I was planning to dive into my Avengers shelf updates this week… but then the universe dropped a stack of Marvel Legends 2026 leaks right into my lap. And you know me — when the opportunity knocks, I follow the quest.

Before we jump in, full credit goes to David from Model Behavior on YouTube for rounding up the leaks. He put together an extensive line-up that you can check out on his 2026 Marvel Legend Leaks episode. I’m only covering the ones that hit my radar…

• Nightcrawler

• Mystique

• Beast

• Doom

• The Falcon

• Gambit

• Elektra

• Cyclops

“Wolf” mystery listing — David from Model Behavior thinks Sabretooth… but I’m leaning toward an MCU Werewolf situation. We’ll see.

These are the comic reveals that made me stop, rewind, and grin like a kid in a KB Toys aisle (but only if they’re the classic versions):

• Mole Man

• Doc Samson

• Marrina Smallwood

• Constrictor (he could definitely use the upgrade)

• Falcon (as teased with Redwing)

Mole Man holds a weird badge of honor: He was the very first villain the Fantastic Four ever faced with his monster Giganto (Deviant Mutate).

His origin in broad strokes:

• A brilliant but socially rejected scientist named Harvey Elder.
• Mocked for his appearance and theories, he isolates himself and eventually discovers Monster Island, a subterranean world filled with creatures and caverns.
• After an accident blinds him, he becomes ruler of the underground realm and commands an army of monsters.

He’s not just a villain — he’s Marvel’s prototype for the “misunderstood outcast who becomes something more.” A classic Mole Man figure would be a deep‑cut love letter to early Marvel history.

Doc Samson is one of Marvel’s most unique characters because he blends:

• Gamma strength
• Psychology
• Hulk lore

His story in summary:

• Dr. Leonard Samson is a psychiatrist who becomes involved in Bruce Banner’s gamma radiation research.
• Through exposure to gamma energy, he gains superhuman strength and his iconic long green hair.
• Unlike most gamma characters, Samson tries to use his powers to help others — often counseling heroes and villains alike.
• He’s been an ally, rival, and sometimes therapist to the Hulk.

A Legends figure of Samson is long overdue — he’s a cornerstone of Hulk mythology.

Marrina is one of the founding members of Alpha Flight, Canada’s premier superhero team. Her story blends sci‑fi, tragedy, and romance:

• She’s part of an alien species known as the Plodex, discovered as an egg and raised on Earth.

• Marrina grows up kind, curious, and deeply empathetic — the opposite of what her species was bred for.

• She eventually becomes a hero, fighting alongside Alpha Flight and forming a relationship with Namor the Sub‑Mariner.

• But her Plodex biology has a dark side: she can transform into a monstrous sea creature when pushed to extremes.

Her story is about identity, belonging, and the fear of becoming something you’re not — which is why a classic Marrina figure would hit hard for collectors who know her history.

This is the team your audience will absolutely know — the black‑and‑grey stealth suits, the moral dilemmas, the covert missions.

The broad strokes:

• This version of X‑Force is a secret kill‑team assembled to handle threats the X‑Men can’t publicly touch.
• The roster has included Wolverine, Psylocke, Deadpool, Archangel, and Fantomex.
• Their missions often force them into morally grey territory — the kind of choices that haunt heroes.
• The grey‑and‑black uniforms symbolize the tone: covert, tactical, and ethically complicated.

If you put this team on your shelf, it becomes an instant storytelling display — every figure represents a different kind of internal conflict.

I hope you’re as excited for these reveals as I am. Thank you for watching, reading, and being part of this journey. Your comments, shares, and likes help keep the Vaults open and the quests alive.

Check back next week of another entry.

As always, you never know what’s going to come and go on Shelf Life… And thank you for reading. 

• For my empty, tragic shelf — I’m putting it to a vote:

  • Rob Liefeld X‑Force

  • Jim Lee X‑Men

  • Uncanny X‑Force Grey‑Ops Strike Team

  Let me know what you want to see next.

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