Rustin's Spoils of the Week #98

Another week, another haul. This time I was sucked in by the Iron Man polybag available at the Lego Store (with a minimum purchase), hence I finally stocked up on some sets I had been eye-ing for awhile. And then, of course, I finally got around to my monthly MattyCollector pile. Lets us take a gander, shall we?

Hasbro - Iron Man: Iron Man Mark 42
I'm still not crazy about this armor, but I have to admit this is a pretty cool toy. Despite its many paint flaws (and it was the best of the three on shelf), i.e. sloppy lines and thin paint on the thighs, I'm surprised at how much I dig this figure now that he's open and in-hand. The colors seem pretty accurate to the film and the detail in both paint and sculpt really make this guy stand out. Sure he lacks the accessories like the Iron Man 2 one had, but the sculpt and articulation make up for it, as does the the BAF arm. Plus, it's pretty much the only scale now that one can complete a set of fully articulated main armors, so that alone makes this worth it - and fortunately it's a cool figure too.

Hasbro - Iron Man: Iron Patriot
I'm not crazy about Iron Patriot but this figure overcomes that disinterest in me. The colors here really combine in some way (it's probably the dark metallic blue plastic which looks darker than in the film) to really become a cool new armor in my mind. Also following in suit, the sculpt, paint and articulation are great. The shin armor is designed in such a way that there is ostensibly no ankle articulation sadly. The neck articulation also doesn't swing back as much as Mark 42 or as I'd like, but the torso balljoint swings back pretty well giving you the ability to "look straight up" as well seem a bit more natural in pose too. The shoulder cannon is fully articulated too, but in at weird angles which I can only assume is accurate but since it had so little play in the film it's hard to be sure. For something I expected so little of this is quite possibly my favorite of the six figures from the line!

Hasbro - Iron Man: Ultron
We finally get a 6" scale "classic" Ultron, and the new head and shoulder pads work well enough that I have no problem with this being a re-use of Titanium Man>. The plastic is a nice bright silver with some good blue airbrushing and red highlights. It may not be as accurate as the DST Select one but this is good enough for me and I'm quite happy to at last have this character in the collection.

Hasbro - Iron Man: Iron Monger (Build-A-Figure)
This probably the last interesting/"worthwhile" B.A.F. we'll be getting for a long time but it is a good one. Cast in a dark, pearlescent blue plastic it's automatically a favorite for that alone but he gets plenty of articulation to make sure he's fun too (though most of it is in the legs - bicep swivels and and balljoints at the wrists are conspicuously absent). The sculpt is darn good as well, and so markedly similar the 4" one from a few years back that I thought it was just a scaled-up version at first. Monger is a darn fine BAF - he's a good figure in his own right and really only requires the purchase of one bad figure to complete him (comic-version Iron Patriot). The one-BAF-across-two-series approach is a weird one and it'll be interesting to see how successful it is. Having to wait several months to complete him was pretty annoying but now that he's built I'm quite pleased.

Lego - Galaxy Squad: "Team Blue" Swarm Interceptor
I was fairly disappointed by the Galaxy Squad theme when it was revealed, but I've become nearly obsessed with this set since playing with the one my friend got/built. This is the best toy Lego has put out, by which I mean it is the most play-with-able! Its B-Wing/Lost In Space Bubble Fighter design is pretty neat looking and his highly swooshable. Bricks with eaves help lock the wing-blades on so they don't pop off in your hand but best of all is the gryoscopic cockpit! It's perfectly executed to keep the pilot level to the ground despite all the wacky twists and turns you fly him through - plus it pops off from the body as an escape pod, complete with two smaller wings. Add to that the larger wings' ability to fold in and become landing gear and a cool little Bug Space-Jet-ski and you get a flawless set. At $20 this is a great value, in Lego terms, and I wholeheartedly recommend this to everyone!

Lego - Star Wars: Asteroid Belt with TIE Bomber
This isn't the most exciting of the mini-ships/Planet series but it is pretty cool. The "Planet" this time is the Empire Strikes Back asteroid belt and is painted as a star field with asteroids wrapping around the equator which is actually neater than I expected. The TIE Bomber build is likewise more clever and enjoyable than expected, for instance the wings are attached via ratchet-joint meaning they are articulated which can lead to some "expanded universe" fun. Finally, you get a boring old TIE Fighter Pilot filling out the rather dreary color palette of the set. It may look bland, but in hand it's a pretty nice set.

Lego - Star Wars: Coruscant with Republic Assualt Ship
This is probably the best of the Planet line so far. First, you get an Episode II Clone Trooper, not unique to this set to be sure but still a cool looking trooper! Then you get a surprisingly fun-to-build "baby Star Destroyer," which happens to be a favorite design for yours truly. It's a fairly clever build and is pretty swoosh-able in it's own right. But the real star here, the clincher for the "best in line" title, is the utterly awesome paint job on the planet! It's beautiful multi-tone affair that is just... well I love it! If you get only one of these, make it this one!

Lego - Superheroes: Captain America's Avenging Cycle
I've read that this set is slated to be retired in the next quarter or two so I figured I'd better buy in now. You'd think that a set with Captain America and some ar,y-builders would be "easy money" from me, but sadly this set is rife with disappointment. I really don't care for the Chitauri designs from the film but this set does a decent job of Mini-Figuring them and their little builds are decent enough. The bigger issue is that Cap is cast in such a dark blue that it nearly ruins him. In light, though, it's good enough to be survivable. I like the painted on cowl, but the fact that it isn't a removable helmet is a bit incongruous with the other Superheroes mini-figs. However, the main problem with this set is his horrible, awful, gigantic motorcycle. Not only is it two pre-fabbed pieces (thus ruining the fun/point of building bricks) it is actually taller than he is! Ultimately this is $13 out the window for a must-have character and I'm bitter about it as a result.

Lego - Superheroes: Iron Man and Fighting Drone
This is the same Mark VI Iron Man that came with the utterly unimpressive "Loki and Hawkeye ride in a truck" set, so I'm pretty happy to get this without having to buy that. It's the first Lego Iron Man I've gotten and the helmet's size didn't bother me at all - until I stood him next to Captain America and the size difference between the noggins was exceptionally noticeable! Hopefully one day they'll make a (mass market) version of Iron Man with just a painted Mini-Fig head. The build that's included here is a made-up Drone, but I gotta tell you it looks great! In fact, it's so neat it's appeal is equal to Iron Man's. A simple but gorgeous design, I really like the buzz-saws as wings! And, since they are connected by their handles, they're articulated as a result. It's really a bummer this wasn't a mass-market exclusive because it's one worth having multiples of.

Mattel - DC Signature Collection: Wally West Flash
Well, I guess some folks are into this but me? I think this is a rotten release. He may be a popular character but this is just a wildly boring thing from DCSC. He gets a new head and... and... and absolutely nothing else. It's just the Flash in darker colors - yawn. If you're going to give a spot to a "different costume" then at least give it to '90s Aquaman or classic Kyle Raynor - something that doesn't just look like an evil repaint. Or, at the barest of all minimum give him an accessory (preferably a new speed-streak thing or at least those wrist-electricity pieces). Certainly don't waste it on a figure with enough mainstream appeal that he could be released at retail! As is, this is just offensive. Particularly for $30!!!!!!!

Mattel - Masters of the Universe Classics: Fighting Foe Men
Contrary to my stance on Flash, I'm surprised there were folks upset about this set. Sure it's a high priced three-pack which after the misery of the Star Sisters should never have happened, but hey - it's three cool looking figures and they represent vehicles that will not get made in this line, so it's like a win-win. The line in fandom appears to be roughly drawn between the "hardcore" MotU fans, who are upset by made-up characters getting made ahead of legitimate figures or characters, and "casual" MotUC collectors, like myself, who are mainly in this line for fun/cool looking toys. Both sides have valid points/stances, but being in the latter I'm proud to announce that, like Fang-Man, these were a major contributor to me subbing in again this year. These are just goofy, super-fun looking toys - MotUC at its best.

Mattel - Watchmen: Silk Spectre
Don't you love it when a company starts a line with their best figure first? It's like have an amazing appetizer followed by a so-so meal and a mediocre desert. Well, Silk Spectre is that desert and as such is more like her common-law husband, the detached Dr. Osterman than her teammate Rorshach. Her only accessory is the line-standard base but at least she gets some new sculpted parts - head, arms, torso and "dress." Granted, that is a lot of new tooling (for Mattel...) but it doesn't feel particularly exceptional or exciting. I do dig the translucent rubber used for the dress which helps create the sheer look of one of comics' worst costumes. Sadly (but expectedly) that isn't carried over to her arms, however I do commend them/appreciate that there is some skintone color sprayed on them to help give the illusion of transparency. Ultimately this isn't that exciting of a figure, but it's not that exciting of a character. I guess I just had hoped they'd come up with some clever thing to "plus" her up.

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16 Responses to Rustin's Spoils of the Week #98

  1. yo go re says:

    It's not one BAF across two series, it's one BAF across two waves of one series - basically the same thing they did with Fin Fang Foom.

    And while we're at it, I *also* like the Fighting Foe Men. Wish I could have gotten them...

  2. Mark says:

    The Mark 42 is a really nice figure for an articulation junkie like me (those ball jointed hips and rocker ankles..mmmm). I really wish they had painted his eyes better and hadn't put the solid black line over his mouth though.

  3. monkey boy says:

    can you collect all the main iron man armors in 6" scale? i started to look into this and...where's the Mark VII? i thought the wal-mart avengers series was the Mark VII, but it's just a repainted Mark VI (with the triangle arc reactor). Mark I, II and III were released for the first film (although Mark II wasn't really film accurate), and V and VI were released for the second film (with a IV being released with an unmasked Tony Stark with hangover sunglasses head). but unless i'm mistaken, Mark VII is conspicuously absent.

    • yo go re says:

      Maybe he meant "the main armors of Iron Man 3?" You know, since only the Mark 42 and Iron Patriot were "main"...

    • Rustin Parr says:

      Dammit... you're right... I forgot about Mark VII. I pray that's in a future series, though, because (a) it'd be awesome and (b) the 4" figures are pretty rough and I don't want to buy into them

      • Sledgehama says:

        The Mark VII is indeed a glaring omission. I filed the Avengers armor-shaped hole in my collection with the Avengers Mighty Batttlers Iron Man figure which is approximately in the same scale. Sadly I'm not holding out too much hope for a 'proper' version of that suit, but it sure would be nice, along with that 'casual' Avengers Thor...

        • monkey boy says:

          the only mark VIIs i have in my display are the NECA 18" figure and the japanese nendoroid (super deformed) figure. both are great figures, but obviously they look out of place next to my 6" ML style iron men. i was planning on tracking down all the suits but when i realized there was no mark VII i just thought the heck with it.

          • GOB says:

            I think Minimates are the only scale that has the most variety of armors (Plus the luxury of Drones and actual non Iron Man characters like Pepper, Happy, Hammer, or the main terrorist from the original).
            Mark I (x2)
            Mark II (x2)
            Mark III (x2)
            Mark IV (x2)
            Mark V
            Mark VI (x2)
            Mark VII
            Mark XVII
            Mark XXXIII
            Mark XLI
            Mark XLII (x2)
            War Machine Mark I (x2)
            War Machine Mark II
            Iron Patriot
            Iron Monger (x2)

  4. Yven says:

    The Mark 42 actually really did grow on me. I was kinda shocked when I saw first pictures of the new design, but I started to like it and after watching the movie it became one of my favourite armors, next to the Mark VII, which I also would like to have, though I didn't know that you in the US didn't get one. All Marvel toys we Germans get at retailers are the crappy ones and Iron Man isn't that important to me, that I really tried to get some imports. Just got one from the first movie back then and I don't know for sure where it is now and at least one shoulder pad should be lost forever. But back to the Mark 42, I really like that one. Don't know why, maybe because I never was much into IM comics, but it somehow works really well for me. Maybe because it looks even less like a costume than, though normally I like superhero costumes. But since I'm one of the few persons on the internet that mucgh prefered Webb's ASM over Raimis movies, my optinion might be a bit exotic in general. 😉

  5. Yven says:

    Damn, I should really reread my comments before posting. Sry for the bad spellings...

  6. PrfktTear says:

    Glad you're happy with the Fighting Foe Men. I genuinely like them, and not because I've had to convince myself I do either. I have to admit, I would have jumped for joy if they had just taken the $80 SKU off the table altogether. The Scissor Star Sisters left a foul taste in my mouth so at first I was scratching my head when we sas these guys, but I really liked the designs. Unlike most of the 30th Anniversary Collection line, these guys seem like they could have been from the vintage line.

    I'd say I'm a middle of the road fan --- sure, I want "legitimate" characters but also cool/fun looking toys --- and the Fighting Foe Men fulfill the latter requirement. Honestly, looking at them, they make me feel like a kid again --- which is something not many of the figures succeed in doing!

      • Sledgehama says:

        I have to wonder if it's just the 3-pack format/price that is the major turn-off for those that dislike the Fighting Foe Men. If these characters were released as, say, two two packs with the Wind Raider Pilot thrown in to make up number, would there have been such an outcry? I don't know that there are any trios of MOTU characters that cry out for inclusion in one set anyway (with the possible exception of doing a Two-Bad as a before-and-after set), so it seems to be a curse of using this particular SKU for 'expanded universe/concept' figures which undoubtedly diminishes some of the nostalgia appeal that much of the line is based on.

        Personally, I love them - the 'unmades' of the MOTUC line generally drive me more than the remakes - though I do discard the FFF aspect and just have them as two Heroic and one Evil warrior. The whole Preternia-then-Horde angle just doesn't gel with their look for me.

        • PrfktTear says:

          I don't think there is one right answer, fans are so fickle --- but I think the majority of people think with their wallets, and the price is a tough pill to swallow. Add to that the fact that people may resent the fact that they HAVE to purchase it if they sub, there is no "opt out" on the big-ticket SKU's.

          Even if released as 2-packs, there still may have been an outcry. The Wind Raider Pilot might have helped, but only because there's a culty following, but I'm sure Mattel would want to release that him (her?) as a single carded figure. I think part of the charm of the FFM is the combination of the three. Individually they're okay, but as a team they're pretty cool.

          The 'Unmades' of MOTUC have been some of the hilights in this line for me. I remember back when we got He-Ro thinking how cool it was!

          I too have dropped the backstory for the Fighting Foe Men. In my personal Eternian saga they're heroes, sort of an Elite task force formed by Man-At-Arms, trained by Dekker, and serving at the King's pleasure for jobs that require a specific skillset that even the Masters can't handle.

  7. Boot Hill says:

    Boy, this was so long ago! Good times, good times! Do more.

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