Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Wrapping Up 2025: Emma Frost from Marvel Legends Series: X-Men '97 by Hasbro

 

   As I've mentioned in previous reviews, I really do like Hasbro's X-Men '97 line of Marvel Legends. The figures are quite good and I'm a big fan of the style as it does capture the look of the animated series while still allowing the figures to blend in quite nicely with their comic counterparts unlike, say, the Spider-Verse figures. Hasbro has done a nice job of selecting characters who are major players in X-Men '97, sure, but they've also managed to select characters who are just welcome additions to a Marvel Legends X-Men collection. Take Emma Frost here, for example: The last Emma Frost figure was released in 2023 and was based on her Astonishing X-Men look and the one before that was the Hellfire Club version (so this one) but was an SDCC exclusive. While Emma Frost wasn't a major character in the first season of X-Men '97, she sure warranted an updated figure as she's a classic X-Men antagonist turned protagonist. Ready to check out a new version of Emma Frost, the White Queen? Then join me after the break...



The Facts:

Height: 6 1/2ths inches

Articulation: Swivel/hinge ankles, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, ball-jointed hips, balljointed waist, swivel/hinge shoulders, bicep swivels, double hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, hinged neck, and a ball jointed head.

Accessories: 2 swappable heads, 4 swappable hands, and cape.

Non-Scalper Price: $26 to $28 dollars

Year of Release: 2025






Comparison:

* Here's a trio of Emma Frosts (which is what some of you out there would wish for if you met a genie): The new X-Men '97 version (left), the Astonishing X-Men version from the Ch'od BAF series (middle), and the SDCC 2020 Hellfire Club set version (right). They're all unqiue figures, though the X-Men '97 version and the Hellfire Club version do share capes. 




The Positives:


* Let's start by checking out Emma Frost without her cape. First, I'm glad the cape is removable as the Astonishing X-Men Emma was good but her cape really limited her articulation. If you want Emma to engage in some combat uninhibited, she definitely can. Like most of the X-Men '97 figures (and most modern Marvel Legends for the most part), Emma Frost utilizes different plastic colors almost as much as paint, if not more. That really does make her a very clean looking figure, though, and you really do kind of get the impression that you're looking at a figure wearing an outfit rather than an outfit that's painted on. The joints are smartly placed, so Emma outfit (what little of it there is, anyhow) looks the best it can.







* Emma Frost comes with two portraits, the first being pretty neutral. She really looks like a good blend between the classic character and her animated appearance. The face printing definitely does a much better job of capturing things like makeup and eyeshadow than standard painting does. She definitely looks like a mean girl, though she's likely going to be part of the X-Men team in season 2. 



* Emma's second portrait definitely has a different expression, looking a bit pleased with herself. I like the hair, too. It's definitely more interesting and works better in action poses. The heads here do swap easily with the Hellfire Club SDCC Emma Frost, so you can swap put that portrait with one of these if you want. I'm using this portrait on the 2020 figure and the neutral hair portrait on this X-Men '97 body, but you might want to do something different. Go for it! Live your best life.





* Hasbro hasn't been using a lot of paint detail on current legends but I do want to point out the solid work on Emma Frost's corset. Not only are the laces pretty cleanly painted but the eyelets even get silver paint hits. That's a pretty neat little detail to include!









* Emma's cape is reused from the 2020 SDCC exclusive but it still looks good and is removable. It's pretty nice looking with a little paint detail on the cloth collar. She looks really good wearing this and definitely feels more like a complete figure with this on.










* How's the articulation? Not bad. She's sporting all pinless joints and while her limbs might be reused, her torso seems to be all new. I like how the joints here are largely hidden as they pair up with her outfit; the bicep swivels coincide with her opera gloves, her thigh swivels coincide with her thigh high boots, and the balljointed waist is hidden by the bottom of her corset. The joints are all nice and  tight and move well. While she is lacking a few standard joints like a mid-torso joint and boot swivels, the figure does nicely strike a compromise between form and function. 





* The swappable hands included are pretty much the most basic set of any Marvel Legends women: A fist and two gesturing hands. They swap easily, though, and do give you a couple options or display. 







Note:


* In some of the shots of Emma Frost you can see she has a stand. Usually figures with high heels on are pretty tough to keep standing and Emma is no exception. That being said, she can stand on her own. I'm surprised, too. I used the stand in many of the pictures for convenience, sure, but also because the cobblestone base of my backdrop (which is from Mezco's Silent Screamers Golem) is definitely uneven, so the heels just didn't work. I'd recommend a stand on your shelf for sure, but she can stand on her own. 







   Besides just loving the fact that there's a robust line of X-Men figures based on the animated series, I'm also liking Hasbro being able to use this line to get new versions of plenty of the most popular X-Men heroes and villains. The retro series has definitely done a pretty nice job of that, too. Before the month is out I'm going to be reviewing a couple new X-Men characters who have been long wanted by many collectors, but I'm also fine with worthy updates like Emma Frost. She's a Good and a 1/2 figure. The figure is about as good as can be, minus minor articulation improvements, but she certainly feels a bit barebones for the new higher price point. For X-Men collectors, right now is a great time for figures and character selection but a bad time for pricing. I've largely cut down on buying non X related characters unless they're just absolute gems. 


Looking for more of Emma Frost, AKA the White Queen? I've also reviewed the Astonishing X-Men version of Emma Frost from the Ch'od BAF series.

For more Marvel Legends Series reviews check out the following:
Marvel Legends Series by Hasbro (2016)

Marvel Legends Series: 85th Anniversary by Hasbro (2024)

Marvel Legends Series: Avengers by Hasbro
Taskmaster
Yelena Belova

Marvel Legends Series: Black Panther by Hasbro (2017)
Black Panther 

Marvel Legends Series: Black Widow by Hasbro (2020)
Black Widow: Deadly Origin
 
Marvel Legends Series: Captain America by Hasbro (2016)
Black Panther
Demolition Man (Mercenaries of Mayhem)
Nick Fury 
Nuke 

Marvel Legends Series: Captain Marvel by Hasbro (2019)
Captain Marvel

Marvel Legends Series: Dark Avengers by Hasbro (2025)
 
Marvel Legends Series: Doctor Strange

Marvel Legends Series: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) 
 
Marvel Legends Series: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
Baron Zemo

Marvel Legends Series: Fantastic Four (2017)
Mr. Fantastic
Thing  
 
Marvel Legends Series: Gamerverse
Civil Warrior

Marvel Legends Series: Guardians of the Galaxy by Hasbro (2017)
Angela
Groot Evolution
Yondu

Marvel Legends Series: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 by Hasbro (2017)
Drax
Gamora (Daughters of Thanos)
Nebula (Daughters of Thanos)
Rocket Raccoon & Groot
Star-Lord 
Yondu 

Marvel Legends Series: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 by Hasbro (2023)
Mantis
 
Marvel Legends Series: The Infinity Gauntlet by Hasbro (2021)
 
Marvel Legends Series: The Infninity Saga by Hasbro
Captain Marvel & Rescue Armor

Marvel Legends Series: Inhumans by Hasbro (2017)
 
Marvel Legends Series: Ironheart by Hasbro (2021)
 
Marvel Legends Series: Iron Man by Hasbro  
Vault Guardsman

Marvel Legends Series: Marvel Knights (2023)
Blade

Marvel Legends Series: Phoenix by Hasbro (2024)
Jean Grey and Phoenix Force

Marvel Legends Series: The Punisher by Hasbro (2019)
The Punisher (Walgreens Exclusive)
Punisher: War Machine

Marvel Legends Series: Rom the Spaceknight by Hasbro (2025)
 
Marvel Legends Series: She-Hulk by Hasbro
She-Hulk 

Marvel Legends Series: Silk by Hasbro
Silk and Doc Ock

Marvel Legends Series: Silver Surfer by Hasbro (2018)
Silver Surfer

Marvel Legends Series: Spider-Man by Hasbro
Hallow's Eve
King in Black: Knull and Venom

Marvel Legends Series: Strange Tales (2024)

Marvel Legends Series: Super Villains by Hasbro (2021)
Xemnu

Marvel Legends Series: Thor by Hasbro
Gorr
Ragnarok

Marvel Legends Series: Thor: Love and Thunder by Hasbro (2022)
Mighty Thor

Marvel Legends Series: Typhoid Mary by Hasbro (2018)
Typhoid Mary

Marvel Legends Series: The Unbelievable Gwenpool by Hasbro (2018)
Gwenpool

Marvel Legends Series: Venom by Hasbro (2018)
Carnage  
 
Marvel Legends Series: WandaVision by Hasbro (2021)
 
Marvel Legends Series: What If? by Hasbro (2021)

Marvel Legends Series: Wolverine by Hasbro
Wolverine & Lilandra Neramani
Wolverine & Psylocke

Marvel Legends Series: X-Men by Hasbro (2016)
Angel





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