One thing superheroes have that Transformers don't is costume changes. Yes, every so often you'll get a Nightwatch Optimus Prime or whatever, but for the most part, those guys look the same from beginning to end. That's why the Marvel Crossovers have been a godsend for Hasbro: one mold, multiple repaint potential, and you've got yourself a decent money-maker. Even moreso if that mold is Wolverine.
When the X-Men need
a dirty job done quietly, they turn to Wolverine and his X-Force. With this new battle suit designed for speed, stealth and firepower, Wolverine can accomplish the most dangerous missions without ever being seen.
This is the third time this particular TF has been released. First was yellow and blue, next was the brown costume, and now we have the new(ish) black and silver.
The vehicle mode is a rally
truck - you know, the kind of thing they race for days through the desert? Yeah, that. It rather makes sense for Logan, too, since he's just the type to go barreling through the wilderness where nobody else can follow. The vehicle is 6½" long, 3¼" wide and 3" tall, and all four wheels roll. It's detailed well, with rollbars over the windshield, a heavy brush guard protecting the grill, two roof-mounted spotlights and even the mesh netting over the windows. Nice!
The truck is black and silver, as you'd expect, with red hubcaps to complete the look. If you look past the tires into the underbody of the truck, you'll see sculpted shock absorbers, and there are two (non-removable) spare tires on the back. Overall, it's a sharp look!
To convert the truck into robot mode, begin by swinging up the spare tires. Fold down the entire back half, then split it to form legs. Raise the small panels around the doors, and unfold the arms from inside. Flip the shins around, then spin the waist. Fold
over the rear tires, lower the brush guard and raise the front fenders. Bring the arms out to the side, tuck the front tires away, pliug the waist in place and fold out the toes. Bring down the arms, drop the spare tires behind his back, and raise the figure's head.
On thing the instructions do neglect to mention, though? There are two pieces that fold down to form the robot's "heels," allowing him to stand securely. Without those in place, he'll lean way back, in danger of falling over. The robot... sorry, "mech suit" stands 6½" tall, and has a swivel neck, balljointed shoulders, swivel biceps, double-hinged elbows, swivel waist, swivel/hinge hips, swivel thighs, hinged knees, and whatever foot joints you want to consider articulation instead of construction/conversion points.
In theory, Wolverine should be significantly shorter than the other characters, but he's right in line with the rest. Of course, how big a dick would Tony Stark need to be to build a pint-sized battle suit for Wolverine just because he's shorter in real life? [About yay big. --ed.] The head has the classic Wolverine look, but more than that, his shoulders have triangular bits covering them, and the torso has hints of that familiar "tiger stripe" look.
And oh yeah: he's got claws. Press buttons on his forearms, and claws pop out of the back of his hands. For safety reasons they're incredibly blunt, going so far as to have noticably rounded tips. They're not claws, they're spoons. He has spoons popping out of the backs of his hands. (We kid, we kid - it's a fun feature!)
Wolverine is another great entry into the Transformers Crossovers line, with a cool new vehicle, a pleasantly complex conversion scheme, and an above-average robot. The X-Force coloration is nice (it's definitely better than the clown suit), but if you have your choice, get the brown one: it not only works for the character, it makes for the most realistic rally car.
-- 04/06/10
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