Good clarification. But really, all it does is support my assertion of the MU team’s relative incompetence to the other Hasbro teams. They’re obviously learning to separate the molds out since Cable doesn’t have this issue when older molds do; but the new Cyclops has blue ankles on yellow boots so maybe they learned it right between those figs.

But I’m not buying the idea that having separate molds for shoulder and ankle inserts is gonna break the line’s budget. Those items recoup multiple mold costs with the second iteration of the buck being made into a new character. They know this line sells, and every line sells better when it’s done competently.

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When we were talking about the articulation, I noticed something on the single carded Black Panther. His entire articulation is internal! So they CAN do it if they wanted to, like the arms that they gave Jean Grey, which are closer to a Joe than the standard MU gal. Yeah, he sure has range of motion darn near like the Medical Transport Luke. His body form is huge too. Not the standard buck, but clearly mezzomorph with hige arms and chest.

Interesting.

Yep, those joints are definitely resilient. I think I mentioned it, but when you take one of those POTC rings or chests that have the UV light in it, these joints actually glow under such light. Definitely something in their mix making them paint resistant.

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The more I look at older figures and the color breakdown between the various joints and pegs the more I think that they are separate molds already. At least everything above the waist is on one, and below another. So it really does boil down to what it costs to formulate and run different colors in the molds. I think they were able to cheat a bot with Cable, since it seems like his guns are made of the same material as the joints, so they could get the silver joint parts for the cyborg arm on that run, and the "X" chestplate, the swappable one, is molded the same color as his skin, so they could get those joints there. Surprised his ankle joints match though, since they're the only ones in yellow anywhere on him. Regardless, I don't think most people care, at least not enough not to buy the figures, which is really all that matters anyway.

Picked up the remaining MUs from Liftoff today. DarkHawk is indeed a parts-fodder fig at best. His wings are just plain stupid. Firstly, they're all bent due to the way he's packaged (and I fear I've lost the left gauntlet claws since they threaded his hands thru the tray and think it popped off). Then they attach to the gauntlets such that they hang free unless he's in that one particular flying pose. Add to all that the crummy buck he's on, and he's an easy pass unless you're a DH fan or are willing to put some effort into the good bits. I've already torn him apart to fit the head, collar, belt, and gauntlets onto a BnB Jericho buck.

The DP and TM set are pretty easily the best 2pack so far, imho. Really good renditions of both doods with buttloads of good gear. REALLY nice paint work on TM's skull. The only dings are DP's paucity of torso movement due to the weird joint that side of the Marvel team uses, and the warpage that threading the weapons thru the tray causes. I'm not a fan of plastic capes so TM will get a fabric replacement, but that's a YMMV issue.

The real stand-out is the Capt Rogers fig. He'll need some glue-tightening at the waist and thigh swivels, but otherwise he's easily one of the best MU figs of all. His only real ding is the blue neck piece and a small area in his chest star that didn't get white-painted (but that's Cap's fault for being so RIPPED, right?). I'll likely drill a hole in his back to give him a ResoDuke jetpack. GREAT headsculpt.

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As far as I know Darkhawk only has one claw. Though I do agree that it looks like he ought to have 2.

my darkhawk had only 1 claw, i like him. His wings are lame though as are falcons

Yeah Darkhawk only had 1 claw in the comic. It was a grappling hook.

I found this wave today at Target finally. It looked like they just got them in and got around 12 cases. They had them on pegs all the way down the aisle in different locations. I only wanted X-23, Darkhawk, and Steve Rogers. Having as many as they got, I really feel they had orders in to Hasbro, and Hasbro just wasn't shipping. For whatever reason, I think Target was just ordering generic orders because the figures were selling. They went a little overboard. I hope they don't flood out this wave too much and not get them next.

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My Target is the same!
I hope we do get to see the next wave soon. I only want Wolverine & one of each Absorbing Man.

J_Man or Goldbug, I'd be interested in a Darkhawk & X-23 if you guys wanted to thin those pegs a bit.

I found X23 yday and she's an obvious improvement over the current female buck; but I hope she doesn't become the sole MU female buck from here on in. I would like some tweaks to the Ms Marvel buck to bring her in line with 23's improvements, notably the hindarm swivel and some shapelier calves; but there's nothing fundamentally wrong with the MM buck, imho.

The only thing really wrong with 23 is the ridiculous length of her calves. I've already taken 5mm out of them to make her legs properly proportioned (as measured by having her feet come up under her butt when she squats, unlike the scalar 6 inches behind her butt as she came).

I really don't understand why all of Hasbro's lines since the 25A line debuted, aside from the SW figs (which don't usually get doubled knees) and Tunnel Rat, have such elongated calves. They've essentially kept RAH height proportions but have increased the average height of all the lines from 3.75" to 4" by simply adding that .25" to the calves. Most of the time it's not a big problem since that's a look most of us are accustomed to due to reading comics with super-proportioned superheroes; but every once in a while it just comes off making a fig look monstrous, usually the ladies. All the RoC ladies aside from Baroness have freakish calves where their feet are behind them when squatting. Baroness' heels take up the .25" height addition. I wish Hasbro would just quit it entirely.

But, aside from that and some issues with the hip socket needing to be shaved down some to allow full scissor-kick and sitting motion, X23 is really quite nice.

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Went to Target and picked up a Skaar, Doctor Strange, and an Ultron (to use as Overkill or another unnamed as of yet prototype BAT).

Saw a few Darkhawks and Doctor Dooms, but no X-23s...

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Miraculously found an X-23 today. Not a bad figure, but doesn't seem to have a lot of range of motion at the hips. I don't know if the joints on mine are just stuck or if it's the way the figure is designed, but I can't get her into a sitting or kicking pose.

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No that's the issue I was having on the Steve Rogers figure too. It's the same hip setup. That plastic rod and pegged socket for the leg to seat into just isn't a good setup. It limits the range of motion and the leg pops off too easy. I was looking both of these figures over wondering if there was an easy fix.

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Got my Wave 5 set from BBTS and apparently I received the Absorbing Man variant. He's all steel colored instead of flesh. Not sure what the ratio is for the variants but I'll probably be putting him up for trade if anyone's interested.

Love the Steve Rogers figure but he's about a quarter to a half inch too tall. I'm glad I snagged a second one to use the head for an unmasked Cap (using the movie line comic Cap figure as the base). With the second figure body I can play around with shortening him up a bit. Should be able to just take some leg out of the boot below the lower leg cut joint and have it be fine. Aside from the height issue Super Soldier Cap is a great figure.

Haven't opened the others yet but I plan to tomorrow morning.

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eh, I like the steve figure, though i saw one with a slightly bad paint app on the eyes that made it look like he was tweaking. wish he came with the clear shield that he could generate from some doohickey.

so far only seen 1 darkhawk, but it had 3 claws on it.

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