Packaging - **1/2
Unlike most of the earlier minimates, Professor X and Magneto are packaged in a box. The packaging is a "blind box", which mean you won't be able to see the contents within. Instead, we've a box art showcasing a promotional image of the two figures, which is quite disappointing. I'd prefer the box to have a clear window to display the figures, which will certainly be a hit with the MISB-ers. The back of the box, like most of the other minimates, basically shows a catalogue of other figures available. Overall, this is not the best packaging effort out there, but it servers its primary purpose of housing the figures.

Sculpting - **1/2
I've been collecting Marvel Minimates for quite some time, and I must say these little figures don't score very well in the sculpt department. Standing at only 2.5" tall (yes, Professor X stands too!), both figures don't allow much room for major sculpting. While they do have some details, they're mostly painted.

Nevertheless, the minimates are never really about sculpting, are they? It's their playability that sets them apart from the others. I'm contented to see these two figures keep the simple aesthetics that personified the line. But if you really need something about their sculpt, at least we've a brilliantly done cape on Magneto.

Paint - ****
The details on Professor X and Magneto, as I mentioned earlier, are mostly painted. These included their facial expressions and the lines on their costumes. Professor X is in a beige suit, with a white shirt, black tie and black shoes. His facial expression is stern, possibly to portray him using his telepathic powers. The colors are nicely painted, with no visible bleeding.

The effort on Magneto is also commendable. Unlike Xavier's sterner expression, Magneto has an evil grin, which was very well painted. We also see nice muscles details on the front of his red and purple costume.

For figures that are lacking in sculpted details, the quality of paint work is all the more important. I'm glad that the paint work on both figures are highly encouraging.

Articulation - ****
Both Professor X and Magneto feature 14 points of articulation. These are found on their necks, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, upper legs, knees and ankles, which allow plenty of posing fun. It's all the more interesting when we can now have a Professor X figure standing up. Perhaps you can now re-create recent New X-Men comic arcs, that have Professor X walking around after Magneto/ Xorn planted nano-sentinels on him. The level of articulation on these figures are probably the best selling point for them.

Accessories - ***
Professor X has a removable Cerebro and a wheelchair as his accessories. These accessories provide some references to the character. For example, Xavier does use Cerebro to enhance his powers, and he does move around primarily in his wheelchair. The details on these are simple, but effective.

Magneto has a removable helmet, which is ironically very difficult to remove. As you may know, Magneto uses the helmet to shield himself from the powers of Xavier. Again, this is a simple accessory that ties in with the character. The accessories that come with these two may not be the most outstanding, but they worked. 

Value - **1/2
At $9.99 a pop, I’d say the price is slightly steep. Nevertheless, considering that they’re store exclusives that have a limited run of 5,000 pieces, perhaps you may find the price easier to swallow.

Overall - ***
In summary, the Professor X and Magneto minimates are non-conventional action figures that provide you with lots of play value. For this reason, they'd be nice additions to your collection. For those who've bought the X-MEN MINIMATES, this is a must-buy to complete your heroes and villains teams. 

Where to Buy -
ACTION FIGURE EXPRESS has them for $9.99, or $14.99 for two or $69.99 for twelve. You may consider pooling with a few friends to enjoy the discounts.