Marvel Legends 2016 Wave 2 2-Packs

Marvel Legends 2016 Wave 2 2-Packs
Well folks, we are finally here…we have reached the end of all Marvel Legends 3.75 inch action figures officially announced for 2016.  It’s a freakin’ good thing that San Diego Comic Con is in a few weeks so that we can lick our chops for what surprises the rest of the year and 2017 will hold.  For now though, let’s talk about this fantastic final round of figures, which features 3 2-packs, 6 figures, and all new uniforms for all but one of the 6 figures.  Hyperion gets 2 never before seen decos.  Captain Marvel gets a head swap, Kree Soldier Captain Marvel is introduced to the scale.  Scarlet Spider is more properly introduced to the scale, and…another Spider-Man.  Once again a set of figures that will adorn my shelves and replace previous versions, but let’s take a deeper dive.

Web Slingers

Scarlet Spider

The Good

  • Scarlet Spider was previously released as part of a toy line to support Ultimate Spider-Man (Disney XD).  The figure was ok but as many TV / Movie toy lines go, articulation was limited if not a little weird.  Almost Secret Wars figure-esque.  This figure improves upon that release in almost every way.
  • Good leg articulation, jointed knees, ball and socket hips.
  • Accurate character design, a mirror image for the comic.
  • Very clean paint application, nice bright glossy red.

The Bad

  • For any Spider family character, the absence of torso / wrist articulation is felt.
  • When compared to the Ultimate Spider-Man Scarlet Spider, my only complaint with the newer Scarlet Spider is the flat eyes (not raised / molded).

Spider-Man

The Good

  • It’s my favorite version of Spider-Man, the default classic red and blue.
  • Sharp clean lines and beautiful paint application…and here’s why.
  • He’s a giant!  This Spidey compared to other 3.75″ Spidey figures is a monster!
  • He’s a better figure for it, articulation be damned, this has become my favorite classic red and blue Spider-Man.

The Bad

  • For any Spider family character, the absence of torso / wrist articulation is felt

 

Supreme Powers

Hyperion – Squadron Supreme Dark 

The Good

  • More than just a repaint, there are some subtle changes, or at least one to note, the boots go from the cuffed classics to a modern seamless and it addresses a gap complaint on the original Hyperion release.
  • I love the modern Hyperion / Squadron Supreme color palate / uniform!
  • Cape seems to fit more snuggly than the original release.

The Bad

  • Using the same cape for this modern Hyperion hurts the character continuity a little.  Hyperion now has two points at which his cape is affixed on either shoulder, while the previous figure / version only has a single shoulder cape tie.
  • Sloppy paint application around a few edges.

Hyperion – Squadron Supreme Red and White No Cape

The Good

  • Hyperion gets a different outfit here, a sharp dark red suit with a pronounced H, well designed and comic accurate captured.
  • The head sculpt does a great job of capturing the hair do of the alt uniform Hyperion.
  • Costume high neck line is well respected here.
  • Another exceptional paint application with very VERY sharp lines.

The Bad

  • Being that each Hyperion is on a different buck, seeing the size difference next to each other in package is a little weird.  Same guy, should be the same height, right? – As it turns out, wrong.  I received a comment from someone who I consider to be far more an authority on Hyperion than I am (pretty much anyone who has ever read 5 or more issues featuring Hyperion), and he advised that in the comics The Supreme Power Hyperion (This one) was actually smaller than his home-slice.  So, I recant, retract and deny my own statements, but I’ll leave this here so it looks like I did a lot of work in writing something bad about this figure.  Apparently the bad here is good, up is down, happy Friday on Thursday!

 

Cosmic Marvels

Captain Marvel

The Good

  • Danvers Captain Marvel V2, just like V1 but now with a different head!
  • The different head fixes some issues with the V1 CM.  Thanks to the mask, the eye problems are resolved.
  • The hair protruding from the mask is very well executed.

The Bad

  • The main complaint here is that the alternate head was not just included as an accessory for the original single card release of Carol Danvers Captain Marvel.

Mar-Vell

The Good

  • Perfect head sculpt.
  • Exceptional coloring.
  • Gun fits holster, holster exists, holster is part of a floating belt accessory.
  • Holsters are awesome.

The Bad

  • Some sloppy paint around Mar-Vell’s glove edges and where the green meets the white in general.
  • The chest logo if a little bigger could have had more detail.  It would have been nice to see a defined line around the planet.
  • Hasbro.  I heart you.  But if you included a purple faced alternate head, or even single carded this figure with the alt head…you’d sell THOUSANDS of these in a blink! Come on man!!!

 

 

The rest

For me, and for all probably, this wave is bitter sweet.  It features the last officially announced figures for the year.  There is hope though.  SDCC is in about 3 weeks.  We should get an exclusive..hopefully.  We should get word of early waves for next year, and hopefully they hit shelves late this year.  We have also seen a 3.75 inch Groot two pack on a shelf at an obscure other-country-con, so, my fingers are crossed for more…because I’m greedy and I want more!  That said, buy this wave.  You want Scarlet Spider and the one released for Ultimate Spider-Man wasn’t good enough.  You MUST have Kree Solider Mar-Vell.  Masked Danvers is a must have, but a little bit of a kick to the groin that it wasn’t just an included head in the single card release, and the Hyperions, go, just go buy them.

Availability

BBTS has this wave now shipping, so go order!

 

Family Photos

DC Comics Icons Wave 3

DC Comics Icons Wave 3

DC Comics Icons Wave 3

It has been 8 months since the DC Comics Icons Action Figure Line was launched in November of 2015 with their first ambitious wave including Batman, Green Arrow, Deadman and Mister Miracle.  After another wave, a deluxe figure, and what felt like a really REALLY long time, we come to DC Comics Icons Wave 3!.  The wave itself is what I blame the long wait feeling on.  Amazing, dare I say, Iconic characters are addressed in this wave, so it just made the wait feel longer…that’s what I’m trying to say.  Wave 3 brings us Atomica, Aquaman, Harley Quinn, and Superman!  13 unique figures in 8 months, with a full factory change in between, they can’t make these figures fast enough for me, but DC Collectibles is doing a damn fine job of making these figures pretty fast!  Further, these figures are staggering, beautiful, everything you want in an action figure with very little concession.  All four figures are staring at me over my shoulder from the filing cabinet top in my office at work.  I like them that much, that I want them to hang with me for 8 hours a day on display.  Let me stop rambling and dive into what you are going to love about these figures, and what you might love less.

Atomica – Forever Evil

The Good

  • 3 figures for the price of one, Atomica, Ryan Choy and Ray Palmer!
  • Amazing sculpt on Atomica, clean lines, very smooth.
  • Stunning head sculpt with molded on goggles.
  • Hair detail is exceptional.
  • Ray Palmer figure packs amazing detail for the scale and his atom surrounding is very clever.
  • Ryan Choy Atom has excellent articulation for his smaller size, head swivel, arms and legs rotate!

The Bad

  • Atomica carries a higher price point than the rest of the figures in this series.  She comes with more to be certain, 3 figures in one.  I certainly wouldn’t claim the price is not justified, the figure is a bargain on it’s own, it’s beautiful, but it should be noted, if you want it, she’s a little more.
  • I was hoping that when she was out of package stood up next to the rest of the Icons line, she’d be taller, not comically so, but maybe just a little?  Earn the title?
  • The only other want I have for this figure, would have been to have the goggles not be molded on so you could move them down over Atomica’s eyes.

 

 

Harley Quinn – No Man’s Land

The Good

  • This is the Harley Quinn figure I’ve wanted since I’ve wanted a Harley Quinn figure.  The Icons line captures her in her most iconic costume to be sure, the red and black with the jester hat.
  • Harley is perfectly sculpted and looks like she has jumped right out of the comic pages.
  • Harley includes some of her most memorable props as accessories, cork stopper gun, giant mallet, hands to hold each / either.
  • Perfect sculpt on the jester hat and collar.  Excellent molding on the boots.

The Bad

  • The paint application above her eyes is a little sloppy – QC complaint, not design.
  • Totally unreasonable to ask, but swap-able jester hat / hair appendage?  That’d be neat…

 

 

Aquaman – Legend of Aquaman

The Good

  • Scalloped shirt is every bit as detailed as you’d expect from DC Collectibles.
  • Multiple included sets of hands, and most importantly, one pair of hands does an outstanding job of holding his trident.
  • Molded on fins look great and feel sturdy.
  • Included mental telepathy cone and alt head may be one of the coolest accessories I’ve ever seen with an action figure.  To compliment, Aquaman comes with a pair of hands that you can hold to his head to evoke a pose of projection.

The Bad

  • I don’t like liking Aquaman, he was just never my thing…2016 though, this figure, Dan Abnett writing the book.  I’m out of options, I have to like Aquaman.
  • He doesn’t come with a dolphin.

 

 

Superman – Man of Steel

The Good

  • I have had DC figures most of my collecting life, certainly as a child, but as an adult, it’s only been about two years or so that I’ve been collecting DC figures with a purpose.  When I poked around to see what the best possible Superman was, there were good options, and i grabbed those, I settled on a DCUC Superman, from the Gotham City 5 set.  It’s a nice Superman, it does the character as he lives in my mind justice….but the DC Icons Superman?  For me, this is the de facto, the ideal, the Icon to compare all other Superman action figures to.  The one Superman figure that if you like Superman, you need to own.
  • His cape sits on his shoulders like a cap sitting on someones shoulders, there is no gap, no hover, the cape is part of the figure.
  • The curl of hair on the forehead is perfect.
  • Paint application is impeccable.  Nice solid blue, very sharp detail lines.
  • Face sculpt is dead on with a nice stern jawline.
  • Yellow belt, red underpants…  This is Superman!
  • Included is Kelex, the Kryptonian droid.  Kelex is just stunning, a very faithful recreation of his comic book counterpart.
  • Included clear stand makes it easy for him to appear as a floating robot.
  • Deep red optic area for Kelex.

The Bad

  • The fact that this is wave 3 of DC Icons, and we are just now getting what should have been figure 01…
  • After taking pictures, I realized Kelex is not Kallax, but I left the picture in in case just so you can make the distinction for yourself.
  • It’s understood that the inclusion of a companion figure is a big deal, I love Kelex, DC Collectibles did a fantastic job.  But I’m greedy.  Aquaman got telepathy.  Can I have an alternate head with read eyes, or holes for eyes where red laser beams could be inserted for heat vision?  I’m a child!  Gimmie!

 

 

The rest

A few things should be stated that apple to the whole of the line.  Wave 3, as far as I understand it is the first wave of the series to come out of a different manufacturing facility.  As such, I feel like I’m noticing a few things because of that.

  • Build quality feels more durable.
  • Paint applications, though, not without issue are overall cleaner and more consistent.
  • I used to feel like I was going to break the hands when I pulled them out and changed them, DC Collectibles is very alternate hand happy, and I am appreciative of that.  This wave though, I was pleasantly surprised when hands were snuggly in place with no danger of falling out, but could be easily replaced with little effort and no loud, disturbing clicking noises.
  • One issue not addressed is limited head articulation, it has been present since the dawn of the line and folks who want their figures to look up for proper flight poses will still need to break out their Dremel tools.

All things considered, DC Comics Icons Wave 3 is a very welcome addition to an already fantastic toy line.  If you love DC heroes, you shouldn’t pass this line, and certainly not this wave of figures up.  You get great value, beautiful figures and lots of extras.  I will say this though, the most negative thing about getting wave 3, is that now we start the wait for wave 4, and it’s a doozy.  Joker, Firestorm, Static Shock and Jon Stewart (Green Lantern).  Let’s hope August(ish) comes quick!

Availability

Big Bad Toy Store has these for order as of today.  Shop DC Entertainment has these.  As always too, you can check your local comic shop!  All outlets should have them on shelves as of today! I got mine yesterday!

 

Family Photos!

Marvel Legends 2016 Wave 3 Review

Marvel Legends 2016 Wave 3
The Marvel Legends train is out of the station and chugging along at full steam!  After “leaking” the wave at Hasbro Pulse, one figure at a time, the anticipation for Wave 3 has been palpable.  Featuring 4 amazing figures, 3 never before released characters to the 3.75 inch scale, this wave is an absolute beast!  80’s deco Rogue, Morbius, Hydro-Man (seriously who in a million years thought we’d get a character as deep catalog as Hydro-Man?!) and Quasar!!  We are officially one figure shy of the Annihilators (Ronan…please?!)!  There is a down side to this wave though…as far as what has been announced for Marvel Legends 3.75″ single carded figures this year, we are done…so let’s hope for more, More, MORE out of SDCC 2016.  For now, let’s check out this epic wave of happiness.  Very special thanks to Nel for getting these out to me so fast!  This site would be less good without you brother!

Quasar

The Good

  • Seeing as how I knew this figure was Quasar from the very first glimpse of an all black silhouette, it’s safe to say, and honest enough to say, the character likeness has been nailed.
  • With Quasar the team at Hasbro had two ways to go, classic Wendell Vaughn or modern Annihilation / Annihilators Wendell Vaughn, in my opinion, they chose perfectly, executed perfectly…that’s not to say I don’t want classic Quasar too though so…ya know…running change please?  Or at the very least tease me by putting a custom figure in the SDCC diorama?
  • Quantum Bands, one of the most iconic items in the Marvel Universe are faithfully replicated here.
  • Glowing yellow eyes are highly reminiscent of many comic appearances.
  • The shoulder pads and cape are a single piece which allows for good arm movement for Quasar.
  • Excellent line detail and solid paint application.   Absolutely love the art for the chest logo and leg detail.

The Bad

  • He didn’t come in a two pack with classic Quasar.
  • I still don’t have Ronan.
  • He didn’t come with an alternate head with short hair.

 

Rogue (80’s With Mohawk)

The Good

  • The Mohawk is Rogue’s primary design feature, dead on, perfect in appearance, style and color.
  • Fantastic face sculpt / design.
  • Sculpted gloves and boots look great and capture the 80’s feel.
  • Belt accessory sits well and is comic accurate.
  • Seems like this would make a nice easy transition to a custom Dazzler….

The Bad

  • While Rogue’s green top shirt looks good enough, it would have been nice to seen an off one shoulder look as the character was just as often depicted, personal preference only though.

 

Hydro-Man

The Good

  • Hydro-Man is now a 3.75 inch action figure!
  • Hydro-Man is now a 3.75 inch action figure!
  • Hydro-Man is now a 3.75 inch action figure!
  • Awesome water feature makes up the bottom half of HMs body.
  • The water feature, which is, as mentioned awesome.  Let’s discuss a little further.  It is possibly the coolest appendange I have ever encountered in an action figure.  I have no idea what the material is, but the feel in hand is miraculous.  The way the light bounces off of, permeates, and collects in the “water” is amazing, leading to a different look depending on angle and time of day, this really is a conversation piece of an action figure.  I will now go so far as to say that Hyrdo-Man’s bottom half is the show stealer of this figure wave!
  • Beautiful molded bracers.
  • Excellent articulation on upper body, including ball jointed torso!

The Bad

  • No included legs to swap for water.  But…can it be done? Hmm….
  • Uniform lines that appear frequently in comic depictions of the character are not present.

 

Morbius

The Good

  • Morbius was given the perfect body type for his character, thin, almost waify.
  • Perfect coloring of hair and face.
  • Excellent face sculpt.  From a lot of the pictures online it’s difficult to tell what’s really going on, but up close you can see a truly gaunt and haunting visage.  The cheeks are sunken in so far it looks like he’s sporting mutton chops, but no, that’s just appropriate malnutrition.
  • Love the way his ears poke through his hair.
  • At least one clawed hand.
  • Great sculpt of his “wings”/”cape”, I love the texture on the back and I love the red in the front black in the back coloring.

The Bad

  • I would have liked to have seen a tinge of midnight blue for his outfit color.

 

 

The rest

This wraps up the (announced) single card offerings for Marvel Legends 3.75 inch in 2016.  That doesn’t mean there isn’t a ton left to look forward to.  Of course, we have the possibility for additional announcements at SDCC 2016.  We also have yet to hear what’s to be announced as the exclusive, if any for SDCC 2016.  Though there are rumors…  It should also not go without saying that included in this wave are another release of House of M Spider-Man, Armored Spider-Man, Iron Man Mk 1 (silver) and a Black Panther, but each is a re-released figure.  Further, while I’m adding thoughts, I’m actually, now, as I think of it a little mad at this wave.  Hasbro gives me a figure since I’ve wanted super hero action figures in Quasar,  and then goes and makes Hydro-Man amazing enough that I’m looking at him more than Quasar….what the heck Hasbro?!

SDCC

  • Maybe something Cosmically collectible? Who knows.

Comic Pack Wave 2 (should be hitting our shores soon, the shady places have had them available for almost a month now)

  • Scarlet Spider / Spider-Man
  • Hyperion / Supreme Hyperion
  • Captain Marvel (Danvers Masked) / Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell Kree Soldier outfit)

Comic Pack Wave 3

  • Still hoping for a Star Lord / full size in scale Groot (comic style).   Let’s keep eyes on SDCC!

2016 is half over, it’s already been 3 single card waves and 1 2-pack wave expensive, but the hits keep on coming and we will keep bringing them to you!

Availability

Big Bad Toy Store, where you pre-order things that are awesome!  You can get this set from BBTS as a case of 8 figures (4 new, 4 re-release) or the wave of 4 new figures only.

Family Photos!

Funko Pop: DC Super Heroes Firestorm

Funko Pop: DC Super Heroes Firestorm 

One of the highlights of any Toy Fair in New York City for most of the past recent years has been a stop at the Funko booth. 2016 was no different, but you might be asking yourself why I’m talking about an event that happened now 4 months ago….well, one of the coolest things I saw at Toy Fair 2016 was the Funko Pop DC Super Heroes Firestorm figure.  Firestorm has always been one of my most favorite DC characters, not quite A-list, cool powers, fun to read and really cool to look at.  That Funko brought him to the Pop format is another check off my bucket list of characters that I’ve always wanted, so for that, I’m excited.  More though, this is a freaking awesome figure!  Let’s check him out!

Firestorm

The Good:

  • Flaming hair is captured perfectly.
  • Sharp lines and very clean paint application.
  • The white eyes can see for miles and miles.
  • Firestorm is wearing my favorite, his most classic costume!

The Bad:

  • He’s not actually on fire…but I guess that’s as much a good thing as it is a bad thing.

The Rest:

  • Easily the best figure in an awesome wave of DC Super Heroes from Funko.  Though, the rest of the wave is nothing to sneeze at either, Supergirl, Power Girl, and Cyborg join Firestorm in the Pop lineup in 2016.

Availability: