Thursday, April 30, 2026

Action Figure Review: Kitty Pryde and Colossus from Marvel Legends Series: Astonishing X-Men by Hasbro

 

   I've mentioned during a number of Marvel Legends reviews that most of my familiarity with the X-Men in comics is from books prior to the year 2000. Those years are where I've read most of what was published (largely thanks to Marvel's excellent Epic Collections), though I certainly read bits and pieces of some post 2000s books here and there. While I'm not terribly familiar with the storyline of Astonishing X-Men, I definitely know the specific team-up and have collected them as they were released over the past couple of years. While there are always characters that could be added (like Armor, who is long overdue a figure), with this latest 2-pack of Kitty Pryde and Colossus we now have a complete "main" Astonising X-Men team: Cyclops, Emma Frost, Wolverine, Beast, Kitty Pryde, and Colossus. Oh, and Lockheed, who is included here as well. Ready to check out this new 2-pack? Then join me after the break...






The Facts: Kitty Pryde

Height: 6 inches

Articulation: Swivel/hinge ankles, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, ball-jointed hips, balljointed midtorso, swivel/hinge shoulders, swivel biceps, double hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, barbell jointed head, and a swivel ponytail.

Accessories: 4 swappable hands, 2 swappable heads, 2 glove cuffs, and Lockheed.








The Facts: Colossus

Height: 7 7/8ths inches

Articulation: Swivel/hinge ankles, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, ball-jointed hips, swivel waist, balljointed midtorso, swivel/hinge shoulders w/ balljoint sockets, swivel biceps, swivel/hinge elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, hinged neck, and a balljointed head.

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

Non-Scalper Price: $50 -$56 dollars





Comparison:

* On the left is the Astonishing X-Men Kitty Pryde, depicting Kitty likely in her mid 20s, while on the right is Kitty as Shadowcat from the Excalibur set, depicting Kitty as somehwere between 15 and 18. Kitty's Shadowcat costume is definitely my favorite of all of her classic looks. It is definitely cool that the Astonishing X-Men Kitty looks like an adult versus the teenaged Shadowcat. Comic aging, especially with superhero comics, is largely nonsensical, but it's pretty important here.



Comparison:

* And here's a look at the Astonishing X-Men Colossus (left) with the 80th Anniversary Colossus from the 2-pack with Juggernaut (right). While I would have though Kitty would be the main draw for the set, it turns out that Colossus has surged in price over the years, so he's a pretty hot ticket. While the outfits are different, I think for a lot of fans these two are similar enough that it would be preferable to grab the Astonishing Colossus for retail rather than pickup the pricier classic Colossus on the aftermarket. 


The Positives:



* Should Kitty be wearing black and yellow or blue and yellow? I honestly thought blue was more prevalent in the Astonishing X-Men outfit depictions for her, but it could be a traditional comic blue/ black situation or just that Hasbro is basing this on one particular cover or run, etc. Still, the black and yellow looks really good and pops nicely on the shelf. I'd say like... 96% of the yellow on the outfit is excellent and doesn't look like it's blended with the black. There's even a little bit of gold or bronze for the zipper on her outfit and around her collar. 






* Kitty comes with two portraits: One that looks ready for battle and a second that looks more casual. First up, let's check out the more casual portrait with her hair is down and she has a smile on her face. I really like it! Kitty is such a lovable character and this portrait nicely captures her personality and charm. Despite her powers, Kitty still just kind of feels like a regular person caught up in the wild goings on of the X-Men. I think it really just works for her.







* The second portrait shows Kitty with her hair tied back in a ponytail and a more serious, determined look on her face. She's a full-fledged X-Man and even an instructor at times now, so she's ready for anything. The printing on her eyes is really good. It's amazing how far something these portraits have come since the last mainline Kitty Pryde figure.









* Kitty's ponytail has a swivel joint at the base, allowing you to move it when she's posing. 



* The articulation on Kitty is all pinless, so it's clearly a newer body. Well, the limbs at least. She feels sturdy, though some of the joints do feel very tight at first. I had to work them a bit. No heat needed or anything; just a bit of exercising them back and forth. She is missing any kind of waist movement or neck movement, though her mid-torso balljoint works really well. She's still fun to pose though it would be nice if Hasbro could figure out some way of showing off her powers in toy form.







* She has the standard four swappable hands for most women in this line: A pair of fists and a pair of open, gesturing hands. They swap easily and are a nice bright yellow to match the rest of her outfit. 









* I'm fairly confident that this is the same Lockheed that Hasbro has been using for 10 years now. It's still a cool little minifigure, though considering the incredible work that the G.I. Joe team has done with small animals in the Classified Series it would have been cool to see an upgrade. Still, it's Lockheed, so the inclusion is welcome. 








* Let's jump in and talk about Colossus. He's a big fellow! Standing at just a little under 8 inches tall, he's easily a figure that would be sold as a deluxe or Build-a-Figure release. I'm actually quite impressed that when I preordered this set in January it was $50 dollars. That's $25 a figure. By that point standard figures were $28 for most Hasbro lines and Colossus was far larger than any other, so $25 each, while still an elevated price, was pretty reasonable. Hasbro Pulse and other e-tailers have since raised the price to $56, so $28 each.











* Colossus looks awesome. He's still decked out in red and yellow, though it is a different outfit than previous releases. The material has a great sculpt with visible seams and a clear view of his musculature straining the fabric. The colors are bold and different pieces molded in the proper colors are used to prevent paint bleed; a wise decision for red and yellow. I'm really digging the belt buckle, too. The little bit of gold just looks cool and stands out against the rest of the figure.










* Piotr also comes with two portraits. First up is a standard, very stern face. His brow is furrowed a bit, though he's still keeping it together. The silver color here is really good and actually nice and shiny. It looks excellent; almost as if Petey really is made of metal.









* The second portrait shows Colossus in full fight mode. He's ready to offer up a fastball special for sure! By Lenin's ghost, does Piotr look mad!. I love it, especially the white eyes and white teeth against his all steel skin. 












* The metal bands of Colossus' steel skin look incredible. Everything is nice and shiny and the sculpt is very detailed. He's a great looking figure in hand!

















* The attention to detail on his costume and his skin is continued on the back. He's absolutely shredded and it's visible beneath his costume. Red and yellow paint can definitely blend poorly if not done right (really, yellow with anything can be a problem) but Colossus looks clean and vibrant. 











* Four swappable hands are included. Nothing too unique, though: A pair of grappling hands and a pair of fists. They swap easily, so no worries with breakage. The wrist bands are removable, though they do help cover up the wrist joint.






The Negatives:

* When it comes to the design and execution of the figures themselves, I think my only issue is with the yellow rings on Kitty Pryde's calves. The black plastic is definitely showing through the yellow paint. Honestly, the Legends team should have just given her yellow boots. It's plenty accurate to designs of her outfit from this era and it would have just looked better. 





   I've been waiting for a new Kitty Pryde for quite some time and this figure turned out quite nice. While I wasn't as excited about Colossus, I definitely wanted to complete the Astonishing X-Men team, and his figure is definitely impressive. Colossus is excellent and Kitty Pryde is solid. I wish Hasbro had tried a bit more to do something new with Lockheed or try to find a way to show Kitty's powers in some way to enhance a display. Still, two pretty desirable figures at a set that keeps them both at the standard cost or less isn't a bad deal. It's a Great set and a nice chance to get two key X-Men who definitely aren't done as often as some others are. 



Looking for more of Kitty Pryde/ Shadowcat/ Ariel/ Sprite? I've also reviewed the Marvel Legends Series Kitty Pryde from the Juggernaut BAF series. If you're looking for more of Lockheed, he also came with that same figure. 

Surprisingly, this is the first figure of Colossus I've reviewed on the site. 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: Deadpool and Wolverine by Hasbro (2024)
 
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




Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

What'chu talkin' 'bout?

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)