Review of Spider-UK, Spider-Man 2099, Ms. Marvel, Jackal
Marvel Legends Action Figures

Introduction

I've lost track of what Marvel Legends are supposed to be out when - they've been popping up with such regularity, that they tend to blend together. The latest wave to hit around here is the newest Spider-man set, also known as the Sandman BAF wave.  It seems like this wave hit other areas months ago, but this could be my addled brain acting up. They are slowly leaking out around here, with a figure or two popping up at various retailers.  I still need to get Green Goblin, but I don't expect that will take too long.

Tonight I'm covering Jackal, Ms. Marvel, and two versions of Spider-Man himself - 2099 and UK. Let's start with a little background on each, since you might be unfamiliar.

Ms. Marvel is perhaps the coolest of the bunch, at least to me. She's a very recent addition to the Marvel Universe, first appearing just 4 years ago. She's the first Muslim superhero to headline her own comic book, a Pakastani American with shape shifting abilities. As a big fan of Captain Marvel (the Marvel version, not the DC version), she takes on the persona of Ms. Marvel. Her inclusion in the series makes sense, since she's teamed up with Spider-Man several times now.

The Jackal is more old school, a silver age villain of Spidey's. He's actually a pretty critical member of the Spidey universe, although his history and exploits can be pretty confusing, since it's all tied in with the Clone Saga, Ben Reilly, and that entire mess. But he's still a damn cool looking bad guy, despite your opinion of the overtly complex machinations of the clone story lines.

Spider-Man 2099 is the futuristic version of the web-slinger created for the 2099 comics. We've gotten versions of him before, but this release showcases his newer costume.

Finally, there's Spider-UK. While I've always thought the costume was a nifty combination of the traditional spider suit and the Union Jack, the character doesn't do a lot for me. But if you already have the Spider-Gwen figure, he makes a nice addition.

There are three other figures finishing out this set - Green Goblin, Shocker, and Symbiote Spider-Man. As you might have guessed, they all have parts to a Sandman Build-A-Figure. They run around $20, and you can find them at Target, Meijer, Toys R Us, and other mass market outlets as well as online retailers.

Packaging - ***1/2
The standard packaging remains with no real changes. It's attractive, it's collector friendly, and it has basic information on the character. This personalization is on the front and back (and Ms. Marvel gets her own logo on the front as well). The back shows off the rest of the line, and it details which figure has which pieces of Sandman.

Sculpting - UK, 2099, Ms. Marvel ***1/2; Jackal ****
All four of these sport excellent sculpts, although purists are likely to argue that the articulation can get in the way of the aesthetic.

I like the Jackal the best, no doubt about it. He's a smidge bigger than the Spideys, coming in at 6 1/2 inches tall. The torso has sculpted hair, and there's a ton of fine detail work on the face, head and ears. I swear I've seen this hairy body before, but I'm blanking on where they used it previously. Still, it's a great looking figure overall, and an excellent addition to the Spidey collection.

Ms. Marvel is a bit encumbered by the generally lanky design of all the ML female figures, but she has a very attractive portrait.  The long hair could use a bit more detail, but it's made from a soft rubber that's less restrictive on the neck articulation. She's shorter of course, standing just over 5 1/2 inches tall.

Both Spider-man versions look like what you'd expect. The UK has a little sculpt detail on the face - the raised mask and underlying facial structure - but the body is pretty standard Marvel Legends. He doesn't have any extra hands, so you'll be stuck using the fists he comes wearing. The UK version has a bit of facial detailing as well, including the unique raised eye surrounds. The super articulated body doesn't sport much in the way of unique sculpting however, and he also only comes wearing fists. The two Spideys stand about 6 3/8 inches tall.

Paint - 2099 ***; UK, Jackal, Ms Marvel ***1/2
The paint work on the recent Marvel Legends releases has been well above average, and these four continue that trend.

The only one that exhibits any real slop is the 2099 version of Spidey, and it's mighty minor. The sculpted edge on the eye surrounds is a little iffy at times, and there's a few stray marks and dirt specks in the white of the suit. The white edges can be fuzzy too, but overall it's still a solid job.

The other three are even better. The edges and lines on the UK version are sharp and clean, and the custom work on Ms. Marvel is sharp. There's a blip here or there, but it's so minor that most folks won't have any issues at all.

The Jackal is particularly well done where it counts - the eyes, teeth, and ears. I will say that the shading for the hairy torso is a little wonky, and doesn't carry over the arms and legs the way it should, but again - minor nit.

Articulation - Ms Marvel ***1/2; Jackal, 2099, UK ****
These are Marvel Legends figures - great articulation is a given. Of course, whether the joints all work properly, whether they are restricted by various designs, and whether the quality of the plastic is appropriate can be another story.

The Spiderman 2099 is the most articulated of the bunch, thanks to that extra shoulder hinge that allows for greater range of movement across the chest. The ball/hinge neck allows for lots of forward and backward movement, and the rotating hinge shoulders, double pin elbows, and rotating hinge wrists all have an excellent range of movement. There's also the ab-crunch, cut waist, cut thighs, rotating hinge hips, double pin knees, and rotating hinge ankles with lots of rocker movement. Oh, and don't forget the cut shin! Yep, it all works well, and the quality of the plastic is sturdy and solid, so no breakage or damage is likely under normal handling and play.

The same can be said of both Spider-UK and Jackal, although they both lack the extra shoulder articulation. The Jackal is also missing the cut shins and double pin elbows (he has the rotating hinges), but he can take just as many excellent, natural, flowing poses thanks to the rest of the well designed joints.

Ms. Marvel is the only one with a restrictive costume, thanks to the length of the 'dress'. It covers the hips, making those joints a little less useful. While the hair is softer, it still restricts the neck quite a bit. The rotating hinge shoulders, elbows, and wrists work well, as do the double pin knees and rotating hinge ankles. She has a ton of rocker movement in those ankles too, and posing her was easier than I expected. Some of her joints were a little loose (especially the ankles), but she's tiny enough that it didn't cause major problems, even when wearing the big hands.

Accessories - Jackal, UK, 2099 **1/2; Ms Marvel ***1/2
Regular readers know that a figure that comes with a BAF or CnC part automatically gets a **1/2 here. That's the case for Jackal, UK, and 2099, which have nothing extra over the pieces for Sandman.

Ms. Marvel does it up right though, with one right and one left additional arm. These pieces swap at the elbow, but be careful - her small hands pop off too, and tend to do so before the forearm does.  Swapping is pretty easy, and the huge hands look great. She can even stand with them pretty well, although they can mess with her center of gravity a bit.  Remember 'man hands'? Yea, she's got nothing on Ms. Khan.

Fun Factor - ****
These are easily the most fun action figures on the pegs right now. Sure, Star Wars Black Series is trying to compete, but with the level of articulation and overall quality, Marvel Legends still has them beat.

Value - ***
Twenty bucks is the going rate, although with sales and coupons you might get them cheaper at your local stores.  This wave is a bit more expensive overall, since you need all seven figures if you plan on completing the Sandman, but he's worth it, trust me.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing, really. Of course, if you have choices on the peg you should pick the best paint you can find, but you so rarely have choices with this line. Eventually the wave should start shipping in greater quantity though, and you can get pickier.

Overall - ***1/2
While the Jackal is my favorite overall, his slight issues with the body paint hold him back from a perfect four star score.  The others are all well above average, with excellent sculpting, solid paint operations, and terrific articulation. Getting a couple more accessories might have set them over the top, but as they stand they are all excellent releases.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***1/2
Sculpting - UK, 2099, Ms. Marvel ***1/2; Jackal ****
Paint - 2099 ***; UK, Jackal, Ms Marvel ***1/2
Articulation - Ms Marvel ***1/2; Jackal, 2099, UK ****
Accessories - Jackal, UK, 2099 **1/2; Ms Marvel ***1/2
Fun Factor - ****
Value - ***
Overall - ***1/2

Where to Buy 
Your best best is Target right now, where they are running $20 each. Online options include these site sponsors:

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Most recently I finished up the Titus wave, with Vance Astro, Darkhawk, Kid Nova, Angela, and Titus, and Star-Lord, Drax, and Yondu. I also started the Warlock wave with a look at Sunfire, Shatterstar, and Polaris and Dazzler, Wolverine, and Colossus. Prior to that was the three BAF's, Space Venom, Dormammu, and Juggernaut. Prior to that, I covered the two halves of the Dormammu wave, including movie Strange, Mordo, Nico, and Iron Fist, and Astral Strange, Brother Voodoo, comic Doctor Strange, and Enchantress. Before that was the back half of the Space Venom wave, including Miles Morales, Silk, and Electro. The first half of that wave included Hobgoblin, Peter Parker Spider-Man, and Spider-Girl. Before that I had the Juggernaut wave with one review of Cable, Havoc, Kitty Pryde and Phoenix here, and the other half with Rogue, Deadpool, Wolverine, and Iceman here. Before that I ad the back half of the Giant Man wave (with Giant Man, Captain America, Iron Man, and Nuke), but in between I've looked at one of the 12" figures under the banner - Spider-Man - as well as the new full scale prop replica Captain America's Shield.

I covered the first half of the Giant Man wave as well, including Red Guardian, Black Panther, and Nick Fury. Just before that I covered Red Skull (BAF), Taskmaster, Sharon Carter, and Demolition Man. The other half of that wave included Captain America, Mockingbird, Whirlwind, and Cottonmouth.

There are a TON of additional Marvel Legends reviews before that, so you should hit the Search Reviews page to find those, and in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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