Review – Marvel Iron Man Vinyl Figure
After reviewing the Transformers Shockwave (review here) and Megatron (review here) vinyl toys earlier this week there was no way I couldn’t share this 6-inch Iron Man figure with all of you. Constructed and displayed in exactly the same way as those vinyl Transformers toys this entire series has me wondering what tricks Hasbro has planned for next year. Will we see Star Wars vinyl figures in time for Episode VII next year?
Articulation
Just like those Transformers vinyl figures this Iron Man has only four swivel joints. The shoulders, neck, and chest all swivel, giving the toy limited articulation but plenty of playability and fun . . . all for only $6! Someone over at Hasbro must have been following along with us over the last few years as I ranted against ridiculous articulation and suggested fewer points of articulation makes a toy more playable. How else do we explain all of the five-point and four-point articulation toys we’re seeing from Hasbro lately? It’s all my doing, right? 🙂
Paint
As with the Transformers Shockwave (review here) and Megatron (review here) vinyl toys, this Iron Man has only the most basic of paint applications. Cast in red plastic, the eyes, arc reactor, and gold detailing are painted on and just clean enough that the sloppiness doesn’t bother me much at all. Remember, gang, this guy only cost me $6. That’s a great price for a toy that parents can buy for their kids and not have to worry about joints breaking; this line is awesome for kids!
And great for collectors!
Think about those $15 to $30 6-inch and 7-inch scale you buy as “adult collectibles” and then compare those toys to this series and you can see why I’m suggesting everyone give these a try. For those cost of one of Mattel’s Masters of the Universe Classics action figures you can grab five of these vinyl toys, and I can now state from experience that a display packed with the Hasbro vinyl figures can look quite impressive. Seriously, before you say anything about this line at all get out there and buy one of the toys. They’re quite fun!
Closing Thoughts
For $6 it’s tough to find a better Iron Man toy for a kid, and if you’re like me and already have a pretty wide variety of Iron Man toys on display there is no reason at all not to add this to your collection. It’s durable, inexpensive, and looks great. We’ve seen much better sculpts and paint applications many times before, but the idea of seeing vinyl figures hanging from pegs and in the hands of children makes me suggest every single one of you go buy one of the toys from the line today. Let’s show Hasbro we love these so that we can get even more of them next year!!!
I want a Stormtrooper in this line, please.
I’m glad to see toys like these being produced. I’ve been preaching the “less is more” thing for a while now, just because the more complicated a toy is, the more fragile and expensive it becomes.
I think some collectors forget that not every toy out there is catering to them. That’s why I was so puzzled when I saw so many complaints regarding the simpler Transformers. They were built with kids in mind, not the 30 year old who’s going to display it on a shelf.
I think Hasbro would do well to make Star Wars figures in this line. I think it would be cool to see G.I. Joe figures in this style as well, but I don’t think they would be as successful without some form of media pushing the product.
@Stunt Zombie – It makes me so happy when someone else agrees that toy’s need to be designed for kids. I agree that some collectors forget toys are for children, but fortunately someone over there at Hasbro seems to get it and is doing what they can to bring inexpensive, fun toys to shelves.
A Darth Vader and Bob Fett would be killer in this line!
@Wolf – You forgot to say “Stormtrooper.” 🙂