It’s Figure Friday. It’s disgustingly hot at my upstairs writing desk. Let’s see what’s new in the world of imported toys before I sweat away most of my water weight.
Marvel S.H. Figuarts
Bandai Spirits have shown up with a couple of surprising new entries to their S.H. Figuarts line this summer, and you know what? Good for them
First up, we’ve got the Gamerverse Cyclops figure, which is styled after the character’s appearance in the classic Marvel vs Capcom game as well as the equally classic Jim Lee design.
Here’s what’s in the box:
- 4 Pairs of interchangeable hands
- 2 Interchangeable expression parts
- 3 Replacement eye masks
- Moving optic blast
- Optic Blast
- Super Optic Blast
- 2 Types of neck fixing parts
- Background mount
I’m curious how this figure stacks up against the previously released Mafex version, which skews more towards comic accuracy. This version looks like it’ll be a fun, albeit more stylized, figure.
Next is the (deep breath) Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse S.H.Figuarts Scarlet Spider Action Figure. Remember Across the Spider-Verse and the epic cliffhanger it left us on? Well, the sequel is still TWO YEARS away.
Why not tide yourself over with this Scarlet Spider figure as voiced by Andy Samberg in the movie? I have to admit that I was a bit put out by the character’s depiction in the movie…which is how I know they hit pretty close to the mark with their lampooning of the ’90s angst that was indicative of the genre back then. It definitely falls into the “it’s funny cuz it’s true!” category for me.
The only thing I’m really not vibing with is the shading on the figure. The kind of paint applications that are designed to mimic animation cel or comic book shading have never, ever done it for me as a matter of personal preference. I’m for sure in the decided minority here since the various subreddits I’ve peeked in on have been pretty over the moon about it.
Here’s what you get:
- 5 Pairs of interchangeable hands
- Alternate unmasked head sculpt
- Webbing effect pieces
- Bracelet
The above two figures will be out in December and January, respectively.
MAFEX No.283 Iceman (Comic Ver.)
Now, I couldn’t go and leave out Mafex now, could I? Even if this one does sting quite a bit.
Iceman has been one of my favourite X-Men since he was one of Spider-Man’s Amazing Friends way back when. Was it the way he sounded like Fred Jones from Scooby-Doo? Perhaps it was the way he transformed into a superhero by encasing himself and then busting out of a giant ice block? Truly, there are more reasons than I can list within the space I have allotted to myself.
I’ll be the first to point out that this seems like kind of a weird choice. It’s basically just a translucent figure with minimal details. Yep, that’s Iceman for sure. Also, depending on who you ask, his costume is just underwear.
Here’s the sticking point: all roads lead back to tariffs. This very simple figure is priced at an eye-watering $135 USD, which is where I think I tap out. Previously, I wrote about the Mafex Robin figure from their Hush line and mused that it may have indeed been my last Mafex preorder due to the looming price hikes and maybe it was a self-fulfilling prophecy because at this point I just can’t justify the price.
Things are awful out there, and if you’ve been able to continue on with toy preorders, I am legitimately happy for you. We gotta enjoy the fun things while we can, right?
