|
After X-Men Classics and Marvel Legends 6, a lot of folks would have said that the last thing we needed was another Wolverine. But sure enough, when ML7 was announced, there was Logan, yet again. Surprisingly, though, the figure turned out to be very good, a welcome addition to any fan's collection.
In the late 20th century, the CIA, working through the Canadian government, forced Wolverine to participate in a diabolical experiment called Weapon X in which scientists grafted the indestructible metal Adamantium to his skeleton and claws. Even worse, they implanted memory devices that shaped a new, convoluted past - one more suitable to their needs than his. Because of their experiments, Wolverine can no longer separate fact from fiction and knows little of his own true past other than it was filled with pain and loss. While Wolverine worked as an operative for the government, Professor X asked him to join the X-Men. Wolverine agreed to join Professor X because he truly believed in Professor X's vision and dream of a peaceful coexistence between man and mutant.
Wolverine's origin was never meant to be as murky as it is. Originally intended to be a young hothead (whose "claws" were actually part of the gloves he wore), Logan would have been fairly straightforward, and probably fairly forgettable. But Chris Claremont changed all that, and cemented himself as one of comics' most incomprehensible writers as he turned Logan into an aged secret agent with a shady past.
Logan's a little guy, so his figure stands only 5 1/4" tall. He has 34 points of articulation, all the standard Marvel Legends joints. The biggest surprise is that ToyBiz finally managed to ship a Wolverine figure that doesn't have horribly warped claws: because of the large open space where his base is, there's no plastic tray for the figure to press aginst.
Since this is Weapon X, Logan's running around (nearly) naked. He's got a pair of shorts on, but other than that, it's all anatomy all the time, which gave Phil Ramirez a chance to show off his sculpting skills - check out the sharp nails on the figure's hands. This is the first ML figure with bare feet, so even if he's heavy-packed, we can hope that customizers will be snapping him up to finally finish their pantsless Namors.
The paint apps are quite good. The subtle tones on Logan's bare skin are nice, and a wash on his shorts really brings out the wrinkles. The blue veins visible under his skin are more subtle than similar efforts in ML6. All the hair is painted on his chest, arms and legs, and his fingers are brushed with dark brown - either he's been digging in the mud, or Marvel's blood-coloring policies translate from the comic pages to their figures, as well.
Weapon X's accessories are the three battery packs strapped on him by Dr. Cornelius and the Professor during Experiment X - they allowed Logan's handlers to work him like an electronic marionette. Two of the batteries connect via green tubes to Logan's hands, and one connects to his control helmet. The packs and helmet are sculpted very well, really capturing the look of Barry Windsor-Smith's artwork. The batteries have thin pegs that plug into holes on Wolvie's waist. Really, these seem like they're just going to snap off. I would have liked ToyBiz to find some other way to connect them to the figure - maybe all on one removable belt?
Like his fellow Weapon X alumni, Deadpool, Logan has interchangeable heads: one with the usual Wolverine hair we know and love, the other with his crazy VR helmet. The naked head, however, is a bit off - in that tale, Logan's hair was longer and wilder. Oh well, minor complaint.
Like all the Marvel Legends, Weapon X comes with a detailed base. Well, I guess it's more of a backdrop than a base: it's a technological tank with four wires dangling from the top. The wires can attach to any of the ten plugs on Logan's chest and back, so you can pretend to pump him full of adamantium. With a little creative posing, you can actually make the figure fit inside the tank, which measures 6" tall and 4" wide, but only about half an inch deep. Lots of sculptural detailing on here, too, and it's all painted well.
Instead of a comic (the "Weapon X" story was published eight pages at a time in issues 72-84 of Marvel Comic Presents), this figure has the same poster book that was available with the X-Men Legends box set. Pretty lame stuff. Still, Weapon X Wolverine turned out to be a surprisingly good variant, one that's actually worth buying.
Did "Weapon X" make any sense to you? Tell us on our message board, the Loafing Lounge.
|
