One of the big questions for long time collectors since the advent of the Marvel Universe line is should collectors keep the old Super Hero Showdown versions or grab up the new Hasbro versions. Truth of the matter is there is no clear answer. Sometimes the Hasbro version is greater, sometimes the Toy Biz one is. So this series is an attempt to show both lines merits and flaws so that they can make informed decisions about their collections.

First up is the Icon of Marvel: Spider-Man.

Articulation:

Despite the fact that some claim Hasbro hit some new gold standard in articulation with this line, Toy Biz surpassed it years ago. Spidey’s SHS venison sports an impressive 25 points of articulation (Neck, Shoulder, double Elbow, Forearms, Wrists, Chest, Waist, hip, thigh, double knees, calf, ankle) against Marvel’s 18 (Head, shoulder, Bicep, elbow, wrist, chest, hip, double knee, ankle). On top of that most of the articulation on SHS Spidey has a much greater range of motion as well.
This is similar to how Toy Biz Marvel Legends compare to Hasbro Marvel Legends in that Toy Biz really raised the bar for the articulation while Hasbro did what it thought it could get away with. This is not to say the articulation of Marvel Universe Spidey isn’t good, but not nearly as great as SHS.  However the fact is articulation isn’t everything.

Mold:

Both MU and SHS versions are excellent molds.  While it would have been easy (and cheaper) for either company to have just painted the details of Spider-Man’s costume both went one step further and actually molded the webs into the figure.  This molding helps the design to show that much better on the figure.

The SHS mold is a bit thin.  It looks almost as thin as the Ultimate Spider-Man comic portrays (perhaps a bit more even).  SHS figures are notorious for this, but with Spider-Man it works as his alter ego (Peter Parker) is supposed to be a skinny science nerd anyway (which helps to make Spidey easier to identify with as well). 

The MU version is also thin, but less lanky.  He looks as one would think Spider-Man might look (compared to the others in this line that is).  Thin but not too thin.  At this point it should be pointed out the major advantage for the MU version is the  fact that his lesser articulation makes his sculpt look a pinch better overall.  The exception would have to be the head sculpt.  While there is not a great deal different that can be done with Spider-Man’s head the SHS version look just a slight bit more accurate.  The MU version is good, I would even say great.  However side by side the head on SHS is far superior. 

But head sculpts do not a figure make totally.  Really this is a neck and neck race, but the MU version does win by a nose.  The torso is the deciding factor as the MU version just looks a tad more realistic than the SHS one.  Also the hands and feet are a bit out of proportion on the SHS version while the MU version doesn’t have that problem. 

Paint:

I would have to call this one a dead tie.  The apps are dead on and exactly as they look in the comics.  The red, blue and black combo is highlighted by white eyes on the face.  Really there is little else to say other than great job on both.  While the darker colors on the SHS version might be more appealing to some, the same can be said for MU.  Of course there is a darker repaint for the MU version so the point is moot really.

Playbility:

Excellent on both fronts.  Spider-man is one of those characters you love posingin near impossible ways and of course you can do that excellently with the SHS version.  The MU version, despite the lowered articulation, has the same ability and is just as fun.  Dead tie again. 

The only other comparison of the two could be accessories.  The MU venison does come with a web but it is kind of awkward looking and doesn’t add a great deal to the figure.  In fact it looks like Spideys web shooter got clogged and is back flowing to his arm.  Not sure what the designers were thinking here. 

Overall this is a close match.  Both are excellent figures and probably the best of their respective lines.  But in the end I would have to lean to the Marvel Universe version, just barely though.  Honestly I would say if you already have the SHS version you don’t need to grab a new one.  However if you have been on the fence grab the Hasbro version as it is much easier to find than Spidey is on the secondary market. 

Score:

MU: 1

SHS: 0

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Yesterday I found a fluke of nature. A toy line that isn’t scheduled to be released anywhere until March was found in my neck of the woods. Considering I generally live in toy hades this is a pretty significant event. I grabbed up what I could afford and here is the results, reviews of Stealth Iron Man, Torch, Wolverine, Bullseye and Deadpool. So lets get started.

 First and foremost let me get to one major fact on this toy line. It deals with articulation and appears to be one constant in the line. The line does have the dreaded mid torso joint, however and thankfully unlike the 25th anniversary GI Joe line, the joint doesn’t destroy the mold. I have gripped about this destruction of molds all over the Internet, and its good to see Hasbro figured out that the joint can be done without making the top of the torso look like an egg sack. Now if only they would apply that to the GI Joe line I would be happy (granted they have in a few cases like Quick Kick and Destro).

While on the subject there is one thing I should address right off the bat.  The Wolverine wave appears to have a smaller version of the Marvel Legends ball joint design.  The Marvels however have what can best be described as a plastic T-hook design for the hips (think the hooks for the 25th anniversary only in what appears to be plastic).  This holds for Iron Man, Torch and Bullseye so stands to reason the rest of the Marvels are like this. 

First up is the oddball of the wave, Stealth Armor Iron man. I say he is the oddball due to the fact his articulation is actually different than the rest of the line. His knees and elbows are like the ball joints of some of the newer Star Wars figures rather than the way the rest of the line handles articulation.

As such he has a slightly more limited range of motion (Ball joints only go to 90 degrees unlike the double joints the rest of the figures have). Part of this could be contributed to the materials the figure is made of, he has a greater shine than a normal figure obviously, its not chrome-vaced like Destrosimilar. I am betting its more brittle than normal plastic and as such Hasbro went witha different material. I suppose they had to decide between articulation and shine so they went with shine.

But also it should be pointed out, he is Iron Man, not Deadpool and as such doesn’t need the same range of motion.  Armor, no matter how high tech, will be constricting to flexibility regardless.  So the lack of a double joint in the legs can be attributed to that as well.  Oddly he looks like he should have a double joint in the leg, perhaps a last minute design change?

Besides his elbows and Knees he has shoulder (ball joint as well), Wrist (swivel), hips (see above), Torso (see above) and Ankles (pretty standard Hasbro sided to side and up down ankles). 

This figure looks to be a straight repaint of the regular Iron Man. While the shape is probably my least favorite suit (as I think it takes too many attributes from Ultimate Iron Man, especially the face area). However the mold works well as Iron man in stealth mold IMO.   Probably due to the lack of color, as such Iron Man can have tons of suits.  I am actually holding out for the later release of his original armor, as it is the armor I was introduced to when I first started picking up Iron Man (in the ancient times, when we read it on stone tablets LOL). 

Of course when this line was announced one of the biggest questions was how will these compare to Super Hero Showdown.  This is the point some odd things come up with this figure.  First off is the hands, the hands are close to being just like the SHS version (Open to reveal repulser on the left, clenched fist on the right) I thought it was funny considering the debate stemmed from people wanting to know if they should get rid of their old SHS figures. 

Also both figures shoulder armor inhibits their movement.  While the new Hasbro version has less of an effect on the shoulder motion, it should still be noted.  Hasbro Iron Man can move his arms up to 90 degrees so he is more workable than the SHS version.

Lastly is his “attachment” at first I really thought it belonged to Plo Kloon from the Episode 2 line.  Turns out it’s not but it does bare a resemblance.  Things like this are never a draw to me but the resemblance to Plo’s force attack made me mention it. 

But I do have to say the Hasbro version is superior in many ways.  The Hasbro version has less articulation, but definitely does better on mold.  Overall I would give him 10  stars.  I can find nothing seriously wrong with him.

On to Torch, I really grabbed him cause he is translucent.  Not sure to customer reaction to him yet.  I like the translucent flames though. 

He is closer to Bullseye in articulation with could be joints in the knees and regular elbows and a bicep swivel as well.  Now I should mention here, this is the same type of Bicep swivel.  Those who have read my review of Build N’ Brawl Razor Ramone will note that I said I had some trouble out of a similar joint with my Triple H figure.  While the Marvel figures seem to be more sturdy I felt it was something that should be noted. 

One gripe with this figure is the way the shoulders are made the arms cannot be held straight against the body.  This produces a wide arm stance when he is left to his own devices.  It is definitely odd to look at.  Also his legs spread out when sitting.  I note this because neither Bullseye or Iron man have this problem and it harks back to the earliest days of the GI Joe 25th anniversary figures. 

Another note to the figure is the apparent brittleness of the plastic.  While Iron Man’s plastic is rigid it doesn’t appear brittle, Torch feels like he could break in your hands.  Some might say the brittle plastic is necessary for the effect, but I ask those people to look down the toy isle from last year at the Ben 10 figures which had a similar effect but the plastic was softer and obviously wouldn’t break as easily.  Also, while the odd “flare” stripes on his body hark over to Ben 10 figures, this isn’t a bad thing to me.  Still I think the effect was a bit overdone. 

In comparison to his SHS counterpart, its a good one.  The SHS figure was too lanky and honestly lends his look to comedy rather than being a serious character.  While Johnny storm should be thin (as he is in the comic) the lankiness of the Human Torch SHS figure gives the Fury Files figure a better look rather than an anorexic firebug.

Overall this figure falls slightly short of my expectations and as such gets only 7 stars.  He is a good figure, but not as good as his counterparts.

Next up Wolverine:  Wolvie is of course the Uber-popular X-Man from Marvel Comics and this year he gets his own movie and toy line that is related to the Marvel line.   The yellow and blue outfit has been his trademark for decades so he was a obvious choice for me to grab at the beginning. 

Let me note too my SHS Wolverine pictured for comparison suffered some damage a long time back. 

Wolvie has ball/injected elbows (much like many 25th anniversary Joes and some newer SW figures)  However he suffers from something that has plagued the 25th line from the beginning, he can’t put his arms a full 90 degrees.  I suppose this wouldn’t bother me so much if it hadn’t already been an issue from Hasbro.  Really though at this point the designers and sculpters should be able to get around this.  I will grant you that this is not nearly as pronounced as in the Duke or Cobra Trooper figures from the 25th Joe line, but its there in all its bothersome glory.

Of course the hips are similar to the Hasbro Marvel Legends figures.  Truth be told I never liked it on the ML’s and I think in a smaller scale it is even worse. 

Other mold issues are his wrists, while they are swivel wrists they are molded an an odd angle that is unflattering to the

figure to say the least and doesn’t allow for certain types of poses, it could be worse but its not great.

Wolvie also has ankle articulation, it appears it is ment to go up and down but the mold of the boots inhibit that movement.  His shoulder pads inhibit his shoulder joint as his arms cannot go straight up.  Also his chest joint appears to only go side to side and not up and down like most of the Marvels.

Ahhh I think that covers all the bad in the figure, whew.  Needless to say I am disappointed in him, but is he a terrible figure, no.  His colors are spot on, not too “light” and garish which would be easy to pull with this figure.  Minus the articulation issues the mold itself is a very nice and detailed one.  The head looks much better on this figure than the SHS version.  His chin is more rounded (rather than square) and the “ears” (black part that comes up from the eye, I have never really been able to figure out what to call it) look a great deal more in proportion than the SHS version as well.   He is also shorter which fits wolverine perfectly

Lastly his claws are ten times better than the SHS Wolverine.  My biggest complaint about the claws in SHS was how squared off they looked, with Hasbro they are less so but still a bit squared off.

So what is the final score going to be, that is tough and is probably the toughest to score.  He has tons and tons of negatives against him but at the same time is a decent enough figure.  I am going with a 6 but noting he has enough good traits to still be a necessary part of most peoples collections.  That note might change as the Marvel and Wolverine lines continue so I reserve the right to change that little notation (at least in my mind LOL) in the future.  One thing we have learned about Hasbro is that they will put out a good figure with annoying attributes and later release a much better one (25th v2 Snake Eyes, Vader removable helmet, 25th Flint, 25th Viper,  ROTJ Luke Skywalker, ect).

Next up Bullseye.  One day I have to figure out why I like mercenaries so much.  My favorite comic characters are guys like Deathstroke, Deadshot, and Taskmaster.  Bullseye fits into this category as well. 

First he has the bicep swivel instead of the ball joint elbow.  I do have a thought that it might lower production costs to do the ball joint elbow.  I know for years this was the reasoning for the lack of articulation in the SW line as more molds needed to be made with each articulation point (my understanding was that they were saying each mold costs X dollars and more joints meant more molds).  I could be wrong but it was a thought I had going through.

Like Torch Bullseye has his shoulders molded in such a way he can’t hold his arms by his body.  This harks back to some issues I had with JVC and Spy Troops GI Joe figures, again we have tread this ground, can’t the designers figure these things out from the mistakes of the past. 

I have a minor issue with the brightness of the color as well.  I would have preferred it darker blue rather than the light blue we have.  Some artists have made Bullseye this color so it is comic accurate, but I have always preferred the darker blue and even the blacks of his earlier appearances. 

Also he comes with a knife, a knife he can only hold if he keeps his arm down.  Otherwise it slips right out of his hand and falls to the ground.  I am guessing there might have been some kind of “Action feature” the designers were thinking off where he could throw the knife, but thank goodness the feature didn’t happen.  I have enough knives I am not too worried about it anyway.  I will find a replacement. 

Also he comes with a gun, its an ok mold, but part of me is old school and feels Bullseye wouldn’t pull a gun out too quickly, and if he did he would only need one shot.  As such this gun will probably go to a il-equipped GI Joe figure.  A side note, the gun doesn’t appear to have been borrowed from the GI Joe line.  I could be wrong as Hasbro has snuck a few of those in from time to time (for example the Indiana Jones line last year had a few places where Stalker’s gun appeared) So it might be and I didn’t realize it when I first looked.

Really though the big problem with the figure is his card throwing hand.  I can understand wanting to have a card in his hand actually (Never in my life will I forget the first time I saw Bullseye do that trick on Electra in the comic, true classic moment.  If you have never read it find it now).  However this effectively makes Bullseye’s hand useless.  The only thing he can do is hold the cards.  I think he would have been better served if Hasbro dropped the knife and gun and gave him an extra hand thus he could have one hand to hold things and one to hold the cards giving the figure more versatility.  As it is this makes the figure only partially practical. 

The cards are a nice touch other than rendering the hand useless.  Nicely detailed and if as a spare hand I would have been pretty hyped.  As the only hand they make the figure kind of stuck in one motion, constantly tossing the cards. 

His face sculpt is excellent though.  He has that all too familiar sneaky smile that while reminiscent of the Joker is definitely something that Bullseye has made his own over the years.  I only wish this had been done in the movie version of him as well, but that is another story.

Still that puts me in the mind to give this figure an 8 out of  10 stars.  Other than the arms and the hand the figure is great and a prize to any collection.  He is a bit limited, but that works in some ways. 

Lastly is Deadpool.  I have to say upfront unlike many fans I don’t LOVE Deadpool.  I like Deadpool, but I am not overwhelming ecstatic over him.   This is odd when you consider how much on paper he should be my favorite character ever.  He i comedic, breaks the fourth wall and is a mercenary.  He is very popular though and I realized very quickly that many people love him and when I saw him I knew I would have to grab him quick. 

Originally when I saw Deadpool he came across as a very, very cheap imitation of Deathstroke (keep in mind his his early appearances he was deathly serious character and not the “Merc with amouth” yet).  Since Taskmaster had already filled that role of the Marvel version of Deathstroke I felt some territory had been trampled.  It took me a very long time to warm up to him, and even then this nagging in the back of my head said “He is no Deathstroke.”  

The figure is very comic accurate, the colors dead on, I thought this might not translate well as red tends to look odd on some types of action figures.  The red doesn’t need to toned down at all, it fits him dead on.  His arms are similar in structure to Wolvie, but without the “Anti 90 degrees problem.”  He does have it a little bit, but not majorly enough to worry about.  Deadpool also does not have Ankle articulation surprisingly.  However I find this a good thing as it seems ankles have been hit or miss with Hasbro ( more than one figure has fallen on his or her stand cause the ankle joints didn’t hold).   

He is loaded with accessories, two swords, a machine gun, a pistol (which definitely looks recycled from GI Joe), and an over sized Sai (which looks like it should belong to one of the full sized Ninja Turtles its so big).   I should also point out the way he was packed it was impossible to get him out without bending one of the swords.  After flattening it out (under a book or something) it should straighten out, but it is an annoyance.

Like many GI Joes over the past few years, Deadpool’s holster slightly inhibits his ability to commit to a side kick.  Again this is a problem already seen in GI Joe (Most notably with Snake Eyes 25thV1) and is here again.  It boggles my mind how such simple things continue to get done over and over again in such a large company with all those resources.  Just moving down the holster a centimeter would have prevented this issue.  Deadpool is one of those few characters I feel absolutely should side kick.  Oh well.

Despite my tangent about multi-billion dollar companies using their resources to get it right the first time, the figure is still a good one.  I would argue of the Wolverine and Marvels I have held in my hand he is the best of the lot so far.  He does have the annoying hips of the Marvel Legends figures but I can look past that in this case and give the figure a solid 9.5 stars, 1/2 a star is taken for that holster though, sorry I couldn’t let that one slide too far. 

A side note:  I got these fresh from the case and it appears there are 2 Deadpool’s per case (at least in this case) which will increase the chances of finding him for all you would be hunters.

So my overall impression of the Marvel Figures.  Some flaws, but they have some very strong points.  I am bothered a bit that I am seeing some similar flaws from the 25th GI Joe line make their way into this line though.  I hope that Hasbro realizes they have a chance for another huge Licenced property here (I have heard the call for good 1:18th scaled Marvel Figures for years, this might be it).   While the SHS line gave us some nice figures that line is long gone now, this is what we have.  The hopes look bright dispite some rough spots, let’s see what the future holds.

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