Diamond Select Toys works with EMCE Toys to take collectors back to the 1970s when Mego action figures dominated toy aisles to deliver a complete doll package of Marvel Comic’s famous feral mutant.
Much like its odes to Spider-Man and Captain America, the company’s 8-inch-tall doll transforms into a trio of versions of the hero and is ready for display.
Figure profile: (from Marvel Entertainment’s website) “Born with super-human senses and the power to heal from almost any wound, Wolverine was captured by a secret Canadian organization and given an unbreakable skeleton and claws. Treated like an animal, it took years for him to control himself. Now, he’s a premiere member of both the X-Men and the Avengers.”
Accessories: Fans of the Mego superhero dolls already know that Wolverine got popular a bit too late for the defunct company to put into production a figure based on writer Len Wein’s famous clawed character.
So with best intentions in mind, Diamond Select Toys has offered a “what if” scenario of the hero limited to 3,000 sets.
Owners receive a see-through package showing off Wolverine in classic yellow costume in a traditional-sized Mego window box sitting next to another larger tray area devoted to holding accessories, clothing and extra body parts.
SEE ALSO: Blu-ray review: ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past Rogue Cut’
Three versions of Wolverine, who share one body featuring 16 points of articulation, are assembled via all of the pieces.
First, the boxed Wolverine has a polyester/Spandex, yellow-and-blue costume with removable red belt and soft plastic gloves (mitten style) sporting sliver claws.
This version is most reminiscent of his early days with the team and from the cover of “Giant-Size X-Men No. 1” from 1975. He also gets a removable plastic mask to reveal a growling Logan head sculpt (an homage to artists Dave Cockrum and John Byrne vision).
Next, we get Logan looking nearly ripped from the cover of “Uncanny X-Men No. 141” (sans grey streaks in hair). Pop on his deep-browed, unmasked head sculpt (another Byrne homage) with winged hairstyle and dress him in a pleather bomber jacket, sleeveless, ribbed undershirt, denim jeans and biker boots. He also has swappable fists with extended, silver claws.
This is by far the most complex garb of the three and more akin to Mego’s 1970s “Action Jackson” figure than its typical superhero doll line.
A word of warning here: Getting this costume out of its plastic enclosure and onto the doll will require a superhuman effort and the patience of Professor X along with small hands and a pair of tweezers.
Finally, Logan’s stylish brown and orangish-red costume that debuted in “Uncanny X-Men No. 139” and was his staple in the 1980s comes to life with another stretchy fabric design featuring Pleather arm bands and shoulder flares, a masked head sculpt, brown boots and two sets of hands (open and closed), each with claws sprouted from the knuckles.
Now, the nostalgic allure here is the cheesy accuracy of the Mego dolls including inconsistent colors between mask and suits as well as the removable mask being slightly too large for the head (remember the Mego Batman cowl?)
Remember, the toys were for kids to appreciate. However, this doll was not and needs some tender loving care when changing costumes. Carefully unsnap the metal clasps to remove belts and the body suits, and beware of loose heads after switching noggins a few times.
Note: Diamond usually offers collector-friendly packaging so owners can easily remove accessories but maintain the design and integrity of the box. This is not the case here as I had to cut apart the plastic inlay and through sticky tape to get to all of the goodies. There was zero chance to redisplay the figure and his costuming in the pretty cool, original presentation.
Price: $69.99 to $80.
Read all about it: The package contains a 22-page, full-color, mini-magazine (5.5-inches-wide by 8.5-inches-tall) that features essays on Wolverine’s origins, his various looks in comics, toy homages and the creation of the Mego-style action figure. It’s a very informative and photo-packed addition to the set.
As far as learning about our hero in comics, let’s revisit the days when writer John Byrne and artist Chris Claremont turned the X-Men in sequential-art superstars.
The best way to appreciate their historic run is via a computer tablet loaded with the Marvel Digital Comic Shop app.
For a $74.99 bundle, fans can download and enjoy 45 key issues (Nos. 94 to 137) of the “Uncanny X-Men” series including “Giant X-Men No.1.” Now, toss in the “X-Men Days of Future Past” story arc (Nos. 138 to 143, $1.99 each) to appreciate every costume represented in the set.
What’s it worth: Mego fanatic’s bank accounts are crying out around the world at the painful cost of owning an 8-inch-tall Wolverine doll.
Obviously, at this price, it is not build for a child to role-play with but rather for an adult to fondly remember his superhero-fueled childhood.
The boxed set with fine costuming detail is easily the best of the bunch so far but still, at $80, it’s a very tough sell.
• Joseph Szadkowski can be reached at jszadkowski@washingtontimes.com.
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