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Introduction
With the end of Toys R Us, collectors lost a major outlet for exclusives and special releases of all sorts of action figures and toys. One of the hardest hit will no doubt be Marvel Legends, a line that has seen a dominance on the pegs over the last couple years. Several exclusive releases were scheduled for the retail chain this summer, and with their demise, other retailers have stepped up. Entertainment Earth has taken in a number of these, including tonight's reviewed set - Thor, Rocket, and Groot based on the new Avengers: Infinity War film.
This set is in stock now, and will run you $50.
Click on the image below for a Life Size version
Packaging - ***
Nothing too unique here, but they did retain the Toys R Us exclusive sticker. You can see all three figures easily, the packaging is collector
friendly by mass market standards, and it's relatively sturdy.
Sculpting - Rocket ***; Thor ***1/2; Groot ****
The only truly unique figure in the set is Groot. I believe this is the only 'teen' version out there, mimicking his look in the new movie.
Let's start with Rocket instead. Rocket is not unique, but is just a re-release of the GotG version we got awhile back. The fur detailing is nice, and the proportions look good, but there are some weird mold lines around the lips and jaw.
Thor is sorta new - sorta. They've re-used the Ragnarok body, but added the cool lightning bolts. The head has the short hair and an eye patch, making the overall figure unique, although similar to other Thors. I really do like this portrait, more so than the recent Avengers Thor we got in the regular release. I think it's a better match to the actor, although it's still not perfect.
Groot is the winner in this category. He's about 6 inches tall, all teen angst and sullenness. His expression is perfect, and fits with his movie attitude. The detailing on the bark/skin looks great, and the addition of the soft greenery on his head works visually.
Paint - Groot ***; Rocket, Thor ***1/2
The overall quality of the paint on the Marvel Legends line has been quite good over the last 12 - 18 months. There's enough detail on all three of
these to see that quality clearly.
My favorite of the group in this category is Thor. The silver lightning looks great, especially on his face next to his left eye. The beard and hair have a wash that brings out the detail, and the few other silver details on the costume are clean.
Rocket is nice, but it's hard to get as excited about him. The fur has various shades, and these blend pretty well. The teeth and eyes look good, and his small stature means getting things done cleanly is all the more difficult.
Groot has the least amount of detail, and I do think more of a wash on his body and bark would have showed off the texture better. The one detail is the eyes, which are fairly clean and straight.
Articulation - Rocket ***; Groot, Thor ***1/2
Marvel Legends and articulation are like mom and apple pie.
There's plenty of joints all around, but in some cases things are more restricted than I'd like. That's the situation with Rocket, where there isn't much tilt and lean in the head, and the ankles turn, but don't do a whole lot more. The shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, thighs, and ab joints do work well together though, and you can get him to stand with some effort. Unfortunately, his tail (which is also articulated with a rotating hinge) tends to fall off at the slightest touch.
Groot isn't as articulated as a 'normal' ML, but his ball jointed neck works great, and he has rotating hinges at the shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles. The hips are ball joints, and he has a rocker ab joint as well. Some of the joints are restricted by the sculpt of the bark (particularly the ankles), but he can still take very sullen, very depressed, very teenage stances.
Thor has all the usual ML articulation. The neck is a little restricted, and the ankles don't quite have as much rocker movement as I'd like, but the rest of the joints - including the double pin elbows and knees - allow for solid posing. He can even do two handed sword poses, which can be tricky with other lines.
Accessories - Groot, Thor **1/2; Rocket ***
There's no BAF piece here, which makes this category a bit lighter for all of them.
Thor has his big sword, which is a nice addition since the other recent Avengers Thor had Stormbreaker. He can wield it in one or two handed poses, and its huge size makes for a visual treat.
Groot also comes with one accessory, his iPad looking game thingie. It's made with translucent plastic, and is a bit warped right out of the package, but it's another smart addition.
Rocket has the huge gun he can't really hold, and the two smaller, different blasters. The sculpts on these are good, but the plain silver plastic color leaves a lot to be desired.
Fun Factor - ****
All three have great articulation with some decent accessories. Kids would love them, all the more so because they are based off a movie they love.
They'll recognize them immediately, and both Groot and Rocket are kid favorites anyway.
Value - ***
I'm giving them a bump up here on value for two reasons. First, three Marvel Legends figures usually cost $20 each. This set is just $50. Now,
there's no BAF piece, making the $20 a high comparison, but there's also the exclusivity of the set. That means lower production numbers, which
drives up price as well.
Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing!
Overall - ***1/2
This is a nice set, priced right with some fun characters. Kids would love it too, something you can't say about every Marvel Legends release. It's
all about Groot of course, but the Thor has enough variation to him to make the overall purchase a little less Groot-centric.
Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - Rocket ***; Thor ***1/2; Groot ****
Paint - Groot ***; Rocket, Thor ***1/2
Articulation - Rocket ***; Groot, Thor ***1/2
Accessories - Groot, Thor ***; Rocket ***1/2
Fun Factor - ****
Value - ***
Overall - ***1/2
Where to Buy
This was originally a Toys R Us exclusive...but we know what happened to Toys R Us. It's now at Entertainment Earth where it's $50.
Related Links -
I've covered a ton of Marvel Legends figures, including the recent Black Knight and Malekith; Thor, Cull Obsidian, and Black Widow; and Ant-man
and the Wasp. Use the Search Reviews page to find even more.
You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.
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This product was provided for the review by the retailer. Photos and text by Michael Crawford.
