, Friday 07-22-2005, I stopped at TRU and picked up the Wolverine/Hulk 2-pack for Superhero Showdown. I also went down the toy car aisle and saw that Maisto had a new line (Series #4,) of their Marvel edition 1:18 motorcycles. Here's a link to their site:
Maisto's Marvel Heroes 1:18 Motorcycle Collection (http://www.maisto.com/products.asp?id=75) (Unfortunately, they just show their newest wave.)

I picked up the new Wolverine Bike, below:

http://img311.imageshack.us/img311/4844/wolverinebike14vu.jpg

As you may or may not be able to tell, the cardbacks are similar to the Superhero Showdown cardbacks.
Here's the bike with the Superhero Showdown Wolverine on it:

http://img311.imageshack.us/img311/1081/wolverinebike29wl.jpg

Sorry for the dark pics. I borrowed one of my co-workers camera phone. I put the toys under a light, and turned the flash on, but to no avail. Oh, well.
Also, in previous waves of Maisto's Marvel edition 1:18 motorcycles they have previously released two other Wolverine bikes. One is a crotch rocket and the other is some sort of customized Harley style bike. They've also released some Captain America Motorcycles, Punisher motorcycles, and so on.

I didn't get mine (http://photobucket.com/albums/c67/obiwanjacoby/Marvel/) until Christmas. I love my wife! :D

Here's some bonus background music (http://www.comicbookresources.com/resources/tvthemes/mp3/Iron_Man_1996.mp3) for your viewing pleasure.

-PJ

They are now showing up at Target & Wal-Mart.

They are now showing up at Target & Wal-Mart.

And thank goodness or I would never have found my berserker Wolverine.

I wish they would sell these as regular figures and ditch the gaming junk that goes with them. That could easily knock two dollars off the price.

I wish they would sell these as regular figures and ditch the gaming junk that goes with them. That could easily knock two dollars off the price.

That is the main gripe that EVERYONE has with them. I'm sure Toybiz is getting an earful about it. Unfortunately I suspect they have to ride out a contract agreement with Upper Deck for now.

Yeah it is more than a tad painful to see these are Target (or any other store) for a buck more than a regular Legends figure.

I bought the Punisher today at Wal-Mart. They're $6.76, or something, there. Now all I need to do is arm him. I'll probably by that set of weapons they sell at Target for those G.I. Joe knock-off that they sell. I tried some of my own Joe weapons on him and they work okay, as long as the weapon has a large handle. That's needed because the Punisher's hands are made into a wide grip, like he's holding guns that are not there.

I also bought the two-pack of Spider-Man and the Thing, which was around $12.46. As figures they are all well made and the stands they come with serve them well.