{"id":15981,"date":"2014-06-29T00:00:58","date_gmt":"2014-06-29T04:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.oafe.net\/blog\/?p=15981"},"modified":"2014-06-09T04:09:27","modified_gmt":"2014-06-09T08:09:27","slug":"minimate-mini-review-175-marvel-minimates-series-47-80s-x-men","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.oafe.net\/blog\/2014\/06\/minimate-mini-review-175-marvel-minimates-series-47-80s-x-men\/","title":{"rendered":"Minimate Mini-Review #175 - Marvel Minimates Series 47 ('80s X-Men)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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#175 - Colossus\/Rogue<\/h3>\n

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Piotr Rasputin's ability to turn his body into organic steel makes him \"Colossus\"super-strong, nearly indestructible, and able to throw objects a great distance at great speed. When the object is his teammate Wolverine, this maneuver is known as a \"fastball special.\"<\/i><\/p>\n

This is our third<\/s> fourth<\/a> (comic-based) Colossus Minimate, and it's a lot better than the last one<\/a>. That figure just used the standard Minimate body, while this one has a waist extender, a big sculpted chest cap, wrist band\/gloves, and bootfronts to bulk him up. Marvel Minimates<\/i> Series 47 is all about the X-Men of the '80s, and in the comics at the time, Colossus was locked in his metal form - maybe that's why they made this figure larger.<\/p>\n

Also in the comics at the time, Colossus didn't wear this costume. Instead, he ran around nearly naked, just wearing trunks, a belt, wristbands and boots - so basically, he dressed like a wrestler. To create that look, this set includes an alternate chest cap, plain hands and feet, and yellow bands to fit around his legs. The chest cap is shaped to give the barest hint of anatomy, so the figure still relies on paint to create most of his look. The belt is molded on, and the big X-buckle is painted. His hair is a flat, featureless piece, to better sell the idea that it (like the rest of him) is made of metal.<\/p>\n

In case a nearly nude Russian man<\/a> isn't enough to make you buy this set, he also comes with two replacement hands, one designed to match each costume. The hand is flexed back and has a bump on the palm, like a reverse Repulsor Blast<\/a>. What is it? Well, that peg is the size of a Lego stud, so it fits the figures' feet. As mentioned in the bio, he's ready to perform a fastball special!<\/p>\n

\"Rogue\"Unable to touch others, Anna Marie saw her mutant ability to absorb memories, powers and life energy as a curse. But after fighting the X-Men as part of the evil Brotherhood, she later sought them out to ask for help and eventually joined the team.<\/i><\/p>\n

Wow, \"Anna Marie\"? That definitely wasn't her name in the '80s - it didn't come about until after the first X-Men<\/i> movie decided she needed a real name. The costume Rogue wore while the X-Men were operating out of the Outback was a continuation of what she'd been wearing before: green clothes over a black bodysuit. The green bits changed pretty regularly before the team relocated to Australia, but afterward they were consistently limited to a bathing suit, opera gloves, and high boots. She also started growing her hair out, so this figure has a big hair block, with a white patch brushed back from her forehead. Since she was still sharing her body with Carol Danvers<\/a>, she also has a clear one-footed flight stand.<\/div>\n
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#176 - Longshot\/Dazzler<\/h3>\n

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Longshot was artificially created for entertainment purposes in the dimension known as Mojoworld. Bred for gladiatorial combat, \"Longshot\"he used his mystically acquired luck power to escape to Earth, where he joined up with the X-Men.<\/i><\/p>\n

Well, eventually - he wasn't originally intended to be an X-Men<\/i> character. In fact, the solo series that introduced him was meant to be an ongoing, but low sales nixed that. And amazingly, since that first miniseries, Longshot has pretty much stuck with the same costume the entire time: a black leather jumpsuit with white cuffs and a shiny star on the chest. This figure really goes all out to duplicate the costume via painted highlights, but he also gets a new bandolier\/satchel combo, and a knife in a sheath on his left leg. He gets his mighty space mullet, and two new hands: one clutching three knives, and the other throwing four more.<\/p>\n

\"90sWith her ability to convert sound to light, Alison Blaire had a semi-successful career as a musician, but an attempt to jump to film was cut short by anti-mutant sentiment. She later joined the X-Men, where her laser beams were put to a better use.<\/i><\/p>\n

The way Dazzler is presented in the box is not her '80s look - with the leather jacket and the wavy hair, it's clearly her '90s costume. Yes, she was mainly off on Mojoworld during that period, acting as a freedom fighter, but she did guest in the comics every so often. And since Longshot never changes his clothes, you could easily stand them with the Series<\/a> 34<\/a> X-Men.<\/p>\n

\"80sBut this series is all about the '80s, so the set takes care of that, too. You can remove the jacket (and the jacket-based arms) and have a much more \"plain\" Dazzler. This outfit is kind of an amalgam of her first two blue costumes: the star being in the center of her chest rather than off to the left side comes from the second one, but that version also bared her midrif and left her legs uncovered from the knees down. Both costumes had the weird, mismatched sleeves though, so the replacement arms are perfect. She also has floppy '80s hair, and a pink energy blob.<\/p>\n

Dazzler and Longshot make for a nice pair of Minimates, but it does make me wish we had a Mojo for them to fight.<\/div>\n
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#177 - Wolverine\/Brood<\/h3>\n

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\"Wolverine\"Genetically blessed with accelerated healing, enhanced senses and retractable claws, James \"Logan\" Howlett has fought in several wars and is now laced with indestructible adamantium, making him the best there is at what he does.<\/i><\/p>\n

This is our 39th Wolverine<\/a>, yet amazingly this is only the fourth one in his brown costume. Since the theme of Series 47 is \"1980s X-Men,\" the colors are very vibrant - a reddish brown, and yellow instead of orange. His claws are severely warped! They're curving drastically to the side because of the way they're put in the tray. Plus, the white eyes on his mask are misaligned.Luckily for me he's also got a fuzzy block of hair, and a \"pulled back\" mask<\/a> to fit around his neck.<\/p>\n

The Brood are a parasitic alien race and frequent foe of the X-Men. They reproduce by implanting an egg inside a host body, \"Thewhich transforms the host into a new Brood. If the host is a mutant, the Brood acquires that host's mutant powers.<\/i><\/p>\n

It's always impressive the way Art Asylum uses the standard Minimate body to create inhuman characters. Deep inside this Brood is a normal torso and head, and even the multiple legs are based on typical Minimate arms. The Broods do get four new \"hands\" to ensure that their legs look pointy and insectoid, and the front limbs have long tentacles. The teeth are highly disturbing. The pronged tails are usually shown to point downward, curling under the body, but toys always turn them up like a scorpion.<\/p>\n

Genetically blessed with accelerated healing, enhanced senses and retractable claws, James \"Logan\" Howlett has fought in several wars and is \"Broodnow laced with indestructible adamantium, making him the best there is at what he does.<\/i><\/p>\n

That's a supremely generic bio for #40<\/a>. He's the variant for this series, and represents the time Wolverine got infected with a Brood embryo. Well, one of the times. Specifically, the time in Uncanny X-Men<\/i> #234<\/a>, because that's the only time the infection got this far. The colors on this Wolverine are darker than on the standard figure, and his mask and bootfronts are new, exaggerated pieces (later reused for Symbiote Wolverine<\/a>). He has the usual clawed hands, but you can replace them with skin-colored Brood tentacles, for extra creepiness<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Making Series 47 all 1980s X-Men was a strong theme. And if you add in the Havok & Storm<\/a> exclusive set from TRU Series 14, all you need is Psylocke<\/a> and you've got yourself a complete Outback team!<\/div>\n
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