In 2020 Hasbro announced that they would be producing figures from the Fox X-Men Movies to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the original X-Men movie. The Fox Marvel Legends would sit as an anniversary line outside of the main Legends releases, and be made up of both single releases and two packs. Four sets were initially announced, with single figures of Wolverine and Mystique and a two-pack of Magneto and Charles Xavier. The line would expand further with releases from Deadpool 2 and exclusives - with two more Wolverine sets, including a 2-pack based on Logan, Wolverine's final outing in the X-Men Universe.
The X-Men Marvel Legends follow a different packaging design to the main line, using a squared off box in a similar style to the MCU First Ten Years Sets. The base colour moves away from black to a very bright blue/steel colour with a contrasting yellow backdrop behind the figures in the window. Under the window is a black X-Men logo and then the two character names in angled bold text - MAGNETO and PROFESSOR X.
The side art uses a silhouetted image of the characters with some very subtle highlights on their shoulders and then a bright white design on Magneto's helmet. These same images repeat on the back of the box, filling the entire space. There is therefore no character background, movie synopsis or replica movie poster - which would have been a nice touch for this 20th Anniversary line and echoing the First Ten Year sets from the MCU.
The set opens via either side flap and the inner trays slide out. The figures are all secured into the tray simply via its shaping - while the hands are taped into place. Make sure you bring out all the parts of the Wheelchair as you unpack - there is an axle piece that sits just under Magneto that may get missed. The background cardboard is now revealed fully to include another X-Men symbol.
3.5
Magneto is a not only a brand new figure for the line, he also comes with a staggering four different head options. The body is based on the armoured look from Days of Future Past and includes a black under suit with red copper armour over the chest and a similar colour down the two arms. The body is cast in black with the armour painted in a metallic copper finish and this adds sheen to the body, but there is quite a bit of bleeding and brush strokes on my figure that stray onto the textured black suit underneath.
The cape is a separate piece and is cast in a slightly softer plastic, although its quite rigid vs other cloaks and capes in the line. It is cast in black and the inner lining is left in the base colour, while the outside is painted in another shade of copper red. There are two sculpted arrow fasteners to one side.
The first two heads are accurate to the body and the movie, Days of Future Past. These are the Michael Fassbender heads and include a grimacing version in his helmet and an unmasked version with a neutral expression.
Both heads use the facial print technology and both are recogniseable as Fassbender. The helmet version is my favourite thanks to the expression which does capture his look from the movie finale.
The other two heads feature the likeness of the Sir Ian McKellen Magneto. While Sir Ian was in Days of Future Past - he did not wear this outfit, and the body type is too bulky and muscular for this older Magneto. What worries me about the inclusion of the McKellen heads by Hasbro is that these are a nod to the fans (and customisers) and that there is no intention to release an accurate version in the future - although that being said its a lot of investment to create four heads for a set (6 heads in total when you add in the Xavier heads also).
The likeness to McKellen, like Fassbander, is recongiseable but not absolutely nailed on like some movie figures from Hasbro - Wolverine for example in this line, or the recent Black Widow figure.
It looks like both heads use the same face as the hair piece on the first head is a second piece with a slight gap when you look up close. The helmeted head looks to then be a helmet applied in place of the hair on the same head. The helmet is not the same as the Fassbender head, but rather is accurate to the helmet Magneto wears in the earlier X-Men movies with a more swept back and angular side piece and a black trim around the opening.
For sheer volume of head options, this set is impressive, and each are well executed although not blow away and with half of them not applicable to the outfit the figure is wearing.
4.0
Magneto from any era does not utilise weaponry or accessories, so the set gives us additional hands in the set for variant posing. There are two pairs of black gloved hands, one with fingers outstretched and the second set clenched into fists.
These swap in and out easily, and match up to the gloss black colour of the wrist pieces. The open hands are more expressive when you consider the way Magento manipulates metal and will be the ones that get most use.
It is worth noting that the other hands in the set - the flesh coloured hands for Xavier - are transferrable between both figures so that the hands can be used for a gloveless look for Magneto - although that is a look rarely seen in any of the X-Men movies.
The cloak can be removed if you wish, making it an accessory of sorts. You have to remove the head first, then slide the cloak off over the neck piece. The body underneath looks a little odd without the cape but it is an option.
You can see with the cape off that in order to keep it in check on the figure the cape has a large plug in the centre that lines up to a hole in Magneto's back. This takes a bit of work to line up but once plugged the cape sits nicely against the body.
4.0
Magneto arrives with 20 points of articulation, two more than normal by way of those shin joints that rotate at the cut of the boot.
Head : ball joint neck with pivot
Body : torso ball joint
Arms : ball joint shoulder, bicep swivel, double joint elbows, wrist pivot
Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double joint knees, boot cut swivel, ankle rockers
The first issue is one of stability and I found Magneto extremely frustrating to get stood. The cape is relatively heavy and makes him overbalanced at the back. The ankle rockers then do not seem to want to line up and either sit too far forward or too far back between ratchets. Standing poses tend to need to include a stand, or having one leg stepping forward vs the other.
The hips should allow for wider stances, sitting and kneeling - but they have that strange springy issue that we've seen on a few other Legends where the joint always wants to spring back to the original position. This does not help with the posing either.
The arms are very expressive, and of course crucial in terms of the posing of Magneto showing off his powers. The arms will extend fully out to the side or in towards the helmet to help him focus. The arm joints are all secure and ratcheted in place so once posed the arms remain in place. The head and torso joints work as you'd expect, adding some further options in stances and gestures.
We often see Magneto levitating, particularly in Days of Future Past, and the figure looks good placed onto a dynamic stand to recreate a levitation pose.
3.0
The Fassbender Magneto, as seen in Days of Future Past, is faithfully replicated in this set with two good heads offering differing takes on the character and both with decent likenesses. The figure does suffer with a few paint issues, and a very frustrating set of leg joints that make him hardwork to stand and pose.
The inclusion of the McKellen heads still has me a little stumped and I do hope they will find a way to bring us an earlier appearance McKellen with these heads in the future.
The packaging is bold and bright, and perhaps just a little repetitive by use of those same silhouette images on the side and reverse - when some movie text or character info might have been a nice addition.
I score the X-Men 20th Anniversary Magneto a total of 4.0
About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...
action figures, reviews, review, articulation, marvel, legends, x-men, days of future past, apocalypse, magneto, professor x, xavier, charles