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Thursday, May 1, 2025

Action Figure Review: Nightcrawler (X-Force) from Marvel Legends Series: X-Men by Hasbro

 


*BAMF*

   Look who has showed up! It's Nightcrawler! Another heavy hitter in this series of figures, Nightcrawler is a beloved mutant and not only a member of Uncanny X-Force here but also another Age of Apocalypse figure, technically. Yes, this is the Age of Apocalypse version of Nightcrawler/ Kurt Darkholme who eventually showed up in the Uncanny X-Force. I'm not 100% familiar with this guy at all as I'm not real up to date on more modern X-books, but I do love mutants so I'm thrilled to assemble an X-Force team of these mutants in their cool black and grey costumes. Ready to check this guy out? Then join me after the break...

The Facts:

Height: 6 1/8ths inches

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

Accessories: 4 swappable hands, 2 swappable portraits, sword, and helmet and backpack for Nemesis/ Holocaust build-a-figure.

Non-Scalper Price: $25 dollars





The Positives:

* If you have last year's X-Men '97 Nightcrawler than you do have most of this figure already, as the Uncanny X-Force version is a repaint of that figure with new portraits and a sword accessory. Still, that's not necessarily a bad thing, as the X-Men '97 Nightcrawler is a really good figure. Hasbro's Legends team captured Nightcrawler's slender, muscular build and the unique vest-like design of his costume, including the funky shoulder pads. Most of his paintwork is very sharp, too, and the grey and black outfit (with a red X on the chest) does give him a unique look from most other X-Men figures. 







* As mentioned above, this is a different version of Nightcrawler from the standard Earth-616 version. This is Kurt Darkholme Nightcrawler from the Age of Apocalypse timeline/ Earth-295. He looks a bit more serious than your average Nightcrawler and has the tattoo over his left eye from AoA. He's also sporting some really nice hair with a blue drybrush effect. It looks quite good!







* The second portrait depicts Nightcrawler in a bit of a rage. Guess he's not dealing with a friend here, right? I love the work on his mouth as you can see his teeth and fangs quite easily. His mouth is a separate piece attached underneath his chin, making it standout and have more detail. His eyes are also red here, which is a pretty frightening look.




* Nightcrawler's tail look pretty good here, especially with the pointed tip. It's a nice sculpt and it's articulated at the base.












* He's also sporting some nifty white boots that cover his uniquely shaped feet.









* X-Force Nightcrawler seems the same as last year's X-Men '97 Nightcrawler, so he's a newer build with some unique parts, pinless joints, and a good range of motion. I do wish he has a balljointed waist and mid-torso combination, but even the somewhat outdated use of a swivel waist and hinge on a character known for expressive movements isn't a terrible hindrance. He takes some might fine poses and is quite fun to mess around with.






* Four hands are included: Two open hands and two fists. They swap easily and give Nightcrawler a couple options for display.









* Nightcrawler is a swashbuckler and he comes with a fancy sword for fighting. It's a nice looking accessories and the black handle does match his X-Force costume better than the typical gold handled swords Nightcrawler is seen with.











* Last up, you get two pieces of the Nemesis/ Holocaust Build-a-Figure: The helmet and the backpack with attached hoses. This guy is a really cool figure and I'm excited to review him soon!







The Negatives:


* You can fit the sword into Nightcrawler's hand, but it's a pain because it doesn't sit right and it falls out too easily. The Wendigo BAF series Nightcrawler had actual gripping hands, so I don't know why Hasbro neglected to include them here. Heck, I want any future Nightcrawler figures to be able to use Three Sword Style like in X-Men '97. That was absolutely a crazy good moment in X-Men '97, wasn't it?



   X-Force Nightcrawler wasn't my most anticipated figure from this series, but I do really like him. I love building teams, so that's a plus. Also, Nightcrawler doesn't get multiple figures a year like some characters, so he's a nice addition. I do wish he had better hand sculpts, though. Still, he's a Great and a 1/2 figure with multiple portraits, clean paint, and the parts for the awfully cool Holocaust/ Nemesis Build-a-Figure. Who is my favorite figure from the series? It's a bit of a tossup, but I really like how Husk turned out. This is a very consistent series, though, with an incredible BAF. My review for Nemesis/ Holocaust is coming soon.


   This is the first figure of Nightcrawler, AKA Kurt Wagner or Kurt Darkholme. For more Marvel Legends Series reviews check out the following:
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Angel
at

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