#260 - Bruce Banner/War Machine
While consulting with SHIELD on scientific matters, Dr. Bruce Banner is constantly suppressing the urge to transform into the Hulk.
It's a little bit weird that there are three sets in this TRU series, and they all three include some version of the Hulk. This one is taken from the scene in Avengers Too where he and Tony Stark are comparing Vision to the Mind Gem. He's wearing a blue checkered shirt under a white lab coat. His hair comes from the Beyonder, and does a surprisingly good job of standing in for Banner's curly 'do - it should cover a little less of the forehead, but for a reused piece? It's great.
Banner has his glasses on, and a rather stoic look that suggests he's studying something intently - stand back, everyone, he's sciencing! If that look is too dull for you, the set includes a second head; this one has lost its glasses, and the eyes have changed from brown to green. You know what that means: he's Hulking out!
Air Force Colonel James Rhodes wears an earlier model of Tony Stark's Iron Man armor and operates as a hero sanctioned by the US government.
Colonel? He must've gotten a promotion, because he was only a lieutenant colonel before. Of course, when you help save the president from terrorists, you almost have to be promoted for it. This Minimate is functionally identical to the Iron Man 3 War Machine - same parts, same paint masks, everything. The helmet mold seems a bit smoother, but the only real difference is Rhodey's expression: this one has his mouth open and a look of surprise. The set includes a flight stand for him.
Of the three Avengers 2: The New Batch Minimate sets Toys Я Us has released in this series, this is the only exclusive. But while you may already have this War Machine, the Bruce Banner is a cool new offering.
So no The Walking Dead minimates this year?
I don't have any I haven't reviewed yet. I never found any of the last series, and the new series isn't out yet. Plus, I kind of got soured on them when I learned that TRU had figures that were exclusives, but weren't marked as exclusives, meaning I missed them.
Truth be told, I've almost run out of Minimates entirely. 🙁 I was going to post a picture in an upcoming review, but The Big Drawer is empty now. I keep an entire Amazon wishlist of the ones I want, but haven't been able to get them yet...
Actually this War Machine is a slightly darker shade of gun metal than the IM3 version. Its very subtle but there is a difference.
Yep, you're right. But still: the head is the major difference...
For a Hulk wave, it's really not a bad Hulk wave. But it's weird that the main villain, the drones, and the Hydra army builder all went specialty. It's like TRU didn't want the actual Ultron stuff from AOU.
Easy solution to your Minimate shortage: One Nightmare Before Christmas Minimate each week from now until Christmas. It really is shaping up to be a must-have collection.
That's a great idea - I wish anybody carried them, or that there was a way of knowing which ones you're getting. There are a couple, like the Easter Bunny or Pumpkin King jack, that I'd really like to have...
(*angry old dork rant about blind-bagged figures*)
I thought if you saved the President from terrorists, you were a Bad Dude.
(Don't get that joke? Congratulations, you're not old!)