Review of Captain America Modern Myth
ArtFX Statue

Introduction

While we have another terrific (potentially) Marvel Cinematic Universe movie right around the corner, it doesn't look like Captain America will play any part in the Thor: Ragnarok plot. That means it will be awhile before we see our favorite patriot on screen again. Have no fear, Kotobukiya is here to fill the void with their new 'Modern Myth' statue, a part of their larger ArtFX series.

Okay, this is more of a comic book representation with some of the Kotobukiya design flavor thrown in, so it's not going to fulfill your need for Chris Evans. But for fans of the more classic character, this guy will be a welcome addition.

He's shipping very soon, and runs around $120 - $130, depending on the retailer.

Packaging - ***
There's an interesting use of black and white comic book art behind the logos and photos, which adds some depth and dimension to the basic box.  Inside, he's packed in the usual plastic trays, with two levels this time to hold the seven different pieces. Assembly is fairly straight forward, and doesn't require much in the way of instruction.

Sculpting - ***
This is a somewhat generic Cap, although you could argue that there's a little of Evans in the face. The portrait is appropriately heroic, with a strong jawline and stoic, determined expression.

Everything is sharply defined, with lots of good detail work on the costume. Areas that could have relied merely on paint are actually sculpted, and there's a crispness to the overall look.  This is one of the larger ArtFX statues (as opposed to the ArtFX+), and he stands about 12 1/2" tall with the base.

Remember, these are PVC statues, not a poly resin, so breakage and damage are much, much less likely. They are also mostly solid, with a nice heft to them.

There are actually two left and two right forearms with this figure, and the shield can attach to one of each. This gives you some personalized posing options. More on that in the Accessories section, but it's important to note here as well.

I lowered the score in this section not because of quality, but rather aesthetics. This means your opinion could vary wildly from mine. I'm not really digging the pose, particularly with the raised right arm. With this relatively static stance, I'd prefer both arms down more along his side. The raised right arm looks out of place, no matter which hand you put on and where you position the shield.

I also deducted slightly because of the internal proportions. He has some serious thunder thighs, that's for sure, and their bulk seems off slightly to me when compared to the musculature of the upper body. It's a minor nit - more noticeable in hand than in photos - but combined with the pose, ends up costing him a star with me.

Paint - ***
The colors are vibrant and bright, and there's a good use of shading across the costume to give depth and highlight detail. The semi-gloss finish on the shield also looks good, giving it a more metallic appearance.

This is a pretty expensive statue though, and there's some slop around the edges of various colors that I was not expecting. Blue seems to be the biggest culprit, sneaking down onto the face in some spots and even into the white of the star on the front and back of the costume.

The paint isn't atrocious by any means, but there's still more slips than I expect from Kotobukiya in the ArtFX line.

Accessories - ***1/2
Any score here for a statue is a big plus - statues don't normally come with accessories.

But they've given you four forearms - two right, two left. One left and one right is posed in a simple fist, while the other is gripping the shield straps.  The shield can be attached to the latter, completing the look.

Swapping the arms and attaching the shield worked great, with little effort and no worries of damage.

Value - **
At $120 - $130, this guy is on the high side for a PVC statue. That's even a bit high for something done in a more resin based material. Closer to $100 seems right, particularly based on the final product quality.

Still, ArtFX statues were close to $100 ten years ago, so the price increase isn't completely unwarranted or unprecedented in the current market.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing. I did try putting the shield on the hand first and then attaching the assembly to the arm versus attaching the forearm to the body first, then attaching the shield - both worked out just fine.

Overall - ***
It's a nice looking statue, and fits in well with the other Marvel and DC ArtFX releases. The sculpt quality is top notch, and while the paint quality could use a slight boost, it's not awful.  My own issues with the look are purely aesthetic, and all revolve around the design and pose itself.  You can see in the photos what he looks like - if you like the pose, you should be good to go.

I do wish they'd provided some way to attach the shield to the back of the figure.  With the arms they supplied, he can actually go without holding the shield, giving you a third pose option. But there needs to be someplace to put the shield to make this option really viable.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - **1/2
Sculpting - ***
Paint - ***
Accessories - ***1/2
Value - **
Overall - ***

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth is also at $130, but includes free shipping.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other recent ArtFX releases include Jason Voorhees and Wonder Woman.

If you're a Cap fan, you should check out the smaller One:12 Collective release, or one of the Hot Toys sixth scale releases like Age of Ultron Cap, the Cap/Steve Rogers two pack, or their first release of Cap.

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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