Marvel's toy line just erased Black Widow from her own scene in 'Age of Ultron'

[sprytel]

The character is popular with kids. She is one of the main heroes in "Avengers",not just a supporting character or love interest. A strong female hero in a mega-popular franchise. Her absence is conspicuous.

I have seen the theory that Mattel already dominates girl's toys, Just keep selling Barbie's and Frozen dolls. Why compete with yourself? There may be a certain amount of truth to this. I feel they may be underestimating how many boys would want a Black Widow toy... but then again, I may be misjudging how many boys would buy Frozen toys.

Whatever the reason, I find the situation sad.

[phil]

I agree with you Werewolf. I put issue in quotes because it's not something truly important like crime, war etc. I worked for Toys R Us for a number of years and on a number of occasions the issue of female figures came up in terms of being limited or not even produced. The problem never made sense to me. Kids want the characters. Parents want the characters but the manufacturers are reluctant to make them.

I still remember explaining to a five year old boy customer that toy companies don't like to make female figures. His response was that he would by them and that they were important characters. He got it.

The subject in relation to the Avengers sequel keeps coming up. I was wondering why now. It's not like there were figures of Pepper Potts, Maria Hill, Jane Foster or others from previous Marvel movies. I mean the figures meant as toys not the Collectibles.

Why does Black Widow seem to a special case? Is the character that popular with kids?

[Werewolf]

I wonder why this has become such an "issue"?

It's not an "issue." It's an actual frustration for both kids and parents. But I still feel it would have been more over looked by the media had two different toy companies not gone to such obvious lengths to erase the character from her own scene.

Kids collect female figures for popular kid's lines like Skylanders and Disney Infinity. Sabine and Hera are high demand Rebels figures. Ahoska never peg warmed and was always in demand. April O'Neil has consistently sold in the TMNT lines. Toy companies just need to past the outdated idea that kids don't want female action figures.

[phil]

I wonder why this has become such an "issue"? It's not like action figures of female characters have suddenly become scarce. There are female characters missing or underrepresented from any number of lines in previous years. It didn't just start with Black Widow and Age of Ultron.

[torgospizza]

They should have included the bike and left it at that. Purchase whatever figures you want separately and play with them however you want. What I don't get is including Iron Man on a bike.

[phil]

I was referring to the current line of Star Wars figures. If you want a Leia you have to buy the two pack with Stromtroper Luke. The female characters from the Rebels cartoon are only available in two packs.

[Werewolf]

No one has said there have been no BW merchandise over the years. Past merchandise like coffee mugs, novelty plush, bobble heads, Hot Toys and Marvel select or that there was a BW figure included in the last movie a couple of years ago is small consolation to the kids and families that can't find a BW figure now because there isn't one for the current line. The past BW figures are also not in scale with the current Age of Ultron toy line.

On a personal note, I always think of the Museum and the people here as the best of the best of the fan internet forums which can be a horrible and unsafe place. So, it saddens me that even here you still can't have a topic like the lack of female action figures without it inevitably turning dismissive or mocking.

[ODBJBG]

I like that these stories about Black Widow not getting any toys keep coming out, when there's tons of Black Widow figure on the shelves readily available right now. Such sloppy "journalism". This would be a non-story if any other character was depicted wrongly. But since it's a woman, it must be a vast conspiracy. It'd hold more water, if there weren't so many Black Widow and other female Marvel characters on every toy shelf in America.

[Werewolf]

I had three different Princess Leia figures as a kid.

Kenner was always great about including Leia. They made five different figures of her total. Which is the same number of figures Han Solo got.

The three hottest SW figures right now are Hera, Sabine and Chopper.

[palitoy]

I had three different Princess Leia figures as a kid.

[phil]

Since the trailer for the film and the toys were both released some time ago this is hardly news. It would be interesting to see the actual sales records of female figures to see how much that influences the decesion to make or not make them. Is it the kids that don't want them or is it the parents that don't want to buy them? Or is it simply marketing? Captain America is far more recognizable than Black Widow.

This is an old subject when it comes to figures of female characters. It's not just Marvel. It's not like toy aisles are full of Princess Leia figures.

[Werewolf]

It is disappointing they went as far as erasing BW from her own scene. Even Mark (Hulk) Ruffalo commented on the lack of BW toys in the new Avengers toy line.

[palitoy]

That's a giant leap backwards IMO

[libby 1957dog]

you guys read this yet ,looks like wonder woman might not get a figure in the bats v supes toy line if mattel think the same way as hasbro ,im sure the wont ,after all they are the home of barbie

http://www.dailydot.com/geek/black-widow-toy-ultron-motorcycle-replaced-captain-america/

just noticed its a bit sweary ,be warned lol