As reviewers, we often know more information about toys than the average fan - not because we've got secret inside sources, but because we pay more attention. The problem is, sometimes we forget that not everyone knows this stuff. So today, we're sharing one of those "big secrets" with you:

Beginning with Marvel Legends Series 7, ToyBiz started shipping all the series' variants in the same case. If you see one variant on the pegs, that store, at one point, had all of them. Normal cases have two sets of the series (more or less); variant cases have one complete set of plain figures, one complete set of variants, and whatever plain figures are left over. Not every store gets a variant case - they're shipped randomly.

When they first hear about variant cases, some people declare that they'll just go ahead and buy a case, so they get the variants. Well, fine, but there's no guarantee you'll get a variant case when you order. There are no specific markings on the outside, and you don't know whether it's standard or variant until you open it. So order a case if you want, but be prepared to sell off a complete duplicate set if you have to.

Me? I'm sticking with the stores...