Re-live ’80s ‘Secret Wars’ action figure nostalgia with Gentle Giant’s throwback toys

It seems like nostalgia has become a big part of collectibles lately — there are plenty of toys that are faithful recreations of playthings from the ’70s and ’80s on the market, and some demand a pretty high premium. It looks as though Marvel and Gentle Giant are jumping on that bandwagon full-bore with oversized recreations of Mattel’s Secret Wars figures from the 1980s about to hit the market in 2015 — but it’s going to set you back a few bucks. Marvel.com has posted details about Gentle Giant’s recreation of the Mattel toy line. Set at a price point of $90, the 12″ figures were recreated through digital scans of the originals, “roto injection molded and made of durable plastics” for a fully-articulated figure, which comes with a Secret Wars-inspired backer card with original photos and artwork. Presently, there are four figures planned for the limited edition release with black symbiote suit Spider-Man first, followed by Hobgoblin. The final two blacked-out figures are likely Wolverine (the claws are a dead giveaway) and — believe it or not — Iron Man, who came with a double barrel pistol accessory for his 1984 original Secret Wars release. Although many remember Secret Wars more for its impact on the Marvel Universe in the comics — and as the namesake of the upcoming Secret Wars event by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic — the series was actually a toy-inspired comic, initially conceived as a way to promote the Mattel line of action figures. The figures proved incredibly popular throughout the years and are still prized collectors items to this day. If $90 seems expensive, definitely take a look at the value of the original figures. The asking price for some Secret Wars toys still in original packaging ranges between $200 and $300 on the secondary market, while Hasbro released its own Secret Wars-inspired two-packs for the event’s 25th anniversary.