Here we have Wolverine in-hand, which brings us yet another new take on the iconic tiger-stripe outfit that was already popular with the Jim Lee version of the character, the 90s animated series, and the numerous Capcom-developed fighting games ranging from X-Men: Children of the Atom up to Marvel vs Capcom 2 (as he has the Astonishing outfit in MvC3). This figure specifically is reused from the tooling that the cel-shaded version from Hasbro Pulse utilized. Wolverine's proportions match what he already has, and I was already a fan of the base mold that was originally made in 2016 with the Juggernaut-wave version of the character. The paint apps are generally applied well and are crisp, though there are slight hiccups and lopsided areas. The shades of prominant yellow as well as the few highlights of blue and the sole red from the belt are between vibrant and faded, likely to distinguish this release from past versions of the character. One complaint I have about the cllaws is how dull they are. Granted, the gunmetal gray on him is less translucent than the light gray on other Wolverine figures, but I can't help but wish this guy had his claws painted, especially when there's going to be no BAF part included. I wish the blue didn't looks as tealish and the yellow was less lemon and more school bus. I also wish the shoulder pads could hide the skin better.
His head sculpt is already strong as it is, being able to showcase an improved form of craftsmanship from previous iterations of the character. Wolverine's eyes may be seen as a little too small if you want to go for cartoon-accuracy, but with how the 90s animated series designs basically match the looks of the comics that came out at the time, this can be your standard Earth-616 Wolverine with no issue. The articulation is standard for the buck, so you may want to find the reviews on either the Heat Claws or Love Triangle 3-pack versions.
The alternate accessories he comes with are fists with retracted hands, an unmasked Logan head that I think is the best one we got for a neutral expression (at least compared to the one from the Love Triangle 3-pack in my collection. While the stubble paint apps pale compared to the wash that made the skin look naturalistic on the Toy Biz versions, this head sculpt is comparable to the ones that Glenn Webb loved in his Action Figure Evolution videos (the Toy Biz Apocalypse wave Astonishing version and the X-Men Classics Ninja Strike version). The cowl accessory is the same from what we previously had apart from the painted eyes. It's a bit neat. And yes, the elbows and knees are pinless and the arms are sculpted to give it a texture of hairy arms but no such paint apps are added. In fact, the colors are slightly mismatched for the knee joints versus the rest of the toy.
I should bring up the previous version of this Wolverine, which is the 90s cel-shaded version. Specific to this version of the character, other than the paint job, are more appropriate shades of blue and yellow, accessory-holding hands (that have fingernails sculpted for some reason), a portrait featuring Scott and Jean, and an alternate Wolverine head whose teeth and pale skin makes him look like the Target-exclusive Red Hulk version from way back in 2008. I wish Hasbro at least added the snarling head on the release we have here and made the teeth look less cheap. The legs and arms have their joints pinned, as they are the same ones we previously had.
For a comparison with the other Wolverines I own, here he is in between the Bonebreaker Heat Claws version and the Love Triangle version. I don't have as many versions the same way I do with Spider-Man, but Logan's my second favorite Marvel superhero - scratch that, character of all time. Looking at the comparisons between these two, I like the sculpted trunks on the figure, but I can't help but feel that I'm 50/50 on if it has better proportions than the Love Triangle version, though I know the legs look a little too skinny. Interestingly, the Heat Claws one is a little taller than either version, though it could be argued that he gets a wee bit taller. Soooooooo best Wolverine figure ever? Maybe, but knowing Hasbro's Marvel Legends team, there is a tendency to make something that is said to be definitive and then the next one, and then the next one, and then the next one. So with some tweaks here and there, you can make him better than he currently is, though the price is already problematic due to the fact that Hasbro is making this about the same price you're paying for a regular figure but with slightly fewer accessories and no BAF piece. While I'd love the aforementioned alternate head to come with him if we're not going to have any BAF pieces, at least Wolverine is serviceable.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
And here we have Magneto, and right off the bat, this isn't the version shown in the top image with the carded figures. This Magneto is actually the Family Matters 3-pack version with the hands and head of the X-Men '97 version rather than the actual '97 version. We'll get to the comparisons in a little bit, but the proportions I feel are generally better than the '97 version. Firstly, the cape is more proportionate to the body, and the torso and shoulders aren't as narrow (could be wider, though). The arms are noticeably not as long, a major issue I have with that release. And of course, the pins are noticeable, though at least it's easier to stomach than even worse proportions. So yeah, what we have is good but I know he could be bulkier to match his larger stature in the comics. And I also like the shading applied on his cape.
His head sculpt is better than either Family Matters heads, with the more appropriate glare for the character as well as some shading to make the eyes more shadowy underneath the helmet. The only issue is that the chin guards of the helmet are a little too close to each other, so the nose and mouth shouldn't look like they're about to get squished. At the very least, paint apps are good. The articulation is the same as Wolverine's, though there are no butterfly joints both because of the cape as well as the character not using the same level of dynamic posts that the X-Man is known for. I should mention that while the '97 version has the cape stay in place better as it connects to the chest, this older buck doesn't have that benefit, so only the cape can be connected on the back. Oh and the alternate hands are all you get. :-/
If you can't tell, here is a comparison between the two versions of Magneto, the '97 version on the left and Family Matters on the right. While the pinless joints and the sculpted trunks on the hips are appreciated for aesthetic reasons, the Family Matters version is better when it comes to the proportions. The heads suck, as one looks bored and young while the other tries to make the Jim Lee aesthetics but feels half-baked. On top of the helmets looking too thick. At least '97 is better done, but boy is the neck too high.
And here he is with the other Magneto I own from the comics, that being the Age of Apocalype version. He is a little taller than the more recent Magneto (and the actual '97 one is shorter), but boy does the AOA version feel rough. All bare plastic, no paint apps, the proportions are still not appropriate, and the joints are too gummy. Oh, and I don't like how cheap the paint apps look on the head. And worst of all for AOA, the cape can barely stay in place because there are no pegs added. So yeah, I feel better getting the X-Men Family Matters/97 hybrid, even though it's still not perfect. The original version is pretty weak, but this one is serviceable. However, not coming with any effect pieces or an unhelmeted head despite most Magnetos coming with unhelmeted heads is very pathetic for a Magneto release. Especially for a price like this.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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