Marvel Select Mark VI Iron Man

I was kinda hot to get a modern Iron Man action figure because I saw the 2008 Iron Man motion picture starring Robert Downey Jr. recently. I realize I'm behind on my superhero movie watching, but this blog, toy collecting, and reading comics is a fairly recent adventure for me- so I've had A LOT of catching up to do! It's all been fun, rediscovering these things I loved as a kid, and watching the Iron Man movie brought back that old feeling of exitement I experienced seeing the 1989 Batman that Tim Burton directed. FUN! The special effects were fantastic, and I especially enjoyed the scene where Tony Stark has Miss Pepper Potts Gwenyth Paltrow) help him replace the arc reactor imbedded in his chest- modern movie magic! Robert Downey Jr. was great, adding  casual comedy to the role that really brought Tony Stark to life- I can't wait to see Iron Man II!

When I saw the Marvel Select Mark VI Iron Man go on sale recently for $18.92 on Amazon, I decided to give him a try. And you know what? I was a little disappointed...   What's that you say? "Mr. Happy-go-lucky, easy-to-please Colin found a toy he didn't like?" No, no- I didn't say I didn't like him, I said I was a little disappointed. I found the sculpt detailed and interesting, and his colors really beautiful- it's just that his articulation isn't so great. Iron Man's leg movement at the hips and arm movement at the shoulders are limited due to his bulky armor. His torso, ankles, and neck suffer from the same issue. This hinders his play factor a little more than I like, but what are you gonna do with a character who is covered head-to-toe in armor? Diamond Select Toys chose form over function in some areas of the figure, and for what was probably a good reason: they wanted him to look like he did in the movie. There are also some small splotchy areas in the paint job, but nothing too grotesque. Perhaps I'm developing a more critical eye as my experience level rises- reading my fellow toy blogger's posts, seeing more toys, etcetera...

 The flip-up flight rudders on his back were a nice touch, affixed to his armor via a tiny ball joint, like his shoulder armor reinforcements. These might be easily broken off in a spill, so be careful...

 Iron Man's mask can be removed to reveal a decent likeness of actor Robert Downey Jr.'s mug, the mask held held in place with two pegs that can be affixed in the two small holes atop his helmet...

I wish they had painted the eye slits black on Iron Man's mask- it shows them painted on the back of the package, but the toy did not recieve this treatment. I shall have to rectify this with some model paint!

The Mark VI comes with two sets of hands, closed fist and open handed, that pop onto a ball peg at the ends of his arms. They were a little tough to get on and off, but I managed with some difficulty- a child might have a harder time with this, and might easily break off the tiny fingers or some of the extended armor covering the back of Iron Man's hands. After a couple tries I either got the hang of it or it loosened up a bit...

I have mixed feelings about the diorama included with Iron Man- it's meant to add some feature to a "deluxe" figure like this, but it also takes up more room. Additionally, the peg meant to fit into the bottom of Iron Man's foot fits somewhat loosely and doesn't hold him in place securely. And while I'm at it, why not put a little drawer on the back for his extra set of hands? It does look cool though!

All gripes aside, he's a pretty little thing I really enjoyed photographing- great color and all kinds of fun detail in his armor. I was surprised by how heavy he was for a plastic toy, actually- he felt sturdy in my hands. My Marvel Famous Covers Iron Man, who's articulation also suffers somewhat due to bulk, is still my favorite- though not as detailed and realistic as the Marvel Select, his playability is much superior in my humble opinion.

*Iron Man II at IMDb.Com
*Wicked-looking 1:6 Hot Toys Iron Man Mark III review at ToyHaven!