It's ironic that this set has quickly become one
of my most treasured acquisitions this year considering that I'm not
really a big fan of these Marvel Universe comic packs. I was so
disappointed with my first MU comic pack figs that the thought of
avoiding all the 1:18 Marvel toylines actually crossed my mind.
Fortunately, the Captain America: The First Avenger toyline helped
change how I see things and now I'm steadily building my 1:18 Avengers
crew. Still, I can't get over the fact that these MU comic pack figs do
not come with display stands. Hasbro, please give every figure a display
stand, we don't need to remind you how important those stands are.
When I first saw a pic of this set on one of the
toy sites that I frequent, I was like, "Wow! I need that comic pack!"
But upon closer inspection of the photo, I was like, "Uh-oh! Trouble!"
Why the sudden change of heart? Well, because the pairing of the figures
is something I'm already familiar with. I'm not talking about the
characters, I'm talking about the base bodies used on the figures. I
don't know if you noticed it immediately, but the base bodies used on
these two figures are exactly the same base bodies used on the figures
from the dreaded Sentry/Spider-Man comic pack. Sentry and Wonder Man
share the same body first seen on Wave 6's Warpath, while Spider-Man and
Quicksilver both use the slender body debuted by Wave 3's Black Costume
Spider-Man. Luckily, Wonder Man and Quicksilver don't suffer from
Sentry's and Spidey's fatal flaws, super-soft plastic and extremely
loose joints.
I like this set probably not because of the
figures themselves, but rather because of the characters. That doesn't
mean that the figures are bad, it's just that both Wonder Man and
Quicksilver are very essential to the Avengers' lore that I think I
would still like this set even if the figures turned out to be bad. But
since the figures are far from being bad, Imagine how happy I am!
So, let's talk about the figures, and let's cover
the sculpts first. From neck to toe, Wonder Man is just a repainted
Warpath, a tall and muscular figure. I don't have a lot to say about it,
but it really looks great. The hands are in a semi-open position, and
they're a bit annoying because they tend to limit the poses you can do
with the figure. From neck to toe too, Quicksilver is just a repainted
Black Costume Spider-Man, a tall and slender figure. I think that the
reused body suits Quicksilver well and I have no qualms about the
sculpt. Hhhmmm, there's really nothing new with these figures except for
the heads, so let's take a peek at those. Wonder Man's mug looks a bit
big on his body, but it's actually nicely sculpted. The face is fitting
for the Hollywood actor that Simon Williams is, and the serious facial
expression is perfect. Not to be outdone, Quicksilver's mug also gets an
A+. I love how the person in charge of sculpting this figure's head
managed to translate the character's hairstyle into plastic form, so
kudos to you, whoever you are, Sir!
Paint-wise, there's not much to criticize either. Wonder Man's head and face are painted exceptionally well, and the red on his eyes are applied cleanly. Paint apps on the body are minimal, but crisp. The "W" on the chest and at the back are also smoothly applied. There are no smudges, leaks, or chips, and the flesh-colored parts get some paint wipes that highlight the sculpt. Quicksilver's paint apps are not as great, but are quite good enough. The gray on his hair is a bit excessive, and the point where the zigzag patterns (Are those supposed to be lightning bolts?) meet at his waist could have been handled better. There's also a dark wash on the blue parts of the outfit and it helps the figure look less like plastic.
When it comes to articulation, both figures leave you asking for quite some more. Wonder Man could have benefited from the new neck joint being used on figures of flying characters while it would be fun to see Quicksilver get those new hip/thigh joints for more dynamic poses, but the reuse of the old bodies made sure we don't get our wishes. Both figures are still super-poseable though, and Quicksilver can even hold a running pose without hand support.
We don't need to talk about accessories since both
figures come with none, unless you count Wonder Man's rocket-laden belt
as one. It's a great piece with sculpted details, but it's not readily
removable. Other than that, the only thing these two figures come with
is a reprint of Avengers West Coast #60. It's a good read, but the art's
not exactly a sight for sore eyes.
Overall, this is a great set, especially for Avengers fanatics. We finally get two of our fave characters in 1:18 scale and both of them are done nicely. If you're a fan of the Earth's mightiest heroes, this set will surely brighten your day.
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