And so I’ve added some figures to my want list of Marvel Legends, and I’ve bought some straight away. I bought Sasquatch, big (furry) characters appeal to me, and the fact he has interactions with Wolverine and the Hulk add to the appeal. I’m also keen to get a Wendigo, but only if they rerelease him with a classic headsculpt. I really like Sasquatch.
I’ve decided I’m not compromising on figures - if the costume’s not right or the sculpt is off then I’m not getting placeholder figures. I’m tempted by Wendigo and Odin for instance, but need their classic looks. I sense that a Chameleon based his 90’s cartoon look might be in the offering. I therefore need the Sinister 6 (well, Insidious 6 really). I prefer the newer Mysterio figure so he’s in, plus Vulture, Scorpion and Shocker. I was tempted by these figures before but that was the original green gauntlets version of Mysterio, and I got grumpy about having to paint Scorpion’s face (I will). I already have a Doc Ock so just need a Rhino. I figure without Chameleon it’s either the original incarnation (with Chameleon as Vulture) or the second (with Chameleon as Mysterio).
I don’t want to get placeholder figures, but I figure even if they do a classic Ms. Marvel she might have the short hair and bare legs (I need her to look like A:EMH), so have bought the Warbird version. Can swap the head and legs if needs be. Surely we’ll get a classic version with the next Captain Marvel film? If I knew we were never going to get a classic Ms. Marvel then I’d get her in her Captain Marvel costume. Who knows though.
Another set of figures I like the look of are the Storm Collectibles Mortal Kombat figures, but (and this is very similar to my reasoning for not getting Transformer Masterpieces), they’re expansive, and crucially, they’re never going to do the complete cast. I want a complete set of things, in some ways that’s where I get the most joy. They look amazing though. I’m also a little tempted by Star Wars Black 6”. I like the prequel Jedi - mostly the aliens. I’m tempted by Mace Windu and Kit Fistu. Maybe Plo Koon. The ‘main’ characters I’m not that bothered by. But I already have the 3.75” versions, and unlike Marvel Legends there’s no sense of characters not being available at the smaller scale, in the wrong costume or being a bit rubbish. The 3.75” versions are fine.
Legends Shocker has arrived. I like the modern costume for old pineapple head far more than the classic, to the point where it makes me like the character a lot more. He has the Deadpool head with one eye squinting which makes me think he has some of Deadpool’s humourous qualities. Anyway, glad to have him for my Sinister 6 (or 7).
Studio Series Jazz and Hot Rod have finally been shown off. Hot Rod looks amazing, Jazz looks a little cheap though I think the white background’s not helping. I would far rather he have more of a toy look than cartoon but with some reprolabels I think that can be sorted out - RTS also needed them. What I’m less sure about is replacing United Stepper, he is very pretty. An Artfire Stepper two-pack could be rather tempting though. (Glad I never got United Artfire!)
Over three years ago, I decided I needed to make a Kintaro from Mortal Kombat 2. I took my Goro figure apart and make a mold for each component and made a copy in resin. Except a few didn’t come out very well. And then some stuff happened (life stuff), and it has sat on the back burner for these few years. I felt strangely anxious starting to make the molds again, but I got there and finally put the resin in last night and am waiting for it to harden. Really hope they come out decently and I can finally starting putting the figures together. If I can’t do it before I move house then could be another few years again. I cast a few heads as well for a few custom bits and bobs. It’s hard resisting the temptation to start 'exiting’ new projects.
With virtually every single 1984-86 Transformers character getting a new figure, there’s not much in my mind that I want redoing, I reckon Blaster, Perceptor, Sandstorm, Metroplex, Devastator and Snarl (assuming he’s the Dinobot not getting a SS figure). That’s not bad. Add to that figures of the Throttlebots, some of the cassettes, Pointblank and Sureshot, and that’s pretty much the entire US cartoon done, and done well.
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The new studio series '86 figures look great! You can see the extra budget for Hot Rod and Scourge. I'm down for Kup and Blurr (though I'm not getting rid of Generations Kup just yet). Jazz still looks a bit washed out but with some Reprolabels should be fine. Grimlock looks solid but to be honest, he's a placeholder until the properly gold chromed version. I'll get him anyway despite the cost. There's a rumour of a Punch/Counterpunch repaint in red. Please be Pointblank! There's an excitement of getting a new character that even new versions of my favourite characters doesn't quite match. I'd like a Sureshot from Mirage, but I think in an ideal world there would be a Slapdash from Mirage and a new mold for Sureshot and Joyride.
Marvel Legends Rhino arrived! He's a slightly older figure now, and really quite expensive. I think a new version is quite likely, but he's one of those big chunky characters that I can't help but like. Even though the head with the eyes uncovered is more cartoon accurate, it's a little too manic (and on mine the eyes are looking in different directions). They've cleverly put the weight into the legs so he's solid, the chest is fairly hollow so it's not top heavy. Looking good.
I'm about to check how my casts turned out. It's a both exciting and anxious time, if they all turned out well then I'll be extremely happy. If it doesn't then potentially I'll have to make another set of molds. Of course if they turn out well then I'll actually have to get on with Goro/Kintaro. Deep breaths.......
They came out brilliantly! The heads in particular came out very well, I think I've perfected how to create a mold of a head - pick a point for the hole that's not the socket where it fitted onto the neck ball socket (back or the top of the head works best). I made a mold from the 2010 Spider-Man 3.75" Lizard, third time lucky! The Goro parts have come out as well, though quite a lot of work will be needed to fill the holes and add working joints. No excuse now, it's time to get the joints and epoxy out.
Having received Rhino, I really like him. I’ve decided to lower my bar for collecting Legends ever so slightly, characters that I thought weren’t quite important enough. So I’ve popped in orders for Kang and Abomination. Kang turned up really quickly. Like Doom before him, this is an incredible version of a classic villain. His green tunic is very 70's futuristic looking. He can't really hold his gun in a satisfactory manner, but otherwise looks great.
I bought Emma Frost from the Hellfire set, I did something a little radical, I changed her legs out. Mostly for stability - she was wearing high heels, but also to make her a little more cartoon accurate. I used the deadly white Black Widow which itself had two advantages, better guns (with smoke and firing effects), but also a replacement head for my vintage Widow who had applied her lipstick whilst driving. Over speed bumps. Good stuff! My X-Men shelf lineup was the 90’s cartoon, having taken this Wolverine and the X-Men inspired picture, I’ve gone with an Evolution lineup for my shelf (Iceman is standing in for Spyke.)
I’ve received Mysterio and Vulture. Mysterio is a lovely figure, I appreciate the gold over the green, comic accurate or not. The special effect pieces are great as well. Vulture is good, there’s nothing else you might want from him. He looks like a bitter old man as you might expect. He feels a little like a filler figure - if we get a cartoon Chameleon I might not keep him. I’ve been wondering how to decide which villains to get, with X-Men and Fantastic 4 I don’t feel too conflicted. With the Avengers I’m getting Kang and Abomination. With Spider-Man I’ve got Green Goblin and the Sinister 6. Perhaps what I should think is that for my favourite characters I should get two of their main villains. (Considering Venom as an anti-hero and Kingpin as Daredevil’s villain.)
So I used the Lizard head for..... Reptile! I now have alternate heads for Scorpion and Reptile. I had a go at making some arms for Sub Zero in light blue resin but I couldn’t fit them so I’ve stuck with the regular arms but with a bit of paint. My human male ninjas are finished (and so all of the hidden characters).
I’ve received Ms. Marvel so I can put together a season 2 A:EMH display. Need a classic Ms. Marvel and a Yellowjacket really. Incidentally, I pulled out my Mark VII Iron Man for this picture, and realised he was missing his shoulder. I searched right through my Legends box trying to find it. I then looked at a photo from when I got the figure, it was always missing and I didn’t notice! Weird and annoying.
Kingpin arrived! He’s wonderfully accurate to the comic. Just perfect for what I want. He completes my comic versions of the Netflix Daredevil show lineup as I also opened Elektra. As expected she’s pretty great looking.
I keep on seeing 6” Black series Star Wars figures, I haven’t bought any but it did lead me down a bit of a rabbit hole. I think with my 3.75” collection, I developed some sort of criteria for buying figures - main character, force user, alien, whether on the Jedi council sort of thing. I can’t quite remember exactly. I do like me some random background alien Jedi though. Looking through some toy websites I may have found a list of every single Jedi that appears in a film or Star Wars: Clone Wars cartoon (not that one) episode. I may have googled each one to see whether they are an alien and whether they have a figure. I may be checking eBay regularly to see if they become available at a reasonable price...... So my new criteria are get all alien Jedi, and important human Jedi from the films and clone wars cartoon (not that one), and Ahsoka Tano from the clone wars cartoon (yes, that one). But Eeth Koth and Adi Gallia are excluded because I have Agen Kolar and Stass Allie and they're more or less the same characters but with different actors.
I got Sora Bulq and Que-Mars Redath-Gom now. Let's be honest here, they look like they might have been victims of the Jedi purge and then somewhat un-ceremoniously brought back to life. Alternatively they might have been filming the Geonosis scene in Attack of the Clones, realised they needed some more Jedi and sent someone out to get some extra masks from the joke shop....... The articulation on Sora isn't great, he doesn't have knees but he does have an action pose so it's not too troubling. It's nice to pick up a few extra Jedi so happy to have these figures.
My postman has been a busy man!
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