Making the toyline work

Thor is possibly my favorite character of all.  Of late I have been vastly disappointed in the Thor Movie line.  Lots of excuses have been given for the line being so weak from those who are of the belief "Hasbro can do no wrong" even in light of fresh and new information.  So I would like to address some of these criticism I have heard from around the webs.  I firmly believe Hasbro is selling the potential of this line very short and I am stating my case here. 

LACK OF DIFFERENT COSTUMES

While overall I hate repeated characters, this is one of the excuses given for Thor not receiving a comic line, the idea that the basic looks of Thor were done in Marvel Universe and there is little left to be done.  However this doesn't stop the Captain America line, but that is beside the point.

I assume the looks they mean are the "classic" look (which the figure was less than stellar) and modern Thor. 

Yes these have been done, but also they could be improved.  However, even some people who have claimed to have read Thor comics since the 1980's and have 'Vast knowledge of Thor" have left out a ton of versions that could be done. 

ULTIMATE THOR

This one is kind of in the "Duh" category, but is a very easy version to point at when this argument is raised.  Ultimate Cap and Ultimate Iron Man got made, what is wrong with Ultimate Thor?  But even beyond that there are other versions of Thor that can be done.

RUNE ARMOR THOR

Often referred to as the Rune Armor, this is another version of Thor that would be worth making into plastic. 

?????? THOR

I missed where this one came from but it does look very cool.  I found this on an image search and thought it worthy of putting it in here.  It possibly could be fan art but it still shows there is some versatility with Thor.

ERIC MASTERSON THOR

Not a major variation (But there were tons of minor variations in Iron Man 2 line so there you go) and in actuality this is what Hasbro loves anyway.  The changes in armor are minor which would require only a new head and slight alteration of the paint to make him passable.  Also anyone who remembers Thunderstrike would probably want him.  A note should be that for a brief time this was the look of Thor when he and Masterson shared bodies before Masterson took up the mantle briefly before becoming Thunderstrike. 

KING THOR

King Thor is often how this is referred to.  Again not a major variation but just enough to make him different.  Also the last pic, while still being King Thor would have a different head, again perfect for Hasbro.  This line keeps paying for itself.  This one wouldn't be so bad to mention if Hasbro itself hadn't already done it in the Marvel Legends line.

Another slight variation on King Thor would be old King Thor below

This is hard to find a clear picture of, but it is easy to see how a figure would be another head swap and some extra add ons.  Again right up Hasbro's alley. 

BATTLE ARMOR THOR

Not sure where this one came from, but it is an easy one to see wanting to be in plastic.  I mean really what does it take to look this stuff up. 

ZOMBIE THOR

Marvel said they would never do a Marvel Zombies fig again, still this is about what the line COULD be so I figured why not add him.

???????? THOR

Not my favorite Thor outfit, I believe it was what he wore after Hero's Return or shortly before Hero's Reborn.  Still if you HAVE to have many Thor's in the line this one works as another variation. 

HEROES REBORN THOR

Again not one of my favorites, but it works as a variation.  However there were two looks to Thor in Heroes Reborn as shown below:

I do kind of dig that look even though I hated the Heroes Reborn storyline. 

AGES OF THUNDER THOR

It shocked me no one I know of brought this one into the mix.  While he was at SDCC, So was WWII Captain America (who appears to be a straight repaint of the SDCC one).  If this one were made I would like to see some improvements though.  Also the cover to one of the Wizard Mags seems to show a variation on the armor.

It's more of a scale mail than the cloth above, but is also very cool.

FUTURE THOR?

I believe that would be right but I could be wrong.  Still it's a cool looking look for Thor and would be easy to pull off for Hasbro.

Of course if Hasbro gets desperate for another variation they could go with Ambiguous Thor

AMBIGUOUS THOR

I am very unsure of where the hell this one came from, it's kind of scary, but also it's kind of funny so I had to share it. 

EARTH X THOR

NOT to be confused with Thor Girl, but this is Thor after he was tricked by Loki and turned into a woman in the future.  Visually she was one of the few things that stuck out about Earth X (and there was a ton of stuff not noteworthy of that series).

FROG THOR

Some laugh at this one, but if you ever read the story you would understand why there are many who actually would love the idea of a figure like this.  Thor is turned into a frog by Loki and even though it only lasts a few issues it is still considered one of the better Thor stories ever. 

DESTROYER THOR

A desperation shot, but also would fit into Hasbro's criteria of using already established molds.  Not sure if I would buy it myself but I would do a double take. 

Hopefully NOW you see why I think Hasbro is being lazy with this line, 3 minutes of a Google search found this picture alone:

This is a great base point to start with some variations of Thor.  I mean 3 minutes.  The majority of the above information was gathered in under 30 minutes with simple google searches like "Thor Armor," "Thor Costume" and "Thor Variations"  Not a great deal of effort on my part, in fact at this point I have spent more time writing this up than I did researching it. 

OTHER THOR-LIKE BEINGS

Again has it been that long since the Thor Corps.  Fine:

DARGO THOR

Kid picks up the Hammer of Thor in the future what do you get, Dargo.  Kind of a cool variation on the idea but very much worth adding to a line like this.

BETA RAY BILL

This is the Ultra-"DUH!" of a line like this. 

THUNDERSTRIKE

The other "Ultra Duh" of a line like this. 

 CLOR

Of course we are getting "Clone Thor" in the MU line in Gigantic Battles, but he is using that Secret Wars comic pack body that could be much better.  I do like the idea of the robotic parts though and keep thinking they should expand on it. 

THOR-GIRL

WORST name ever, but she could also fit into this like pretty easy. 

RED NORVELL

Nobody ever remembers Red Norvell, I thought he was cool though.  Especially since he explained the difference between the ancient myth of a red haired Thor and the Marvel Blonde Thor.  Not sure if this classic storyline is also featuring Red or another faker Thor:

Still it shows Red Norvell or someone like him is a very important aspect that could be added to the Thor line. 

MAGNI

If Thor and Enchantress had a kid, it would be this guy.  I kind of dig him myself, but since his intro there really hasn't been much done with him, then again the way the story ended it is kind of hard to bring him back in. 

WICCAN

The Young Avengers version of the combo of Scarlet Witch and Thor, also a great way to intro the Young Avengers into the world of 1:18th scale. 

And I probably could have found more, but I am not getting paid to do so, but all this took me about 40 minutes of Googling to get pics of and I wasn't very sure of the names of half of the costumes. 

SUPPORTING CAST

This is another area people say Thor is weak.  While I didn't dig as deeply here as I did in other areas (this was my last bit of research) there are some supporting cast NOT in the line worth naming off.  Also a good chunk of Thor's supporting cast are getting movie figs (Warriors 3, Odin, Sif) so I left them off even though they are not getting comic figures.  

HERCULES

Herc and Thor have been hanging and tussling for almost as long as the two have been in comics.  Herc is also the LAST of the old super-hero team, The Champions, not to have a figure in anyway shape or form.  Granted Archangel is so hard to find he may as well be non-existent and that Angel was just plain Angel back then.  But still Herc is nowhere to be seen at all.

BALDER THE BRAVE

Some are saying he will appear later in the line, but I seriously doubt we will see anything beyond what we saw at Toyfair.  I mean it's 4 waves and Hasbro ran out of ideas, but that is only because they didn't study the property at all I think.  When I look at Balder though, I think back to the Iron Man 2 line and I suddenly realize that this is probably the case there as well.  Sure we got Guardsman, Titanium Man, and Mandarin (If you ordered Mandarin online that is) but really who else got in that line who didn't already have a movie appearance at some point.  Even then there seemed to be some connection to the movies.  As for the armors, it really took less research to find those for Iron Man than it did to find these pictures of Balder.  In other words this is Verily coming across as pure laziness.  

BLACK KNIGHT

Many forget that Black Knight hung around Thor for a very long time and that he was a fixture in the Thor comic for well over a year.  Easily he could get put into this line without many blinking an eye.  

GILGAMESH/THE FORGOTTEN ONE

Did you forget about him, probably, he does tend to live up to that "Forgotten One" name.  Still I always kind of liked him in some ways and I admit I am not sure if I should put him in supporting cast or enemies.  Still he is cool and I wouldn't mind a figure.  

VILLIANS

This is one that really makes me chuckle.  I have read on various message boards that "Thor hasn't got an extensive Rouges gallery."  OK so Thor has been sitting around for the past 50 years just swinging his hammer on his finger waiting for Loki to possess the Destroyer Armor.  I am not going to even include some creatures like Set, Midgard Serpent, ect due to logistics (although I would love to have them, and I think a giant serpent with multiple heads for Set would sell pretty well) and with this I will focus on some of the villains Thor has fought over the past 49 years.  Note this is just some, there are tons more but that long a list would take me days to get through.

HYPERION

Right off the bat I realize this is a bit of a stretch, but I thought I would include him just to point out I would love to see the Squadron Supreme start popping up in the MU line somehow.  It is an opportunity, they have fought.  

LAVA MEN

Since we shrank the Frost Giants, why not include the Lava Men, in fact it looks like a perfect "Bad Guy Brawl" situation, one lives in extreme cold, one lives in extreme heat, PERFECT.  Again a bit of research goes a long, long way.  

RADIOACTIVE MAN

Yes this former Thunderbolt made his first appearance in Thor's comic back in the day.  A semi-popular character with a calling to be made, both by villains fans and by Thunderbolts fans.  Again an easy connection to make although Thor and he have not clashed in a while (not sure why they haven't but is beside the point).

KARKAS

Need monsters, here we go.  Although "technically" a good guy, Karkas looks the part and he and Thor have gone around quite a few times.  His size is an issue but I think the designers could get away with a Destroyer/Hulk sized mold.  I mean crap, they shrunk the Frost Giants.  

EXECUTIONER

DUH!?  I hope I don't have to explain why he needs to be in the Villains list here.  

PERUN

I only mention this guy because he would round out the Soviets that have been done with Iron Man (Crimson Dynamo) and Captain America (Red Guardian).  It would be cool to have Perun even though his comic appearances are very scant.  Still having a Soviet version of the Avengers could be fun.  

MONGOOSE

OK I admit I hate this guy, he comes across like a combination Wolverine and Black Panther with all the cool sucked out.  Still he is a character that has appeared in Thor numerous times and could help round out the Villains.  Also Hasbro could probably get away with a Wolverine Origins body with new hands and head quite easily.  This guy writes his own ticket in if Hasbro would think.  

PERRKUS

One of the few of the "Dark Gods" that I really liked and was the guy who would often face off with Thor.  He is a natural call to be included in this line.  

SETH

I am still not convinced if Zartan stole that hood from Set or the other way around, but the Egyptian God of Death was a great enemy for Thor and would be cool to have as a figure.  I loved the storyline Thor and he had way back when.  

MR. HYDE

Another classic villain who made his first appearance with Thor.  I do admit a modern one would be something I think would be preferred as he looks more monstrous.  

KURSE

I always thought he looked a bit goofy, but also he works as a villain.  Again Thor hasn't been sitting around for 49 years.  

GROG THE GOD CRUSHER

Name alone makes this guy worth it, but that look is kind of cool too.

GREY GARGOYLE

Yet another classic Villain with tons of appearances in Thor.  I think the confusion here is Grey Gargoyle hopped around all the Avenger titles eventually.  He also was featured prominently in the Iron Man cartoon adding to the confusion.  

BLOODAXE

Bloodaxe is supposed to be a vigilante, but carries it so far he (or is it he :shifty: SPOILER ALERT) falls into the villain category.  While generally a Thunderstrike villain, Bloodaxe could easily fit into the line, plus Bloodaxe looks cool as hell.  

KRONANS

Big arsed rock aliens, hey why not.  These guys tussled with Thor a few times.  Also their creation lead to a very popular character in the Planet Hulk and World War Hulk Storylines.

That's right Korg is a Koran, Either him or a generic Koran would work either way.  

TITANIA

Rumors say she will be in MU by next year, but generally she has been in Thor along side of Absorbing Man (who could have a new version in some other shape change as well, beside the point).  

FENRIS WOLF

Big arsed wolves are apparently not worthy of villainous status according to Hasbro.  But the Fenris Wolf has been a long standing Thor adversary.

DESSAK THE GOD HUNTER

Again with such a name, the marketing writes itself.

ENCHANTRESS

Let's face it, her last figure sucked, she needs a new one.

ARES

Dark Avengers, I mean he fits right in with the Thor line and they have fought a few times.  

MALEKITH

Another of those Thor villains that apparently no one noticed.

KARNILLA

Often an ally to Loki but another baddie to the list.  

MANGOG

Monsters are cool and Mangog is one of those monsters that is so monstrous it's insane.  Again a Hulk or Destroyer sized body would work great with him even though I think he is a bit bigger.  

HELA

A very important Villain for Thor and is defiantly worth adding to the line.  

HIGH EVOLUTIONARY

OK he is a bit of a stretch to add into Thor.  They have fought but usually in relation to the Avengers.  Thor has had many run-ins with High Evolutionary's lackeys and creations though which makes a loose connection.  He is a cool villain and it wasn't too hard to add him as a villain in the old cartoon "Spider-Man Unlimited" even though there were just as few direct confrontations with Spidey and High Evolutionary.  

STELLARIS

It's hard to give Thor a run for his money, but Stellaris did it.  Kind of a cool idea but not the greatest character ever, but the look would be cool as a figure.

ULIK

OK someone at Hasbro is insane for NOT making this guy, Not in Marvel Legends, Not in Toy Biz's 5 inch line, NEVER!  He is probably one of my favorite Thor villains just because he is such a force of nature and easily could be made.  Come on Hasbro at least put him in the MU Line for crying out loud.  

PLUTO

Sure he's dead, but he is a great foil for Thor.  

BLASTAAR

Generally a Fantastic Four villain, he has fought Thor a few times and I don't see an FF line coming down the pike so his inclusion would work. 

OTHER COSMIC CHARACTERS 

Drax, Air Walker, Firelord, the list of Cosmic characters who have faced off with Thor is pretty extensive.  Even without those battles in the past, Beta Ray Bill has teamed up with and fought even more cosmic related entities as he himself is usually reserved for the cosmic realm, so there is another connection that makes these characters viable in a Thor line.  

MEPHESTO

Some have said that a "devil" character would never be made.  I don't necessarily agree (at least not on the grounds that some say since if that were the case the character would have never existed).  Mephesto is also not exactly the "devil" in the sense that he is ever mentioned in religious texts.  His name and character are derived from such text (Mephistopheles) but the fact is Mephesto is a fictional character based on the idea of "ultimate evil" in a supernatural setting.  As a fictional character he is perfectly viable.  Just my thoughts on the issue.  

TYR

Another mythical character who has fought Thor.  

BI-BEAST

Some have jokingly argued this character is too suggestive to be made, but then again:

Since he was in the Hulk line why not make him in the smaller scale too.  

CRUSADER

This one is for the religious nuts who whine about Thor even existing.  Hey he could even work for the white supremacists who are upset about Heimdall

And there are even more that I could include but you have to end this somewhere.  

But I think my point is made, the Thor line had a ton of potential that never even got tapped in the most remote of senses.  All the arguments about why are nothing but hot air.  The above pictures of characters took me all of an hour total to get off of Google by typing in simple statements like "Thor Villains,"  "Thor variations," "Thor Armors," ect.  Feel free to give it a try, but the point is Hasbro couldn't even spend an hour to figure out how to make this line something special which it could be.  I hope they might fill in some of the gaps mentioned above in the MU line but I am not holding my breath.  Hopefully you all see what my purpose was here, just to illustrate that Thor has a very rich list of characters to draw upon and that the another line of rehashes and repaints isn't something worth the trouble.

For the current Thor line, I am snagging a few and the ones I am getting I really like a great deal, but my heart sinks at the fact that this line could be so much more.  Oh, and you better believe I am passing on a majority of the cheap repaints (OK except Destroyer, but he is cool).