Action Figure Review: Catwoman (The Dark Knight Rises) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   McFarlane continues to release figures based on Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy and in 2024 we've so far received two different versions of Anne Hathaway's Catwoman. The first version was a McFarlane Toy Store exclusive and came with the Batpod while this second version is a Platinum chase exclusive that shipped in a case with some other versions of Batman from The Dark Knight and Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Anne Hathaway was a great Selina Kyle, though she's not my favorite Catwoman. I really liked Zoë Kravitz in The Batman but I'm not sure anyone can top Michelle Pfeiffer for me. Ever. Listen, I know she's a weirdly and wildly comic inaccurate Catwoman, but her performance is absolutely in a league of its own. Meow, indeed. I hope McFarlane gets around to releasing some figures from the Burton films. Those could be incredible. I don't even like Batman & Robin but the figures were really cool, and now we've got Batman Forever figures on the way (which is, in my opinion, the worst Batman movie). Of course, let's turn our attention back to the Dark Knight Trilogy and to Selina Kyle, AKA Catwoman. Let's check her out after the break...

Action Figure Review: Wolverine & Lilandra Neramani from Marvel Legends Series: Wolverine by Hasbro

 

   2024 is the 50th anniversary of Wolverine and it's going to be a big year for the guy. Besides costarring in a movie with Deadpool, Hasbro also has some four packs to celebrate the most popular X-Man of them all. Each of the 4-packs has some version of Wolverine paired with another character and some of them are a bit odd. I'd argue that the only slam dunk of a set is the Logan and Sabretooth set as the others don't always quite make sense or definitely come with a less desirable figure. In this set, Brood infected Wolverine is the less desirable figure. Don't get me wrong, it does come from the comics and is a look for the character featured on a pretty well know cover, but Empress Lilandra Neramani is clearly the star of the set. This is the first of the four packs I found and I picked it up at Needless Toys and Collectibles in Lincolnton, NC (an incredible toy store). Ready to check out this set? Then let's dive in after the break...

Action Figure Review: The X-Cutioner from Marvel Legends Series: X-Men '97 by Hasbro

   I was really excited when it was revealed that Hasbro was releasing The X-Cutioner in the Marvel Legends X-Men '97 series. He's a cool character straight out of the 1990s who definitely seems like a perfect fit for an X-Men cartoon set in 1997. I've now watched the first three episodes of X-Men '97 so far and let me say that, in the parlance of our times, that the show is bussin. Honestly, I'd go so far as to say that it's mega bussin. Episode 1 was good, but episodes 2 and 3 were incredible. I'm loving it and X-Cutioner's appearance at Magneto's trial before the United Nations just poured fuel onto a fire. He's a pretty menacing character and I like how the animated series has used Carl Denti. Toy Biz released an X-Cutioner figure in 1995 and I'm pretty confident that's the last time he graced toy shelves. I didn't own him as a kid, but I did think he was a pretty cool fellow. I read the X-Cutioner's Song storyline a year or two ago so I've been hoping Hasbro would visit this guy. let's check out this menace to mutantkind after the break...

 

Action Figure Review: Magneto from Marvel Legends Series: X-Men '97 by Hasbro

 

   Guess what? Over the weekend, which ended up being pretty busy for me, I finished the original X-Men animated series and was able to watch the first episode. I really liked it and, since it truly continue from the last episode of the original series, I'm glad I rewatched the first three to four seasons and watched the rest of season four and season five, which I don't believe I'd ever seen. Season five does have a weird animation change but the stories are still good. So, since I've only watched the first episode of X-Men '97 I'm not going to delve into many spoilers here outside of the first episode. I don't know why Magneto is wearing his outfit from the 1985 storyline "The Trial of Magneto" rather than his classic red and purple outfit, but it sure looks sharp. I assume the Trial of Magneto will be used as the basis for some episodes this season. Of course, since Professor Xavier has left everything to Magneto in his will, he's now the big boss man and in charge of the X-Men. What?!?! Now, remember, Professor X isn't really dead; in the last episode of season five of the original show he was shot with an energy gun of some sort by Henry Gyrich and was taken by Lilandra to live in the Shi'ar empire where he will be able to be treated an survive. Apparently, the X-Men have decided to just go with the story that Chuck is dead since they don't seem to believe they'll ever see him again. How will the trial of Magneto play out since Magnus/ Erik/ Max is now part of the team? I'm anxious to find out. For now, let's see how the figure turned out. Let's check Magneto out after the break...

Action Figure Review: Jean Grey from Marvel Legends Series: X-Men '97 by Hasbro

 

   

   It's time for another spoiler free review of a Hasbro Marvel Legends Series: X-Men '97 figure and this time it's Jean Grey! I remember being utterly baffled as a kid watching the original X-Men cartoon series that there weren't figures of the main team from the cartoon. In 1992, the year the cartoon premiered, You could eventually find Gambit and the tiger stripe Wolverine, and Cyclops and Storm in costumes fairly different from the show, but no Rogue, Beast, Morph, Jubilee, Professor X, or Jean Grey. While I was actively collecting the toys Beast, Morph, and Professor X were released, as was Rogue, but I never found her as a kid. Jean didn't get released until late 1994 or 1995, but that was as the Phoenix, and by that time I wasn't actively collecting the line (the latest figure I remember purchasing from the line until Marvel Legends came along was Bonebreaker). Well, now we're living in a golden age of X-Men toys and I have at least half a dozen Jean Grey figures. What a time to be alive, eh? I haven't yet watched X-Men '97 (I'm about halfway done with the fifth and final season of the original series) so anything I say is conjecture on my part. No spoilers! Let's take a look at jean Grey after the break...

Action Figure Review: Franklin "Airborne" Talltree from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 Last week I reviewed Big Boa from the newest series of G.I. Joe figures and now I'm checking out another figure, and this time it's a member of the G.I. Joe team: Franklin "Airborne" Talltree. Airborne never seemed to get a lot of attention in most Joe media but he definitely is memorable because he was from the second year of the line (1983) and because he was a pretty strong figure. Airborne is another figure that gets his fie name used because of some trademark issue. During the Spy Troops, Valor Vs. Venom, 25th Anniversary, and Retaliation eras he was called Sgt. Airborne and during the Rise of Cobra era he was called Air Raid. Oddly enough, there is actually another G.I. Joe codenamed Airborne (he was part of Sky Patrol) and another codenamed Air Raid (a different Sky Patrol member from the 2016 GIJCC convention). Franklin Talltree is the original, though: a Navajo airborne infantryman who passed the Bar exams but decided jumping out of plane was just more fun. Ready to check this guy out? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Goblin Queen from Marvel Legends Series: X-Men '97 by Hasbro

 

   I'm now on the 5th season of my X-Men watch through which I'm trying to complete before starting X-Men '97 and I'm trying really, really hard to avoid spoilers. One of the biggest surprises for me happened when I first saw the X-Men '97 Goblin Queen POP! vinyl at GameStop back in December or January. My first thought when I saw it was that I hoped Hasbro would release her in the X-Men '97 Marvel Legend Series as they've made kind of a big deal that the Goblin Queen was a figure they weren't allowed to make previously. They did show off a comic version of the Goblin Queen as a stretch goal for the ill-fated Ghost Rider: Engine of Vengeance HasLab, but by that point I was pretty much just collecting X-Men related stuff and didn't have much interest in anything except her and Mephisto. Wow this isn't her most famous look, it's not a bad new look for the character and it does work pretty well as both a comic and cartoon based figure. Madelyne Pyor has a long history with the X-Men and it's nice to finally have her in Marvel Legends. I don't know how her character will be utilized in X-Men '97 but that's not stopping me from reviewing her! Let's check out Madelyne Pryor as the Goblin Queen after the break...