[TheBlueMarvel]

Congrats to the Marvel Universe fans! Looks like you guys got the fan service on this one. Maybe that is what we can expect from Hasbro on these toylines; an ebb and flow of effort and attention between Starwars Black, Marvel Universe, and Marvel Legends. Legends had 3 or 4 good lines from last year until now. There has been some grumbling on the M. Universe front over the past year but that should be rectified now. My theory does not explain the great Starwars Black figs along side some cool M. Legends sculpts.....ehhh whatever. I'm glad someone is happy!

I'm still not feeling these Guardian Legends. With the exception of Nova Prime (whaaaaaat took so long!!! This fig should'a been out a long time ago, but I'm ok with the wait after seeing the final product...Nice Job Hasbro! Really!) However, the other legends concern me more than a little.

I'm starting to agree with the criticisms that these Guardian movie sculpts lack any expressiveness. Their faces are even beginning to worry me about the movie, to a degree. I'm sure I'm being overly dramatic here as the film will no doubt include lots FX's and loads of "spacey pew-pew laser-explodey" action bits, but these designs sorta suck. Not really Hasbro's fault (except for the fact that they insist on working in movie designs for figure lines due to the corporate lovin' of synergistic marketing techniques...note to corporations: MANY of we consumers HATE that crap), they can only work with what the movie art direction gives them. I like the weapons. Especially Rocket Racoon's gun, which is infinitely better than that craziness that came with the BAF...but these "space" clothes they have them wearing are simply off-putting. Star-Lord is in an overcoat? I think, even in the depths of space, the protagonist wearing a Keanu-esque three-quarters length trench...is a bit cliche...What is Gamora wearing?! some weird speckled-leotard-cleavage-baring mess...Now, I'm not one to dress-up my action figures(I've yet to reach that level of depravity...oops I'm mean enthusiasm*JOKE don't kill me!*), but what were they going for? Sexy? Repulsive? Zumba instructor? Plumber? Drax....oh Drax. His expression might be the most flaccid of all, but that's not the bit that gets me. What's up with the overly elaborate boot-knife sheathes? I mean they are in outer space right? Guess he found a great cosmic-leather cobbler with a flair for medieval accessorizing. I hope the directors know that Drax kills with MANY things other than his knives...there is the fact that he is super-humanly strong and he did rip Thanos' heart out with his bare hand. I won't beat-up on Groot (although his head roots could be longer...but that's a petty gripe) or Rocket who had a cool redesign (but doesn't really look like the same character...to me at least)

Rant over.... most of what I'm gripping on is more about the movie direction (not really a "Hasbro" thing), which when seen in motion, I will likely not care about. Nova is an absolute must have and I will get Cosmos-Iron Man too....he may be a weak re-tool of the Heroic Iron Man fig., but his Guardians-redesign in the comics wasn't that great either and they (Hasbro)kinda of got him accurately.