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Jakks Pacific are looking to emulate the success of the various Fortnite action figure lines with their new line of 6 inch figures from Apex Legends. Series 2 has now been confirmed in the Apex Legends line with figures of Revenant, Octane and Wraith. The figures come with appropriate character weaponry and accessories and are packaged in a smart looking window box format. Apex Legends Series 2 is up for pre-order now at Stockists and has a release date floating in the 1st Quarter of 2021 at this stage. Relive your favorite moments from your recent battles with this set of three 6-inch figures from Apex Legends. Included in this set are Revenant, Octane and Wraith. Product Features 6 inch (15.24 cm) Made of plastic Based on characters from Apex Legends Series 1 includes: Revenant, Octane and Wraith Box Contents Revenant figure with Extra hand, Machine gun, Shield Octane figure with Pistol, Platform Wraith figure with Machine gun, Pistol Checkout our blog page for more action figure news, reviews and store reports 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 figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors,

After the release of the new Imperial Stormtrooper Black Series figure in the first wave of the new Galaxy Collection, the next logical use of that body would be a weathered and dirtied Remnant Stormtrooper as seen on Nevarro in the Mandalorian Season 1. The figure was announced as a Target Exclusive in the US and via the Fan Channel elsewhere so it would go into specialist stores. Our Exclusive Remnant Stormtrooper remains part of the overall Galaxy Collection for the Mandalorian and is numbered #9 in the series. His release in December does bring him in well before figures #6 through #8 so that does mean we are out of line for a while. The packaging uses the slant side box with side artwork and the rich orange colour accent as aligned to The Mandalorian Galaxy Collection figures. This colour is used across the front border of the window where it confirms the source of the figure as The Mandalorian. It is used in the character name just underneath and then it wraps round both sides - creating a coloured glow on the side artwork. This side panel is drawn in grey scale and shows a Stormtrooper in a more relaxed pose with weapon pointing down against a grey sky with another trooper in the background alongside some Nevarro buildings. These art panels join up with the other releases from the series to create a wider image. The same image is used on the back of the box alongside a brief piece of background text that does set the scene for the appearance and name of this figure. The reverse of the box also confirms the numbering for this release as 09. "The Empire is in disarray. The once pristine and uniform ranks of Stormtroopers that fought for the Empire now resemble a ragtag army of mercenaries for lawless gangsters". The figure is opened by way of top or base flap and slides out in an inner tray complete with the window which is not attached to the box, The figure is solely held in by the shape of the tray and there are no ties or tape to deal with. 4.0 The Remnant Stormtrooper uses the new 2020 Stormtrooper sculpt which itself is based on the newer Stormtrooper armour props as used in Rogue One and The Mandalorian. This provides good proportions for the Trooper with better articulation, cleaner lines between armour and body and an updated helmet. The helmet is actually glued over a sculpted - but unpainted head - underneath and this can lead to some warping issues. There was nothing wrong with my Remnant Trooper and this is the 3rd figure I've had with this new body without experiencing any issues with the head. The Remnant Trooper is of course portrayed as weathered and dirty and this is applied as paint apps over the white base armour. The first application is a sandy weathering tone that is subtly applied over all the armoured panels. The second application is in grey paint and this is a little more heavy handed and designed to look like scratches and battle damage. These look fine on the helmet but are more smeared on the shoulders, wrist and for some reason round the back of the right thigh. This may have been one of those cases where less would have been more. 3.5 Our Trooper comes with one accessory, an E-11 Blaster Rifle. This is a new piece for the new Stormtrooper mold. It is cast in black plastic and also based on the Rogue One props. This means it has a larger stock piece on the body of the blaster and a smaller second scope to the side of the barrel. While they are black on screen, there is some detail that would have been enhanced with a brush of silver or similar. It fits into either hand, with both hands designed with a trigger finger that then slots into the trigger. The other hand can be used to cup the barrel. With the holster removed on the new figure, there is no options for holstering the blaster. My one build on the figure is that the Remnant Stormtrooper is based on the dishevelled look from The Mandalorian seen in Season 1 - these Troopers were less uniform than the regular Imperial Troops and therefore carried variant weapons rather than the uniform E-11 blasters. It would not have taken much to include a variant blaster such as the smaller Death Trooper hand blaster that is seen in The Mandalorian in the scenes with The Client. 3.0 The main selling point of this new Imperial Stormtrooper is its vastly improved set of articulation, with a total of 19 points of articulation across the body. Head : neck base ball joint, neck top ball joint Body : torso ball joint Upper Arms : hinged pauldron, butterfly shoulders, ball joint shoulders Lower Arms : single rotating elbow, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, single rotating knees, ankle rockers While the elbows are downgraded to a single joint, they are designed so that they still bend well past 90 degrees while being easier on the eye than than the double joints. The arms are fully mobile thanks to the addition of the shoulder butterfly joints as well as a joint in the shoulder pauldron which allows it to move independently but in tandem with the arm as its raised and posed. These can look a little odd in some poses, but you can work with and round them to get the pose you need. The legs are great, with the Stormtrooper having the ability to kneel, sit or stand in a number of poses. All the joints are secure and tight with no looseness present. The only issue I could find was that the chest armour - being a seperate piece - can ride up and then opens up a gap in the torso with some poses. 4.5 The Remnant Stormtrooper should ideally have been the first Imperial release in The Mandalorian, allowing the clean and new Imperial Stormtrooper to sit as a Rogue One release as originally planned. The Remnant Trooper is more aligned to The Mandalorian Season 1 scenes with the Client. The execution of the figure is fine, and I like the yellowed weathering and some of the scratch marks, although reigning it back a little would perhaps have looked better. The articulation is spot on and a big improvement on the original 2014 Trooper and you can get this new figure into much better poses. The one issue with the figure is that it is another Army Builder sold as an exclusive and not in the wider main range where collectors can choose to buy extras. It would have also been good for Hasbro to include other weapons to support the army building and variants for display. I score the Remnant Stormtrooper a total of 3.5 For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our Black Series Database 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, hasbro, star wars, black series, the mandalorian, stormtrooper, galaxy collection, remnant, imperial

There were a new raft of Star Wars Black Series reveals in this weeks Mando Monday, headlined (in my opinion) with the new Black Series figure of Bo Katan Kryze from the Mandalorian, complete with unmasked Katee Sackhoff head sculpt. The figure also includes twin blasters and her helmet. She is down for a Spring 2021 release and will be part of a general wave - most likely Wave 4 with Ventress and The Bad Batch. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH BO-KATAN KRYZE Figure (F1863) (HASBRO/Age 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £19.99/Available: Spring 2021) Fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS Galaxy with this premium STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH BO-KATAN KRYZE Figure, inspired by THE MANDALORIAN live-action TV series on Disney Plus. STAR WARS fans and collectors can display this 6-inch scale highly poseable, fully articulated figure, featuring premium deco, in their action figure and vehicle collection. Includes figure and 3 accessories. Available for pre-order at all good collector sites and stores. Checkout our blog page for more action figure news, reviews and store reports 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 figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors,

There were a new raft of Star Wars Black Series reveals in this weeks Mando Monday, this included a 2nd wave of Archive figures unveiled for 2021 with content heavily influenced by appearances in the Mandalorian. The wave will include the Death Trooper, Hover Tank Pilot and Shore Trooper (originally from Rogue One) and a Tusken Raider (formally from A New Hope). These army builders will really help collectors flesh out displays for The Mandalorian, while filling in a gaps with figures that have been out of circulation. The wave will be a general release and available in Spring 2021 on Archive card backs with the new 50 years of Lucasfilm icon. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES ARCHIVE 6-INCH TUSKEN RAIDER Figure (F1904) (HASBRO/Age 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £19.99/Available: Spring 2021) Epic figures from the STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES ARCHIVE return with the STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES ARCHIVE 6-INCH TUSKEN RAIDER Figure, inspired by the original trilogy and featuring premium deco and design. STAR WARS fans and collectors can display this highly poseable, fully articulated figure, featuring premium deco, in their action figure and vehicle collection. Includes figure and 4 accessories. Available for pre-order at all good collector sites and stores. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES ARCHIVE 6-INCH SHORETROOPER Figure (F1905) (HASBRO/Age 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £19.99/Available: Spring 2021) Epic figures from the STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES ARCHIVE return with the STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES ARCHIVE 6-INCH SHORETROOPER Figure, inspired by ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY and featuring premium deco and design. STAR WARS fans and collectors can display this highly poseable, fully articulated figure, featuring premium deco, in their action figure and vehicle collection. Includes figure and accessory. Available for pre-order at all good collector sites and stores. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES ARCHIVE 6-INCH IMPERIAL HOVERTANK DRIVER Figure (F1905) (HASBRO/Age 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £19.99/Available: Spring 2021) Epic figures from the STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES ARCHIVE return with the STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES ARCHIVE 6-INCH IMPERIAL HOVERTANK DRIVER Figure, inspired by ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY and featuring premium deco and design. STAR WARS fans and collectors can display this highly poseable, fully articulated figure, featuring premium deco, in their action figure and vehicle collection. Includes figure and accessory. Available for pre-order at all good collector sites and stores. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES ARCHIVE 6-INCH IMPERIAL DEATH TROOPER Figure (F1907) (HASBRO/Age 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £19.99/Available: Spring 2021) Epic figures from the STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES ARCHIVE return with the STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES ARCHIVE 6-INCH IMPERIAL DEATH TROOPER Figure, inspired by ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY and featuring premium deco and design. STAR WARS fans and collectors can display this highly poseable, fully articulated figure, featuring premium deco, in their action figure and vehicle collection. Includes figure and 2 accessories. Available for pre-order at all good collector sites and stores. Checkout our blog page for more action figure news, reviews and store reports 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 figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors,

In 2020, Hasbro released their first Marvel Legends from the Fox Marvel Movie Universe. The figures celebrated 20 years of the X-Men Universe and alongside a number of X-Men releases were four figures from Deadpool 2. Cable and Domino were single release figures, while Deadpool was packed with Negasonic Teenage Warhead in a two pack. Checkout the corresponding review for Deadpool The X-Men movie figures do not subscribe to the usual Marvel Legends packaging design and instead are in rectangular squared off boxes. The Deadpool figures use a red base colour (obviously) with the figures set against a light grey backdrop in the window. An X-Men logo is built into this cardback. In true Deadpool style, the box is covered in Deadpool scrawl with the real names of the two character crossed out and Deadpool and Negasonic Teenage Warhead scrawled next to them. The X-Men logo to the bottom corner - and on top of the box - has an oversticker of the Deadpool logo over them, complete with a crease where it has been put on out of line. Rather than utilise character art on the side spines, the X-Men set use very impactful silhouette images with Negasonic on the right hand side and Deadpool on the left. These images are repeated on the reverse. There is no background text or checklist of other releases, which does leave the back and sides very samey in terms of design. 4.0 Negasonic is sculpted as seen in Deadpool 2 in her X-Men uniform. The head sculpt is one of the weaker female sculpts for some time, an area Hasbro usually excel in. The head shape is a bit wide and the hair does not reach the same height or style as we see on screen. The likeness to Brianna Hildebrand is there, but it's not nailed on, and the face print tech utilised does not give the wow we've had on other figures. The earing on her left ear is good detail, but the head itself is cropped a little too high on the back of the neck vs the neck itself. The X-Men uniform is pretty much as seen on screen. It is black in base colour with the yellow painted over the top on the chest and stripes on the thighs. Yellow paint is never the easiest to apply and there are some coverage issues on the seams around the hips There is silver detail on the shoulders, forearm sections and the studded belt. The X-Men logo is sculpted as a relief and then painted with the X symbol in the same yellow as the top. This should be a darker, brighter shade of yellow and on my figure it has been painted off centre. 3.0 While the set itself is packed full of accessories, most are for Deadpool and the only items specifically for Negasonic Teenage Warhead are a pair of alternative hands and some of those generic energy wrap pieces. The hands give you the options for a pair of fists, a pair of open hands or a combination of the two. Like the body all the hands are cast in black plastic with the yellow of the uniform and flesh tone of the fingers painted on top. While the forearms are very slim, the hands are still fitted with a substantial peg and swapping them in and out is without issue. The energy FX pieces are cast in a rubbery translucent yellow material. They are designed to wrap around the forearm and hands and once done they do tend to stay in place unless the figure is knocked or handled. The premise of the FX pieces is OK, but the whole point of Negasonic Teenage Warheads powers is her full body is charged with energy for use as an attack. For me a few more pieces are needed to try and recreate the onscreen effect. 2.5 Negasonic Teenage Warhead has a total articulation count of 16 joints. Head : ball joint neck with pivot Body : torso ball joint Arms : ball joint shoulder, single rotating elbow, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double jointed knees, ankle pivot The head is fully mobile, although moving it round exposes the peg under the nec and the shape of the back of the head is not aesthetically pleasing. The joint in the torso allows for upper torso rotation and to lean the figure back - but it will not go forward due to the shape of its design. Arms are mobile without any costume or armour to interfere. The elbow joints are singular and bend to 90 degrees and no further. Even with the thin forearms, there are still pivots in the wrists allowing them to bend and rotate. The legs are fine too, with double jointed knees and the ability to sit or kneel if you wish. The ankle rockers work really well and are tight and secure - as are all the joints - allowing the figure to be stood and posed very easily. 4.0 It is probably fair to say that Negasonic Teenage Warhead was never designed to be the star of this set, nor would we have been likely to get her in figure form outside of a multi-set format with a bigger player like Deadpool alongside. The packaging design does just scream Deadpool and is quite fun. The artwork is striking but repeating the same images on the sides and back of box feels like a miss and I would have liked to have seen a movie poster or bio like the First Ten Year sets instead. The figure execution is pretty good. The head is not an exact likeness and not to the standard we've seen recently on female figures like Black Widow or Scarlet Witch. Paint is quite basic and it is a shame that with such a small amount of decor there are issues on my figure such as the misaligned X-Men logo on the chest and coverage around the yellow on the thighs. The FX pieces are more of a part Hasbro already had and have thrown in, and are not really reflective of her powers. Taking everything into account, I score Negasonic Teenage Warhead an above average total of 3.0 For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our Black Series Database 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, hasbro, fox, x-men, deadpool, negasonic teenage warhead

In 2020, Hasbro released their first Marvel Legends from the Fox Marvel Movie Universe. The figures celebrated 20 years of the X-Men Universe and alongside a number of X-Men releases were four figures from Deadpool 2. Cable and Domino were single release figures, while Deadpool was packed with Negasonic Teenage Warhead in a two pack. Checkout the corresponding review for Negasonic Teenage Warhead The X-Men movie figures do not subscribe to the usual Marvel Legends packaging design and instead are in rectangular squared off boxes. The Deadpool figures use a red base colour (obviously) with the figures set against a light grey backdrop in the window. An X-Men logo is built into this cardback. In true Deadpool style, the box is covered in Deadpool scrawl with the real names of the two character crossed out and Deadpool and Negasonic Teenage Warhead scrawled next to them. The X-Men logo to the bottom corner - and on top of the box - has an oversticker of the Deadpool logo over them, complete with a crease where it has been put on out of line. Rather than utilise character art on the side spines, the X-Men set use very impactful silhouette images with Negasonic on the right hand side and Deadpool on the left. These images are repeated on the reverse. There is no background text or checklist of other releases, which does leave the back and sides very samey in terms of design. 4.0 Deadpool is a full new sculpt to recreate his suit from the end of Deadpool and into Deadpool 2. The head is always critical in how Deadpool is portrayed and the sculptors have done a great job in both proportion but also to capture that essence of Ryan Reynolds Deadpool and how he manage to express via those white eyes and the shaping of the nose/mouth under the mask. The body is well executed with the proportions a good match to the Reynold Deadpool. The bulk of the suit cast in a textured red complete with sculpted scratches, dings and creases where you would expect a suit to crease around the joints. The other areas are either cast in black or painted in black over the red - and that does lead to some slight paint wobbles on the upper arms and the knee pads. Deadpool has his brown leather belt, complete with Deadpool symbol on the clasp. A strap leads up over the left shoulder and holds a shoulder pad/armour piece in place. On the back we have a twin pair of sheaths for the Katana's. And on the hips a pair of guns in holsters. These are sadly sculpted into place and cannot be removed and this seems odd considering how often we see working holsters on Hasbro products? This decision is further compounded considering a smaller knife holster is in place on the left shin and this is ready to accept the knife accessory we shall see shortly. 4.5 While Negasonic Teenage Warhead was a little light on accessories, Deadpool gets a whole raft of parts to adjust and amend his look. We start with hand options which include a pair of trigger hands for guns, a pair of gripping hands for swords and knife, a pair of fists and a pair of open hands. Each are cast in black plastic and the gripping hands have a silver panel painted on the reverse - I am not sure why this is not done on the fists or gripping hands as they are sculpted with the panel - just not painted. The hands swap in and out easily and with a clear click as each hand is engaged into the forearm. The knife accessory is relatively simple, but nicely shaped with a blade and handle, the latter painted up in silver. The knife fits into either of the gripping hands, and when not in use it slots neatly into the lower leg holster and holds in place well without being so tight the paint is at risk of rubbing. Deadpool not only has sculpted handguns in his holsters, he is supplied with a pair as well. These are not the most detailed of guns, with pretty plain design across the black sculpted plastic. They fit into the trigger hands, with a trigger finger slotting into place. The issue with these is that Deadpool looks slightly off wielding his guns, while his guns are still in the holster. Considering all the working holsters Hasbro have done on Legends and Black Series, why on earth this decision was reached I cannot fathom and I hope any future movie Deadpool figures have this oversight corrected. Deadpool's Katanas are also included and come with curved blade painted in silver and a textured handle in black. The gripping hands are used to wield the swords with the ability to have a sword in each hand, or to use the articulation to get a two handed sword pose. When not in use, the sheaths on the back of the figure do work so the swords slide into place smoothly. Again, not too tight that the paint might rub, but not loose enough that they will fall out. The final accessory is Deadpool's stuffed Unicorn, which is a bit of a fun inclusion and a nod to the movie without going too far into R rating territory. It is cast in white plastic with painted blue eyes and a gold horn. Deadpool can hold and stroke the Unicorn if that is something you want on your shelf. Otherwise I suspect this may go in the bits box. So we have a great sculpt, a good level of accessories, and all Deadpool needs now is a good level of articulation. The figure does not disappoint in this area either with 22 points of articulation in total. Head : ball joint neck base, ball joint neck top Body : T-joint torso joint, waist swivel Arms : butterfly shoulders, ball joint shoulders, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double jointed knees, ankle rocker Deadpool is so fun to pose with all those joints working in combination to most poses you would want and expect from a movie Deadpool. The head adds a lot of context to each pose and with the neck articulation - particularly at the top of the neck as the base is a little hemmed in - you can tilt Deadpool's head as he does on screen. Torso and waist joints work well, with the ability to rotate the torso and to bend forward and backwards, although this movement is heavily ratcheted so the positioning is driven more by the internal workings as each notch turn and locks into place. The arms have full motion with the ability to point his guns, draw and wield his swords or simply put up a good fist fight. The butterfly shoulders, while subtle, make a big difference in terms of gun firing position and the ability to wield the katanas in two hands if you wish. To support the aesthetics an in another new development from Hasbro for 2020, the elbow joints are pinless. Legs can kneel and sit as required and all the leg joints are snug and secure to keep Deadpool standing and posed without issue. I would struggle to offer any improvements to the joints and articulation on this figure. 5.0 Deadpool as a character is hugely popular, and after so long without Fox movie figures in the Marvel Legends line it seems almost surreal that I can now pose a movie accurate Ryan Reynolds Deadpool alongside Captain America and Iron-Man. Deadpool does everything you want a Legends figure to do. He looks the part, comes with all the accessories you'd expect - and a Unicorn you perhaps wouldn't - and articulates brilliantly and if this is the new normal for Legends figures then we have some impressive figures to come. The packaging is "very" Deadpool and that is a style that may not appeal to everyone in terms of boxed collectors. There is also repetition with those brilliant silhouette images shown on the sides and the reverse of the box vs some form of movie reference on the back in terms of a poster or blurb (or both). Deadpool is pushing for top marks, but I would say that the decision on the sculpted guns in the holsters is a poor one and had we got Deadpool with working holsters it would have finished the figure off nicely. I also wonder if other head options were ever on the cards, with the differing eye expressions, as that would have really put this figure into another bracket. As it stands, Deadpool scores 4.5 For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our Black Series Database 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, hasbro, fox, x-men, deadpool, negasonic teenage warhead

The Mandalorian is one of the three big Star Wars properties for Winter 2019, and is the first live action TV show from the Star Wars universe. As the Star Wars Black Series hit Wave 22 of the 3rd Phase we have our first figures from the show, the titular character The Mandalorian. The figure was #94 in the line, and was also released as a special exclusive "Carbonized" edition with metallic packaging and figure paintwork. The Carbonized Mandalorian was exclusive to Target in the US and Star Action Figures in the UK. We compare the standard and carbonized editions through this review, but you can click through for the full carbonized release review. Packaging 4/5 The standard Mandalorian arrives in the Phase 3 black packaging with red side spine and figure backdrop. The artwork shows the helmet and shoulders of The Mandalorian leaning forward and is repeated on the box reverse along with a short, non spoilery, piece of text. "His body is shielded by beskar armor, his face is hidden behind a T-visored mask, and his past is wrapped in mystery. The Mandalorian is battle-worn and tight-lipped, a formidable bounty hunter in an increasingly dangerous galaxy." The Carbonized packaging is the same dimensions as the standard release, but the black is replaced with a foil bronze colouring. A circular insert has been added to the right of the figure which states this as the "Carbonized Edition". The red is replaced by a silver foil down the side spine and behind the figure in the box. The artwork remains the same as the standard version, but in the foil it looks much better with clearer textures and a reflective effect. The figures are laid out the same in both packs with the Carbonized Mandalorian's hand blaster covered by the circular panel. Paint & Sculpt 4/5 The Mandalorian is a brand new sculpt and includes a new T-visor helmet that is coloured in a dull metallic finish with black paint visor. The helmet is weathered with splashes of brown paint. The armour for the Mandalorian looks piecemeal, as though pieced together, and it includes some familiar items like the shoulder panel of an Imperial Shoretrooper. The armour design means there are lots of colours used across the armour, including brown for the majority of the panels - but also beige and silver - and all of it is battleworn with silver chips added across each of the panels. All the paintwork is neat and well executed with a good colour pallette. The Mandalorian is wearing a belt with a soft rubber holster, and up from this stretches a strap that goes over the shoulder and back down. The cloak is also a seperate item, cast in soft plastic and not soft goods as we saw on the original Black Series Fett. It is shaped to hang neatly off one side and can be removed if you wish. All the paintwork is neat and well executed with a good colour pallet. From what I can tell from the trailers, this armour is reflective of the earlier parts of the series and the panels are upgraded at some stage through the series to a more polished metallic finish. With that in mind you might have expected the Carbonized version to the the updated metallic armour, giving fans a reason to buy both (apart from the cool box and exclusivity). Instead the Carbonized version simply adds a metallic finish to all the base colours on the standard armour. The helemt is shinier, but still weathered with brown paint, and the armour goes from brown to a dull bronze. Even the cloak is painted to look metallic. Accessories 4/5 The Mandalorian is armed with a version of a Westar-34 blaster. This is cast in a gunmetal finish with a darker grey painted on the grip. It fits snugly into the Mando's right hand, and I do mean snugly as the figure has very stiff hands compared to a lot of Black Series figures - getting the trigger finger into place is tough work. The Blaster can be holstered in the working holster at the belt. This is opened by pulling the strap out of a plug in the holster and inserting the weapon. The second weapon is of course widely reported as being influenced by Boba Fett's weapon from the animated portion of the Star Wars Holiday Special. This long barreled blaster includes what we assume are two shock prongs as seen in the trailers, and it can be used as a melee weapon as well as for firing. It is cast in a grey plastic and then has a brown painted stock, and silver painted barrel and trigger mechanism. This weapon is a little tougher to pose. The best bet is to get the barrel seated in the left hand first, then get the trigger finger on the right hand into the trigger. Once this is one the stock can be lined up behind the arm and into the shoulder. The weapon can also be slung and to achieve this Hasbro have put a hole in the soft rubber strap and the back of the figure. The first issue is that these don't line up initially. The strap is stuck a little further over in the wet paint and it takes a bit of teasing to free it (hopefully without damage) and to line it up. Once lined up there is a plug on the long barreled rifle to slot into the whole. Sadly the second issue is that the peg is too large for either hole. With some force it can go into the strap, but you would need to trim it down or widen the hole for a tight fit. Being so tight and with so much force, the third issue is then paint rub and you will lose silver paint almost instantly from your rifle. While the Carbonized figure has a metallic finish over the base colour, the weapons are painted in differing finishes. The rifle has a much brighter silver and the stock is a metallic bronze. In the same vein, the blaster is bright silver and the grip on this also a metallic bronze. Articulation 5/5 The Mandalorian features 19 points of articulation, with the newer neck joint that is jointed top and bottom - and butterfly shoulders, although these are not overly extensive tucked behind the armour. The hips and neck joints are a little too loose, with the hips being troublesome in wider stances as they can slide off into the splits and cause your figure to fall over. The rest are tight and secure and the figure stands and poses really well Head : ball jointed neck - top and bottom Body : torso ball joint Arms : butterfly joints, ball joint shoulders, single rotating elbow, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double jointed knees, ankle rockers I particularly love the fact he can kneel, something not all Black Series figures can achieve and remain looking natural. The arms also have enough motion for two handed firing poses with the long barrelled rifle. Summary The standard Mandalorian is an excellent looking figure and very well designed, sculpted, painted and weathered - with very good articulation and posing options. The only gripes are with the weapon slot on the back and the very stiff hands which make the weapons very difficult to insert. I score the standard Mandalorian Black Series figure a very solid 4 out of 5. See More Star Wars Black Series Figures Figure Hacks With so much being made of the Mandalorian using elements of the Star Wars Holiday Special, I was delighted to see our Mando riding a Dewback in the trailer. I can confirm that the articulation on the Mandalorian does allow him to sit quite well on the Black Series Dewback and grip the reins in either hand. The look is brilliant, and I wouldn't be cross one bit if Hasbro recycled the Dewback and gave us a Mandalorian themed creature set at some point in the future.

The Mandalorian is one of the three big Star Wars properties for Winter 2019, and is the first live action TV show from the Star Wars universe. As the Star Wars Black Series hit Wave 22 of the 3rd Phase we have our first figures from the show, the titular character The Mandalorian. The figure was #94 in the line, and was also released as a special exclusive "Carbonized" edition with metallic packaging and figure paintwork. The Carbonized Mandalorian was exclusive to Target in the US and Star Action Figures in the UK. We compare the standard and carbonized editions through this review, but you can click through for the full general release review. Packaging 5/5 The Carbonized packaging is the same dimensions as the standard release, but the black is replaced with a foil bronze colouring. A circular insert has been added to the right of the figure which states this as the "Carbonized Edition". The red is replaced by a silver foil down the side spine and behind the figure in the box. The artwork remains the same as the standard version, but in the foil it looks much better with clearer textures and a reflective effect. The figures are laid out the same in both packs with the Carbonized Mandalorian's hand blaster covered by the circular panel. The artwork is repeated on the box reverse along with a short, non spoilery, piece of text. "His body is shielded by beskar armor, his face is hidden behind a T-visored mask, and his past is wrapped in mystery. The Mandalorian is battle-worn and tight-lipped, a formidable bounty hunter in an increasingly dangerous galaxy." The Carbonized packaging is essentially aimed at boxed collectors in the main, and looks stunning on the Mandalorian with a good choice of contrasting foil metallic colours. Being foil it is more prone to shelf wear and dings and defects. The standard Mandalorian arrives in the Phase 3 black packaging with red side spine and figure backdrop. Apart from the circular insert and the colours, the boxes are identical in dimensions, wording and layout. Paint & Sculpt 5/5 The Mandalorian is a brand new sculpt and includes a new T-visor helmet that is coloured in a bright silver finish with black paint visor. The helmet is weathered with splashes of brown paint. The armour for the Mandalorian looks piecemeal, as though pieced together, and it includes some familiar items like the shoulder panel of an Imperial Shoretrooper. The armour design means there are lots of colours used across the armour, including brown for the majority of the panels - but also beige and silver - and all of it is battleworn with silver chips added across each of the panels. To create the Carbonized metallic look a metallic finish was painted over most of the armour to create the bronzed armour panels and give the under-suit a silver sheen. Even the cape is coloured to give off a metallic hue. While this is impressive, it is a bit of a "miss" considering the Mandalorian looks to acquire some more silver metallic armour later int he series. The Carbonized version would have been a brilliant way of giving fans this look as well as the more piecemeal armour - but instead we have predomiently the same look with one having a sheen. All the paintwork is neat and well executed with a good colour pallet, but watch out for flaking and rubbing. The Mandalorian is wearing a belt with a soft rubber holster, and up from this stretches a strap that goes over the shoulder and back down. The cloak is also a separate item, cast in soft plastic and not soft goods as we saw on the original Black Series Fett. It is shaped to hang neatly off one side and can be removed if you wish. Our standard Mandalorian uses the same base colour pallete, but is missing the metallic sheen. To that end the figures do look very similar. With the more worn armour not showing a metallic sheen in the show I would argue that the standard version may be closer in screen accuracy - although the Carbonized is much more visual for display. Accessories 4/5 The Mandalorian is armed with a version of a Westar-34 blaster. This is cast in a silver finish with a metallic bronze painted grip. It fits snugly into the Mando's right hand, and I do mean snugly as the figure has very stiff hands compared to a lot of Black Series figures - getting the trigger finger into place is tough work. The Blaster can be holstered in the working holster at the belt. This is opened by pulling the strap out of a plug in the holster and inserting the weapon. Watch out for rubbing and chipping of the metallic paint on the blaster when it is being holstered. The second weapon is of course widely reported as being influenced by Boba Fett's weapon from the animated portion of the Star Wars Holiday Special. This long barreled blaster includes what we assume are two shock prongs as seen in the trailers, and it can be used as a melee weapon as well as for firing. It is cast in a grey plastic and then has a metallic bronze painted stock, and silver painted barrel and trigger mechanism. This weapon is a little tougher to pose. The best bet is to get the barrel seated in the left hand first, then get the trigger finger on the right hand into the trigger. Once this is one the stock can be lined up behind the arm and into the shoulder. The weapon can also be slung and to achieve this Hasbro have put a hole in the soft rubber strap and the back of the figure. The first issue is that these don't line up initially. The strap is stuck a little further over in the wet paint and it takes a bit of teasing to free it (hopefully without damage) and to line it up. Once lined up there is a plug on the long barreled rifle to slot into the whole. Sadly the second issue is that the peg is too large for either hole. With some force it can go into the strap, but you would need to trim it down or widen the hole for a tight fit. Being so tight and with so much force, the third issue is then paint rub and you will lose silver paint almost instantly from your rifle. Our standard version has identical weapons an the only difference is in the paint finish. The standard version replaces the metallic bronze grips and stock with a browns and greys and the silver is more muted and gunmetal in finish. Articulation 5/5 The Mandalorian features 19 points of articulation, with the newer neck joint that is jointed top and bottom - and butterfly shoulders, although these are not overly extensive tucked behind the armour. The hips and neck joints are a little too loose, with the hips being troublesome in wider stances as they can slide off into the splits and cause your figure to fall over. The rest are tight and secure and the figure stands and poses really well Head : ball jointed neck - top and bottom Body : torso ball joint Arms : butterfly joints, ball joint shoulders, single rotating elbow, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double jointed knees, ankle rockers I particularly love the fact he can kneel, something not all Black Series figures can achieve and remain looking natural. The arms also have enough motion for two handed firing poses with the long barrelled rifle. Summary The Carbonized Mandalorian is a much crisper and better looking figure than the basic release, even if it may be less screen accurate. The metallic armour and helmet does make the figure pop, but it is a shame that the Carbonized version wasn't the more snazzy polished armour we see in the series trailers. The only gripes are with the weapon slot on the back and the very stiff hands which make the weapons very difficult to insert. I score the Carbonized Mandalorian Black Series figure an impressive 5 out of 5. See More Star Wars Black Series Figures Figure Hacks With so much being made of the Mandalorian using elements of the Star Wars Holiday Special, I was delighted to see our Mando riding a Dewback in the trailer. I can confirm that the articulation on the Mandalorian does allow him to sit quite well on the Black Series Dewback and grip the reins in either hand. (these shots were taken with a standard Mandalorian) The look is brilliant, and I wouldn't be cross one bit if Hasbro recycled the Dewback and gave us a Mandalorian themed creature set at some point in the future.

In Summer 2020, Hasbro moved to a Phase 4 packaging for their Star Wars Black Series figures, entitled the Galaxy Collection. This new design moved away from a fully uniform look for the series and introduced accent colours for each movie or show within the Star Wars Universe. The Galaxy Collection launched with two full waves - a Rebels wave with a number of repacked figures, and Wave 1 of the new Collection made up of 7 figures from across the Star Wars Saga. In this review we look at The Mandalorian, in his Beskar Armour, from the hit Disney+ show. Packaging 4.0 The new Galaxy Collection packaging uses the same footprint dimensions as the previous Phase 3 boxes, although the window section is reduced and the right hand side is cut in at an angle. The base colour of the box remains black, with the Black Series logo on the top rail above the figure window. Each part of the Saga has been given an accent colour, and for The Mandalorian we have a deep, almost rusty, brown tone. The brown colour is used as a border under the window where the movie is named, and again as text for the character name which is kept simply as "The Mandalorian" with no reference to the Armour despite this being widely marketed as Beskar Armour Mandalorian. This angled panel on the right is used for an illustration of the character. This is done in a grey scale with the orange/brown accent at the base of the image. The Mandalorian is illustrated in his Beskar Armour and holding his disintegrator rifle. Each art panel in a collection lines up with the next figure in the line to create a larger montage. When you begin to look how this works in practice then it will take up a bit more room as the figures have to be angled to create the wider panel. However, the logic of the side panel is more evident when figures are displayed side on where both the figure and the art are on display. The brown band wraps round the other box side and angles upward and round to the back. It is here we still get a numbering system for the figures - now specific by movie or series. The Mandalorian is rightly the first in The Mandalorian series and is numbered #01. The back of the box also retains the short background text we are used to from the Phase 3 releases. "His body is shielded by beskar armor, his face is hidden behind a T-visored mask, and his past is wrapped in mystery. No one is sure who this well-equipped stranger is" Due to the angles used for the box, there is a significant amount of tape in use which does look unsightly although they have avoided use on the front and the art panel. The figure is accessed via the top or bottom flaps - the bottom being a little easier to get at with less tape used. The figure sits in an inner tray as normal, but now the outer window is part of this inner piece and is not attached to the box. I do wonder if that makes recycling easier where the parts can be separated more efficiently. The cardboard backing card is quite a dull grey and this is uniform on all figures. I wonder what it would have looked like if the accent colour was used as the backdrop? Watch out for Mando's cape which is pushed through a slot in the plastic and needs some maneuvering to remove it safely. Paint & Sculpt 4.5 This is Mando with his full Beskar armour from the 2nd half of Season 1. The sculpt across all the armoured panels is crisp and includes details like the Mudhorn Sigil on the right Pauldron. The helmet is well proportined but maybe looks a little low o the neck, mainly due to the thickness of the cloak piece that sits beneath the chin. Mando has his belt and bandolier strap with painted ammunition, clasps and rivets. We also have some further ammo on the right shin and the thigh armour above it, still being his older armour, is painted in a varying shade of silver as scratches and with a rusted brown colour to one side. The cape is a rubbery piece that slots over the head and hangs slightly to one side on his back. The cape lacks any paint application but it has a lot of texture and detail in the sculpt which is then defined by the light catching each fold and crease. At first glance this looks like a repainted version of the 2019 Mandalorian, but up close you can see some significant differences. Yes, the helmet and base body are the same. But we have an updated chest piece, shoulder pauldrons and both wrist sections - with the Beskar Mando having his Whistling Birds installed on the left arm. The back panel has also been adjusted with additional socket holes for the Jet Pack which we will look at shortly. The hole for the rifle remains out of line with the hole on the bandolier strap. The cape remains the same, but is slightly darker on Beskar Mando. Accessories 4.0 Mando comes with his blaster, the same as the original figure. There is some clear details in the sculpt and is then painted in silver with a brown grip. It fits into Mando's right hand, with trigger finger slotting in place. When not in use it'll go in the holster on his hip. This is closed off with a strap that slots into a hole on the front of the holster. The fit on this is not perfect and it is both fiddly to clip closed, and hard work to keep closed. We also have the same Amban Phase-Pulse disintegrator rifle as the first figure. The rifle is a very detailed piece with two pronged barrell, sites and swooping grip that is shaped to fit around the shooters shoulder. The gun has brown paint aps on the grip and base of the barrel, with a darker grey on top and for the sites. The rest is in silver. Once again it fits in the right hand, although it's tougher to get into position simply due to its shape. Once gripped it can be up and shouldered for firing thanks to the articulation. When not in use it the rifle can be slung thanks to a notch on the rifle, and a socket on the back. The socket is meant to line up with the bandolier strap but the two sit out of line - the same issue as on the original figure. With some work you can get the two aligned, and once inserted the rifle holds in place and looks great as it sits aside the cloak. The new accessory for this version of Mando is the Jetpack. This is a grey plastic piece, with no paint apps at all and rudimentary sculpt details which leaves it looking a little strange against the bright silver and well painted Mandalorian. The one on screen was glossy metallic silver like the armour, and it is a shame Hasbro have left this so very plain. The pack has three plugs that line up to the three larger sockets on Mando's back armour piece. The fit is good, but the Jetpack cannot be worn with the cloak. While in reality wearing a cape while using a Jetpack may not be a good idea, Mando was using the Jetpack with his cape when he was facing off against Moff Gideon's Tie Fighter. The answer here would have been to use a soft good cape and I can see why these aftermarket soft goods capes are so popular since this figure was released. That all being said, Mando does look great with the Jetpack and with no cape. Removing the cape opens up the lines of the armour even more and raises the neck level a little more. It is also worth noting that the Jetpack has holes in the bottom of the jet sections which may indicate that an FX blast piece was considered and not included. Articulation 4.5 The Mandalorian features the same 19 points of articulation as his predecessor. The loose joint issues with the original figure do not translate over and the new Beskar Mandalorian is very robust in terms of joints and posing. The shoulder butterfly joints are opened up quite a bit with the new chest piece and this adds further motion in the arms for posing with the weaponry in particular. Head : ball jointed neck - top and bottom Body : torso ball joint Arms : butterfly joints, ball joint shoulders, single rotating elbow, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double jointed knees, ankle rockers The arms are mobile enough to wield both weapons and the two handed posing with the rifle include the ability to get it up and shouldered as though firing. The Jetpack addition opens up more posing options for Mando if you drop him onto an aftermarket flight stand. The waist clip type work well to put Mando into a hovering position and the legs and arms pose well in this scenario to show him in flight. Again, I wonder if a Deluxe Release was ever, or remains, on the cards with a flight stand (a la Black Widow) and FX jet effects for the Jetpack. Summary This may be the second Mandalorian figure in less than a year, but this is the Mando we want considering this is the look he sported for most of the first Season and will carry into Season 2. It is not a quick repaint from the original, with many new parts and details like the addition of the wrist weaponry and whistling birds. The weapons remain as good as they were in the first set and the Jetpack is a nice addition. It should have been painted and a soft goods or adjusted cape was needed to make the parts work together as they should - with these tweaks then Mando would have been pushing top marks. Personally, I do like the new box design and particular the artwork and even as a loose collector I am considering how to retain the art and the wider montage panels. I score The Mandalorian an impressive 4.5. This is the way.... Visit our Star Wars Black Series Database for more Figures, News & Reviews action figures, reviews, review, articulation, star wars, black series, galaxy collection, the mandalorian, mando, this is the way

In Autumn 2020 the Hasbro team unveiled another Mandalorian Black Series release. This set would be a Deluxe release and combine both The Mandalorian and The Child in the same set along with a removable helmet for Mando with a sculpted head underneath. Also included was a hover pram for the Child, a bunch of Beskar ingots and a tracking fob. The set was an exclusive, sold via Target in the US and here in the UK at Smyths Toys Superstores. This deluxe Din Djarin and the Child set landed in mid-December, just ahead of Christmas 2020. This deluxe pack is part of the wider Galaxy Collection series so utilises the same design principles, but is presented in a wider box as has been used previously with the Zeb figure from Rebels. The Galaxy Collection is split by movie/series with a focus colour assigned for each property with The Mandalorian using a deep orange colour. This orange is used as a thick border at the base of the figure window - into which the property of The Mandalorian is confirmed - the same colour is used on the name of the set which is specifically "Din Djarin (The Mandalorian) & The Child". The side art includes Mando holding the Child while the Razor Crest is flying overhead. Buildings in the back drop indicate that the image is on Nevarro with a jetpack Mandalorian also seen in the back drop. Din Djarin is #05 in the Mandalorian Galaxy Collection Series, and follows on from The Armorer in terms of numbering and the imagery which link up to create a larger montage. The artwork is repeated on the back of the box and next to it is a short piece of background text. The text focuses more on Din Djarin while The Child is referred to as the mysterious alien. "The Mandalorian is battle-worn and tight-lipped, a formidable bounty hunter in an increasingly dangerous galaxy who finds a mysterious alien pursued by bounty hunters on behalf of Imperial interests" The set opens with the full innards sliding out by the top or bottom flap complete with the window, which is now separate from the box. Everything is slotted into the inner tray with tape over the Beskar ingots and tracking fob to keep them in place. 4.0 Starting with Din Djarin and he arrives with helmet in place and this is pretty much the exact same figure we have recently received as part of the first wave of the Galaxy Collection. The figure is well proportioned with the beskar armour parts crisp and angular - complete with Mudhorn sigil on the right pauldron. The cloth elements beneath this are dark brown with visible texturing, folds and creases. A leather look strap crosses the chest with painted silver ammo and a similar strap is sculpted around the right leg with the ammo for his Amban Phase-Pulse Blaster. The cape remains soft plastic and gos around the neck to hang down the back of the figure. The helmet is coloured in the same silver as the rest of the armor. You can see a very small piece of flesh coloured plastic sticking out at the chin. This chin belongs to an unmasked head of Din Djarin, something we see very rarely. The head has been criticised, but in hand it is a fairly good likeness to Pedro Pascal - perhaps a little wide if anything. The helmet hair is enough to allow the helmet to get on and off and with the helmet off it looks matted and sweaty. The face print tech gives us the usual realistic eyes, flesh tone shading, lip colouring and the very faintest facial hair on the top lip. If you take the new Din Djarin figure and line it up with the original Beskar figure from earlier in 2020 you can see they are identical up to the helmet. The helmet on Din Djarin sits higher and therefore adds height to the figure and more neck exposed. The downside is that exposed chin which cannot be avoided, even with cramming on the helmet as far down as it will go. The set also includes a new version of The Child. This is another inch or so high Baby Yoda in his oversized robes. Unlike the previous released single version, this one is sculpted into position with the left arm outstretched. There is a lot of debate on how big The Child should be. Looking at screenshots, then he should come up to the top of Mando's boot. Although other shots have him as big as the chest armour - I guess it depends on which prop is being used and how it is shot. This version is shorter than the original by virtue of not having the feet pieces. Paint apps are OK but relatively basic. The green is a touch pale with the eye detail in black and some shading in the ears and under the cheeks with a darker green. The robes are cast in a sand colour with a lighter colour on the collar and cuffs. 4.0 When you take a standard 6 inch figure and pack it as a Deluxe then there has to be a good level of accessory value included - and the Din Djarin pack does deliver on that, albeit with some slightly odd choices. Up first are five Beskar ingots cast in rectangular silver plastic with a stamped circle in the top right corner. At this scale it would be tough to recreate the Imperial logo. Mando can hold about three of these in his hand but aside from this they are probably something you will pack away in an accessory box. I would have loved to have seen these be as part of a Camtono which would have been more fitting - similar to what the Hasbro team did with the 3.75 inch Vintage collection version of this figure. The tracking fob is a nice inclusion considering how often they've turned up in the show. It is a cast silver piece with darker grey boy and red icon. It can fit into Mando's hand. Din Djarin is armed with the same weaponry as the original 2019 figure, starting with his blaster. This has a silver body and brown grip and a circular trigger. The weapon goes into the right hand, and with some playing the finger drops into the trigger. When not in use, we have a working holster on the belt and the blaster slides into here and holds securely, but if needed there is a strap that can hold the item in place and that plugs into the front of the holster. The Amban Phase-Pulse Blaster is a great accessory, also dating back to the first 2019 Mando. The body again is silver with a brown stock. The end prongs are left silver and the scope and central barrel in very dark grey. Getting it into the Mando's hand takes a bit of teasing, but once in the posing options are great. The rifle is also designed to plug into a socket on Mando's back to recreate the shoulder holstering. This was a tricky task on the original figure as the strap and back slot dont line up at first and you do need the rubber strap to hold the blaster securely. You will need to pull the strap over to line up the holes then firmly plug the rifle into place. As with the Beskar release, Din Djarin also has his jetpack. This is the same accessory cast in grey and left in this plain base colour - it is screaming out for more paint apps. It fits onto the figures back by way of three plugs and three corresponding sockets. The back pack cannot be worn with the cloak which has to be discarded for these poses. This was an issue on the Beskar figure and considering the Deluxe nature of this release a move to a soft goods cloak to allow both cloak and jet pack to be posed would have been a nice step forward and added value to the set. The Child also gets accessories, in the shape of his hover pram. This is not the original pram that we saw in the early parts of Season 1, nor the new Season 2 version. What we have is the pram that Kuill built for The Child in the finale of Season 1 and this is cast in a metallic grey with gold trim down the central panel. It sits on a clear stand that brings it up to Mando's waist, the height we see it hover on screen. It is a little disappointing to find out the opening does not slide back and is instead a piece that lifts off to reveal the inside of the pram. Inside we have a black ridged lining. The Child is not articulated and is not shaped to sit or lie in the pram. You can have him stood there and that looks OK, but if Hasbro were going with a fixed body for the Child I would have preferred him shaped to sit in the pram - or with a secondary body option that the head can be swapped onto. 3.5 The Mandalorian features the same 19 points of articulation as his predecessors. Head : ball jointed neck - top and bottom Body : torso ball joint Arms : butterfly joints, ball joint shoulders, single rotating elbow, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double jointed knees, ankle rockers The arms are mobile enough to handle and pose with the accessories as well as being able to wield both weapons. This includes the two handed posing with the rifle include the ability to get it up and shouldered as though firing. The legs are fully mobile too, with no obvious obstructions from the armour. Din Djarin can kneel and sit, although the cloak will need to be removed for these. With the helmet off, the head is more mobile on the neck peg which is jointed top and bottom to create this wider range of motion. Baby Yoda is less impressive. While his neck joint is the only joint he gets, it does little more than rotate in the neck of the robes. The Jet Pack opens up opportunities for flight poses, and a 3rd party stand allows this to be explored. As a Deluxe set we could argue that a flight stand and FX pieces for flight might have been another nice inclusion - similar parts to the recent Black Widow Deluxe release. All our joints on Mando are tight and secure, with the loose joint issues that presented on the first release obviously resolved. He stands and poses beautifully with a lot of expressive poses available. 4.5 The Din Djarin figure is fantastic, and had it been the first appearance of the Beskar Mandalorian Armour then I would have been very happy. The issue is that many of us will have already bought this figure earlier in the year, and the Deluxe release does everything that one does with just a few more bells and whistles. When you have a situation like this, the bonus parts are key to getting collectors to double dip on the figure. What we get is OK, but perhaps not fully thought out. I could have done without the Beskar, or had a Camtono like the Vintage 3.75 inch figure. The jet pack needs paint, and a soft goods cloak would have resolve that issue of allowing us to have a Beskar armoured Mando posed wearing both. The Child is a let down being a non-articulated body particularly as this body is not engineered to lay or sit naturally in the provided hover pram. While the arm out "magic hand" pose is something the first Child figure struggled to do, my preference would have been a Child that sits naturally in the pram. The pram itself is OK, with a solid flight stand and is contemporary to this version of Mando from the Season 1 finale. It is a shame they could not work in an opening sliding top and resorted to a lift off piece. I have no real issues with the head sculpt, and the paint work and articulation are high quality with the new neck and butterfly shoulder joints opening up the movement from previous Mandalorian figures we've had like Boba and Jango. I score the Deluxe Din Djarin and Child set a total of 4.0 For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our Black Series Database 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, star wars, the black series, the mandalorian, din djarin, the child, hasbro

In 2020, the baton for collector focused DC action figures in the 6-7 inch scale moved from Mattel and over to the team at McFarlane. The DC Multiverse line from McFarlane would bring us DC figures from across the DC Multiverse including Comics, TV and of course, Movies! The first (and only) movie figures of the first year were from Wonder Woman 1984 with two figures of the Diana from the movie. Sadly the movie itself was heavily delayed and pushed back due to Covid 19. The McFarlane DC Multiverse packaging uses a squared window box with a top hanging tab that enables the figures to be merchandised at stores on both shelf and peg. Like Marvel Legends the immediate issue for boxed collectors is that top flap which is very prone to be bent and damaged either on shelf or in transit. The base colour of the packaging is a gloss black with silver trim and with a general DC Multiverse logo just under the figure window. Even when the figure is from a specific movie that holds its own logo, McFarlane are badging everything under the same banner. The character name on this is listed simply as Wonder Woman, the exact same as the other figure in the more traditional WW outfit. The character name is repeated on each side spine, with a larger version on the left hand (as we look at the box) and here we have the sub title of "Golden Armor" that seemed to be missing from the front. Neither side spine carries any art as has been quite common on other figure lines of this scale. The back of the box uses an image from the movie for Diana, in her Golden Armour, and under this is a checklist of other releases - shown as images. There is no background text or movie synopsis details on the packaging. The figure is set against a very nice blue hue backdrop that includes comic panels and images from across the DC Multiverse. This would make a very nice backdrop to a loose figure if you didn't have to destroy it to get at the wings, stand and art card which are glued to the packaging. 3.0 McFarlane always deliver a great sculpt and the likeness on this to Gal Gadot is pretty impressive in that layered golden helmet. McFarlane don't seem to be on with face print tech as yet, which makes the paint decor more impressive in terms of the detail in the eyes and the shading around the face. The body is a little out of proportion with very long legs that are way out of scale with the torso. The armour of the body is cast entirely in gold with the only paint apps the silver bracers on her forearms. The arms and legs carry a lot of sculptural and textural detail with a chainmail base and then armoured panels overlaid on top. The shoulder, chest and waist armour is actually softer plastic "overcoats" over a base body and this does lead to some warping of these parts when posing. My lower torso armour was pushed out of shape straight out of the box and needed some heat and time to straighten and still sits marginally offset to the centre of the body. The hands look a little ugly vs the rest of the figure, out of place in terms of their leather wrapped paint decor but also thanks to the joint design which makes the wrist look rounded and out of line with the forearm. 4.0 So remember that lovely backing card? Well while the wings can be popped out of the plastic tray, the art card and stand section are behind the plastic and the plastic is glued to the card. There is therefore no realistic way of saving the card and retrieving these parts. The art card is being heavily noted as a selling point for the DC Multiverse figues. It is the size of a standard collectors card and features the same image of Wonder Woman as used on the back of the box. On the other side is a "Data File" which gives you the source material for the figure, real name, height (?) and a short piece of background text. For me this should have all really been on the box. The stand arrives in two parts, a circular base complete with foot peg and a slot for the second upright arm and waist clip. Diana is extremely difficult to get stood on her own, a common issue with McFarlane figures, and the stand is crucial. The foot peg slots into the hole on either foot and once engaged work brilliantly. The stand itself is a clear plastic and has a circular DC logo on the front segment in an opaque white. While not accessories as such, the wings do arrive detached and need to be plugged into two holes on the rear of the figure. The plug on the wings is not shaped particularly well and I struggled for some time to try and engage the wings. In the end each wing had to be heated before they plugged into place. I suspect they will now be all but impossible to remove. With Diana in her winged Golden Armour it makes sense that you would also want the option of flying poses, so McFarlane have catered for this with the upright arm of the stand. This slides neatly into the slot on the base of the circular stand and clicks into place. There is no articulation on the arm to adjust height or pitch, so the positioning of the stand is non negotiable. There is a substantial waist clip that is hinged and this goes round the waist of the figure - negotiating under the bottom of the wings as we go. Once clipped in the waist clip can pivot on the stand to allow a bit of flex in posing. It holds the substantial weight of Wonder Woman in an upright pose without issue. The issues do come if you want to reverse any of these steps. Once in place the ill fitting wings wont come back out easily as discussed, and the clip on upright is very difficult to budge out of the base stand if you wish to revert the figure to a standing pose using the peg foot. I did manage to remove it after a few tries and increasing levels of force, and when it did move the stand also made a very worrying cracking noise and left some stress marks on the clear plastic around this slot in section. More ease of execution is needed here from McFarlane or provide two stands in the pack to cover both bases. 3.0 Wonder Woman has a total articulation count of 20 points and on paper should be a breeze to pose and display coupled with that display stand. Head : ball joint neck Body : ball joint torso, hinged wing connection Arms : ball joint shoulder, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrist peg & rotation Legs : ball joint hips, double jointed knees, ankle pivot swivel, toe joint The upper body works fine, the head moving around well enough until the hair meets armour. The torso poses a bit of an issue in terms of how it warps the softer armour around it more than anything but the joint itself work fine. The arms have full motion, with the shoulder armour above being soft enough to move as the arms are raised. The only issue with the arms is the odd wrist joint which is a sort of round socket on a peg on one side that connects to a similar socket on the arm. The movement side is good as the wrist both rotates and pivots as it is rotated so its not restricted to bending to the side or up and down only. The issue comes as you bend it as the hands tend to pop off to easily and the joint has to be re-engaged. It is as you pose Diana that you realise the hands are an odd choice as they are open gripping hands on a figure that has nothing to hold and carry. In flight, you'd expect the hands to be clenched. This looks to be a simple case of re-use to cut costs as the hands look to be the same as the ones on the standard Wonder Woman released at the same time. On this figure they will hold her lasso of truth, on this figure they are a little redundant. On the reverse of the figure the wings are jointed where they plug into the body allowing rotation and some pivot backwards to allow for some posing variations in the wings and to fold them back against each other for a slimmer profile on display. The long legs work OK with a good level of movement at the hips and a double joint knee combination. What is missing is a thigh swivel in between so the legs cant orientate themselves until a joint at the ankle which allows both rotation and pivot. This leaves the legs quite fixed when the hips are used and also weaknes the ankles more than I'd like them to be considering the figures weight with two movement types in one joint without any obvious ratchetting. Toe articulation finishes off the figure, a joint that will only really be useful in a crouching or kneeling pose - which the figure can do, but struggles to remain stable due to the weight of the upper body and the inability to rotate the legs further up at the thigh. 3.5 I have bought and reviewed quite a few of the new McFarlane figures now from Stranger Things to Star Trek, Harry Potter to Game of Thrones. This DC Multiverse figure fits a very similar theme to all of these with a great looking figure, let down in places with the execution of parts and accessories. Wonder Woman looks great, with the exception of the exaggerated long legs, with good sculpting, decor and facial likeness. The DC figures are definitely a step on in articulation however, and the quantity of the joints is not in question. The quality is where the wrists keep popping off or the wings wont engage into the socket and this needs some tweaking and a few joints moving round to take the figure up a notch. If you could also swap the toe joints for thigh swivels on this figure and tighten the ankles and we wouldn't be far off top marks I am not a huge fan of the packaging for these figures. With so much graphical content available for DC figures the box could do with some livening up with these types of images as a side art panel or similar. And where we are given some nice artwork as a figure backdrop, don't make us destroy it to get out parts. The idea behind window boxes over blisters is to provide options for collectors to reseal their figures if they want - having to rip open parts inside goes very much against that. Wonder Woman is my first DC Multiverse figure and has certainly impressed me in areas, and met my lowered expectations in others. Like Marvel I am likely to stick to movie figues in this line and it will be interesting to see what Todd and the team put out next from this rich part of the DC Multiverse. I score Wonder Woman in her Golden Armour from Wonder Woman 1984 a total of 3.5 For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our McFarlane Database 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, McFarlane, DC, Multiverse, Wonder Woman, 1984

Hasbro have announced, outside of any Fan First Friday activity or without any real fanfare, the next wave of Power Rangers Lightning Collection Figures. The four figure wave will feature the Dino Thunder Blue Ranger with alternative unmasked head, Thundermax Saber, Thundermax Blaster and Tricera Shield. The Pink Ranger from Power Rangers S.P.D. also features alternative unmasked head and comes with the Delta Morpher, and multiple modes of the Deltamax Striker. The Zeo IV Green Ranger will come with Zeo Power Pod Sword, Zeo IV Power Axes, and Zeo Laser Pistol. He will also feature two head options, one unmasked the other with his helmet. The final figure is the Lost Galaxy Red Ranger. This figure was released in a two-pack earlier this year. This single release looks to have a tweaked unmasked head as well as new accessories in the shape of a Quasar Launcher and the Magna Talon. All the figures also feature alternative hands and blast effect pieces. The wave is scheduled for a April 2021 releease. This 6-inch Lightning Collection Dino Thunder Blue Ranger figure features premium paint and decorative details inspired by the show, over 20 points of articulation for high poseability, swappable heads to display the Ranger with or without his helmet, Thundermax Saber, Thundermax Blaster, and Tricera Shield accessories, with blast effect piece, and an extra pair of hands for more ways to play or display. Go Go Power Rangers! IT’S MORPHIN TIME! From Dino Fury back to the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the Power Rangers have brought teamwork, action, and adventure to generations of fans. The legacy continues with figures, vehicles, collectibles, and roleplay toys from Hasbro, celebrating ranger teams from Mighty Morphin to the Dino Fury. Imagine all the action of Power Rangers with toys from Hasbro! (Power Rangers toys each sold separately. Subject to availability.) Includes figure, 4 accessories, alternate head, and 2 extra hands This Power Rangers Lightning Collection action figure premium painted details and design inspired by the Dino series The Dino Thunder Blue Ranger toy includes multiple character-inspired accessories, and swappable heads, one of the Ranger in his helmet and one without Using the power of the Blue Dino Gem, Ethan becomes the Dino Thunder Blue Ranger Look for more collectible figures in the Lightning Collection. Each sold separately. Subject to availability. This 6-inch Lightning Collection S.P.D. Pink Ranger figure features premium paint and decorative details inspired by the show, over 20 points of articulation for high poseability, swappable heads to display the Ranger with or without her helmet, Delta Morpher, multiple modes of the Deltamax Striker accessories, blast effect piece, and an extra pair of hands for more ways to play or display. Go Go Power Rangers! IT’S MORPHIN TIME! From Dino Fury back to the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the Power Rangers have brought teamwork, action, and adventure to generations of fans. The legacy continues with figures, vehicles, collectibles, and roleplay toys from Hasbro, celebrating ranger teams from Mighty Morphin to the Dino Fury. Imagine all the action of Power Rangers with toys from Hasbro! (Power Rangers toys each sold separately. Subject to availability.) Includes: figure, 5 accessories, alternate head, and 2 extra hands This Power Rangers Lightning Collection action figure premium painted details and design inspired by the S.P.D. series The S.P.D. Pink Ranger toy includes multiple character-inspired accessories, and swappable heads, one of the Ranger in her helmet and one without Sydney has the enhanced genetic ability to alter her molecular structure, including forming the “Fist of Iron” as a S.P.D. Pink Ranger Look for more collectible figures in the Lightning Collection. Each sold separately. Subject to availability. This 6-inch Lightning Collection Zeo Green Ranger figure features premium paint and decorative details inspired by the show, over 20 points of articulation for high poseability, swappable heads to display the Ranger with or without his helmet, Zeo Power Pod Sword, Zeo IV Power Axes, and Zeo Laser Pistol accessories with blast effect piece, and an extra pair of hands for more ways to play or display. Go Go Power Rangers! IT’S MORPHIN TIME! From Dino Fury back to the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the Power Rangers have brought teamwork, action, and adventure to generations of fans. The legacy continues with figures, vehicles, collectibles, and roleplay toys from Hasbro, celebrating ranger teams from Mighty Morphin to the Dino Fury. Imagine all the action of Power Rangers with toys from Hasbro! (Power Rangers toys each sold separately. Subject to availability.) Includes figure, 5 accessories, alternate head, and 2 extra hands This Power Rangers Lightning Collection action figure premium painted details and design inspired by the Zeo TV series INCLUDES CHARACTER-INSPIRED ACCESSORIES: The Zeo Green Power Ranger toy includes multiple character-inspired accessories, and swappable heads, one of the Ranger in his helmet and one without INSPIRED BY THE SERIES POWER RANGERS ZEO: Using the power of the Rectangle Sub-Crystal, Adam becomes the Zeo IV Green Ranger Look for more collectible figures in the Lightning Collection. Each sold separately. Subject to availability. IT’S MORPHIN TIME! From Dino Fury back to the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the Power Rangers have brought teamwork, action, and adventure to generations of fans. The legacy continues with figures, vehicles, collectibles, and roleplay toys from Hasbro, celebrating ranger teams from Mighty Morphin to the Dino Fury. Imagine all the action of Power Rangers with toys from Hasbro! (Power Rangers toys each sold separately. Subject to availability.) This 6-inch Lightning Collection Lost Galaxy Red Ranger figure features premium paint and decorative details inspired by the show, over 20 points of articulation for high poseability, swappable heads to display the Ranger with or without his helmet, Quasar Launcher and Magna Talon accessories with blast effect piece, and an extra pair of hands for more ways to play or display. Go Go Power Rangers! Includes figure, 3 accessories, alternate head, and 2 extra hands This Power Rangers Lightning Collection action figure premium painted details and design inspired by the Power Rangers Lost Galaxy series The Lost Galaxy Red Ranger toy includes multiple character-inspired accessories, and swappable heads, one of the Ranger in his helmet and one without Using the power of the Red Quasar Saber, Leo becomes the Lost Galaxy Red Ranger Look for more collectible figures in the Lightning Collection. Each sold separately. Subject to availability. Checkout our blog page for more action figure news, reviews and store reports 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. 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