Hasbro finally did it. After months of blurry leaked photos from the backs of Canadian toy shelves and cryptic listings on fan sites, the full Captain America Brave New World Marvel Legends wave is out in the wild. Honestly? It’s a weird mix. We’ve got a movie that has been delayed more times than I can count, yet the plastic versions of Sam Wilson and Thunderbolt Ross are already staring at us from pegboards. It's a strange time to be a collector.
Usually, Marvel Legends waves follow a rigid formula, but this one feels different because the stakes for the MCU are so high right now. People aren't just buying a toy; they're trying to figure out what the heck happens in the movie.
Sam Wilson’s New Suit: A Flight of Fancy or Just More Plastic?
Let’s talk about the man of the hour. Sam Wilson. The new Brave New World Marvel Legends Sam Wilson figure is a massive departure from the Falcon and the Winter Soldier look. Gone is the bright, comic-accurate white suit that debuted in the Disney+ finale. In its place? A tactical, navy-heavy flight suit that looks like it belongs in a G.I. Joe crossover.
Collectors are divided. Some love the "real-world" military aesthetic. Others miss the vibrance. Hasbro used a lot of new tooling here, which is a relief because nobody wanted another repaint of the 2021 wings. The articulation is standard fare—double-jointed elbows, pinless tech (thank God), and a decent head sculpt that actually looks like Anthony Mackie. But the wings are the kicker. They’re big. Really big. If you're displaying this on a standard IKEA Kallax shelf, you're going to have space issues. That's just a fact of life for Sam Wilson fans.
It’s interesting to note that Hasbro opted for a deluxe-style release for the winged version. This means you’re paying a premium. Is it worth the $34.99 or $39.99 price point? That depends on how much you value shelf presence versus actual playability. The wings are heavy, and without a sturdy flight stand, Sam tends to take a nose dive off the dresser at 3:00 AM.
The Red Hulk Build-A-Figure Dilemma
We all knew it was coming. You can't have a Captain America movie featuring Harrison Ford as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross without the Red Hulk showing up. The Brave New World Marvel Legends Build-A-Figure (BAF) is the big guy himself.
Here is the thing about Hasbro’s Hulk molds: they are repetitive. We’ve seen variations of this buck for years. However, this specific iteration features the tattered trousers and the aggressive, gritted-teeth expression that fits the "Red Hulk" persona perfectly. It's beefy. It’s angry. It’s very red.
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To build him, you have to buy the whole wave. This is where Hasbro gets you. You might really want that Red Hulk, but do you really want a random comic-book filler figure like "Secret Empire" Cap or a generic-looking Sabra? Probably not, but that’s the tax we pay for the BAF.
Breaking Down the Wave Components
- Falcon (Joaquin Torres): This figure is surprisingly sleek. The green flight suit pops, and the wing tech is scaled down enough that he doesn't feel clunky.
- The Leader: Tim Blake Nelson is back, and his Legend figure is... unsettling. The oversized cranium is rendered in all its vein-popping glory. It’s a great piece of comic-to-screen translation, even if the character looks like he’s having a permanent migraine.
- Sabra: This one caused a stir for political reasons, but looking strictly at the plastic, it’s a bit of a "buck syndrome" victim. Standard female body mold, cape, and a decent head sculpt. It feels like the figure Hasbro included just to round out the box count.
Why the Delay Actually Helped the Quality
Normally, when a movie gets pushed back, the toys sit in a warehouse and rot. Or worse, they leak so early that the hype dies. But with the Brave New World Marvel Legends line, the extra time seems to have allowed for better paint apps.
I’ve compared the early production samples shown at PulseCon to the final in-hand figures. The digital face printing—the tech Hasbro uses to make plastic look like real human skin—is dialed in. Anthony Mackie’s likeness is 90% there, which is a high win rate for a $25 mass-market toy. Harrison Ford’s likeness on the human Ross figure (which is often sold separately or as part of a two-pack) is a bit more "grumpy old man," but hey, that’s accurate.
Hasbro is also leaning harder into the "Power of the Prime" style of packaging. We are back to window boxes. Thank the toy gods. Being able to actually see the paint smudges or the missing accessories before you leave the store is a luxury we should never have lost.
The Scalper Factor and Availability
If you’re hunting for the Brave New World Marvel Legends at Target or Walmart, good luck. The distribution has been spotty.
Because collectors are desperate for anything MCU Phase 5, these are being snatched up by flippers the second they hit the floor. My advice? Don't pay the eBay markup yet. Hasbro typically floods the market about three weeks after the initial "sighting." Also, check fan-channel sites like BigBadToyStore or Entertainment Earth. They usually have the full cases for MSRP, which saves you the gas money and the heartbreak of seeing empty pegs.
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One weird detail: the "Secret Empire" Captain America included in this wave feels like a total bait-and-switch. It has nothing to do with the movie. It’s a comic figure thrown in to fill a slot. He’s the "peg warmer"—the figure that will still be there six months from now with a red clearance sticker.
Aesthetics vs. Accuracy
How close are these to the final film? We’ve seen the trailers. We’ve seen the Super Bowl spots.
The Sam Wilson figure is 1:1. The Leader is 1:1. But the Red Hulk? There’s a rumor that his final look in the movie might have some slight "thermal glow" effects that the flat red plastic of the BAF just can't capture. If you’re a customizer, you’ll probably want to hit that BAF with some orange wash or dry-brushing to make it look less like a giant piece of cherry licorice.
The shield on the new Sam Wilson figure is also worth noting. It’s a bit smaller than the previous versions. It feels more "tactical." It clips onto his back, but the peg is notoriously thin. Be careful. Snap that peg, and your Captain America is just a guy with a frisbee problem.
What’s Missing?
Where is Diamondback? Where is the rest of the Serpent Society?
Hasbro often leaves out key villains to save them for a "Wave 2" or a store exclusive. It’s frustrating. You want to recreate the fight scenes on your shelf, but you're missing half the cast. Right now, the Brave New World Marvel Legends lineup feels a bit hero-heavy. We need more bad guys to punch.
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I suspect we’ll see a Deluxe Red Hulk (standalone) later this year with more accessories, like extra hands or a "yelling" head. It’s a classic Hasbro move. They make you build the BAF first, then release a "definitive" version six months later. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Tactical Advice for Collectors
- Check the Joints: The new pinless joints on Sam Wilson are tight. Almost too tight. If you feel resistance, don't force it. Use a hairdryer or dip the figure in hot water for 30 seconds to soften the plastic.
- The Wing Weight: If you're posing Sam, the center of gravity is all wrong. Use a generic NECA stand or a generic 1/12 scale flight pole. The included "nubs" on the wings aren't enough for dynamic posing.
- The BAF Trade: If you only want the Red Hulk, don't buy the whole wave. Go to Facebook collector groups. Plenty of people just want the comic figures and will sell the BAF pieces for $10-15 a pop.
- Wait for the Human Ross: There is a rumored "President Ross" figure coming. If you want the Harrison Ford likeness without the red skin, hold off on buying the custom head sculpts you see on Etsy.
The Bottom Line on the New Wave
The Brave New World Marvel Legends series is a solid B+. It isn't the groundbreaking revolution that the Infinity War wave was, but it’s a massive step up from the lackluster The Marvels figures. Sam Wilson looks like a leader. The Leader looks like a freak. Red Hulk looks like a beast.
If you're an MCU completionist, you've already pre-ordered these. If you're a casual fan, grab Sam Wilson and maybe the Leader. Leave the rest for the clearance bins. There is no point in overpaying for a Sabra figure if you don't even know who she is yet.
Keep an eye on the "Target Geek-Out" events and the Hasbro Pulse "Fan Stream" schedules. They often announce the "missing" figures from these waves during those livestreams. We are still waiting on that definitive Falcon/Cap two-pack that usually drops right around the movie's premiere.
The real test will be when the movie finally drops in theaters. If Brave New World is a hit, these figures will become ghost-level rare. If it flops? Well, you'll be able to buy the whole set for the price of a movie ticket by Christmas.
For now, clear some space on your shelf. The wingspan alone requires its own zip code. Get your stands ready, watch those peg hinges, and keep hunting. The thrill of the chase is half the fun anyway, even if my wallet disagrees.
To get started on your collection, your best move right now is to prioritize the Sam Wilson figure before it sells out, as it's the "anchor" of the set. Check local comic shops over big-box retailers for better-quality paint applications on the faces, as they tend to get the better-sorted batches. Once you have the core figures, keep the packaging inserts—the BAF piece maps are actually useful for once given how similar some of the Red Hulk's limb joints look during assembly.