Author Archives: Ethan Wilson

#3486: Wolverine Jeep

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

WOLVERINE JEEP

X-MEN (TOY BIZ)

“Whether he’s on a top-secret mission with his fellow X-Men or off on his own tacking one of his many adversaries, Wolverine needs a powerful rig to cover any terrain he might encounter! Thus, the creation of this custom-made jeep, designed to operate under the harshest conditions—just about the only conditions Wolverine ever finds himself in!”

In the ’90s, when action figure buying was at a definite high, figures didn’t just function on their own.  Oh, no, they also got stuff to accent.  There were playsets.  There were vehicles.  Oh, how we sang the songs of…something.  Look, it was a different time.  There was a Jeep in every toy line.  Or a Jeep in multiple toy lines, at the very least.  Most importantly (to me, anyway), there was a Jeep in the X-Men line.  And, you know what, I’m gonna look at that today.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

The Wolverine Jeep was added to Toy Biz’s X-Men line in 1995, alongside a similarly scaled Mini-Blackbird vehicle.  For the initial release, it was officially titled “Wolverine Jeep” and sold sans-figure.  It saw three re-releases, all of which changed it to “Wolverine 4×4” (presumably having something to do with Jeep not approving the use of their name), and added a 5-inch Wolverine figure to the mix.  The vehicle measures about 9 inches long by 4 1/2 inches tall by 4 inches wide, and it’s scaled to Toy Biz’s 5-inch line, at least at the earlier end of things.  While Wolverine had driven a number of actual Jeeps in the comics and the cartoon, this particular item wasn’t specifically based on any of them, instead crafting something that is vaguely Jeep like, while also kind of being more toyetic, I suppose.  The later descriptor of 4×4 is honestly a more accurate one, which may have added to the push to re-name it.  The sculpting for this thing was all-new in ’95, but of course it would get the three aforementioned re-releases, and was even repainted for Toy Biz’s Spider-Man line as well.  It’s a pretty decent little set-up.  There’s seating for two standard-sized figures, and even some space for storage in the back, if you wanted to throw some accessories or something back there.  The wheels all can spin just fine, and you can even put the windshield down if you so choose.  In its default configuration, it’s just a pretty sensible car.  But it’s also got an action mode, because it was for a toy line.  All four wheels get adamantium claws that pull out, and pressing the steering wheel pops open the hood of the car, revealing a rotating grinder.  For grinding purposes, I guess?  The box shows Sabretooth getting thrown in there, which feels like it would be pretty messy, but he’s also Sabretooth, so he can probably handle it.  Paint work on this thing is at a minimum; there’s a little bit of base work for the blue and black detailing on the main body, but it’s otherwise just down to decals.  They work pretty well, and I especially like the printing for the headlights.  The Jeep was packed a gripping claw piece that mounts on the back, as well as a missile launcher….which launches a claw missile.  Say, do you suppose they really wanted to theme this thing around claws?

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

In 1995, I was only just discovering my love of Jeeps, so I didn’t jump on this one the way you might assume.  I was more invested in the Blackbird, I suppose.  It was actually a good long while before I got this one.  I snagged it from a store in my family’s usual vacationing spot, back in the fall of 2019.  It was still sealed, and it was pretty cheap, so it’s kind of hard to pass-up that sort of thing.  It’s a fun, if perhaps gimmicky, little vehicle.  Now, I just have to find all the variants on it, I suppose.

#3485: Clone Commander Jesse

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

CLONE COMMANDER JESSE

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES (HASBRO)

“Hard-fighting patriot Jesse proudly wears the Galactic Republic’s symbol on his helmet and as a face tattoo. After Order 66, however, his loyalty shifts from the Republic to the Emperor.”

As an interquel, Star Wars: The Clone Wars was slightly limited in what it could do to show real change and growth for its characters, especially the central characters whose fates we’ve already seen unfold. In order to keep some of that intrigue going, the show relied on the clones to really carry forward growth and development.  Clone Trooper Jesse began his run in the show as a rank and file member of the 501st, eventually graduating up to ARC Trooper, and even replacing Rex as commander of the 332nd company during the events of Order 66, in effect becoming the face of the troopers that fall that day.  That’s really not so bad a run.  And, hey, he’s also got a Black Series figure!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Clone Commander Jesse is figure 12 in the Clone Wars sub-set of Star Wars: The Black Series’ Phase IV incarnation.  He’s a Walmart exclusive, which is less than ideal, but also not incredibly surprising, given just how much of the Clone Wars stuff has wound up with them.  Jesse is clearly based on his post-ARC Trooper promotion design, with his name signifying that he’s specifically based on the show’s finale.  The figure stands 6 1/4 inches tall and he has 29 points of articulation.  For the most part, Jesse is using the ARC Trooper tooling introduced by Echo back in 2021.  It’s a sensible re-use, what with them all having the same basic set-up to start with.  Apart from its restriction at the hips, it’s also a pretty solid sculpt as well, making its re-use totally acceptable.  He does get a new head under the helmet, showcasing Jesse’s fully shaved head, as well as a slight tweak to the body, with his ammo pouch moving from the left shoulder to the right.  The head is consistent with Echo’s in terms of styling and likeness, so they look like the same guy, but that guy isn’t necessarily Temuera Morrison.  One slight mix-up on the design is that Jesse keeps the exact same helmet mold as Echo, who had a range finder, while Jesse never did.  It’s on a peg, so you can pop it out if you’re so inclined, but it does leave a hole on that one side.  Beyond the sculpt change-ups, it’s paint work that really differentiates him.  He keeps the same basic color scheme, while changing up enough of what goes where to make him clearly a different guy.  In particular, I love how the Republic cog graffiti on the helmet and matching tattoo on the underlying head turned out.  Jesse is packed with a pair of blaster pistols…and that’s it.  Given his tendency to use larger style blasters in the show, it’s a bummer that he didn’t at least get the mid-sized blaster as well, especially with the price.  Also, he still doesn’t have a trigger finger on the left hand, so he can’t properly dual-wield the two blasters he has.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

With all the love Vintage Collection has been getting on the Clones, I was beginning to worry Black Series was going to miss out on the named guys like Jesse.  I was less than thrilled by him being an exclusive, given the VC got to be a regular release, but I was thankfully able to get some assistance getting one from someone that wound up with an extra he didn’t need.  He’s cool.  He’s definitely light on accessories, and I’m still not a fan of this whole exclusive game, but I’m glad to have him.

#3484: Chasm

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

CHASM

MARVEL LEGENDS (HASBRO)

“A near-fatal battle between Peter Parker and his clone, Ben Reilly, leaves Ben rising from the quantum goo as the villainous Chasm”

Poor Ben Reilly just really can’t catch a break, can he?  He keeps dying or being evil.  He seemed to get a bit of an upswing when they made him the main Spidey again in 2022, but…then he seemingly died and then went rogue.  I mean, it’s not *exactly* evil, but he’s certainly on the edge.  It’s kind of humorous, because Ben’s not even supposed to *be* the edgy clone!  That was Kane’s whole gimmick.  Ben’s the light-hearted and carefree guy…right?  Well, maybe he’ll get there again.  He *is* currently living in paradise.  In the mean time, he’s a figure of him during his emo phase.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Chasm is part of the latest Spider-Man retro card series of Marvel Legends.  He’s another very modern figure from a largely very modern line-up.  He’s also one of two different Ben Reilly figures in this particular line-up, which is an interesting switch up.  The figure stands 6 1/4 inches tall and he has 34 points of articulation.  Chasm is based on the ANAD 2099 body, which is a decent enough set-up, but is slightly hampered by being the inferior version of two different Spidey base bodies.  I imagine this one in particular is a little cheaper to produce, which makes more sense for a more one-off design like Chasm.  It does kind of suck that it means he’s still got the visible pins, though.  He’s got a new head and add-ons for his wrist cartridges, which are generally pretty basic, but well implemented pieces.  The rest of the design is carried by the paint work.  Chasm, to showcase his turn to a more villainous side, gets to be purple and green, the classic bad guy colors in comics.  They’re a particularly nice shade here, which I definitely dig.  Application is generally pretty good, apart from the right elbow on my copy completely missing the purple paint app.  Chasm is packed with a pair of effects piece, borrowed from Scarlet Witch, but in green this time.  That feels exceptionally light, given how few new parts this guy has.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I like Ben Reilly.  I really do.  I like him enough that I read his whole “Beyond” run in the comics.  It wasn’t awful, and the Chasm angle isn’t the *worst* thing ever, but it’s also a little frustrating to see this character caught in this sort of loop of characterization.  But, a good figure is a good figure, and I’m a sucker for a good Ben Reilly figure.  Chasm’s okay.  He’s pretty by the numbers, but if nothing else he’s got a fun color scheme.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

Mutant X Re-Read #14: Because You Demanded It–The Origin of Bloodstorm!

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Mutant X Re-Read

THE HUNGER

MUTANT X #13 (MARVEL COMICS)

“In another place–in another life–Alex Summers led a team of mutants in a battle against oppression. His methods were extreme, his tactics questionable, but–in his soul–he knew that he was fighting for the greater good.

Now that soul has been transferred to another world, and Summers, also known as Havok, has found himself living a lie, allied with a team of mutants who are sinister, parallel versions of his friends and family. It is to this dark, new place that Havok has come, where he stands as a man alone… a mutant alone. Alex Summers is Mutant X.

Fear him. Fear for him.”

25 years ago, Marvel Comics launched Mutant X, a Havok led X-spinoff. I recently came into a complete run of the series, and so now I’m going to re-read the series once a week, and you guys get to come along for the ride!

This week we get more Bloodstorm.  Apparently there were demands?  Okay, I’ve been reading the letters columns, so I actually know first hand that, yes, there were demands.  People were really obsessed with the most straightforward concept in the series, I guess.  Well, let’s see where this all leads in “The Hunger!”

THE ISSUE ITSELF

Mutant X #13 is actually not cover dated, which is a first for the series.  It looks like that was just an across the board thing for the Marvel line that month.  Were there a date printed on the cover, it would be October 1999.  It was written by Ben Raab, with pencils by Mike Miller, and inks by Saleem Crawford.  This marks the second time that we’ve gotten an issue of the series written by someone other than Howard Mackie, and the first time it’s been in the main sequence of the book.

Several years in the past of the main series, Kitty Pryde writes a note to Colossus, narrating as she prepares to face down and potentially slay Storm, recently turned vampire by Dracula.  Meanwhile, in a castle far away, Storm grapples with a hunger for blood.  She stumbles upon Forge, whom she does not yet know, tied up to be used as feast for the vampires.  Storm longs for death, but Forge tells her there may be other options.  Kitty tracks storm to the castle, while Storm and Forge escape, evading Dracula’s goons.  Kitty arrives and slays said goons, before setting her sights on Storm.  They battle and Kitty gains the upper hand, but is unable to deliver the killing blow, giving Storm the chance to feed on her.  Back at the X-Mansion, Colossus and Nightcrawler discuss the disappearance of Storm and Kitty, who have now been gone for five months.  Colossus reveals an engagement ring he intended for Kitty, before admitting that she is truly gone.

Admittedly, it’s a little tricky to piece together this issue’s relevance within the narrative.  It’s touted as the origin of Bloodstorm, but it doesn’t really feel that way, since she’s already a vampire at the start, and all the end really does is confirm that she’s a vampire, which we already knew from the start and the fact that she’s a vampire in the current time period of the book.  Exactly what this is the origin of is kind of iffy at best, and the ending is just…odd.  Like, I guess Storm is turning Kitty into a vampire too?  Obviously she’s not killing her, since we’ve seen Kitty in the present day.  But also, we know from seeing Kitty in the present day that she’s at the very least had her head messed with a bit.  So, nothing presented here is surprising or new, or anything we didn’t already know.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I gotta be honest, I just really didn’t care for this one.  The fascination with Bloodstorm continues to perplex me, and this story does nothing to combat that.  Kitty the Vampire Slayer thing is cool enough, and clearly they were getting some Buffy inspiration there(which is fitting, what with Buffy being Kitty inspired and all) but it also leaves me with a lot of questions.  Why is Kitty the one hunting Storm down, and not *any* other member of the team.  Why doesn’t she take Colossus, a guy who would be pretty handy in a fight against a vampire, with her?  And why do none of the other X-Men try to find her in the ensuing five months?  As the first issue post-Goblin Queen wrap-up, this is a very weak installment.  Hopefully, next issue will be a bit better.

I snagged this whole run from my usual comics stop, Cosmic Comix, so I want to give them a shout out here, because it was a pretty great find.

#3483: Kamakura

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

KAMAKURA

G.I. JOE: CLASSIFIED SERIES (HASBRO)

Wow, two G.I. Joe reviews, just a week apart?  And they’re both Classified even?  How’d that happen?  Well, I sat one the first one long enough before reviewing it that I’d wound up with another in the mean time, that’s how.  Also other reasons, but I’ll get to them in a bit.

When Hasbro re-launched the 3 3/4-inch Joes in 2002, they also got a tie-in comic, courtesy of Devil’s Due publishing.  It was largely using the established characters, but since the premise of the comic was that they were progressing in real time from the end of the Marvel run, and they wanted to show some change, they gave Snake Eyes an apprentice, who he’d been training while the Joe team had been disbanded.  Sean “Kamakura” Collins was the son of a former Crimson Guard, who had briefly appeared during the Marvel series.  Kamakura came with Snake Eyes to join the re-banded Joes, and in turn became the era’s most enduring character, gaining not only a handful of figures, but also a role as a recurring character in the *next* notable Joe project, Sigma 6.  And now he’s even joined the Classified Series.  How about that?

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Kamakura is figure 61 in the G.I. Joe: Classified Series line-up.  He was released at the beginning of the year as an Amazon-exclusive, and is at the slightly heightened deluxe price point that we also saw with Sgt. Slaughter.  The figure stands 6 1/4 inches tall and he has 37 points of articulation.  He’s sporting all the standard articulation for the line, and he’s totally pinless, so it all looks pretty good.  The sculpt here is an all-new one, courtesy of Fred Aczon, and it’s a pretty solid one.  Kamukura is very definitely based on that initial comics design, which really makes him the first figure of him to truly do so, since all of the others have done some sort of compromise on the look.  I do really think it’s a strong look, and it manages to adapt pretty well to this particular aesthetic.  There’s some fantastic texturing going on, and I really like how similar yet different the masked head is from the classic Storm Shadow release.  It shows commitment to keeping the different characters unique, which I appreciate, since Kamakura so frequently gets stuck as just a re-use figure.  Kamakura’s paint work is overall pretty basic.  There’s more involved work on what we can see of the face, and he gets his proper clan tattoo, but other than that, it’s base work.  Some of the base stuff is a little off-set on mine, but nothing too crazy out of the ordinary.  In order to justify his higher price point, Kamakura gets a slightly upgraded accessory selection.  He’s got an alternate unmasked head, two styles of hood (re-used from Storm Shadow), two swords, a backpack, a knife, and uzi, a handgun, a bladed staff, and two shorter blades.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

While I had been familiar with G.I. Joe as a brand since a very young age due to the vintage 12-inch Joes my dad had owned, my first introduction to the Real American Hero incarnation of the franchise was the 2002 relaunch.  As an avid comics reader, I of course followed the Devil’s Due series, and Kamakura was always a favorite of mine.  I’m always glad to see him show up in the toy line (even though most of his figures have been kinda rough), and I had my fingers crossed that he’d get the Classified treatment.  However, with him winding up as an Amazon-exclusive, and me becoming a bit disenchanted with the line overall, I wound up waiting on this one.  It worked out in my favor, because I was able to catch him during a Prime Day sale, which greatly incentivized the whole thing.  I really do like this figure.  Since he comes from a different era, he’s not slavishly modelled on a vintage figure, and is instead a more general adaptation of his DDP appearances, which I really feel works to his favor.  I’m glad I finally got one, and I’m on one hand kicking myself for waiting this long, while also kind of glad I did.  The point is, I have one now, and he’s very cool, and honestly the best figure Kamakura’s ever gotten…well, except for maybe his Sigma 6 figure.

#3482: Elektra Natchios Daredevil

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

ELEKTRA NATCHIOS DAREDEVIL

MARVEL LEGENDS (HASBRO)

“Martial artist and former assassin Elektra Natchios dedicates herself to fighting crime under the mantle of Daredevil when Matt Murdock is sent to prison”

So, it’s Halloween, and it’s usually a time for spooky and scary stuff, but, uhh, I don’t know, I guess I’m not overly feeling it?  Or perhaps I’m reeling from the horror of the very real passage of time and the changes that it brings!  OOOOOOOOOOOO!  SCARY! …Is that it?  Is that doing it for you?  Eh, close enough.  So, yeah, in any sort of serialized fiction, even long-running fiction with a bit of a status quo, there’s always a degree of change and growth.  Over in the Daredevil comics, Elektra has gone from being a rather deadly master assassin to dead to back again to Skrull to back again to actually heroic character, carrying on the mantle of Daredevil while Matt’s been off doing his own thing.  It’s the most recent turn that’s actually finally gotten me to care about Elektra in any way whatsoever.  And that’s perhaps the scariest thing of all.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Elektra Natchios Daredevil is part of the latest retro card series of Spide-Man Marvel Legends, which is notably a very modern series of figures almost across the board.  So modern, in fact, that most of the figures aren’t even on properly retro style packaging, Elektra included.  The figure stands just over 6 inches tall and she has 31 points of articulation.  Her movement is about what you’d expect from a Legends release at this stage.  Some of the joints are a little stiff, and I wouldn’t mind more range on the mid-torso joint, but she generally moves pretty well.  Elektra’s sculpt is an all-new one, handled by Rene Aldrete.  It’s generally pretty solid.  Her look and build is consistent with the standard Elektra from back in the Sp//dr Series, and the details from her new look definitely work well.  I dig the detailing on the hand and feet wraps, and the slight dynamic flow to the loin cloth and scarf is very fun.  If I have one minor complaint, it’s that we only get the one scarf piece, which is covering her face (as it does by default in the comics), meaning you can’t really see her lower face sculpt without taking it off, thereby throwing off her whole look.  But, if we’re only getting one scarf, this is the direction I’d prefer for them to go.  Elektra’s color work is pretty decent.  It’s not really anything crazy; just a lot of red and black, which is accurate to the source material.  A lot of it’s molded, so that’s very clean.  What paint work she gets is also very clean, and I do quite like the shading on the eyes.  Elektra is packed with her twin sais, which are the same ones from the last couple of releases.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

As I mentioned in the intro, I’ve never been much of an Elektra fan.  She’s just really never clicked with me in any sort of way.  Not even her portrayal on the Daredevil show turned me around, and that’s the show that got me to like the Punisher.  So, when they moved her into the Daredevil role, I was skeptical…and then I actually started to like her, which was downright baffling to me.  I kind of *had* to buy the figure version at that point.  She’s fun.  I do wish she had an alternate scarf and maybe an extra unmasked head, but ultimately, even as just the core figure, I do really like this one.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3481: Supergirl

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

SUPERGIRL

SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES (KENNER)

One of the goals of DC’s Crisis on Infinite Earths was to streamline not just the DC universe as a whole, but also the background of its most popular characters. For Superman, this meant cutting out much of his “Super-family.” His cousin Supergirl died during the events of the crossover, and wasn’t granted an immediate replacement, so as to keep Clark as the “Last Son of Krypton.” In the comics, there were a few other workarounds to keep the Supergirl name going, largely overhauling the whole concept of the character, but for Superman: The Animated Series, they tried to keep her as close to the original, while still playing by DC’s rules.  So, she was no longer Kal-El’s biological cousin from Argo City, a remnant of Krypton which survived.  Instead, she was the last survivor of Argo, Krypton’s sister planet, thrown into chaos by Krypton’s destruction.  Not the worst change-up in the world, right?  And she got an action figure out of the whole thing too!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Supergirl was released in Series 4 of Kenner’s Superman: The Animated Series line-up.  After Series 3 got only an international release, Series 4 was set to follow suit, but Kenner was able to make a deal with Diamond Distributors to at least get the series to comic stores on the domestic side, saving this set from the same weird delay that hit Series 3.  She would also eventually see a larger domestic release under Hasbro’s tenure, when she was re-released with some minor tweaks, alongside her series-mates Bizarro and Metello, in the “Super Heroes vs Super Villains” boxed set.  The figure stands about 4 1/2 inches tall and she has 4 points of articulation.  None of her articulation is great, honestly.  The neck is restricted by her hair, her right arm is restricted by the action feature, and she’s got no movement at all below the waist.  Pretty much, she’s just good for standing…although, with no movement on the legs at all, she’s not always so great at that either.  Her sculpt was a totally unique one, and it only got re-used for the one boxed set release later.  None of the STAS sculpts were strictly show accurate, and Kara definitely falls in line with that.  Honestly, it’s not bad.  She generally looks the part from the show, with the only major inaccuracy being the shaping of the skirt; it’s one of those odd things that was common for this line, where they added extra details that they didn’t actually need, with all the folds and flow.  The paint work on the standard release of this figure was pretty straight forward and on point for her design from the show.  For the boxed set version, however, they cut the black piping for the edges of the shirt, which makes her look sort of half finished.  Supergirl was packed with “Aerial Assault Armor,” which is essentially just a snap-on version of Superman’s space suit from the show.  She never wore any such thing, but it’s actually a pretty fun concept, and nicely executed too.  She even gets funky missile launchers!

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I missed out on most of Series 4 as a kid.  I remember seeing them, but they were always back behind the counter at various comic book stores, and always over priced for what they were.  I recall picking up a loose copy of the boxed set release some time after its release, shortly after discovering All Time Toys in 2007.  That one held me over until I was able to get a proper Series 4 version, also from All Time, this past summer.  She’s not a very mobile figure, but she’s a pretty solid recreation of the show design, and at least she wasn’t just another Superman variant.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3480: Web Armor Spider-Man

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

WEB ARMOR SPIDER-MAN

MARVEL MINIMATES

“Developed in the Empire State University labs, this short-lived protective armor was created by Spider-Man to protect the wall-crawler from powerful projectile bullets and other dangerous attacks.”

First appearing in Web of Spider-Man #100, Spidey’s first iteration of his Spider-Armor was a short-lived one, not even making it to the end of its first appearance.  It’s distinctive design and the rather memorable cover to its one appearance have helped to cement it as a recurring Spidey-variant, leading to its inclusion in a lot of different toylines.  That includes Marvel Minimates, whose take on the design I’m looking at today!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Web Armor Spider-Man was an Action Figure Xpress-exclusive Marvel Minimates release, used as a free-with-purchase incentive starting in November of 2007.  They actually had him for a notable amount of time, and he was also eventually released in a TRU-exclusive two-pack, alongside the Thunderbolts Venom, in 2009.  He’s built on the standard post-C3 ‘mate body, so he’s 2 1/4 inches tall and he has 14 points of articulation.  Spidey is a totally vanilla ‘mate with no add-ons, so he relies entirely on paint for his detailing.  It’s a pretty solid paint set-up.  They managed to make the web-lines look distinctly different from the standard printed ones, giving it the impression of dimensions.  He also gets the printing on the feet, which was a rarity at the time, and even more of a rarity going forward.  Apart from the need for the knees to break up the boots due to where the articulation falls, it’s a very nice set-up.  Since he was a promo, Spidey didn’t get any accessories.  Not even that same web piece we got all those times.  Where could I possibly find one of those?

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

Somehow, despite making orders with AFX a good number of times, I seemed to miss the window on this guy, so I didn’t have him until a very long period of time after his two releases.  I finally managed to snag one as part of the large collection of ‘mates that All Time got in back in 2019.  He’s basic, but he’s fun, and I’m always down for a cool Spider-Armor figure.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3479: Gray Hulk & Dr. Bruce Banner

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

GRAY HULK & DR. BRUCE BANNER

MARVEL LEGENDS (HASBRO)

“Caught in the heart of a Gamma Bomb explosion, Dr. Bruce Banner now finds himself transformed when darkness falls, into the most powerful creature to walk the earth – the Incredible Hulk”

Did you know that the Hulk was gray when he first appeared?  Well, if you don’t, you really should; I mention it every time I review a figure of Gray Hulk.  It’s honestly because I’m not really sure what else to say about the look.  I mean, it’s all pretty cut and dry. He’s Hulk. He’s gray. Great choice for an anniversary year, so, he very often is. We got him for Marvel’s 80th in 2019, and now we’re getting him again for the Avengers’ 60th, this time with a comics styled Bruce Banner in tow!

THE FIGURES THEMSELVES

Gray Hulk and Dr. Bruce Banner are part of the “Beyond Earth’s Mightiest” sub-line of Marvel Legends. They’re one of a handful of two-packs from the line-up, hitting the same price point as the similarly balanced deluxe/standard split Destroyer and Thor.

GRAY HULK

This is, I believe, our fourth Gray Hulk for Legends, not counting the Joe Fixit versions. It’s the third under Hasbro’s tenure, with the last one being the previously mentioned 80th anniversary one.  This guy is effectively just a slight tweak on that one.  The figure is 8 inches tall and he has 30 points of articulation.  From the neck down, he’s identical to the two 80th Hulks.  It’s a good, solid base, with a strong articulation scheme and a nice, balanced set of proportions.  It’s been the go-to for Hulk since the 80th introduced it four years ago, and it’s a solid case of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  This Hulk gets not one, but two brand-new head sculpts, both courtesy of Paul Harding.  One’s baring his teeth in a sort of a sneer, while the other is closed mouth, while still very pissed off.  These two are slightly cleaner, and a bit more Kirby-esque than the prior version.  The color work this time around is less nuanced than the prior version, relying more on flat molded colors, and less on much in the way of accent work.  It’s certainly a very clean set-up, which is more directly in-line with the coloring of the comics…you know, apart from the whole being a consistent shade of gray all the way through thing.  Gray Hulk is packed with two sets of hands (fists and open gesture/gripping), the tattered shirt piece that the last one got (which still doesn’t stay on very securely), and the crushed pipe piece.

DR. BRUCE BANNER

Bruce Banner isn’t *crazy* rare when it comes to toys, but he’s not exactly super plentiful either.  This marks only his second time as a Legends release, and the first one was movie based.  In terms of comic coverage, the closest we got before this was the old Hulk Classics figure, which was vaguely Legends compatible, but not quite there.  This guy is clearly designed to match up with his box-mate’s Incredible Hulk #1-basis, what with the classic lab-coat and glasses appearance and all.  The figure stands 6 1/4 inches tall and he has 30 points of articulation.  Banner’s largely just using the Coulson body, which works well enough, being a basic suited set-up and all.  He’s got Reed Richards’ labcoat in place of the usual suit jacket, as well as a brand-new head sculpt.  The new head is…well it feels just a touch too pretty for Bruce, I feel.  Like, it’s not bad, but it’s a bit young looking, and rather delicate.  He feels more like a model than a scientist.  Not to worry, though, because you can easily hide those good looks behind his super nerdy glasses, which are totally removable, and totally stay in place, and totally look really good.  I believe this also makes him the first Banner figure that’s not a Minimate to have the glasses, which is pretty darn nifty.  Bruce’s color scheme is slightly unconventional for him.  He tends to be all about those purple pants.  However, since he’s supposed to be matching with the Hulk from this set, he’s got blue pants and an orange shirt.  It’s different, but honestly doesn’t feel too odd for him.  The actual paint work is largely confined to the face, which is printed, and looks pretty clean.  Banner’s extras are limited to just those removable glasses (which, by the way, are very easy to miss in the box, so be careful with that).

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I already had the 80th Grey Hulk, so I wasn’t necessarily looking for an upgrade.  That said, I didn’t have a suitable comics-style Bruce Banner, so that one at the very least piqued my interest.  Did I *want* to buy another Hulk to get him?  Maybe not.  But I did, and I honestly don’t mind it.  I like the new heads a lot, and I like Banner a lot, so I’m considering the whole thing an overall win.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3478: Edward “Torpedo” Leialoha

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

EDWARD “TORPEDO” LEIALOHA

G.I. JOE: CLASSIFIED SERIES (HASBRO)

“Torpedo was a scuba instructor prior to enlistment. Attained black belts in three martial arts by age 19 (Wu-Shu, Kenpo, and Go-Ju-Ryu). Proficient with Filipino butterfly knife(Bali-Song). Training records after SEAL School: CLASSIFIED. Qualified Expert: Most NATO small arms, NATO and Warsaw Pact explosive devices.

Spends off-duty hours perfecting his fighting skills and marksmanship. Strict vegetarian. Regarded by his teammates as a highly competent professional, but has the personality of a cold fish.”

The first year of G.I. Joe’s move to the 3 3/4-inch scale was without any environment-specific figures.  When you’re trying to revive a brand, you probably don’t want to potentially limit sales on any of your figures by tying them too heavily into a set-up that not every kid is going to have.  Year two, however, injected a little bit of that, though, and gave us our first of a few different underwater specialists, in the form of Torpedo.  He’s not as flashy as the likes of Wet-Suit and Deep-Six, but he was still the first, and he’s also the first of them to join Classified, with a figure I’m looking at today.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Edward “Torpedo” Leialoha is figure 73 in Hasbro’s G.I. Joe: Classified Series.  At this point, they’ve moved away from actual assortments, instead just doing groupings of individual figures shipping in solid cases.  He’s a wide release figure, loosely grouped with Rock ‘n Roll and Copperhead.  The figure stands 6 1/4 inches tall and he has 36 points of articulation.  Torpedo is sporting an all-new sculpt, handled by sculptor Paul Harding.  It’s already been set for some re-use on the upcoming Action Sailer anniversary figure, which makes sense, it being a pretty basic frogman set-up and all.  He’s clearly patterned on Torpedo’s v1 release, but he absorbs some of the design elements introduced in the 25th Anniversary release, most notably the lack of a permanently affixed mask.  It’s a very strong sculpt; there’s a lot of subtlety, and very balanced proportions, and I really like the unique quality of the facial sculpt.  The basic wetsuit has a lot of clean lines, and the extra add-on pieces break it up really nicely.  I definitely dig the slight dressing up that the harness gives the whole look.  In general, it keeps a lot of the vibe of the original look, while actually doing a little bit of updating.  It still remains a bit more real world than some of the early-line figures and their heavier sci-fi influence, but it’s not falling into the “vintage figure but bigger” territory of some of the more recent stuff.  Torpedo’s color scheme largely sticks to the grey and black of the vintage figure, but he does get a few other accents mixed in, as well as getting a fully painted face.  On my figure there’s a little slop on the edge of the skintone, but he is otherwise pretty solid.  Torpedo’s last name, Leialoha, and his birthplace as listed on his original file card, indicate that he’s of Polynesian decent, and his skin tone is a bit darker to support that, a noted change from how pale he tends to be.  It’s a pretty nice change, honestly, and adds some pleasant visual diversity to the Joes.  Torpedo is packed with his scuba gear, which includes a mask, tanks, and a pair of flippers.  They lean more into the real-world scuba look than previous designs, which lines up well with the rest of the design cues from this release.  Torpedo also includes a harpoon gun (like his vintage counterpart), a knife, and a rifle.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

My last G.I. Joe: Classified Series review ran in June (and was actually written about a month before that), which emphasizes for me just how removed I feel from the whole line.  Torpedo isn’t a character that I have a ton of attachment to, previously at least, so, while he looked cool, by the time he hit, I was kind of presuming I’d be passing him.  When he showed up in person, something about him called to me, I think largely because the classic frogman look has always been one of my favorite things about G.I. Joe, going back to the 12-inch figures, even.  I was hemming and hawing over buying the figure when Max decided to just make the decision for me, and buy this guy for me as a birthday present.  That sure was nice of him.  The nerve of some people, right?  I’ve been down on this line, but Torpedo does feel like a step in the right direction to me.  He doesn’t feel quite as slavishly devoted to his original figure, and he’s not as impossibly fiddly as Falcon was, so I do generally quite like him.