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"I will deal with this Jedi slime myself" In 2022, the Star Wars Black Series unveiled its latest ‘retro’ carded series of 6-inch figures with an exclusive three-figure wave based on the original Clone Wars animated series by Genndy Tartakovsky. The wave, exclusive to Walmart in the US, tweaked existing figures into ‘real world’ set releases from the 2003 shorts and included a Clone ARC Trooper  (Captain Fordo), Mace Windu  in Clone General gear, and the figure we are going to look at here, General Grievous. Like all prior ‘retro’ carded releases, the cardback for the Clone Wars releases mimicked the original 3.75 inch figure cards but scaled them up to the larger 6-inch scale. The cards use a stark white design with black detailing down one side, confirming the source as that of Clone Wars and to depict the shaped Phase I Clone Trooper helmet. The figures sat in a blister, with a blast of colour behind the blister from an animated explosion. Inserted into the blister is an inset card featuring a cut out illustration of Greivous and a name plate confirming the character. The only variation to the original cards is the inclusion of the 50th Anniversary Lucasfilm logo in the corner, an initiative started the year before that became an umbrella for many of these retro carded releases, including the 2021 Power of the Force 2 cards. The rear of the card is mixed between a replication of the original artwork for Grievous and a short character bio, with a large black segment in the midst of the card detailing the Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary timeline. The figure uses the original 2019 Revenge of the Sith figure  as a base, repainting it into the Clone Wars colour scheme. This is the first ever appearance of Grievous and uses white cast plastic for the outerfacing armoured panels and components, while the inner components are more of a pale blue, with some darker blue detailing on the outer thighs. Any animated character in the Black Series is always realised in a real-world setting, and to that end, we still get the gunmetal-painted internal components of Grievous’ neck. The head is, as it was in the ROTS release, features the biological eyes and scarred face behind the cyborg face plate.  The General comes with a soft good cape, a soft fabric similar to that used on the Jedi figures rather than the heavier cloth on the original Grievous release. The cape is removable and is taken off by slipping the tailored neck section over Grievous’ head.  General Grievous also features his ‘collection’ with four individual light saber hilts included, all relatively plain in silver base colouring. You also get a selection of lightsaber blades, all in translucent plastic and with two in blue and two in green. These fit into any of the hilts. The lightsabers can sit into Grievous' hands with a relatively good grip, but there is no holstering position within the cloak as was included on the Revenge of the Sith version. The unique engineering of General Grievous is built into the figure as much as can be achieved at the 6-inch scale and at the £25 price point of the Black Series. This includes the ability for the arms to split outward into a four-armed configuration. Once split, each arm includes its own ‘half’ of the gripping hand, therefore allowing General Grievous to wield all four sabers at once. The clip in and out functionality of these arms is not perfect, and in the joined mode, the articulation at the shoulder is reduced. Overall, the design is more than serviceable, and you do have to applaud the design and execution. Grievous’s articulation is fairly unique in its design, with the joints clearly built around the anatomy of the robotoic body and leaning into the principles of large pivot and, in some cases, pinned joints. There are 19 joints in total, with Grievous exhibiting a wide range of motion, including fighting stances with two or four arms in play. There is also the ability to replicate the stance seen more in Revenge of the Sith with his arms behind his back and a stooping walking motion. While the original Grievous release did have stability issues, there appears to be a more robust application on this release, and I found the Clone Wars General easier to pose and hold his position on display.  The Clone Wars line, still only three figures strong at the time of this review, plays homage to the Genndy Tartakovsky story while still holding true to the real-world setting of the Black Series. That works well enough for Windu and Captain Fordo, who fit perfectly well alongside figures from the Lucasfilm Clone Wars series, or from figures from Revenge of the Sith. Grievous, while evoking memories of his first visual appearance in the Star Wars Universe, doesn’t quite fit in the same way, but does present a very visual display with a myriad of posing options with the cape on or off, and with a variety of lightsaber options to choose from. The card also invokes memories of the original 2003 releases and is a very different feeling card for those collecting boxed/carded figures. Unlike a lot of the 50th Anniversary Retro packed releases, the Clone Wars Grievous did seem to do well at retail, indicating he was a hit with a lot of collectors, and his secondary market price is steadily rising - although a re-release of sorts is available through the 2024 Amazon 'Masters of Evil' set, with another unique card design. K eep Track of all the Star Wars Black Series figures from Hasbro at our comprehensive Star Wars Black Series Collectors Database & Checklist If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook , Twitter , and YouTube . Check out our direct news feed 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...

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." Following the relative success of Hasbro’s Vintage Carded Black Series figures marking the key anniversaries of the Original Trilogy, the next logical step was to mark the 1995 return of the 3.75-inch Star Wars figures in the Power of the Force 2 series. The 2021 POTF2 carded wave was released as part of the Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary Celebrations and included three figures of Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Greedo. The trio were exclusive to Hasbro Pulse and Shop Disney, but in the UK, they found themselves part of the large dump of excess stock that year, hitting stores like Game at a deep discount.  stock photos The cardbacks mirror the design from 1995 with the Darth Vader helmet-shaped card top, and a red-hued lightsaber blade cutting diagonally across the dark coloured card. The character is pictured in a panel to the side of the main blister, under which sits the name, both trimmed in a silver tramline. The only new addition is the Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary logo in the top right. Around the back, we get a hybrid of the original card, alongside the newer Lucasfilm Anniversary timeline and covering text. The older POTF2 ‘cut out’ character bio survives, and the original Kenner logo sits alongside that of Hasbro. stock photos Han Solo was one of the very earliest figures released in the Star Wars Black Series, arriving way back in 2013 as part of the second full wave of original Phase 1 ‘orange’ releases. This 2021 POTF2 version still uses that same 2013 body, with Han dressed in his A New Hope Smugglers Gear. We start with an offwhite sculpted shirt complete with upturned collars and shorter sleeves leaving part of the wrist exposed. This wrist section, and the open neck, is painted in flesh tone and therefore has some variation to the hands and head, which are cast in the flesh coloured plastic. There is a similar mismatch with the midsection, part of the dark blue cast legs, but overpainted in the offwhite shirt finish, but presenting much darker than the main part of the shirt above. Over all of this is Han’s waistcoat, black, softer plastic, and removable if you want.  The legs, as mentioned, are dark blue with the red Corellian Bloodstripe up either side and a pair of gloss black knee high boots to finish the outfit. A belt piece is sculpted as part of the legs and painted in dark brown with a silver buckle. Han then wears his second gun slinger belt over this. Like the jacket, this is softer plastic cast in a lighter brown and with detailing picked out in black and silver. This second belt features a thigh holster for Han’s blaster, which is strapped around the leg, just above the thigh. versus the 2013/17 release (right) The headsculpt is the same as the 2013 release, but for this 2021 POTF2 version, we do have a facial print application which improves the realism and gives a reasonably good Harrison Ford likeness as seen in 1977. The hair too is impressive, and sculpted with the floppy fringe and slightly scruffy sides and back. The proportions however are not great, and the head sits a tad too high on an elongated neck complete with a visible neck peg under the chin. The body too feels too tall and thin, and the legs are both bow-legged and slimline compared to Ford’s actual physique. Han comes with his DL-44 blaster, another carry over from the original release and cast in black with a silver barrel and highlights and a dark brown grip. The blaster is a very soft plastic, common at the time of release, and is easily deformed. It can be stowed in the holster, with a flexible strap coming over the top to secure it in place. This is fiddly to connect with a small peg and hole in a soft plastic material. The blaster then slots into Han’s right hand with the trigger finger in place.  To replicate the scenes on the Death Star, particularly the hectic escape, Han also comes with a Stormtrooper utility belt and holster. This is cast in white with black painted holster and straps. Han’s normal belt unclips from the main buckle at the rear and can be removed, albeit with some patience, by carefully sliding the thigh strap down the leg and over the foot, which is best pivoted to point down. The Stormtrooper belt is an easier fix with a single plug in connector on one side.  Coming with the Utility Belt is a standard E-11 Blaster Rifle, cast in black with a reasonable degree of sculpted detail but zero paint apps. Like the blaster, the Rifle engages into Han’s right hand, while his left is able to come round and scoop the Rifle barrel for a two-handed position. When not in use, the E-11 can be holstered into the Utility Belt.  Han features 16 points of articulation, and the oldest configuration for the Black Series, inclusive of pinned double jointed knees, but single joint elbows. Despite this dated design, Han is plenty flexible with the ability to kneel, sit, and to emote very much like Han does during most of his scenes, including his iconic arms out, head cocked pose when he has got the better of his enemies, or is asking one of his companions to trust him. Despite the age of the base body, the joints are tight and secure with clear ratchet support internally where needed. Han is a lot of fun to position.  This A New Hope Han Solo is very much a part of The Black Series history, appearing in the second full wave and then coming back for a Mexican Multi-Pack, an exclusive two-pack with Greedo, and two carded Anniversary figures, one on Vintage Cardback and this one on the Power of the Force 1995 version. While the headsculpt is much improved by facial tech, a testament to the original sculpting, the figure does feel dated both at the point of release in 2021 and more so now in 2025 when we can see the replacement and much improved A New Hope Han Solo incoming into our collections. This version of Han does remain the one inclusive of the Stormtrooper belt, which is a nice touch, and has its place in our collections for some time yet. eep Track of all the Star Wars Black Series figures from Hasbro at our comprehensive Star Wars Black Series Collectors Database & Checklist If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook , Twitter , and YouTube . Check out our direct news feed 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...

“I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!" Following the relative success of Hasbro’s Vintage Carded Black Series figures marking the key anniversaries of the Original Trilogy, the next logical step was to mark the 1995 return of the 3.75-inch Star Wars figures in the Power of the Force 2 series. The 2021 POTF2 carded wave was released as part of the Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary Celebrations and included three figures of Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Greedo. The trio were exclusive to Hasbro Pulse and Shop Disney, but in the UK, they found themselves part of the large dump of excess stock that year, hitting stores like Game at a deep discount.  stock photos The cardbacks mirror the design from 1995 with the Darth Vader helmet-shaped card top, and a red-hued lightsaber blade cutting diagonally across the dark coloured card. The character is pictured in a panel to the side of the main blister, under which sits the name, both trimmed in a silver tramline. The only new addition is the Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary logo in the top right. Around the back, we get a hybrid of the original card, alongside the newer Lucasfilm Anniversary timeline and covering text. The older POTF2 ‘cut out’ character bio survives, and the original Kenner logo sits alongside that of Hasbro. Luke is the same base figure as released in 2016 in the Phase 3 ‘red’ packaging and soon after in 2017 as part of the first-ever Black Series Anniversary wave, celebrating 40 years of A New Hope. The base figure is made up of Luke’s beige Tatooine farmboy trousers, with wrapped brown boots complete with a black sole. The upper body is a naked torso in skin tone, over which we have a soft goods wrapped tunic fastened around the middle by way of a dark brown belt with a variety of pouches, each inclusive of a bronze fastener, and with a central silver buckle. The soft goods are very bright in their colouring compared to what we see on screen from the harsh Tatooine sands. The material is relatively soft, but does not hang naturally enough, with particular issues around the sleeves, which seem to balloon over the arms.  versus the 2016/7 release (right) The head sculpt is the same as has been used across the 2016 and 2017 releases, but for the 2021 POTF2 figure, we do have an upgrade in the decor to a facial print finish. This improves the likeness somewhat, but still fails to capture the look of Mark Hammil as seen during A New Hope. The hair is sculpted as part of the head, then painted, and this leaves some unpainted flesh edges behind the ears, which is unsightly.  The original 1995 POTF figure came with a lightsaber and a long-barreled harpoon weapon, which was never seen on screen. For the Black Series equivalent, we keep the lightsaber, but there is no gun and instead, the Macrobinoculars from the original releases are still included. These Macrobinoculars are black as a base colour, with the detailed sculpting picked out with additional silver panels and components. While not immediately obvious, they can be hung on Luke’s belt by way of a clip built into the back side of the piece. This slides over the belt between the belt and the soft goods. Luke can then hold these in one or both hands, and has sufficient arm articulation to raise them to his eyes and to replicate the scenes where he is first searching for Artoo, and then checking out the Sand People.  The lightsaber is also re-used from multiple Luke and Anakin releases and is silver at the hilt with black fins. The loop at one end is designed to hang on a hook on Luke’s belt for a holstered position. Or it can be positioned in either gripping hand, and again, the articulation is strong enough for two-handed poses. The blade, a translucent blue piece, clips into the saber hilt, should you want to pose and display Luke with an ignited weapon. The articulation has 16 points overall, and an older configuration that includes pinned double-jointed elbows and knees. This allows those two-handed grips for both saber and Macrobinoculars, while the knees can bend and allow Luke to sit and kneel, a key element considering this is the same base figure that fits with the released Landspeeder; therefore, this improved face printed version can be put into your Landspeeder as the driver. While the soft goods do not look the best, they do support the articulation, giving Luke plenty of range.  Like the Vintage carded figures, these POTF2 figures have the initial aim of being displayed in their cardback, capturing the nostalgia of 1995 and the return of the Star Wars figure line from Kenner. For those who want to open the figure, the improved head decor will be desirable, providing a visual upgrade on the original 2016 and 2017 figures, including the one driving your Landspeeder. Despite this, the figures struggled at the time, seemingly unable to evoke the same memories as the carded figures based on the 70s and 80s releases. K eep Track of all the Star Wars Black Series figures from Hasbro at our comprehensive Star Wars Black Series Collectors Database & Checklist If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook , Twitter , and YouTube . Check out our direct news feed 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...

“I see it Wedge, good work” After the 2019 launch of the Star Wars Retro Collection by Hasbro, 2020 saw them move from A New Hope to The Empire Strikes Back. The principles for Empire remained broadly the same, with 6 single-carded figures, all reproductions of the original Kenner figures. Alongside them was another board game release, the Hoth Ice Planet Adventure Game, complete with another exclusive figure. This time around, Hasbro presented us with Luke Skywalker in his Snowspeeder gear from the Battle of Hoth, tying in nicely to the game while also filling a gap from the original Kenner releases that went back as far as 1980. The board game recreates the original Kenner release from 1980, with the board game, playing pieces, supporting cards, and instructions all more or less identical. The Luke figure comes fully carded, but is inserted on top of the game board and pieces, with the blister visible through the opening lid of the game.  The card for Luke follows the same Retro Collection design as the first batch of releases, but with a move to paying homage to the Empire Strikes Back cards of 1980. This is inclusive of the original tramlines and logo, some faux creasing around the sides, and with the large orange Retro Collection label. Like Tarkin from the previous year, Hasbro has selected an appropriate film still for the artwork and chosen another blue tone for the back of the blister. The card back lacks any real interest, including text only and a background of the Retro Collection rather than any imagery or recreating the original Kenner checklist backing cards. Luke did have an original release of his X-Wing gear. This 2020 release does have similarities, including the bright orange jump suit, with black flight vest and white vest. The loose straps are sculpted around Luke’s legs and painted white. The boots are different, as they were in Empire, and in a grey finish. And Luke is also now wearing long gloves in a beige finish. The head is a complete sculpt, inclusive of the Rebel pilot helmet in white, with red Rebel decals and a centre stripe, we then have a rudimentary Mark Hammill likeness, with flight visor sculpted down over his eyes and painted in yellow.  The same 5 points of articulation as seen on the Kenner figures is replicated on the Retro collection, created by the way the figure is cast and assembled with the joints sandwiched between the two halves of the torso and leaving a simple rotating joint for the hips, shoulders, and at the neck. Snowspeeder Luke is provided with two accessories, the first being his lightsaber. This is an individual piece, as was made standard from Empire onward, replacing the original arm slot sabers. This is blue in colour, including the hilt, and fits into either of the basic gripping hands, but is most secure in the right. The second accessory is the grappling gun used by Luke to attack the AT-AT. This never existed in the Kenner line, but has been brought to life by Hasbro while remaining faithful to the single colour and simple lines of the original Star Wars weapons and accessories. The left hand is a better shape for the grip of the grappling gun.  Luke, in his Snowspeeder gear, fits really well into the fledgling Retro Collection series as a brand new addition to the original Kenner line, being different enough from the original X-Wing Luke and filling one of what feels like a very small number of gaps from Empire. Theme wise, he is also a solid choice to include with the game, and while some may be frustrated to purchase an entire board game to get the figure, I can confirm that the game itself is also a lot of fun and just as nostalgic as the figures themselves. If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook , Twitter , and YouTube . Check out our direct news feed 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...

"We will then crush the Rebellion with one swift stroke!" In 2019, Hasbro returned to the original Star Wars Kenner line of figures from the 1970s and 80s, reproducing a number of the original figures in what they badged the Retro Collection. The figures imitated the Kenner originals in both design, colour, and cardback, and in the main were like-for-like releases. One of the most interesting concepts of the first batch of releases was that of a Grand Moff Tarkin figure, a character never made by Kenner but now brought into the line as a Kenner-Inspired Design, and so would kick off what feels like the natural extension, after some 34 years, of the original Kenner line, a line that would dive head long into new Star Wars properties like The Mandalorian, Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka, with new homage figures. I am very late into the Retro Collection, but as I come close to concluding a run of original Kenner figures, I wanted to look at expanding beyond the original 70s and 80s figures with the new Original Trilogy Retro Releases. Interestingly, I have had the Tarkin figure for a number of years. I bought it at the time for the board game rather than the figure.  The board game, Escape from the Death Star, is also an homage to an original 1977 Parker Brothers release and recreates the full experience in terms of the game board, pieces and gameplay. The Grand Moff Tarkin figure was only available as a pack-in with the game. He is fully carded and then slotted into the game box with the blister visible through a cutout on the main box.  Tarkin’s card, like all Retro Collection releases, is based on the original Kenner designs but with faux weathering printed into the design. It is also overlaid with a large orange ‘Retro Collection’ sticker to differentiate it from the original Kenner releases. As Tarkin never had a corresponding Kenner figure, the Hasbro team have used appropriate artwork from A New Hope and assigned the Grand Moff a cool blue backing colour.  The back of the card is a bit flat, coming only with an overview of the Retro Collection and an image of the original A New Hope standee cards rather than figures. I would have liked to see Hasbro lean into the checklist design we saw on the Kenner cards, giving collectors of the line a clear look at the other figures released.  As a carded figure, there is no going back if you choose to open Tarkin, another throwback to the Kenner figures. In hand, he follows the base principles used by Kenner with a main two part torso that connects front to back with the neck, shoulder, and hips being secured between the two halves and therefore creating the basic 5 point articulation. Colours are crisp but limited with a grey for Tarkin’s uniform, black belt with silver buckle, and black for his boots. We do also get a painted Grand Moff Imperial rank badge in blue and red to the left of his chest. The head is very much in keeping with the likenesses of the 1970s, but is discernible as Peter Cushing.  Tarkin comes with an Imperial Blaster, again almost identical to the original Kenner accessory and included not to replicate the onscreen scenes, but to present play and imaginative options for Tarkin as was often the case with Kenner releases.  The Retro Collection releases do not quite hold the same nostalgia as the original releases, as they come with the memories of childhood for most of us. But they do extend the Kenner collection into a brand new era. At the time of release, Tarkin teased the possibility of further unreleased Original Trilogy character,s and as we have seen, that has been realised to a certain degree with figures of Snowspeeder Luke from Empire, Mon Mothma from Jedi, and the newest New Hope releases, including Luke from Yavin, a Rebel Fleet Trooper, Doctor Evazan and a Sandtrooper If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook , Twitter , and YouTube . Check out our direct news feed 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...

"We are the Imperial Fists. We are the Emperor's last wall and we shall not be moved." Alongside the Summer 2025 wave of McFarlane’s Warhammer 40k figures, featuring the Ultramaries Lieutenant in Reiver Armour, and Blood Angels Assault Intercessor Sergeant (and the relevant Artists Proof), was a further Gold Label Exclusive release featuring the first Imperial Fists Marine in the line. The Intercessor Sergeant is exclusive to Gamestop in the US, but here in the UK it was available generally through stockists.  The packaging for the Summer 2025 figures remains broadly the same as the newer and larger boxes established in 2024 after the line took an extended break. The box front is white with a right-side strip of grey artwork taken from the Warhammer 40k source material. The Warhammer 40k and McFarlane logos top the box front, with the character name sitting in large text under the window. Just above this is an Imperial Fists blue bar, confirming the Chapter for the release. The right hand spine continues as a wrap around of the grey artwork, while the left hand spine has now moved from being colour coordinated to the Chapter, to a blue design imprinted in the centre with the Chapter logo. The back of the box carries no detail other than the same WH40k and McFarlane logos and the various legal and copyright text. What we do get is a glorious illustration of an Imperial Fists Marine in the midst of battle. The Marine pictured is quite different to the included figure being shown with a tabard, an Iron Halo, and sporting a left-hand Power Fist with a Bolter in his right hand.  Our Imperial Fists Intercessor Sergeant utilises the basic Intercessor Marine body, parts established back in 2020 when the line launched. The armour is cast in a bold yellow with the connecting joints in black, which creates a more visual contrast than other Marines released to date, making the Imperial Fists Intercessor a much more striking figure. The sculpted chest emblem is the winged skull design and painted in black and then overlaid in red. The Imperial Fist Chapter badge sits on the left shoulder pauldron with the panel itself featuring a black border. The same black border is found on the right shoulder with the black arrow depicting his role in the Battleline, and the II numerals depicting the squad. The only other decor is on the left knee, with a black and white checkerboard pattern. The backpack, again standard and reused, is cast in the same yellow as the armour and connects securely via the usual plug and socket. The central roundel has been updated and includes a relief sculpted Imperial Fists logo painted in black. The unmasked head is a new piece and depicts the Sergeant with a part mask covering his mouth and nose, and round over his ears. This is red with silver piping as well as an upper scope with a green pealescant lens. The Sergeant is sporting a closs cropped grey hairstyle, and there are also two service studs present on his forehead.  Like the Blood Angels Sergeant released at the same time, the Imperial Fists Sergeant includes an alternative head. This is a red cast Intercessor helmet, again the same as has been used on the other Intercessor releases. It features painted red eye lenses, silver pipework to the side, and a silver sculpted skull on the forehead. According to the source material, the red helmet is still a Sergeant in the Imperial Fists, but it presents an Army Building option to display more than one of the Imperial Fists in a squad with varying looks. The exchanging of the headpieces is simple enough with a longer neck peg that connects snugly to either head socket.  The Sergeant comes with a left hand in a pointing gesture, the exact same hand as the 2025 Blood Angels Sergeant. This can be swapped out for a gripping left hand, although the grip is very tight and not compatible with the included weaponry. The right-hand options include a clenched fist as well as a wider trigger grip that is used to hold the second of the two included weapons.  The first of these weapons is again identical to that used in the Blood Angels Sergeant, a Power Fist which is created as a sleeve that slots over the hand and forearm rather than replacing the standard hand and clipping into place. The Power Fist is again the same yellow plastic, with gunmetal silver conduit to the side, and an Imperial Fists Chapter logo across the back of the hand just above four raised studs. The fit on the Power Fist is rudimentary at best, failing to secure in place over the clenched fist and being more secure when squeezed over the gripping hand.  The second weapon is the plasma pistol, originally seen with the Blood Angels Lieutenant from 2021 and the Dark Angels Intercessory Sergeant from 2022. This is presented with a black barrel and central section, complete with turquoise cooling coils and a silver grip section. To have it wielded, you need to swap the right hand from the fist to the trigger finger. Doing so is hard work for some reason, and on our figure, the wrist peg has come apart every time we’ve tried to change the hands. Once the trigger hand is in place, it is thankfully a wider grip than usual, allowing the Plasma to slot into place. There are the standard 17 points of articulation for the Intercessor body, including double-jointed pegged knees and elbows. The armour does restrict some movement, but there is enough range for some more dynamic battle poses. While there are ratchets on some joints, the shoulder and hips are not secured in the same way, leaving them weak and loose, considering the weight of the body. This is a particular issue at the shoulders and they do tend to droop when the arms are raised, either in a firing position with the Plasma Pistol or the heavier Power Fist.  The Imperial Fists Intercessor Sergeant includes the usual display stand which fits relatively well into pegs on the soles of both feet. You also get a collector card.  Adding the Imperial Fists into the range has been a long time coming, and while the Ultramarines and Blood Angels are the more popular Chapters, the Imperial Fists do have a striking look about them with the contrasting bright yellow against the black. The sculpted, unmasked head is impressive, with McFarlane improving on these considerably as the line matures. There are the usual gripes, such as weak shoulder joints, troublesome wrist pegs, and the Power Fist (also long awaited) is not particularly impressive or engineered well enough to fit securely to the figure, relying on gravity and friction.  As a Gold Label Exclusive, the figure may be more troublesome to obtain for US collectors, but that exclusivity is not a problem outside of the US, including here in the UK. That therefore, opens up the figure for more squad-building opportunities, particularly thanks to the alternative red masked sergeant's head and the ability, as you will see in a moment, to share heads from other figures from the 2025 releases. It will now be interesting to see if McFarlane will revisit some of the other Marine types like the Hellblaster, Reivers, or indeed the Terminator armour and give them the very visual Imperial Fists makeover. Figure Hacks As the WH40k line from McFarlane grows, and in particular the various Space Marine releases, we are now starting to see wider options for creating new variations of the figures by swapping parts. In this Summer 2025 wave alone - including the Gold Label Exclusive - there are a raft of weapon options as well as different head options, all of which work on each of the figure bodies for some variation and army building in your collection.   Keep Track of all the Warhammer 40k figures from McFarlane at our comprehensive McFarlane Collectors Database & Checklist If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook , Twitter , and YouTube . Check out our direct news feed 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...

McFarlane's next wave of its Super Friends line features Captain Cold, Cheetah, Toyman, The Flash, and Superman. Each of the five figures comes on a Super Friends Retro Carded and includes an appropriate accessory, including a Kryptonite ball & chain for Superman. These are general releases with a September 2025 release date. We've updated our extensive McFarlane Collector Database with these latest additions. Superman is the world's greatest hero. He is a tireless champion dedicated to protecting life and battling injustice not only in his city of Metropolis, but also all over his adopted world and across the universe. With his fantastic powers and abilities, fueled by his alien cells-which hyper-efficiently process the solar energy of Earth's yellow sun-Superman is an unstoppable force for good and a steadfast punisher of evil. Superman is a founding member of the Justice League, and an inspiration to countless other heroes, continuing into the 31st century and beyond. The Flash has mastery over not just speed, but time itself, and he has often used his powers to travel though different eras and even into other dimensions. Although the Flash has not always been fast enough to outrun personal tragedy when it has come for him, he always does his best to prevent the same from happening to the people of Central City and Keystone City. In so doing, he's earned himself a spot among the greatest Super Heroes the DC Universe has ever known. One of the first friends Wonder Woman made when she left Themyscira's shores, Barbara Ann Minerva betrayed Diana's trust and became The Cheetah. Whether with the Suicide Squad, the Secret Society of Super-Villains, the Menagerie, or the Legion of Doom, The Cheetah has earned her place as one of the fiercest Super-Villains in the DC universe. Many men have claimed the title of Toy Man, transforming toys into weapons of profit and vengeance. The first was Winslow Schott, a failed toymaker who has plagued every incarnation of Superman over many reality-alterations, warping wholesome childhood fantasies into a deadly criminal arsenal. In the annals of villainy, there are few bad guys as likable as Captain Cold. Seeing himself as a blue-collar, working man's super-villain, Cold has a code of honor, one that prevents him from killing innocent people...though he's more than happy to rob them blind! To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook , Twitter , and YouTube . Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s 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 licenses - 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...

As seen at SDCC 2025, Mezco have now unveiled in full their new Superman figure from the 2025 movie, complete with Krypto. The One:12 Collective set will include five different heads, including one with heat vision effects. There is also a selection of extra hands as well as a posed Krypto and the usual display stand and post, complete with Superman 2025 logo. The figure is a general release available at the Mezco Store and at Mezco stockists. It is expected to ship between January to March 2026 From the blockbuster film ' Superman ', The Man of Steel soars into the One:12 Collective in his most heroic form yet! The One:12 Collective Superman wears a film-accurate, bold blue suit proudly emblazoned with his iconic crest. His flowing cape features an integrated posing wire, perfect for dramatic airborne poses. The Last Son of Krypton includes four distinct head portraits featuring the likeness of David Corenswet, each capturing a different facet of Superman - calm, smiling, heat vision-ready, and a battle-concentrated look. Superman doesn’t stand alone! Also included is a fully articulated Krypto the Superdog — more than just a sidekick. Outfitted in his own soft goods cape with integrated posing wire, Krypto comes ready to leap into action at Superman’s side. He includes an alternate open-mouth portrait, letting you display him in mid-bark or guarding his companion with heroic loyalty. James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor, and heart, delivering a SUPERMAN who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind. To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook , Twitter , and YouTube . Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s 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 licenses - 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...

Heading to the McFarlane Store as a Gold Label Collector Exclusive is this new Superman 'black and white accent' edition figure from The Dark Knight Returns. The figure, available immediately, is limited to 5300 units and is packed into a closed collector box and comes complete with extra hands and a display stand. To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook , Twitter , and YouTube . Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s 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 licenses - 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...

McFarlane has revealed in full the next three DC Multiverse Collector Edition releases. They include Deathstroke from The Terminator, Mirror Master from The Flash, and the previously revealed Metron from New Gods. Metron will feature his throne and alternative hands. Deathstroke also has extra hands, four different weapons, and a removable ammunition bandoleer. The final figure, Mirror Master, includes three extra pairs of hands as well as a pair of mirror guns. The figures all feature the usual display base and collector card. Each of them also has a Platinum Edition Chase variant with darker black/grey colour schemes for Deathstroke and Metron, and a yellow & green recolour for Mirror Master. These will be randomly packed in cases. The figures are all August 2025 releases. They are all now added to our extensive McFarlane Collector Database The origins of Metron are unknown, but at some point in history the New God received an amazing chair from enigmatic presence Mobius. It allowed Metron access to time, space, dimensions, and all the knowledge in the universe—except for the mysterious benefactor’s identity. On his incredible journeys, Metron witnessed multiple crises destroying and remaking numerous realities. Deathstroke is the most feared and respected mercenary in the world. His elite military training and genetically enhanced physique make him a very dangerous combatant, but his deadliest weapon is his mind. A master strategist and tactician, Deathstroke specializes in psychological warfare tactics that he uses to devastating effect. Criminal Sam Scudder uses the codename Mirror Master, wielding devices allowing him power over reflective surfaces. He was an early member of Central City’s Rogues—villains employing themed hi-tech weapons in their crimes. Mirror Master can emerge from any reflective surface and drag victims back to the Mirror World. To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook , Twitter , and YouTube . Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s 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 licenses - 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...

"Whilst we draw breath, we stand. Whilst we stand, we fight. Whilst we fight, we prevail. Nothing shall stay our wrath" The July 2025 wave of McFarlane Warhammer 40k figures expanded on the forces of both the Blood Angels and the Ultramarines, whilst also giving painters two further Artist Proof figures. For the Ultramarines Chapter, the latest release was that of a Lieutenant in Phobos Armour. The packaging for the Summer 2025 wave remains broadly the same as the newer and larger boxes established in 2024 after the line took an extended break. The box front is white with a right-side strip of grey artwork taken from the Warhammer 40k source material. The Warhammer 40k and McFarlane logo’s top the box front, with the character name sitting in large text under the window. Just above this is an Ultramarines blue flash confirming the Chapter for the release. The right hand spine continues as a wrap around of the grey artwork, while the left hand spine has now moved from being colour coordinated to the Chapter, to a blue design imprinted in the centre with the Chapter logo. The back of the box carries no detail other than the same WH40k and McFarlane logos and the various legal and copyright text. What we do get is a glorious illustration of the Reiver Ultramarines preparing to launch into battle.  This Ultramarines Reiver Lieutenant in Phobos Armour utilises most of the existing Reiver sculpt from 2022, with core armour cast in the base blue and the connecting joints in black. The armour is accessoriesed with weapon holsters and sheaths to either side of the thigh armour, with the right hand side sheaths painted in brown and gold with skull iconography. While these look operational, they are solid sculpts and cannot be used for the included weapons.  The upper chest piece features further components and pouches, on either side of a gold skull central panel. The shoulder pauldrons include the Ultramarines logo in white on the left, trimmed in gold, while a further Ultra skull symbol is found on the right with the gold ‘Ultra’ plate sculpted as part of the armour. The final Chapter detail can be found on the left knee with a white diamond and black skull design. The backpack is the Reiver Phobos Armour, cast in blue and with the twin articulating fins as seen on the original Reiver release. This time around, the backpack is left in the base blue with no extended paint detail. The headsculpt is new and depicts the Lieutenant complete with half face mask breather in the same blue as his armour. Straps across the head hold comms tech and some scopes, each painted with a red lens. A single strip of hair crosses the centre of the head, front to back, and is painted in a grey finish. The eye detailing is much improved on previous WH40k unmasked heads, with the realism much improved. The Reiver Lieutenant is armed with a trio of weapons, the first of which is a basic knife with a gold hilt and a silver serrated blade. This is the same piece as first released in 2022 with the Artist Proof Reive,r and it fits into either of the Lieutenant’s hands, but with the usual difficulty due to the solid plastic and lack of flexibility in the fingers. Looking at the knife and the aforementioned sheaths, it is a shame the McFarlane couldn’t have made the two compatible. Weapon two is a Heavy Bolt Pistol, a weapon that dates back to the start of the line in 2020 and was included with the first Ultramarines Intercessor release. For the Reiver Lieutenant, this is cast in silver with no wider detail. It is designed to fit in the right hand, which has an extended trigger finger.  Our final weapon is a Heavy Bolter, similar to those seen in the line before, but with a variant scope. The black cast piece has a painted silver grip and ammo clip. To the front of the Bolter is a sculpted winged skull design, painted in gold and repeated on both sides. Like the Pistol, the Bolter fits into the right hand. The weight of this final weapon does pose some challenges to the arm articulation, and there is no extra left hand with a supporting pose to hold the barrel of the Heavy Bolter in a two-handed firing position. Articulation is limited due to the bulk of the armoured figure, but you do get 19 points in total (21 if you include the hinged flaps on the backpack). The key knee and elbow joints are pinned and double jointed to give the broadest movement. This Riever body also comes with toe articulation for walking or running poses. The other articulation of note is around the shoulders where the arm is jointed into the torso, with the shoulder armour jointed separately so they can move independently and one doesn’t impede the other.  There are plenty of posing options, despite the limitations of the bulky amour, although like most previous Space Marine releases from McFarlane the lack of any obvious ratchet within the arm joints in particular does leave the joints loose and in some cases unable to support their own weight, most notably when the weapons are raised upward, the Heavy Bolter being the worse of the three. As with all releases, the Reiver Lieutenant also comes with a collector card, and the black circular display stand with white Warhammer 40k logo. The peg on the stand can plug into holes on either feet, and while this is a tight fit, once secure the stand does help in keeping the figure stable. The new Ultramarines Reiver Lieutenant in Phobos Armour is a welcome addition to the McFarlane line and the Ultramarine display. Sadly, the figure doesn’t see any of the lines key niggles resolved and we still have loose joints, and difficulty in getting the weapons into the hands. There is also more paint variation from prior releases, and while the darker blue of the Lieutenant is a reasonable match to the Intercessor Marines, it is somewhat different to the 2022 Reiver. There are plenty of positives too, with these figures now coming with multiple weapon options and the unmasked head sculpts much improved on some of the earlier versions.  Our Lieutenant in Phobos Armour is a strong base release for fans of the Warhammer 40k series, with bold and crisp paintwork that works perfectly fine for display, or that can be enhanced by those with skill with a brush who want to enhance the figure to the same level of detail seen on the WH40k miniatures.  Figure Hacks As the WH40k line from McFarlane grows, and in particular the various Space Marine releases, we are now starting to see wider options for creating new variations of the figures by swapping parts. In this Summer 2025 wave alone - including the Gold Label Exclusive - there are a raft of weapon options as well as different head options, all of which work on each of the figure bodies for some variation and army building in your collection. Keep Track of all the Warhammer 40k figures from McFarlane at our comprehensive McFarlane Collectors Database & Checklist If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook , Twitter , and YouTube . Check out our direct news feed 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...

"By the blood of Sanguinius!" The July 2025 wave of McFarlane Warhammer 40k figures expanded on the forces of both the Blood Angels and the Ultramarines, whilst also giving painters two further Artist Proof figures. For the Blood Angels Chapter, the latest release was that of an Assault Intercessor Sergeant.  The packaging for the Summer 2025 wave remains broadly the same as the newer and larger boxes established in 2024 after the line took an extended break. The box front is white with a right-side strip of grey artwork taken from the Warhammer 40k source material. The Warhammer 40k and McFarlane logos top the box front, with the character name sitting in large text under the window. Just above this is an Ultramarines blue flash confirming the Chapter for the release. The right hand spine continues as a wrap around of the grey artwork, while the left hand spine has now moved from being colour coordinated to the Chapter, to a blue design imprinted in the centre with the Chapter logo. The back of the box carries no detail other than the same WH40k and McFarlane logos and the various legal and copyright text. What we do get is a glorious illustration of the Blood Angels Assault Intercessors in the heart of battle. The Assault Sergent is made up of the established Intercessor parts established in the line since it launched in 2020. Each of the armoured sections is cast in red Blood Angels plastic, with the connecting joints in black. The figure features the same belt as the Hellblaster, with a Blood Angels red tear drop pendant on one side trimmed in gold paint. The upper body and the central chest features a sculpted winged skull, rather than the blood drop symbol, painted in black and with grey drybrushing.  The shoulder armour features the tilting plate on the right shoulder, as seen on the original Intercessor, this is painted up in four quadrants with two plain red panels and two white panels the top with a painted black skull and the lower with a red diagnoal slash. The shoulder panels themselves feature a black central panel with red trim, the right painted with a single yellow blood drop, and the left with a yellow winged blood drop. The armour is finished off with a sculpted skull cross on the left forearm, and a black painted knee pad with a white lightning bolt symbol that indicates the Squad Number.  The backpack is the basic Intercessor pack, cast in the same red as the armour and with a sculpted Blood Angel winged blood drop design on the rear circular panel, painted over in black. The headsculpt is new and shows the Sergeant unmasked, apart from a chin strap, and connected component parts over both ears. The Sergeant is sporting a single Service Stud on his forehead and is painted in a relatively realistic style, complete with painted eyes.  These newer WH40k figures are now starting to feature alternative head options, and our Blood Angels Assault figure comes with a second standard Intercessor helmeted head in yellow, with green eye lenses, as is the colour for Assault Intercessor Marines. The head swaps easily enough with a long central neck peg that sits into the socket in the upper part of either head.  Our Blood Angels Assault Sergeant is the first Space Marine release to come with a Power Fist. The Power Fist has been developed as a sleeve to fit over the standard hand of the figure rather than connecting directly to the wrist. This is not particularly well-engineered, and there is no securing the Power Fist in place, relying solely on the position of the arm. This lack of any clip, socket, or bracket, leaves the Power Fist prone to sliding off the arm too easily, particularly when the fist is positioned downward. It is cast in the same red with the only other paintwork a gunmetal pipe to one side. The Power Fist is sculpted in a clenched fist pose.  The figures standard hands include a pointing left hand and an alternative gripping hand. The right hands can be swapped between a standard clenched fists, or to a weapon grip hand with trigger finger - although the Sergeant doesn’t actually come with any projectile Weapons. I did find that the right gripping hand holds the Power Fist in place more securely than the gripping fist.  The other weapon is a Power Sword, a piece that will arrive warped due to how McFarlane are packing it under the figure and taking its full weight in the box. The plastic is very flexible, and while that doesn’t help the warping, it does mean it is relatively easy to straighten back up with some heat/cold treatment. The blade is a pearlescent sky blue over a silver base to give a finish that is almost glowing. The hilt is black with a large sculpted skull central section painted in bone white.  The Power Sword can fit in either of the gripping hands, but both are so stiff that the sword hilt won’t actually go past the fingers without heating them up gently. This issue has been ongoing since the line launched 5 years ago and is yet to be resolved. There is no sheathing option for the Power Sword when not in use.  Our Blood Angels Assault Sergeant has 17 points of articulation, including pinned double jointed knees and elbows. While not extensive in its movement due to the bulk of the armour, the Assault Sergeant can hold some varying poses with any of the included weapons, including holding the sword aloft. Sadl,y the shoulder joints in particular are not ratcheted and are therefore prone to drooping when the Power Fist in particular is in situ.  The Sergeant comes with the usual display base in black with the McFarlane logo and the collector card. The base is tough to attach to the feet as the holes on the feet seem to tight and too shallow for the peg on the stand. The figure lines up nicely with the other Blood Angel releases to date, with a good match on the red of the new Sergeant to the older Hellblaster figure.  Our Blood Angels Intercessor Assault Sergeant extends the Blood Angels Chapter out, and while not as extensive as that of the Ultramarines, we can now start to assemble a Blood Angels Squad, particularly if you lean into the army building options of this figure and the extra helmeted yellow head to complete a standard Assault Intercessor. The same issues persist with the gripping hands a pain to work with, and the shoulder joints too weak. McFarlane also needs to think about how they pack certain weapons in the line, with a particularly poor position chosen for the Power Sword. Also disappointing is the engineering and execution of the Power Fist, a long sought after piece for the line that fails to connect or secure itself to the Marine armour in any way. For your money, you do get a crisp and neatly painted Blood Angels figure which looks great on display, but also provides a base for those collectors who want to lean into the customising and painting aspects of the WH40k hobby. The face sculpts and heads are improving wave by wave, and I look forward to seeing where McFarlane goes next. Figure Hacks As the WH40k line from McFarlane grows, and in particular the various Space Marine releases, we are now starting to see wider options for creating new variations of the figures by swapping parts. In this Summer 2025 wave alone - including the Gold Label Exclusive - there are a raft of weapon options as well as different head options, all of which work on each of the figure bodies for some variation and army building in your collection.   Keep Track of all the Warhammer 40k figures from McFarlane at our comprehensive McFarlane Collectors Database & Checklist If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook , Twitter , and YouTube . Check out our direct news feed 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...