Marvel Legends Iron Man 3, Wave 2

Continuing from my last post on the initial wave of  Marvel Legends Iron Man 3 figures, I present the second: Iron Man Mark 42, Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes (movie "Iron Patriot", and Ultron... who wasn't in the movie, but comes with the head of the Iron Monger BAF. 

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This Iron Man Mark 42 was the one I was waiting for! He's an exceedingly handsome action figure. I love this armor! The satin, metallic gold over metallic red  plastic is pretty clean for such a mass produced figure, and Hasbro even put some subtle blue in the chest reactor. Nice.

Iron Man Mark 42 has no waist joint as not to break up that beautiful sculpt, has an hinge-swivel torso joint that works effectively, especially leaning back. The shoulders and thighs have great hinge-swivels, and his shoulder pads and wrist gauntlets are made of a softer plastic that bend with positioning, no hinge to come undone like on some of those Iron Man 2 figures. We get that wonderful ball-hinged neck with great range, and of course the highly coveted ankle pivots. He's a well executed action figure- Bravo!

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Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes gets the Iron Patriot deco in the Iron Man 3 movie, as opposed to Norman Osborn's character in the comics. I was trying to decide what parts he borrowed, but a lot of this looks new to me. And aside from a couple small spots, his metallic deco is even more stunning than the Mark 42.

Iron Patriot's articulation is the same as Mark 42 Iron Man, except the ankles, due to the sculpt, and the upward range of motion in his wrists, hindered by his gauntlets. The shoulder mounted gun has both a hinge and swivel joint that's quite helpful for aim, and can be mounted on either side. Like the Mark 42, I was looking forward to photographing this hunk of fantastic plastic more than some of the others, and he does not disappoint!

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As I said, Ultron comes with the head of the BAF, so I had to get him to complete Iron Monger. He's not in the film, but the dread Marvel cyborg recently starred in the Marvel NOW! Age of Ultron series, and has been a big part of the Marvel Universe the last several years in general. I'm mildly disappointed the body is a reissue of the Titanium Man mold, but it's not all bad- the subtle blue shading over the silver metallic plastic is nice, Hasbro gave him new shoulder pads, and the head sculpt is satisfactory.

Ultron's shoulder pads are hinged, allowing decent range above the head, which enjoys a very expressive ball-hinged neck. His double hinged knees are hindered slightly by the boot tops and thigh bands, but his articulation is great otherwise. The hinged abdomen and swivel waist are perfectly disguised on that Iron Man 2 Titanium Man buck, and while we don't get an ankle pivot, the waffle stomper boots are kinda fun.  I still have eyes for that sweet Ultron Marvel Select dropped awhile back, but Hasbro Ultron wasn't as much of a let down as I'd feared, and he loves the camera. 

The arms and head of Iron Monger were included in this second wave of the Marvel Legends Iron Man 3 line of 6" figures... my Iron Monger is now complete! Hooray!

Iron Monger is beautiful in his metallic blue deco! He's 7 5/8" tall and twice the girth of the other figures, who look small next to him. I love a big, chunky action figure, especially a robot, and Iron Monger scratches that itch. The figure's girth limits his range of articulation, but the hinge-swivel hips have enough room to work with the swivels at the tops of his thighs, and he actually has double-hinged knees and ankle pivots. Additionally, the forward range in motion on his neck is decent so the tall figure can look down. He looks like he has a bicep swivel but he doesn't and that's fine since we get a hinge swivel at the elbow, The pivotal range in his ball-hinged torso doesn't seem extraordinary, but is highly effective in positioning due to the exaggerated proportions of the figure. Iron Monger is wonderfully fun to play with, and the first BAF I've ever completed!

I'm giving this line two thumbs up! Ultron and the comic Iron Patriot were of less interest to me personally, and classic Iron Man has really limited vertical articulation in the neck, but they are not without merit. Yes we get three re-purposed molds, but an attractive assortment of armor and color, and well articulated figures I would have loved as a kid. I had not originally intended to pick up more than two or three of these, but finding a couple on sale and the lure of the Iron Monger BAF finally sealed the deal.

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Marvel Legends Iron Man 3, Wave 1

As I said in my last post, I finally completed the Marvel Legends Iron Man 3 line here 7 months after picking up my first, the Heroic Age Iron Man. I found Classic Iron Man and Iron Patriot on clearance at Wal-Mart last weekend, knowing this might be my chance to build the killer BAF this line included- the blue Iron Monger!  I'd been amassing an armory of several other 4 and 6" Hasbro Iron Men anyway, so these had become a loosely committed to, long-term goal.

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Surprisingly, I passed on the Classic Iron Man from this wave many times, unsure if I wanted to buy the entire wave at first. This is the Iron Man of my childhood, beautifully rendered in highly articulated form. We get the horned "Proto-Armor" helmet as well as the classic, making this figure extra fun! This looks like the same buck ol' Shellhead had from the 2009 Series 2 twin pack I.M. that came with Shield Agent Maria Hill. 

The Iron Man wave Classic I.M. has more golden colored limbs, and a more metallic, less glossy finish. He's cast in red iridescent plastic- the kind used recently that can sometimes suffers from a swirled finish. But this isn't any glaring issue here, a greater portion of the body painted metallic red and gold.  His body is from a reused mold that had limited neck articulation and doesn't enjoy the newer Hasbro ankle pivot, but he is very well articulated with both a waist swivel and abdominal hinge, and hinge-swivel wrists. This figure reminds me of my Secret Wars Iron Man from childhood, produced by Mattel in 1984- a figure I played with a lot.

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The Heroic Age Iron Man was the first one of this wave I bought, thrilled to see him on the pegs after reading The Avengers: Heroic Age. Modeled after Tony Stark's "Bleeding Edge" armor, which could form weapons with a mere though using nanoparticles that form through this highly user-integrated technology, the Heroic Age Iron Man was the first one I picked up. He's got a lot going for him visually, and his articulation is great!

Some paint apps in the chest reactor would have been nice, considering Hasbro included that on the 4" Marvel Universe version, but we otherwise get a beautiful action figure here.  The mix of  pearlescent plastic and metallic paint apps are attractive, and detail in his segmented armor, particularly the chest, feature some world-class sculpting. The abdominal hinge fits well into the armor pattern, and has admirable range. The  gauntlets are flexible to allow repulsor offensive posing, his wrists possessing a hinge-swivel combo joints. Hasbro smartly outfit his head with a ball-hinge neck for some very expressive posing.

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The Iron Patriot from this line is basically the the same figure as the Extremis Iron man from the Marvel Legends Terrax Wave, save the star-shaped reactor on his chest.  I have the blue/stealth variant of this figure, and held off buying this until recently finding him for eleven bucks on clearance, along with Classic Iron Man. This line included the more realistically proportioned, movie inspired Iron Patriot, drawing criticism from the action figure community on his inclusion, but this Norman Osborn/Dark Avengers version is not without merit.

There are a lot of pearlescent plastic parts in the mold, as well as metallic paint apps- it's a good mix that comes off nicely from afar and up close. Unlike the other two, we get a combination ball-hinge/swivel in the figure's upper torso, as oppose to an abdominal hinge and separate waist swivel. Iron Patriot has great vertical range in his neck due to the ball-hinge/swivel Hasbro gave him, allowing him to look up and down very well. He has no real forward/backward range in the legs which is unfortunate, though the thigh swivels allow lunging poses, in which the discs at his waist can shift to allow lateral posing of the legs.

Right & left legs, and torso of Iron Monger included in this first wave of the Marvel Legends Iron Man 3 line of 6" figures...

As a character, Iron Man lends himself easily to a large assortment of variant figures, Tony Stark always working on his tech, improving his suit of armor as he goes. Ongoing success of the recent Iron Man movie franchise allowed for a renaissance of the character, giving us a tidal wave of great new action figures, and making Iron Man a household name. These are some great looking Iron Men for my growing armory, and unique enough in sculpt and deco to stand out visually. You will see many more comparison pics in the next few posts! Be sure to visit the Iron Man Armory online!

*Up Next: Wave 2!*
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Marvel Legends Iron Man 3 -Finally Complete...

     Lo and behold, I finally completed the entire Marvel Legends Iron Man 3 wave after picking up my first back in February. Hooray! I'd been amassing an armory of several other 6" Hasbro Iron Men simultaneously, but these six containing the adjoining parts to build the highly coveted Iron Monger called for a photo session.  I've not previously completed a single BAF in nearly three years here at the Super-DuperToyBox (Can you believe it, after all those Mattel DCUCs??), so a timely unpackaging was high priority. The upward trend in my career has kept me engaged this last year, during which you may have noticed less frequent posting (when opportunity knocks, answer the door!), but these are now opened with the first couple photo sessions bearing fruit, of which I will share in the next few posts as I'm able...

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Power Attack Total Destruction Batmobile

I ordered this Mattel Total Destruction Batmobile from Amazon on clearance back in March- after passing on it at retail multiple times, I saw the Fanboys Forever video review on YouTube, and Brandon & Jared's enthusiastic endorsement sold me on the car! I returned the Power Attack Blast Lane Batmobile I found at Target before getting this car, not for it's lack of aesthetic, but rather it's disappointingly empty cockpit. The Total Destruction is a better value in many ways, including but not limited to it's sizable chassis, superior cockpit detail, and action features. Check out my newest video of this fun Batmobile...

This car is much better looking than I remember upon closer study at SDTB Headquarters. I somehow missed the pearlescent blue plastic the car's body had been cast in- it's subtle enough to go undetected in the wrong lighting apparently. There's some of the uneven swirling of the glittery finish this technique suffers from, but it does add to the otherwise simple deco of the vehicle.

This car has the 1940's inspired Bat-Cowl grill that we've seen in recent Mattel Batmobiles, perhaps revived by the Brave & The Bold homage to comicdom's  most famous car. We also see elements of the 1989 Batmobile in the car's rear exhaust and tail fins, art deco elements from the Batman the Animated Batmobile in the hood and engine/running board venting, and a wink at the 1966 Batmobile with the red-orange highlights.

Like I said, Mattel downgraded on features when releasing the Blast Lane Batmobile after the Total Destruction Batmobile. While there's no real paint detailing in the cockpit, we do get do get some instruments detailing in the sculpt and a steering wheel the Power Attack Batman figures can grip onto. The canopy snaps down somewhat clumsily on the right side and would seem the easiest part to break, but settles in sleekly onto the car and is slightly flexible- it should have a safe life here in the Super-DuperToyBox. 

I like that the canopy is clear blue, allowing one to see the figure seated inside- another desirable element the Blast Lane Batmobile lacked. The fins and cowled grill are made of a more flexible plastic the rest of the car to avoid breakage- one of my fins is ever so slightly bent, but the curvature on the fins disguises this pretty well. 

Action features! Like Fanboys Jared & Brandon said, this car doesn't light up or make sounds, but we do get a more retro action feature in the car's rubber band-powered battering ram grill. Without electronics to inevitably fail, Mattel outfitted this Batmobile with a feature that will last the life of the vehicle, maintained by the simple replacement of a common household item. Smart. 

The car also fires it's included projectiles from the nose, engaged by depressing one of the engine blocks on the hood, as the battering ram is engaged. The missiles won't knock any of the Power Attack figures down, but it fires easily enough, and works with accessories included with some of the Power Attack figures, like my Twin Blades Batman.

Some comparison shots of the Total Destruction Batmobile with my Stealth Jet Batmobile, Super Friends My First Batmobile, and  Imaginext Batmobile:

There's been a lot of attention on the new Mattel 6" scale '66 Batmobile lately, and for good reasons, but I love this toy's color scheme, simplicity, and play value a lot. For $14.00 shipped, it was a bargain.  I'd recommend it to anyone who collects Batmobiles like myself, or simply loves fun toys. Defined as an "evergreen line" of toys, without merchandising ties to a current video game, movie, or television franchise, the Power Attack line has appealed to me for the most part- I had no interest in the "deluxe" figures from this line, but have seriously contemplated picking up the Bat Cave playset. Be sure to check out my Power Attack Mr. Freeze video if you haven't!

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Imaginext Justice League Figures

I stopped buying these Imaginext DC figures some time ago mainly because Fisher-Price stopped releasing new characters. These chunky, little cuties are made for smaller children, and limited in their articulation- swivel wrists, heads in most cases, hinge swivel shoulders, and a single horseshoe-hinge for the legs are what you get here. Like the Playskool Marvel Super Heroes in their construction, their bright colors and sturdy construction will appeal to and survive a preschool play session. See a bunch more photos of these little guys along with more from my collection of Imaginext DC figures in a the video I just made:

 It seems like I heard about a New 52 Superman coming out a year ago, but packaged with a Wonder Woman- I did see this 2-pack on the pegs, but could not pass on this amazing little Darkseid figure! He's almost a little too well sculpted, the detailing far beyond other characters in the line. His hood and shoulder overlay are molded in a softer, more flexible fabric, allowing Darkseid to turn his head, a point of articulation Superman disappointingly lacks. I like his bright colors however, and he wears a tiny cloth cape. There was a Superman slightly darker packaged with the conventional Wonder Woman, while a New 52 deco of the Amazon is packed with her invisible jet, a vehicle I covet but can't commit to.

Aquaman and Roboshark were released a while ago, under the "DC Super Friends" banner, before the recent Justice League wave Supes and Darkseid  were part of, but I finally decided to photograph him after finding new Imaginext on the pegs. Aquaman's head turns, but he's not so steady on his feet, the flat bottoms not flush to the ground, making the King of the Seas really wobbly- some boiling water may help me realign his feet. Some didn't prefer Arthur's variant yellow boots, but I did- you can get him with fully green legs now if you prefer, but he's packed with a New 52 Flash, not this killer Roboshark... !

By pressing Roboshark's dorsal fin, his articulated jaw action feature is activated! He's cast in a metallic grey, sculpted with rivets and mechanical details, his eyes painted red and gill vents black. He's rad! Aquaman's other accessory is his yellow trident, that also has some simple, but thoughtful sculpt details. This was a great set I saw only once on the pegs until recently, and a lot of fun to play around with out of packaging

I wasn't surprised to see an Imaginext Cyborg figure as I was to see the Red Tornado in this 2-pack I found while picking up Superman & Darkseid. DC has really been pushing Cyborg for awhile, in both the most recent Teen Titans animated shows, with the Flashpoint series, and finally with the New 52 Justice League title. Red Tornado showed up recently in issue #15 of Earth 2, apparently feminine in this alternate dimension/reality- looking forward to the next issue! These were far too cool to pass on, my only gripes being Tornado's head doesn't turn, nor does Cyborg's gun barrel arm. Their detailed decos are unique and beautifully done, particularly Cyborg's. Super cute!

The new Green Arrow trough me off at first, evoking suspicions of reused parts from some medieval Imaginext toys, which he may be, but I rarely pass on a new Green Arrow figure- especially one with a projectile accessory!  The projectile takes a firm push of the light green buttons at the rear of the barrel, and fires with  a good amount of force- keep it pointed away from your face. The crossbows fire and swivel vertically independent of one another, and move horizontally together on the quad-legged base. It's fun!

The rigged/armored look of the sculpt , highlighted piping in the chest, and hooded head are reminiscent of the DC New 52 G..A. He's a great little figure with a lot of detail., down to his painted buckles on the sculpted shoulder straps to the impossibly tiny arrowhead etched into his belt buckle. Snappy!

See a bunch more photos of these little guys along with more from my collection of Imaginext DC figures in the video I just made!

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