REVIEW: Upper Deck's WOLVERINE Subcast

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Given the many, many Wolverine collectibles on the market, it’s no surprise that Upper Deck used its Marvel license in order to create something special - something unlike anything else at retail. To accomplish this, they enlisted the help of indie-toy designer MiQ. The Marvel Subcasts line features designs inspired by the urban-vinyl market that also have a familiarity to some of Marvel’s most well-known and beloved icons. Below, we’ll be reviewing the Wolverine Subcast, one of four statues currently available!

The box in which Wolverine is packaged features a similar color scheme to the figure itself, with bright yellows and blues. A high gloss has been overlayed on the box artwork, and it gives the packaging a very attractive appearance. The figure is held in place by a Styrofoam unit, into which he can safely be replaced after having been removed and displayed. This overall packaging design is solid, particularly for those loose collectors that still enjoy holding onto the original boxes for their high-end products.

Wolverine's sculpt is solid, with a "ready for action" pose that screams the Canadian Berserker. The exaggerated details are fitting, and the overall look of the statue is intense. Also, the scaling on Wolvie is outstanding. I’m so thankful that Upper Deck took the time to make Logan a bit smaller than the other characters in the line, like Iron Man and Ghost Rider. While it makes the statue seem smaller when it’s standing alone, it really looks great when put side-by-side with the other Subcast superheroes.

Wolverine’s paint is some of the best in the line, featuring bright and bold colors, all of which combine to make for a figure that is very eye-catching. No smudging or discoloration was present on the statue, and the paint apps only enhance an already amazing sculpt.

Wolverine, like the other statues in the Marvel Subcasts series, is cast in polyresin and extremely sturdy. The material gives the piece some extra heft, and it feels like a very high quality sculpture from the moment you remove it from the packaging. As well built as it is, however, I would not recommend carrying him by his head or arms; tote him by his waist or back to ensure none of his parts accidentally snap.

Pricing is tricky for this figure. Sure, he looks smaller than the others in the line, but he’s still a well done, special collectible. The real $74.99 cost comes from the fact that he is polyresin statue, not a rotocast or plastic piece. Had he been made of something else, his appearance would suffer; and therefore, the extra cost is directly associated to Upper Deck’s desire to make a sturdy, high quality statue of the best appearance possible. I applaud the artistry in that and understand the extra cost. Plus, he’s limited to 2000 pieces, and the smaller the run of a given item, the higher the cost necessary to make it profitable.

The Wolverine Subcast is another solid entry in Upper Deck’s statue line. He’s sculpted well with adequate detailing, and the paint looks stellar. Wolverine’s overall appearance is bold, and ready for action, and though he may look small alone, he’s in perfect scale with the others in the line. This is a great piece for Wolvie fans looking for something unique to add to their collections, and he’s a neat designer piece for those just looking for some new, special Marvel product on their shelves.

To order the Wolverine Subcast from Sideshow,

Check out the full Wolverine Subcast picture gallery HERE!

Review and Images by C.J. Stunkard

Review Sample Courtesy of Upper Deck.