Having an action figure hold a mini comic book starring themselves—how cool is that?
The second wave of the mini comic book retro cardback series from the "Marvel Legends" line of action figures, produced by the renowned international toy manufacturer "Hasbro", is finally here! The Marvel Legends series features figures in the widely popular 1:12 scale, recreating various classic Marvel characters at a six-inch height. From the original comics and animations to movies and video games, the extensive scope of the line is absolutely astonishing. Whether it's a god-powered superhero or a ruthless supervillain, you can find them all in the Marvel Legends line, making it an unmissable series for any Marvel fan. This time, the included miniature comic book accessories are specifically designed for the 1:12 scale, allowing the figures to hold them seamlessly, adding more fun play and display combinations! Without further ado, let's dive right into today's review!
▼Here are the six stars of today's review. The packaging style is the same as the previous wave, using a cardback format.
▼"Daredevil - The Man Without Fear". Based on the 1993 comic "Daredevil: The Man Without Fear," an origin story crafted by the team of Frank Miller and John Romita Jr. This figure captures Matt Murdock's look as he fights crime in a black sweatsuit, armed with his batons.
▼The body is a new sculpt, with a muscular build that pairs well with the sweatsuit style.
▼It comes with a mini comic accessory of the first issue of "Daredevil: The Man Without Fear," published in 1993.
▼The head sculpt recreates the bandana-wrapped head from the comics, an original look that the TV series paid homage to.
▼Of course, the articulation design is a major strength of Marvel Legends. It's easy to pose, fun to play with, and effortlessly satisfies both display and play needs!
▼Playing with this just makes me more excited for Season 2 of "Daredevil: Born Again"!
▼"Feral", real name Maria Callasantos. A genetic mutation gives her a half-human, half-beast appearance, complete with animalistic instincts, strength, and speed. With a fiery and rebellious personality, she was once a member of X-Force, led by Cable.
▼This figure utilizes a new female body mold, which combines a clean appearance with high articulation.
▼It includes a mini comic of the first issue of "X-Force" from 1991, and even recreates the original's design of having member portraits on both the front and back covers.
▼The head sculpt features printed facial details, with a highly dynamic and eye-catching roaring expression.
▼The articulation is, of course, absolutely wild! All sorts of dynamic and powerful poses are no problem at all!
▼Bring her home and expand your X-Force roster today!
▼"Phoenix (Rachel Summers)", from the parallel timeline of Earth-811, is the daughter of Cyclops and Jean Grey. She grew up in a totalitarian world where Sentinels hunted most mutants and sought to rebel against this hopeless dystopia. She later inherited the Phoenix Force, becoming its new host. After crossing over to the main universe of Earth-616, she joined Excalibur, fighting alongside Captain Britain, Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, and others against threats from parallel universes and the world of magic.
▼This figure recreates her unique Excalibur-era costume and includes fiery bird wing effect parts that can be attached and detached freely.
▼It comes with a mini comic of the first issue of "Excalibur," published in 1988.
▼An alternate head sculpt with a normal expression is included.
▼As well as an alternate head sculpt for when the Gatchaman Phoenix Power is Phoenix Force is activated.
▼It also uses the elegant female body mold, fully showcasing her beautiful physique.
▼Attaching the Phoenix firebird wings really brings out her presence, making the whole figure feel more dynamic, don't you think?
▼Looks like we can finally assemble the Excalibur team! Be sure to bring her home!
▼"Beast". This figure adopts the look of Hank McCoy, the X-Men's chief scientist, from the "Astonishing X-Men" series that ran from 2004 to 2013. In addition to the costume, his head sculpt is also quite different from the traditional Beast appearance, making this unique look a worthy addition to any collection.
▼The body is an improvement on a previous Beast mold, with a highly three-dimensional sculpt for the fur texture.
▼It includes a mini version of the "Astonishing X-Men" retrospective special published in 2006. Interestingly, on this cover, Wolverine is holding the first issue of "Astonishing X-Men" from 2004, perfectly echoing the mini comic theme of this series!
▼An alternate head sculpt with a calm expression is included.
▼As well as an alternate head sculpt with a menacing, teeth-baring expression.
▼It's worth noting that all the figures in this wave come with alternate hands specifically for holding the mini comics.
▼The butterfly joints in the shoulders allow him to perform all sorts of wide, sweeping motions—a huge plus!
▼Do you all like this more feline-featured Beast?
▼"Silver Surfer". The herald of Galactus, the devourer of worlds. Originally Norrin Radd, a resident of the planet Zenn-La, he sacrificed his memories and identity to save his home world, offering himself to spare his planet from destruction. After receiving the Power Cosmic from Galactus, he became the gleaming Silver Surfer, tasked with finding planets for his master to consume.
▼This version uses a new body mold and is coated with a brilliant silver paint, making it another figure that is both gorgeous and fun to play with.
▼It comes with a mini comic accessory of the first issue of the "Silver Surfer" solo comic, published in 1968.
▼The head sculpt features printed paint application for the eyes.
▼The body is presented in an almost pure form, with minimal interference, allowing one to fully appreciate the high articulation of a Marvel Legends figure!
▼Multiple alternate hands are included for collectors to mix and match freely.
▼I really love this kind of dazzling, magnificent feel.
▼"Black Widow". Real name Natasha Romanoff, a top-tier spy trained by the Soviet Red Room. After breaking free from its extreme control, she joined the American agency S.H.I.E.L.D. and became a mainstay of the Avengers.
▼This figure's look is based on her short-haired, gray suit appearance from the comics. A sharp and slick Black Widow is the coolest.
▼It includes a mini comic of "Uncanny X-Men" #268, published in 1990, which features Captain America, Wolverine, and Black Widow on the cover—the most well-known appearance of her gray suit.
▼The head sculpt recreates her cool bangs.
▼The Black Widow hourglass logo is faithfully reproduced on her left chest and back.
▼The body mold is the same as the other female characters mentioned above, utilizing the latest version that balances articulation and aesthetics.
▼It also generously includes three pairs of her signature "Widow's Bite" weapons, allowing collectors to choose their preferred display.
▼Yelena Belova says: Oh no, not again.
▼Here are all the mini comics included in this wave, each one representing a memorable and wonderful story.
▼And that concludes our review of the second wave of the Marvel Legends mini comic book cardback series. In addition to the already fantastic action figures, the included mini comic with each one is the icing on the cake for any collection. These are absolute masterpieces that Marvel fans should not miss! We'll see you in the next review! 