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Hyper Guardian slots right into the Xevoz line of cowboys and giant bugs and movie monsters as Hasbro's unique version of the superhero. But in a line nearly entirely comprised of winners, how does this guy stack up?
Amaztuplendibrilliantastically! That's the only answer, and it's not even a real word! He's that good!
High-flying do-gooders famous for spectacular rescues, wholesome good looks, and ability to generate atomic energy weapons using superhuman mental powers. Some assume alter egos to escape their adoring
public. May be the results of Dr. Tuk'r Jonsun's secret military experiments.
Interesting! This is another case where the biography makes it explicit that this toy does not represent a specific individual, but an entire class of beings in the Xevoz world - heck, his name probably isn't even "Hyper Guardian!" That's probably the generic Neotopian word for a superhero, the way the early Image comics called their spandex-wearing characters "youngbloods" (since DC and Marvel jointly own the term "Super Hero"). His name might be Captain Atlantia or Unvincible or Major Nipple-Clamps for all we know! Also, Tucker Johnson was, like Ben Hitmar, one of the main creators of Xevoz. And his "secret military experiments"? By the time this toy came out, Johnson was working on Sigma 6. Reference joke!
So this Hyper Guardian features a mixture of American superhero tropes together; at his core, he's a Xevoz-style Superman, with a cape held on by Thor-discs [To his nipples?! --ed.] with boots borrowed from Colossus. He has two perfectly chiselled superhero heads, one which looks like a cross between Dr. Fate and The Flash, and the other like Firestorm (primarily due to the translucent yellow hair poking out the top). All together with a strong blue, yellow and black color scheme, he looks terrific, a very distinct and impressive-looking superhero design that fits right in with the Xevoz line.
Because he's a superhero, he's slightly taller and beefier than the other "human" figures in the line. His many terrific accessories represent some of the absolute best in the entire line. To start with, he's one of the few Xevoz with a kind of base, an energy-force-thingy stand that depicts him flying into the air, attaching into his foot and sculpted in a translucent yellow plastic. This sturdy base gives him such amazing poses, as well as great for play - this can quite easily be an energy blast he's firing from his head or hands instead.
The translucent yellow is shared with several attachments
to his hands, including several big fists which seem to be a reference to Sinestro's Yellow Lantern power from the Green Lantern comics, or otherwise just suggest an exaggerated Battletoads-style punching ability this hero has. He also has one large stylized hand as if blocking some kind of projectile, or else using his Force powers to push something away, or hold it in air telekinetically.
And that's not all! Keeping with the Green Lantern theme, he also features a yellow energy sword, the ideal accessory for such a hero, and two sets of regular interchangeable hands, so he can have open or closed fist, either for holding his many accessories or just for posing. His gag accessory is a yellow energy dumbbell, which is just awesome!
His Drain Attack piece is a small explosion. The creativity that went into creating these wildly imaginative, super-articulated toys blows me away. And of course, he's got a sheet of stickers for you to customise him: awesome stuff like blue lightning bolts for his trans yellow energy fists, crackling atomic waves for his sword and blast base, and details for his armor. Amazing!
And so the Hyper-Guardian, while at the tail-end of the Xevoz line, is yet another terrific action figure that has wide-reaching appeal. I absolutely adore this toy - he's one of my favourites in the series, with so much value for any kind of collector. Highly recommended!
-- 11/02/14
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