Superhero Times: a service of Action Online
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Kids have always loved small, solid plastic figures. Whether we’re talking about the ubiquitous Army Men, Japanese wrestling style M.U.S.C.L.E. Men, or any number of generic plastic Native Americans, Cowboys, or Knights, little guys pack a lot of fun into tiny packages. With the recent trend toward clunky vinyl-inspired figures (Mighty Muggs, Mez-Itz, etc.) and cutesy cartoony toys (Superhero Squad, Action League, etc.), it seemed as though the days of tiny figures were gone. But wait! Never fear, Handful of Heroes is here!
Hasbro has done it again, tackling a “long lost” toy category and doing it well. The Handful of Heroes line consists of carded packs of “8 awesome heroes” (though many are actually villains) and a battle mat. These little dudes are about 1 ¼ to 2 inches tall with surprisingly detailed sculpts. There’s no articulation, moving parts, or complicated paint apps, just solid figures that can do battle with a little imagination.
The Handful packaging is pretty neat. It’s covered in bright colors and jagged edges, really catching the eye. Plus, you actually get to see the assortment of figures you’re getting, with only one “super secret” figure hidden from view. The back of the card shows off an assortment of Heroes in their multi-color glory and reveals that there are 120 figures in the initial set. According to the package, there’s “KAPOW in every pack!”
That “120” number sounds really cool, but it’s a bit of an exaggeration. Open the included battle mat and you’ll see what I mean. One side of the sheet is a pictorial checklist showing all of the figs. It’s only here that you find that there are actually 40 figures, each of which comes in three variant colors: solid, clear, and sparkly. The variety of characters is very nice, with lots of heroes and villains from the Marvel comics universe. Especially well represented are Iron Man (4 different figures plus War Machine), Spider-Man (3 plus Venom), Hulk (4), and Wolverine (3). Sadly, as was the case with Hasbro’s Marvel Universe figures, there is not a single female character in this first set.
For my first two packs, I sought mutants and Iron Man characters mostly, ending up with Angel, Colossus, Cyclops, two Hulkbuster Iron Man figures, Iron Man Mark I, two War Machine figures, Spider-Man, Doctor Doom, Thing, two Abomination figures, Captain America, Absorbing Man, and Iron Clad. Of these, 5 are solid colors, 5 are clear, and 6 are sparkly. Pretty nice variety for only two units purchased!
Pose and sculpt are what make these little guys, and there’s no lacking in those departments. For example, Angel has a detailed musculature and uniform piping, but really amazing individually sculpted wing feathers. Colossus has tons of uniform details and banded metal skin, along with a really gritty chunk of rock he hoists over his head.
Many of the figures are captured in cool action poses, with the villains looking really ominous. Doom reaches towards the heavens with his hammer, while Iron Clad and Abomination crouch in readiness with their arms spread wide to attack. The Iron Man figures are nicely detailed with onboard weapon systems, and the Hulkbuster suits are awesomely bulky!
On the other side of the aforementioned checklist is the battle mat. Since there are no directions, I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to do with it. It is decorated like a two-player game, with heroes on side and villains on the other. 6 token-like circles hold the symbols associated with various Marvel comics heroes, villains, and teams. There is a tiny illustration showing two kids playing with the figures; it seems one side sets up his figures in a battle array while the other flicks an attacker to knock them down. Grab a couple of packs and try it out!
The Handful of Heroes packs are just starting to hit shelves now. With the great variety of figures and bright colors, not to mention value for the price, they’re sure to be a “big” hit with kids, and hopefully we’ll see more sets down the line. Gotta catch ‘em all!
CLICK HERE for more Handful images!
Review and Photos by Scott Rubin