"What's in the box!"
It is with great pleasure that I received the newly announced Marvel Legends Premium Interactive Deadpool Head from Hasbro UK in advance of its August release.
Deadpool arrives in a head size box as you would expect, and the detail on the box is really fun when you start to explore. On opening my outer package I thought I had been forwarded the packaging and the sender had left on, and re-used, the old address label (very eBay). In actual fact this is part of the packaging with Wade's address overwritten in red with an address for Chuck - a nod to the character (Chuckles) who resided at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning.
The front of the box features a full image of the Deadpool head against the gloss black we'd expect from Marvel Legends packaging. This is designed to look like it has been torn out and stuck to the box, and it is actually stands out from the box as do the replica tape pieces holding it in place. The side of this image breaks down the features of the set including
600 lines of dialogue
Expressive movement
App-enhanced
The box front is suitably decorated in Wade's doodling including Deadpool riding a Unicorn alongside various images of Deadpool's head in different locations. There is even a tiny Headpool hiding up top. Other details on the box front include the "Body not included" speech bubble - and quite a large 18+ warning with the subtitle "not for kids"
The back of the box follows a similar theme with another panel that looks and feels like it has been torn from Marvel Legends black gloss packaging. This is a side on view of the head with some more doodling, notably a taco. To the side of this is a strip of photos of the head that have been printed like a photobooth strip and stapled into place (the staples are not real).
One side of the box is dedicated to the App that supports the head with three screenshots of the app. Above this is some indication of the fun the app will bring
"CONNECT FOR: JOKES, PRANKS, AND INSULTS!"
The other side of the box has a load more photo booth photos of the head with fake staples and some more Wade-esque speech bubbles.
Stripping back all the stickers and tape, the box base design is done to look like a box from a fictional business called "subby's fish tacos".
The head can be accessed via the top ad bottom flaps of the box. In hindsight the bottom may be easier even though the top flap tells you to "open this end".
The head sits sideways in the box with a cardboard sleeve shaped around it to hold it in place. Instructions and Safety documentation sits loose on the top. When you move out the top insert the full head is revealed, but it doesn't come out easily as yet. What you can't quite see is another tray at the bottom which is clipped to the head's base by means of three clips. My chubby fingers couldn't get a purchase on this lower tray so I ended up turning it upside down and letting gravity do its part. Opening from the bottom would allow you to release these clips first.
Out of the box you are presented by a genuine 1:1 scale Deadpool head. It is also a full fabric mesh mask and cloth eyepieces - there is even the left over material at the back where it flaps over.
You can see and feel the defined features under the cloth mask with the chin, nose, eyes and ears. The base section is plastic but is coloured and shaped as faux leather to recreate the collar of Deadpool's outfit. The whole piece is relative weighty.
Deadpool without his body obviously needs a power source, and Deadpool takes 4 x C batteries. These are not included. You access the battery compartment at the base by removing two screws.
With batteries inserted it is time to turn Deadpool on (pun intended). There is a slide switch next to a red button - and once slid to on, Deadpool will come to life. If this is the first time you activate Deadpool then he will give you some backstory about how he lost his body as well as asking your name. There is no speech recognition built in, so whatever you respond Deadpool will hear "Bob" and will call you (and everyone else) Bob.
The voice is of course not Ryan Reynolds, but after a few lines of dialogue that is soon forgotton and the delivery of the lines is very "Deadpool". There is some background noise from the motors which can be a bit annoying - dampening the surface he sits on will help by means of some kind of fabric or a rubber mat of sorts. The motors are placed to give his neck full movement both side to side and up and down. Further movement is built in to the mouth under the hood, and the eyes which can open and close as well as move independently for winking - the eyebrows can also move up and down.
The head works on three types of sensors - movement, light and sound. While Deadpool will talk for awhile, without any of these stimulus he will go on standby. Starting with light, Deadpool recognises dark and light and if you put him in the dark he will activate "night mode" and start to go to sleep, when the light comes back on he wakes up. Sound sensors can be as simple as you voice talking to him - although his responses are purely random, but often hilarious.
Detecting movement seems to be across a number of sensors. He will recognise if you tap his head or move him in anyway on a surface. He also has a button that releases on the base when you pick him up - this will result in conversation around him being carried or lifted. There is then some form of gyroscope that understands which way up he is. This apparently can trigger a skit about kissing a superhero upside down in the rain, but I've not had that one yet.
Here is some video footage of the head and some of the general phrases he can throw at you...
The accompanying free App allows more control over the head. I could not find it on Google Play Store, but if you go to apps.hasbro.com you will find a link to the Google or iPhone versions. It connects via Bluetooth and requires you to press the red button on Deadpools base to connect. Once linked you now have control over the head with three menus to choose from.
Make me say $***... is exactly that. It has a breakdown of items from Greetings, Goodbyes to Insults and Jokes. Pressing each one will activate a phrase from Deadpool's phrase bank in that category. It allows you to sit with your phone and throw out Jokes or Insults at anyone passing your Deadpool head.
"The make me say" option also includes a record feature. This uses your phone camera, there is nothing built into Deadpool. You can then create a video by controlling what Deadpool says, and once done there are a usual suite of social media sharing options.
May me do $***... is not as defined. It includes some prank options such as putting Deadpool in a Fridge or a Bathroom prank. Each prank uses a detection type and a reaction - so the Fridge Prank activates when you open the fridge, or the Bedroom Brank when the person sleeping wakes up and Deadpool detects movement.
You can even setup a custom prank to make Deadpool do say a particular category when he detects either sound, movement or light. Other options in here include Party Mode which activates speech associated with a Party, or Night mode which starts things like Bedtime stories.
The final option is More $***.... this has a "do not press" option, an alarm clock and Weapons X. The Weapons give you the choice of playing card, shurikens or a taco. You can then use your finger to throw these at Deadpool via the screen. The alarm clock is just that, but is apparently only accurate 1 times out of 5 so not one to rely on for work. The "do not press" takes you to a big red button and Deadpool reacts to this with some text around what the button does and reacts again as you press it.
This longer video will go through each of the main features of the App and shows examples of dialogue and movement from each segment
I will finish by saying that the 18+ rating Hasbro has put on this is possibly over cautious. While some of the lines allude to adult themes, I have not heard any profanity as yet - in fact there are lines of dialogue with the swearing bleeped out. With that in mind I let my son play with it for a bit, and he loved it - though he was initially treating it like an Alexa and asking it questions, perhaps that is the next evolution of items like this.
"When I'm finished parts will have to grow back you."
If you want a Marvel Legends Premium Interactive Deadpool Head then you can pre-order now, with the item due to ship in August 2020. Order your Deadpool Premium Interactive Head from one of our site supporters/affiliates - or from your stockist of choice.
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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...
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