Review : Yellow Jacket 1:1 scale figurine King Arts Wave/Series : N/A Released : 2015
Price : Import (range from £10-£18)
King Arts are a Chinese company who were formed in 2013 and took on a Marvel Licence for sales in the Far East, specialising in more high end product - including 1:9 scale die-cast Iron Man figures as well as 1:1 props.
One of their more interesting ranges of recent months is their 1:1 scale Ant-Man range. And when we say 1:1 we do of course mean when Ant-Man is miniaturised.
These figurines are non articulated, and only available in the Far East - although there are a number of channels you can use to import these into the US or UK.
The figure we are taking a look at here is Yellowjacket, who was released in 2015 alongside Ant-Man.
Yellowjacket arrives in a square window 4 inch by 3 inch box which is predominantly black, with the Ant-Man movie logo in a rich red in the top left corner. There is a clear window, through which you can see the statue - due to the double plastic insert inside the box the figure is not too clear when viewed in the box, it makes the figure look blurred and undefined. This may cause frustration for MIB collectors.
Around the window is a cut out image of Yellowjacket, with his mechanical arms reaching across the window. The King Arts crown logo sits in the bottom left and the code FFS004 to the bottom right - I believe this is a catalogue code. In the middle of these two is the character name in a white, very 1980's typeface.
The two sides repeat the Ant-Man Logo, although now in white and with the name Yellowjacket under the logo. Under this is an image of a flying Yellowjacket flying towards camera. Due to the dark nature of his suit against a similar coloured black background, the image isn't too well defined. The back is all text, with a silver holographic Marvel badge.
Once the box is open you get the standard cardboard background you will find on most boxed figures. There is then an inner and outer plastic tray with the figure sandwiched in the middle. The sandwich effect causing that blurring of the figure when viewed in the box.
In hand and Yellowjacket is lighter than expected. I wasn't expecting Die-cast, but thought he would have a bit of weight behind him. He stands 2 3/4 inches high (70mm).
The sculpt is awesome and captures loads of detail in the suit at what is a ridiculous scale to be working with. You can see clear panels across the chest, with each mechanical arm in proportion. The paint job is superb, albeit two tone of black and gold. You can see the line around the mouth piece, the trim around each mechanical arm and every panel is neat and crisp with no bleed or spill. The plastic used is a little soft, so the arms in particular can be bent - but this is preferable to having them snap if they were a brittle plastic. This is a statue, so there is no articulation.
Yellowjacket stands on top of a bolt, which really contextualises what King Arts are trying to do here with trying to make this look like a mini Yellowjacket at real life 1:1 scale. The bolt does look a bit like those you get with a kids tool kit up close, it could have done with a more metallic finish. I also think they spoiled the 1:1 look by sticking the Ant-Man logo on the bottom of the bolt. This logo was certainly not in the initial promotional images, so was a late addition to the production run.
Yellowjacket does not come off his Bolt plinth, unless you are willing to cut him away. He is great little novelty though for any Marvel collectors, particularly as Yellowjacket himself got such a raw deal in figure form after his 2015 movie début. For some appreciation of scale on this figure, I have shown him here posed alongside my custom 7 inch Yellowjacket.
Yellowjacket does have a companion piece, with a corresponding Ant-Man produced in the same scale. The Ant-Man is riding a bullet (brilliant) on his way to engage Yellowjacket.
At the price point these sell for, these are not cheap - but that is more import costs than the RRP. However, if you can get one around the £12 mark then they are pretty nice looking and can be posed with a Marvel collection, or perhaps around your home as a little nod to your love of Marvel. I score Yellowjacket a 4 out of 5.
