Well folks, I received the 3rd wave of 2011 from Big Bad Toy Store yesterday, and today I got to open them, take a good look at them, and whip up a quick visual guide. Not very in depth, but just a little something to show.
Part of the reason I didn't go into depth was the fact that I was far less impressed when in hand then when viewed in Hi-Res. It may be just the ones I got, but they all definitely felt much cheaper than any of the others I have. Looks like Hasbro is going on the cheap once again, all the while raising the prices across the board. Not to mention, they no longer include any of the secret file cards, so again, we're getting less for more money. All that aside, on to the individual figures...
Dr. Strange:
I was super excited for this one, and think they missed the mark. Due to the way the cape hangs on him, the head is designed forward of the neck, making him look like he's craning his head forward while not moving his neck. Awkward. The Eye of Aggamoto on his cape is boringly plain, no detail painted into it whatsoever. His hands were already pre-posed in his casting style, which is nice, and the overall design of Strange's costume is spot on, in my opinion. There is one small detail that was left off that would have put this figure over the top, and it would be some kind of plastic molded "Spell" effect to put over his hands.
Falcon:
Falcon is another character I was excited for, and JUST missed the mark as the best in the Wave. I have a thing for flying, so I always flock to characters who have wings, artificial or otherwise. I thought it was cool that his wings inserted themselves into the back of his arms, so as not to have some kind of wrist/shoulder/back harness that gets in the way. However, the wings that come with this one are flat, clear plastic wings with only 2-dimensional wings. Again, missed the mark with this one. The pack-in falcon has more detail in its feathers than the wings Falcon himself came with. Still, the figure itself was well detailed and articulated.
Scarlet Spider:
Spider-Man's clone gets his own 1:18th scale figure, and for me, is the best of the Wave. The simplicity is what makes this figure stand out, because it had less detail to measure up to. The proportions were spot on, his jacket fits well and is unobtrusive. His ankle pouches are snug, yet move if you want them to. Mine had nice, stiff joints and clean paint apps. Very happy with this one!
Dr. Doom:
This was the WORST of the Wave, and the one I looked forward to most after Dr. Strange. Again, it may just be the one I got, but it feels so cheap, I half expected to find that it was a knockoff from China or something. His right arm does not lay at his side, but instead at about a 20 degree angle from his body. His knees are so weak and soft they hardly stand, even with his display stand. I hate this one. I don't have the one from the comic pack, but I'm willing to bet that one is tons better than this one.
Skaar:
The Son of The Hulk is FANTASTIC! He's big, he's green, and he has a wicked sword! His size is on par with the previous Hulks that were released, and mine had tight joints, clean paint apps, and a nice solid feel to him. His hand was molded to easily hold his sword, but not loosely. I really don't know what to say about this one other than grab him if you find him at retail!
Overall, I'm not sure this was worth the $50 I paid for the 5 of them. I'd have picked them all up at retail anyway, but now that I know how cheap some of them are, I would have passed on them. Frankly, I'm interested to hear what Zedhatch has to say about them as well once he has them in hand!
