X-Men Teams - “Love Triangle” 3-pack

X-Men Teams - “Love Triangle” 3-pack 

Marvel Legends - Hasbro

There have been so many Marvel Legends X-Men figures as of late, that its hard to document them all, blog to blog.  So, I’m throwing up a couple of team pictures to include an updated Colossus, Jean Grey, Nightcrawler, Jubilee, Beast, Gambit, Iceman, Storm, and Professor X.

The Professor was a deluxe figure because of the massive chair.  (Poor taste to include him in the “Legendary Riders” theme that ML had going with the deluxes...at least there’s no mention of that on the box or promo materials.)  He comes with a Cerebro helmet, and a rather gross looking telepathy effect.  The arm panels on the chair slide open to revel some fun gadgetry, and Charles has a plastic, half blanket to keep his legs warm.

Colossus and Iceman complete a Nintendo game roster.  The game sucked (Oh, LJN!), but you can’t complain much about this group.  Still need a classic Storm to complete the X-Men Arcade team.  C’mon, how do you make “Legend of Billie Jean” Dazzler before that one?!

I’ve also got a complete 1992 X-Men animated series line-up.  And thanks to the extra, pony-tail head for Jean, the look is pretty accurate.  Jean also completes the gate-fold Jim Lee relaunch comic cover...which others have already recreated and I am too lazy to do.  I’m not futzing with Beast all day to get him into a proper crouched action pose.

Jean is from a “Love Triangle” 3-pack that features a bomber jacket Cyclops and a truer blue and yellow animated look for Wolverine.

If getting Jean wasn’t enough, the set comes with two unmasked heads for Scott, an unmasked Logan, a battle-damaged Wolvie, and bone claws!  No malleable adamantium tendrils to help your Magneto figure to recreate “that” scene, though.

Squirrel Girl

Squirrel Girl

Marvel Legends - Legendary Riders

Hasbro

I know there is a cult following for Squirrel Girl, but is this the scraping of the bottom of the barrel for Marvel Legends?  I have no problem with strange and goofy character gimmicks, but did this have to be a deluxe figure with an inflated price tag?  Answers:  "Maybe" and "No."

I may be starting off a bit harsh, but I do like this figure and the essence of the character.  The sculpt brings her modern look into the third dimension pretty spot on.  While in most cases I would prefer "classic" figures, I would still take this one over her nightmarish, "Overly-Attached Girlfriend" first appearance if I had to choose only one.

Two gripes...the first is the tail.  While you do get your money's worth in plastic, it is solid, weighty, and makes the figure hard to stand in neutral poses.  It also makes her sit a bit awkwardly on her scooter.  It cannot be removed or rotated that I can tell.  A ball-jointed base with at least one segment swivel cut may have been too much to ask for, but I would have taken it over the scooter if it came down to cost.

The scooter is the same sculpt as the previous Deadpool Legendary Rider, except in blue and outfitted with a large "wooden" basket to haul squirrel buddies.  It has a kickstand that, so far, seems to help with balancing the weight of the figure and accessories.  Overall, it looks nice, but was this necessary?  "Legendary Riders" was already stretching the premise with Professor X in his flying wheelchair.  (A bit offensive..being legendarily disabled?)  I have no idea if the scooter is a staple of modern Squirrel Girl comics or shows or anything.  I guess it's fine having another six-inch scale vehicle that can work with any figures in my collection.  At least it's not plastered with Deadpool stickers...

Also, the horn tends to fall off easily.

Squirrel buddies!  Of course she needed these to demonstrate her power gimmick.  I think one shares a base sculpt with Squirrelpool (ugh), but the other two are all-new.  They didn't come with names, but Tippy-Toe is always depicted with a pink bow.  I guess you can create new squirrel personas for the others, or choose to name them after any of her former, deceased woodland pals.  I would have taken more squirrels in place of the scooter.  C'mon, Hasbro...two or three more squirrels, plus a slightly more articulated tail, minus the scooter would have been a win for everybody.  Oh, I forgot to throw in some more hands...she only comes with the one set.  Does she not punch anyone?  Or do the tree-rats do all the dirty work?

"Confound these wretched rodents! For every one I fling away, a dozen more vex me!"

This figure was a must-have, if only because my Legends Dr. Doom needed to be taken down a peg or two by being menaced by tiny rodents.  The scooter may be excessive to get to the $40 value, but the figure itself is great.  If Squirrel Girl does indicate the bottom of the barrel in character selection,  I hope Stilt-Man, Armadillo, and Swarm aren't far behind!  C'mon again, Hasbro...you just released the White Rabbit?  Where is my Nazi skeleton covered in bees?!