Topic: MU Beast, Beta Ray Bill, ect reviewed.

[zedhatch]

Originally posted:  http://www.zedsjoesite.com/review/mubill/mubill.html




Well I'm going to say it:  2012 has sucked for the 1:18th action figure collector. 

Avengers has been a weak line, figures we have already seen with better quality in previous years.  Sure there was Ultimate Thor and Hawkeye and I am sure I would get Black Widow and Nick Fury if I could find them.  But after several years of going way out of my way to get final waves (from Indy TOD wave to Iron Man 2 Wave 4 to Thor and Lady Sif) I just don't feel the desire to repeat past over-expenditures.  GI Joe got moved with a weak first wave appearing this year for the Retaliation movie (when you could find it) while the later and better waves have been moved to next year.  Star Wars has some great stuff, but with loads of Episode one figures and bad distribution getting the way once again it's a futile effort to find the cool stuff.

So when we finally, and I mean FINALLY, get a new wave of Marvel Universe (after nearly 9 months without a peep from MU), it's a time to rejoice.  Hell, a time to literally cheer for the fact it feels like the light at the end of the tunnel just blasted you with it's bright light.  HOORAY!

So enough about the bad year, let's look at the sunshine.



THANK GOODNESS I got this version, I don't think I could have justified the other one.  So this outfit I think is pretty cool and at least it's different (and of course, technically a different character).  I guess there is no getting around the Spidey's even though he has had two solo lines and plenty of MU releases, so I won't go into a rant on it. 



I was a bit surprised at the fact this Spidey had not so much articulation.  While the arms are ok with the forearm swivels, the legs are pretty standard with no rocker ankles or thigh swivels.  With those points of articulation (which are almost standard for Marvel Universe anymore) I think the figure would have ranked higher.  Without them, well at least he is different than the regular Spidey.  Astute MU collectors will recognize the web bag Spidey had in his House of M version which is another cool thing to have (and can be given to just about any of the Spidey's you like). 

There has been a lot of talk about the scale of this figure (as he is meant to represent a thirteen year old) so how does it actually work.



Well, depends on how you look at it.  Spidey and scale have been a big issue with Hasbro since Marvel Universe started.  He kind of works as a shorter version with a fig like Iron Spider (Or any of the other Spidey's from the "Black costume" mold) the movie figures not so much nor with the Spidey singles line.  So it depends on what you like with Spidey I suppose.  To me he fits with Bucky pretty well so he is passable. 



Verdict, Pretty ok, better with this variant, but if you want the closer to traditional version I would think one from the previous Spider-Man line would work better and probably have better articulation.  This one, however, only has appeared here and this is the shot to get him.

From Spider-Man to a Spider-Villain.



The first time I saw Kraven was in Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends.  He was a bit odd even then but there was something I just liked about him.  The whole idea of a hunter going after Spider-Man for "the ultimate hunt" is just weird, even when I was young it was a stretch.  Still Kraven has been used effectively by some writers (Especially in what I consider the best Spidey story ever, Kraven's Last Hunt) and as such he ranked high on my must have list.  He's very cool on his own but of course he has some good accessories. 



The knife and spear almost seem mandatory.  Of course the Lion's head that he wears for a vest as well.  Also he had very cool skull knee pads.  While he does use one of the more generic bodies those little details make the figure stand out.  If I had to knock him, the lack of thigh swivel and no rocker ankles is something I am confounded at.  He is still very cool though and well worthy of the collection.



Once again there are scale issues, Kraven uses the "big guy" mold we have seen dozens of times but it does seem that makes him a bit too tall.  Still I think he looks perfect with the SDCC Spidey so I can accept it. 

I saw a message on the Marvelous News Board about Kraven's hands being a bit off, specifically that his hands seemed to be in two different scales.  Not really seeing that myself but the only thing I can figure they meant was his spear hand is a bit bigger but it is also more open (to accommodate the spear) so I don't think it's a real issue. 



Scale issues aside, I really like this figure and would have to recommend him for any Spider-Man fan.  Sure he is a bit tall but so what.  Just say Kraven is taller than most artists portray him I say. 

Next up is a figure that has had some controversy in the past. 



Well it's Beast, Hank has finally arrived to the MU line, problem is I think this is not the version of Beast we all wanted.   Thing is he rocks despite that fact.  It's a weird thing I know, but even though I would rather have had our old classic Beast I really like this figure (and a huge part of me hates the cat look to Hank McCoy).

I have to say Beast is one of my faves of the X-Men too.  His exterior contrasts his genius and is one of the few times any character has made that idea work.  Loved him in Avengers, loved his portrayal in the X-Men animated series and to be honest as just pure character I still love the guy. 



His major flaw as a figure is the thighs are just too darned big.  The issue surprisingly inhibits his movement slightly.  It's not so bad I would say don't buy it, but it is something to note.  Another surprise is he is one of the few characters in this wave that has rocker ankles.  While I don't feel the rocker ankles are necessary on everyone, on Hank I think they are needed since his range of motion should be greater than the average figure.  However, I kind of feel the same about Kraven, so there you go (which is my one knock to that figure). 

What's oddest to me though is I have seen some complaints about the extra point of articulation in the foot.  Honestly I kind of like it and it appears it can be used to "hook" Hank onto things so he can hang upside down.  I have yet to try it but I am sure it will work.  Also the POA allows for some extra posing (With some effort) with the feet (see above).  Again not sure why people complain about such interesting things, but it does kind of back that idea that some people just complain to complain. 

Beast also has wrist articulation which is very well hidden.  Again he is one of the few in this wave with such articulation. 

Now comes the inevitable comparison with the Toybiz Super-Hero Showdown version. 



Scale wise they are about even, which works fine.  I have always had the impression that Hank's first mutation was a touch skinnier than the latest one, so it works on that level for both of them.  I have to say I like the SHS Beasts color as it's closer to the comics. Cat Beast looks a bit gray in comparison (but not gray enough to be Dark Beast).  Of course SHS Beast has that gaping mouth, which is a detractor.  Surprisingly the mouth is the only detractor from SHS Beast.  Honestly next to Thor, Colossus and Thing he is one of the best figs Toybiz produced for the SHS line and as such is very hard to top.



In addition SHS Beast can do the stand on head trick and surprisingly can do it better than MU Beast.  I mention this because this has been a big point in some reviews of MU Beast. 



Lastly SHS Beast has a better range of motion than MU Beast.  SHS is also more stable as well, I had a very hard time posing MU Beast for this shot while SHS Beast took all of a few seconds.  Overall I have to say SHS Beast is a much better version.  That's not to say MU Beast isn't awesome, but in a head to head comparison, SHS Beast wins by a mile. 



Again, while I'm not a huge fan of this look for Hank I have to say the figure won me over.  He has great articulation and is an awesome sculpt that effectively hides much of it.  With him you can get a good amount of the Astonishing X-Men (if you are so inclined) so that is another plus (with Emma on the way the team is nearly complete). 

[zedhatch]

Now we jump from blue to green:



AT LAST, This is how Hulkster should have been the first time!

While some really loved the first stab at Hulk I personally hated it.  To me Hulk needs to have some degree of hip movement in order for me to even remotely feel he is a proper version of the character.  World War Hulk was awesome and fit that bill but he is also kind of limited.  Avengers pack Hulk is cool too but again he doesn't look the part of the regular Hulk.  When I saw pictures of this Hulk I was SOOO happy.  He fits the role and has the necessary articulation.  He actually came out in a gift pack (with figures I already had) and yes I debated getting the pack JUST for a proper Hulk.  However I was patient and waited and I am very, very happy with the results.   

To be fair the thickness of Hulk's limbs do inhibit his movement just a bit, but he works on a great many levels.  He is 100 times better than the first stab at Hulk both in sculpt, range of motion, and overall presentation.  The head sculpt is new and it fits Hulk perfectly. 



I saw a couple of comments that "Oh this is just World War Hulk with a different head."  Actually there is a ton different on this figure.  It appears the arm and torso are from WWH (However it should be noted that WWH has waist articulation while this hulk doesn't, but it appears like he should).  The legs, left arm, hands/fists, legs and feet all appear to be new.  The feet are similar to Avengers boxed set Hulk but have a different texture (although they could be the same feet modified possibly).  I guess I am saying this figure has enough original parts to warrant being a new figure, oh and his hips move ;-). 



If Hasbro could only do as good a job on Thing they would probably have it made.  Still the SHS Thing is an awesome figure that works with this Hulk to give that classic clash of the titans. 



He has the purple pants for that classic Hulk look and the tears are just perfect while not hindering articulation.  Really this is the Hulk we should have had back in MU wave 3.  He simply rocks.  What is weird is the case with this Hulk features the crappy Hulk as well as a carry forward.  Really Hasbro?  I know people were blowing smoke up your butts over that figure, but it's really bad and we all know it will pegwarm to death. 



This figure is a must have, but he already has appeared in a gift pack and will appear again in a comic pack so he should be pretty easy to acquire.  But at least he is an incredibly cool figure, but get ready for burnout on him (If Hasbro patterns stick).  I know some people went for the Avengers movie Hulk, which I admit looked fair but this one just seems very far superior (Like double jointed knees) and has the iconic comic look to him (Yes, purple pants really do make a difference).

Now comes the guy I feel is the star of the wave:



And yes, the "star" distinction is my opinion, but anyone who knows anything about me knows Bill has been very high on my "make him" list since this line began. 

What can I say about Bill, he has been a favorite of mine for a very, very long time.  I suppose some of it has to do with his introduction (in which he appears to be a bad guy until he picks up Thor's hammer and is transformed).  To me he also hit home that idea of "worthy to lift the hammer" ideal.  He was so worthy he was granted his own version of the hammer (Stormbreaker for those not initiated, although I thought it should be some kind of alien name myself).  As an alien he is also interesting since he combines the old flavor of Norse Mythology with a high tech advanced alien race which to me is a cool contrast. 

I would argue Bill is one of my top ten favorite Marvel Characters for the reasons mentioned above (among others).  I was VERY surprised at his lack of appearance in the Thor movie line (as well as a lack of Comic inspired figures in said line) but was very happy to see him finally make an appearance.   



Bill his hella cool, he even has an articulated mouth (which opens a bit wide at it's fullest for my taste but is pretty interesting as Bill always had some interesting expressions due to his alien appearance and the mouth is a huge part of that). 



Scale pops in again, not sure why I thought Bill was taller than Thor.  However, When I went looking around I realized they are about the same size.  Even my Marvel Legends figures have no difference in height between them.  Not sure where I got this idea from but I guess in light of that Bill fits in just right. 



Bill even works with the SHS Thor which kind of made like Bill's figure even more.



Something I wasn't expecting was the shoulder pads being part of the cape.  It's not a huge deal to me but I think it deserves mentioning.  Stormbreaker looks great as well like it was ripped out of the comic with Bill. 



Articulation is pretty standard for MU of late minus rocker ankles.  Not sure why they were not included as it appears Bill's legs are entirely new.  Also the thigh swivel in the leg is carefully concealed (and a bit lower to help in the concealment, caught me off guard but in a good way). 



So, with all that in mind what can I say.  I tend to gravitate to these types of characters to begin with as I feel they are the ones that make things interesting in Marvel (Deathlok, Darkhawk, Sleepwalker, Thunderstike, War Machine) and often when handled correctly they can outshine some of the stars of the Marvel Universe (just for being a breath of fresh air).  So it should seem clear my feelings on this figure.  I would have to recommend Bill just because he is unique and odd but also very cool. 



With that I will wrap up this review, I will thank goodness I have something to be happy about in my 1:18th toy collecting again and will try to stick to the positives here.  It's an awesome wave once again (which is great considering it's been almost a year since we have had a knockout wave from Marvel Universe, and by that I mean knock out, not just a set of repaints). 

 Is doom and gloom in the future for MU, should we fear the worst?-Screw it, just enjoy the sunshine for a few before we get on that crap.  Been too dark this year. 

[Phatty]

I just got my case last week or so, and haven't had the chance to crack it open yet.  I was looking forward to this wave quite a bit, though I could do without another Spider-Man.  I agree though, this was the wave that was supposed to come out in April, but we're just now getting it.  Anymore, it's depressing to go to the stores, as every line out there has been stagnant.  Star Wars has been stuck with the first wave of the year since it came out, never getting low enough for a restock.  MU is a waste since I buy from Big Bad Toy Store, and The Avengers haven't been stocked in ages.  I saw the Ultimate Hawkeye one time, and the paint apps were terrible, so I left it on the pegs, and haven't seen it since.  I have no real hope of finding Black Widow or Fury at retail.  I've been itching for new entries to my MU shelf, and it's about time they arrived! 

Great review, as always!

[Mando Assasin]

I Would love to have that hulk for a custom gammorean figure!

[Tamer]

I still see a Skaar from time to time and I understand those figures do make great Gammy customs.

Zed, awesome review, I really do enjoy seeing you uncover every stone with these. On the front page.

As for me, I see your points about that new hulk but that bit of purple pants below that green knee looks a little wonky to me. I think I would have liked if they had just ended the pants above that knee. Awesome review though.

Matter of fact I enjoyed this one so much, if you could figure out how to give me a 100 by 100 pixel image (what I use for the front page buttons) of both of these together I can put it in our Imperial Review Archives.

[zedhatch]

I just got my case last week or so, and haven't had the chance to crack it open yet.  I was looking forward to this wave quite a bit, though I could do without another Spider-Man.  I agree though, this was the wave that was supposed to come out in April, but we're just now getting it.  Anymore, it's depressing to go to the stores, as every line out there has been stagnant.  Star Wars has been stuck with the first wave of the year since it came out, never getting low enough for a restock.  MU is a waste since I buy from Big Bad Toy Store, and The Avengers haven't been stocked in ages.  I saw the Ultimate Hawkeye one time, and the paint apps were terrible, so I left it on the pegs, and haven't seen it since.  I have no real hope of finding Black Widow or Fury at retail.  I've been itching for new entries to my MU shelf, and it's about time they arrived! 

Great review, as always!

I've got a feeling that in another year we will see a drastic change from Hasbro and not a good one, I say that because the way tehy are going it's one way or the other (Change or decimation which I think the latter).

I said 2 years ago if Habro didn't change it's attude things would get bleak, it did, I said last year if things don't change that within a year it will get ugly, look around.  And I am not saying that for some kind of bragging rights of huborus, I am saying it because I STILL hear (ok read) people who act like everything is wonderful and nothing is wrong (especially GI Joe boards which many seem like in complete and total denial right now). 

I Would love to have that hulk for a custom gammorean figure!

That would be a big Gamorian, to me Gamy's are fat though, and hulk is built so for me it doesn't quite work.

Plus you'd have to get a huge head for it LOL.

I still see a Skaar from time to time and I understand those figures do make great Gammy customs.

Zed, awesome review, I really do enjoy seeing you uncover every stone with these. On the front page.

As for me, I see your points about that new hulk but that bit of purple pants below that green knee looks a little wonky to me. I think I would have liked if they had just ended the pants above that knee. Awesome review though.

Matter of fact I enjoyed this one so much, if you could figure out how to give me a 100 by 100 pixel image (what I use for the front page buttons) of both of these together I can put it in our Imperial Review Archives.

Just to note, Skaar and Hulk are two different molds, but if one works I guess they both will.

On hulk, I kind of see your point on the pants, but I have wanted a classic hulk for so very long now and really it only looks wonky from the front IMO.

On the pics, I will try to get that to you tonight, on the way to work right now, but thanks. 

[Mando Assasin]

True bean's mate! You would need a huge head!

[Phatty]

I've not had any faith in Hasbro in quite some time.  The MU line is my favorite because they're so often new, with the exception of the myriad of Iron Men, Spider-Men, and so on.  I've felt doomed with the Star Wars line ever since it was announced that they had the license until 2018.  There's only so much "new" they can do in more than 20 years.  And since like every other corporation out there, the bottom line is worth more than the product they put out, it was only a matter of time before they obliterated the line.  They truly feel that 8 repackaged Vaders a year is going to sustain the line because "it's the children that drive the market, not collectors."  Good luck with that, hasbro! 

In the meantime, you do these figures justice with your reviews, I look forward to each and every one!

[zedhatch]

True bean's mate! You would need a huge head!

LOL I would imagine, plus the gammy would look ten feet tall, which I think can work for some I suppose, but not for me, but that is me. 

I've not had any faith in Hasbro in quite some time.  The MU line is my favorite because they're so often new, with the exception of the myriad of Iron Men, Spider-Men, and so on.  I've felt doomed with the Star Wars line ever since it was announced that they had the license until 2018.  There's only so much "new" they can do in more than 20 years.  And since like every other corporation out there, the bottom line is worth more than the product they put out, it was only a matter of time before they obliterated the line.  They truly feel that 8 repackaged Vaders a year is going to sustain the line because "it's the children that drive the market, not collectors."  Good luck with that, hasbro! 

In the meantime, you do these figures justice with your reviews, I look forward to each and every one!

I have to agree, even when the new stuff hits it's so hard to find with distro the way it is (Bounty Hunter, ect).  I loves me some star wars but man it is depressing.

On Joe, dear god why did they show us that consept vault, that stuff kicked major league butt, that is what has broken my heart with that line because it FINALLY got to where I would have liked to to go with 30th and then just fumbles back into old pattern. 

[Tamer]

This review is now live on the front page.