Avengers Infinity: Hulkbuster

Well, here we are with another addition to my collection! This is going to be an Infinity series in the form of the Hulkbuster from the Age of Ultron movie! So, going off the fact that this is more of a 'mini-statue' than anything else so it won't be a very long review. In fact, it will be more the pictures doing the talking. So, moving on.

We've only really seen this in my collection on other time and that was during the first edition of the Infinity series (second or first? I don't know). Regardless, here's the box. Not bad at all. Can be displayed mint in box if one wants. But ....

The details are good; now it's not going to be 100% accurate since it is more a cartoony version of the Hulkbuster that we saw in AoU. Just from the two I own, Infinity figures seems to have this 'monotone' coloring work to them and it works. It looks like the Hulkbuster that we saw Iron Man use in the movie so with all that said, I'm not complaining.

And since the Hulkbuster is more of a ground and pound/juggernaut (no pun intended, Marko!) armor, this figure has a fighting stance that mirrors its purpose. It sure is ready to beat the crap of the next Hulk around the corner, is he not?

And my only other Infinity figure is Elsa. They don't really stand in scale if we are talking about the 'canon' idea, but hey! Works!

And there is my Infinity Hulkbuster standing in my Iron Man Shelf! He can kind of get lost in the fray of Red and Golds. But he still kind of stands out somewhere in there!

All in all, I expected what I got out of this figure. Honestly, he is as impressive as he was in the package. There was nothing 'surprising' about him. He wasn't lackluster or great, but he is still a great addition! 

ML AoU Ultron: Wasp

One of the five original Avengers comes into Hasbro's Marvel Legends line up! Ms. Janet Van Dyne aka the Wasp! Sporting the outfit that probably stuck more than any of her irrelevant costumes, this Wasp should be recognizable to all comic book fans(Marvel/Avengers fan that is). So, how did Hasbro do this round? A great replacement for the one we got way back in the MODOK series? Let's check her out.

A standard Marvel Legends box. We should all be familiar with this by now with how much we have gotten this year.

As for the figure and her details, well, let's just say there's nothing complicating about Wasp's costume so the figure follows suit. Mostly an all black figure, the gold paint, especially on her front is well done. The minor gold on her feet and hands match the over all scheme. The face is meh, but still way better than Toybiz's female depiction way back when. Now for the wing... well, it's well done! IT's actually her main highlight as a figure. While it's not much on paint detail, the transparent plastic, and the wing details made it worth while. Not to mention, she technically has 4 wing all together! The wings also has decent articulation, which we'll go over here here pretty soon.

Though the wings and Cinematic Ultron's torso is the only accessories that comes with Wasp. I will not be collecting Ultron any time soon for a lot of reasons, but I will say that it's a pretty hollow torso.  Light weight. Again not shocked with the amount of 'accessories' that came with Wasp. It is what it is.

Now the articulation isn't something we should be shocked and awed about since it's the same one we have seen so many times this year with this voluptuous female body mold. My favorite Legends of this Year, Ms. Jessica Drew came with this mold so I won't go in depth with the articulation. However, Janette's wings adds a bit more flare to her that I'll go a little more in depth with that side of this figure. As some of the pictures have depicted, the wings can either be 'made' to look as if she only has a pair, quad... the swivel of the wings really allows for that kind of 'display' option. Wasp also has 'flapping' motion, which again, allows for more flying posture. But once again, the fact that she is in the same mold, we have the same hinderance. While Wasp has never been the agile character, she is a bit limited on how she can pose flight wise, and the lack of choices for her hands doesn't allow for more options. And luckily I have an extra figma stand to really capture some of Wasp's flight poses!

And here's Wasp next to the original Avengers line up. Iron Man, Wasp, and Thor may be a bit out of their original outfits, but hey, close enough!

I just felt like I had to get her to update my Wasp figure in my Avengers shelf. She's an alright figure; definitely a peg warmer for sure in my local store! For a female figure, that's pretty insane. Her and Hellcat, actually. But with the addition of the wings, she's a little step up from the casual molds of the Marvel Women Legends. If you're a big time Wasp fan and like this costume, this is a must. For those who want to build Cinematic Ultron, she's a must. Other than that, another mediocre Legends in my collection!

S.H. Figuarts: Iron Man Mark XLV

It's been some time since I've jumped into a review, so here I am! What a better figure to get acclimated back into the groove than a brand new Iron Man figure form the AoU line up! Iron Man Mark XLV from Figuarts! I have to admit, the moment I saw this armor, I knew I was going to like it so I had to get a figure of it, glad Figuarts delivered! So, let's check him out!

The box is pretty familiar since one of my last few reviews involved S.H. Figuarts as well. Imports always have that nice box that shows off the figure and the capabilities of it. It's a nice box, suffice to say.

And of course! One of imports' most well known perk for their price: accessories, variant hands, and effects. Iron Man does not fall short of these and he gets 4 set of hands, two pairs of repulsor blast effects, and then some jet boots effects. Could have used a flight stand, but you know, that probably would have elevated the price to my disliking(this wasn't a bad price for what it is, honestly). And it would definitely have increased the rate if they had a Tony Stark/Robert Downey Jr alternate head.

Now the details of the figure is of course astounding. Now my main qualms with the Iron Man suit in the movies is that they all look almost identical. The changes are so miniscule that one can hardly tell the difference. One thing that Iron Man did do was always make his changes known; if anything else if they didn't want to go that route, at least they could have changed the helmets in all his different armors; okay in IM3 he had different armors and helmet, but still. Mark XLV is the first armor that showcases a far more comic recognizable design and a different helmet(small change, but bigger than the last few they have given). So as far as the figure goes, this one definitely captured the fine details of all the red, the touch of silver, and the subtle but very elegant gold all over his armor. The paint is of course very well done as I would expect. Partner that in with the details in the nooks and cranny of the armor, it's definitely an astounding piece of import.

Just studying underneath his armpit, there are little details in there that is definitely appreciated. The mold itself is always a unique feeling since I either don't buy enough Figuarts to know a recycled mold or it's just a completely new mold every time(which I'm willing to gamble it is). It is kind of hard to reuse the same parts for this particular armor since it is the most unique out of all of the main armors Stark has worn. It has a very durable feel to it to, diecast metal legs and all. If I was to make my complaints on the figure's aesthetics is that the hand guard is a bit too large; makes an awkward poses at certain angles(as this Type V3 Review pointed out). The arc ray and the repulsor hands don't have much paint details making them a bit bland for my taste. Small little mishaps, but still a greatly detailed figure with plenty of things to appreciate.

Articulation is of course highly in depth. An import usually has high standards when it comes to this department as well and I'm glad Mark XLV does not really disappoint. As you can see, if an Iron Man figure can do the Cinematic Universe signature pose, it's going to have a few good points of articulation! And him performing this said pose doesn't look awkward like some of the MLs either! He can vary with his poses and copy some of Iron Man's known figures like flight, repulsor blasts, and just simple posture that is all Iron Man like.

The joints are well covered enough so that it truly does give it a more 'realistic' look. Again some of imports' trademark signature is hiding joints so that posing the figure about is as flawless and aesthetic as it can be. Again going back on details, certain part of the joints are highly detailed that it truly does keep pegs and such as discreet as it can be. Speaking of joints and movability, Iron Man's head moves up and down decently; some neck pivoting and such. Ab crunch and swivel is ab it limited and I'm afraid that it might hurt the figure's paint to truly force certain things. Arm and hands are supported with hinges on his shoulder pads and ball joints that allow a great range of movements. The legs have the standard S.H. Figuarts signature; one can pull down Iron Man's leg so that the hip armor design does not get in the way. Feet have decent ankle pivot and some slight toe articulation. Oh yes, die-cast legs which I think I mentioned already.

All in all, I think this is a great package and a decent price. There are some slight things I wish they could have added like more varied repulsor affects and that opened helmet would make for a fantastic addition to fun factor. Oh and flight stand!

Would have been great if Iron man came with a flight stand of his own and I didn't have to borrow a sigma flight stand.

Mark III, Mark XLII, Mark XLIII, Mark VI, and Mark V

Here's Mark XLV with some of the other movie based Iron Man figures that I own. The Marvel Legends somewhat blend in and obviously the Revoltechs are a good comparison to Mark XLV.

And this is my new Iron Man in the "Red and Gold" Iron Man shelf. He just... blends right in doesn't he? He gets drowned out with all the Red and Golds, thus why he is front and center. Can you spot him?

In conclusion, I think this is my favorite import Iron Man figure thus far. Though not perfect, missing some key points to make it closer to perfect figure, I do believe the price point would have been raised if we received more detailed fire power, RDJr head, and flight stand... Though with great paint details, awesome articulation, and the fact that it's Iron Man's best Cinematic Universe armor so far, I think it's a great figure! One can't not enjoy AoU without this guy in your shelf!

Marvel Legends BAF: Thanos

Hellcat, Spider-Woman, Batroc, Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man

I'm going to be honest when I say that I was super excited for this wave. Now if you just look at the line up, it's not exactly the best but I do have to say that Spider-Woman in the mix and Thanos as the BAF isn't such a bad idea. I adore Spider-Woman and Thanos is one of my favorite villains from Marvel. I didn't do the hunting since I knew that there would be some complication finishing this set due to Spider-Woman being a female figure and she has a decent fan following. I just ordered the whole wave and lo and behold here it is. I've had this set since March but reviewing has been slow for a lot of reasons. But finally got the actual BAF his own review post so, how does he fare?

Right off the bat it's easy to tell that this is not the classic Thanos that everyone is familiar with. To be honest, there is a handful of people out there who only recognize Thanos with the Infinity Gauntlet and during that time he wore the classic outfit. Suffice to say, this is a revamped and 'modern' look of his (in)famous look way back when he slaughtered the entire Marvel Universe with the Gauntlet. Truth to be told, I like the classic look but I also understand the need for this new one. It has a much more 'now' look and hey, every character has to upgrade their looks(sadly, Spider-Woman didn't have to). Sad to say, I haven't read an issue of him wearing this costume but from the images I have seen, Copiel I believe drew him wearing this so I liked how he was in drawing form. His figure form, great mold, new body mold might I add, nice sculpting, and for the most part, aesthetically, I don't think too corners were cut. Nicely done.

Size wise, he isn't gigantic. He falls on the same height as Odin to be honest and I don't have a problem with that. A lot of peoples' complaints with this Thanos is that he isn't as colossal as the Thanos Select(one that I have that is still in its box) and/or lacking the gauntlet and Death. Again, this costume doesn't have Thanos wearing the gauntlet for a reason.

I can't say the same thing about his range of movement as I have said about his looks. Thanos lacks in articulation BECAUSE of some of his designs. That shoulder pad blocks movements, the waist 'guard' definitely prevents leg movements, and not to mention, there isn't a whole lot of wide range movements for Thanos that is 'iconic'. His standard pose of holding his hand up with the gauntlet is as epic as Thanos can get and lacking the energy flash and all that.

Then of course there's this particular thing he can do just fine with certain figures. Sure does look great when he is holding up one of his prize win, doesn't it? That arrogant grin along with the perfectly aligned fingers, then the well built stability of his weight makes poses like this well worth it. Truth to be told, I'm sure there are other Marvel characters that would be canon to this pose, but hell... why not put my favorite Marvel Super Heroine in distress(or the prelude to her real distress)?

Of course a standard rivalry! Captain Marvel versus Thanos!

As much as I like Iron Man, he doesn't stand a chance against the Mad God Titan!

In conclusion, Thanos is a magnificent figure. I can't really say that he will be the best BAF of 2015 as much as I'd like him to be. He has flaws and I'm not sure his aesthetics are enough to relieve him of those mishaps. One thing I will say is that despite all those, I am still highly enamored with this BAF for his reasons alone AND he came from a set with Spider-Woman as one of his BAF holder! Barton was a great addition to our obscure Marvel characters as well as Hellcat. The AoU figures were good but I could've asked for others. All in all, I'd say I'd give him a B-! Though he is a great addition to my villains galore! 

ML Thanos BAF: Captain America (AoU)

The Age of Ultron craze keeps coming in! So with the last of the Cinematic figure from this wave is Captain America, played by Chris Evans once again! For those of you who are Captain America fans, Age of Ultron did not fall short of Captain America amazingness! As for the figure itself, well, let's review him shall we?

That shield looks huge!

Right off the get go, I immediately saw the repaint version of the Winter Soldier outfit from the Mandroid BAF. But I do have to say that the contrast of paint compared to the 'darker' stealth costume definitely almost makes it seem like a different figure altogether! Definitely mirrors Captain America's appearance in the movie and this mold was always a favorite of mine in terms of durability feel and just how much things are sculpted in him. The shield still still mars the potential fun factor of this figure(and the Stealth Suit Captain America that came before) since it's too big for him. That and I'm not a big fan of the way one has to do to put the shield in his arms. Still, a good looking figure aesthetically.

He does come with a mask-less variant head and pretty much the same alternate hands as the Stealth Suit Cap. Of course there goes the Thanos leg and the gargantuan vibranium shield. Not too much to look in here.

While he slightly resembles Chris Evans, it's still a good Steve Rogers head. I do like it better than the masked version so it's going to be pretty obvious that I preferred mask-less Cap. Besides, most of my Captain America figures have a mask/helmet on so this one is a change.

The articulation is nothing to get exuberant about because it's very familiar. It is the same mold as the Stealth Cap and Bucky Cap. He has all the proper articulation that everyone loves and wants. Suffice to say, this Cap can get into a bunch of pose that one can really expect. Again I'm not fond of that shield and I think it hinders a few great poses since it is so huge. And he doesn't use a gun in the movie, so it makes sense that he doesn't have one here. Though I would like it if he does have one.

Standing side by side with his First Avenger and Winter Soldier outfit, I have to say that it's quite a treat to see his costume changes. I don't have his Avenger uniform and I have to say, seeing his Age of Ultron suit, I don't think I can stand the mundane designs of that one. Though it could be considered 'classic' since it's his first cinematic appearance in a 'modern' costume with the rest of the crew.

If I was to pick one Captain America movie figure, I'd probably pick this one. He comes from an awesome set, and I happen to really like his outfit. All in all, I think this figure would be worth it. As a casual fan of Captain America, I hate the notion that my Caps are pushing the space to the limit... but hey, Captain America is probably the shining glory of Marvel. Can't have Marvel without this guy.