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Concurrent with the debut of the Wolverine film, there is no shortage of Marvel Comics toys on shelves right now. But they aren’t all action figures; there are some great alternative collectibles coming out of Hasbro in the Mighty Muggs and Super Hero Squad lines. Today we’ll take a look at one of the new “Wolverine” Super Hero Squad 4-packs, the Coming of Apocalypse.
First appearing in print in the mid-1980s, Apocalypse revolutionized the Marvel Comics universe. A mutant with almost god-like powers and immortality, he has had all sorts of crazy schemes and even formed the basis for alternate-universe stories. While he has clashed with X-Men on many occasions, he has a particularly bad history with the mutant first known as Angel. The winged hero was crippled by the loss of his original feathered wings and attempted suicide, but was secretly saved by Apocalypse and transformed. The result was the blood-thirsty “Death,” equipped with vicious metal wings and marked by blue skin. He would later overcome these adversities and re-join the good guys, taking the name Archangel.
The villainous Apocalypse and ambiguous Archangel are joined in this 4-pack by the X-Men heroes Wolverine (in his old brown and yellow uniform) and Nightcrawler.
One of several new Super Hero Squad 4-packs on shelves now, the Coming of Apocalypse set shares design elements first seen on the Iron Man toys. The figures are encased in a semi-circular box, with a clear front window and ceiling. Jutting upward from the back of the box is a short card to which a J-hook is attached. The card here is decorated with the Wolverine logo over a background of that character’s traditional blue, yellow, and black colors. Around the front window are cartoony images of the characters inside. The back of the package has basically a one-panel comic strip of the four, over product images of two other 4-packs.
The new Super Hero Squad 4-packs feature a combination of all-new figures, repaints, and straight repacks. There have been so many releases in this line that it’s hard to keep track! The figures of the Coming of Apocalypse set are attached to a plastic tray, holding them securely in place. This tray in turn rests on a cardboard background of an industrial battlefield complete with the X-Jet. It’s sturdy enough to be removed and used for a mini diorama if you like.
Apocalypse has always looked pretty much the same, at least in the main timeline. He appears here just like in the comics, armored in blue and gray. He has the distinctive face with white eyes and blue jaw line, and the tubes that connect his arms to his back. Standing at almost 2 ½ inches, Apocalypse has a very good sculpt with armor details, banding on his gloves and boots, and even the “A” on his belt. Colors are bold with the blue offsetting the dark gray, and highlights in the silver tubes and lighter gray face. Apocalypse is articulated at the neck and shoulders, though the tubes limit the arm movement a bit.
Archangel is a repaint of the Angel figure originally released in a two-pack with Colossus. The figure stands (or rather flies) approximately 3 inches tall. Archangel is posed soaring from a base of swirly clouds, with one toe attached for balance. The mutant appears as he did in X-Factor after Apocalypse’s tampering, with the blue and pink suit, silver metallic wings, and blue face. Since this is a repaint, the figure is not wearing Death’s tight-fitting hood. Sculpted details are very good on the base and wings, with lots of layering and differentiated surfaces. The colors are also nice, aptly representing a very specific time in the character’s career. Archangel has three points of articulation at the neck and shoulders.
Wolverine is a repack of a previously released figure. The berserker mutant wears his brown and yellow uniform, with claws extended for battle. Don’t let the smile on his face fool you; posed in a forward lunge this guy is ready for action. Highlights on this figure include a very good paint job with bright silver claws and even black arm hair! Wolverine is articulated at the angled waist and shoulders. Combined with the action stance, this allows for a lot of different poses!
Nightcrawler is also a repack of a previously beloved Super Hero Squad figure. A somewhat light-hearted version of the mutant, this takes the nickname “fuzzy blue elf” to the extreme. The pose is intricate, the colors dynamic, but what really draws attention is Nightcrawler’s silly face. Graced with huge yellow eyes and a big smile, it’s also framed by outwardly-jutting pointed ears and a huge head of black hair. The silliness aside, this is a very cool figure. In a convoluted acrobatic pose, Nightcrawler relies on an outstretched hand for balance. The articulation at the waist and shoulders provides many different ways of positioning the mutant, and a lot of fun in doing so.
While the Super Hero Squad may not be for everyone, the figures are fun little versions of your favorite super-heroes and villains of the Marvel Comics universe. If you’ve got one such character here, or you’re a fan of the line, the Coming of Apocalypse set is highly recommended.
For even more images of this set, CLICK HERE!
Review and Photos by Scott Rubin