Category Archives: Marvel Select

SpartanNerd Blog…Blog Photos the way they Should Be!

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I have a few really nice figures, and am always reviewing them on this blog….

But up until now, I have only used my kitchen table….Or maybe the “Protector of the Keep” playmate for Magic cards or comics.

But not anymore!

The SpartanWife got me an early Valentines present…And I was completely surprised and blown away by it.

A LIGHTBOX!

Now I can take really good pictures, and edit them like a pro!

Here is a sample!

D Arts MegaMan!

i switched out the armor on Snout Spout last week.
I like my elephant warriors to be more savage!

Teela has proven to be the hardest to photograph.
I think her face is a bit too shiny for the spotlight.  Here I gave here a cooler treatment,
with mystical blue lighting.

Here is Marvel Select Thor, with a black background and a filter.  I wanted an antique look.
I am especially fond of how the hammer turned out.

Skeletor is an interesting one to photograph.  So much detail!  This black and white filter really makes the trio of Panthor, Havoc Staff, and Skeletor feel like they came from a horror story.

A good pic of the details on Panthor’s face.  The Sepia filter makes it feel bronze, or clay even.

One thing, Skeletor’s eyes can hypnotize you if you stare too long at them.
There was masterful design and execution on the face sculpt and painting of Skeletor.

I think this is my favorite picture I have taken with the new equipment.  Nothing too fancy.  But it feels like the cover of a Conan the Barbarian comic book.  I tried to have Vikor hold Teela over his shoulder, but their facial expressions are too calm for that pose to work.  Still, Red is the perfect color to go behind Vikor.

I tried to get a “Catalogue” feel on He-Man and Battlecat here.  

And here he/they are.  Two Bad looks like he leapt off of the comic pages as well.

I have a lot to learn about taking pictures for reviews, and editing them as well with iPhoto or other software.  But I am off to a good start.  The lightbox is a 3X3X3 cube with two spotlights and four background colors.  I have found that sometimes the light reflects on faces a little too much, as in the case of Teela, Mega-Man, and Two-Bad above, but I was able to recover most of the time with editing.  I need to spend more time previewing before shooting, I think.  And also maybe moving the lights back or something.  I also took a few pics right before my iPhone battery died, and I believe that caused them to be a little blurrier. (I took some Pokemon pics that were unusable.)

There are also size limitations.  He-Man and Skeletor barely fit on their cats in the pics.  I cropped down what you see.  But the Griffin is way too big for the lightbox treatment.  And so is Megator, really.

Still, it is a great start and I am having a blast.  Comment on the photos!

(Also check out my recent blurb about Born of the Gods, where I also used the white reflecting material as the background for the cards.)

Oh yeah.  My rating.  The Polaroid Lightbox gets a 5/5!

It folds up for easy transport and storage into a little baggy with pouches for the lights.  It also came with a camera stand that I will have to try out when I use a real camera sometime instead of an iPhone.  I won’t fault it on it’s size.  Really it is perfect for most action figures, and I am a beginner.

SpartanNerd Unboxing and Review…Marvel Select Thor

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I have reviewed an excellent Marvel Select figure before, Deadpool, which you can read here…(And probably should)

I say that because, unfortunately, Thor doesn’t stack up to Deadpool as a figure.  Let’s see why!

Here Thor sits on the shelf at the Tangled Web in Spartanburg, yelling “Purchase me, mortal.  Thou hast the power!”

First of all, the packaging.  Thor comes in a beautiful Marvel box that displays what you are getting very clearly.  Also, there is nice comic book artwork on the left. side.

$24.99.  Not bad.  The Christmas fund will cover it.

The back of the package gives you a nice little backstory for Thor as he is in Marvel Comics.

Apparently, Thor is the son of Odin’s mistress….

Time to tear into it!

Here is what you see when you open the box.  In case you are wondering, the little pamphlet shows off other Marvel Select figures as well as Marvel Mini-Mates.

Thor was strapped in with those stupid bread tie things.  I had to resort to cutting the left foot’s wire-in with nail clippers, because I was afraid I would damage the figure.

What vile power can bind the God of Thunder?
Here he is, freed from his prison.

Let’s discuss his articulation.  Compared to the previous Deadpool figure, he theoretically has mostly the same articulation points.  But I used the word Theoretically for a reason.  Actually, only the bottom joint of his double jointed knee moves.  Furthermore, his left leg is tighter than the right leg.  He has rocker ankles, that are quite stiff.  What about his arms?  Well they are pretty tight.  But his hands are sculpted into permanent positions.  No finger articulation.  Just Hammer Holder and Bruce Dickenson “Metal to the Masses” pose  (Thanks Puller, for that bit of poetry!).  His head is hampered by his hair and cape.  The hair and cape are not movable…They are stiff poses.  So really, he isn’t all that much articulated.  In fact, his coolness as a toy is lessoned quite a bit.  He seems more like a statue with posable arms.

Here is what his back looks like.

Now for the really important stuff.  Thor uses a “real man’s hammer!”  (The SpartanNerd’s friends will recognize this saying….)

nicely sculpted detail, it even has a loop.  This is what Thor uses to swing the hammer like a bola, I gather.
Pay attention to the bottom of the handle.  That little bulb of lacquer is going to be a problem.
I wanted to remove Mjolnier from the hand of Thor.  But, that little
blob of stuff made the hammer too fat to get it out of his hand.

I hope you’re reading my captions.  That’s right.  I couldn’t get it out without force.  Force is the enemy of handles made of soft plastic.  I was so afraid I would bend it, I seriously considered leaving it in his hand forever.  But it is the job of an internet reviewer to come forth with all of the truth.  So I pulled it out as straight as I could.

You can see, I didn’t bend it much.
Thor also comes with this stand…er…rock…err…meteor thing.

OK.  He has peg holes in his feet.  But it isn’t any easier to make Thor stand.  Why?  That cape is quite heavy.  Also, his right leg is looser than his left leg.

I believe he stands better without the rock!
Not going to give you a picture, but my MOTUC figures stand quite nicely on that rock!
Here he is holding Vikor’s sword.  He is a tad taller than MOTUC figures.
The scale seems larger.
It makes this awesome sword seem less awesome.
Two vikings.  This is the kind of Thor story I like.
Teela makes a fine barbarian bride for Thor!
Someone’s a little jealous….Vikor, you’re going to mess around and bend your axe!  (Too late!)
Deadpool…”What’s your excuse for being less articulated?”
Thor…”I don’t have to be.  I am immortal.”
Deadpool…”Well, I am unkillable!”

How do I rate this Thor figure?  I am quite a fan of Thor, and I like the Thor movies.  In general I like the comics also, recently having read the whole Ghor the Godbutcher series in the Marvel NOW events.  (I will have to review that story sometime.)  I bought this figure for those reasons.  Plus I already knew the Deadpool was really very nice.  But I was disappointed in the quality of this figure, it feeling more like a statue and less like an action figure.  It only came with one accessory, and it can’t stand on its stand so good.  His articulation is hampered.  And you can’t do anything about it really because the cape is glued on and the hair is stiff.

So I am going to give it a grade of 2/5.  It gets the two points really only because he looks so awesome.  And looks awesome with Vikor and Teela.  But he could just as well continued to look as good on the store shelf.  On the other hand, he wasn’t expensive.  And comparable comic book statues cost over $100.  So looking at it that way he would be a 4/5 as a statue.  (Not having as precise a sculpt as a statue because he was meant to be an action figure…if that makes sense?)

Do you agree or disagree?  Let me know, oh Hub City Geeks!  And be on the lookout for more awesome reviews by the SpartanNerd!

Figure Review…Marvel Select Deadpool

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This is a figure that SpartanSmurf #1 picked up at the MonsterCon.

I wish I got a picture of the unboxing, but sorry!

Let me just say…WOW!  The MOTUC figures have met their match in almost every way!

I mean, Deadpool was only $25!  He is massive!  Has tons of articulation!  And lots of accessories!

Here are some pics and my review!

This is the basic figure.

Here is his diorama and stand

Here are his accessories, minus one sai.  Trust me.  He came with another one.

Here he is with pistol, about to draw the other.

Here he is with machine gun and sai!

I used the extra large pics here to show the detail!  

First thing I noticed was the heft of the figure.  He probably weighs two pounds altogether.  That stand is a chunk!
Deadpool has very nice articulation, with double jointed knees and ball joints in lots of places.  His arms have swivel joints, but his shoulders and hips have ball joints.  His wrists swivel.  His ankles seem to have a rocker, but they are sort of weak.
Lots of detail on Deadpool.  He has extra knives, ammo pouches, a teargas grenade, holsters, etc.
I don’t know much about Deadpool.  I read a couple of the comics since my son has become interested.  They really are not for children.  Maybe I shouldn’t let him read that garbage.  But one thing is certain, this is an awesome figure!
Compared to the OTHER great figure line of today, MOTUC, he has them beat.  Shame on Mattel!  They could sell MOTUC figures in comics stores for a comparable price.  I mean Diamond is not even mainly a toy company!  
Deadpool has triple the accessories of most MOTUC figures, he is taller and even more hefty, he came with a diorama stand.  Mattel says they cannot sell their figures for less than the $28 plus shipping.  This just proves them wrong.  I do not know there deal on the amount they produce, but it could definitely sell better at comic stores.  They are holding out on us collectors!
I saw a Juggernaut Marvel Select figure at the Tangled Web last night.  Same price.  $25!  That figure was three times the size of a MOTUC figure.  In fact, Three times the size of Deadpool!  Granted, it didn’t come with as much other swag, but still.
I think I found my next toy, if they make a Thor.  Or Wolverine.  (The Spider-Man looked kind of small…and came with a big ruined car.  I just don’t think that is as great.  Maybe a Spider-Man and Hobgoblin!)