REVIEW: Toy Biz MARVEL LEGENDS Apocalypse BAF

Released 2006 

You want me to Build a WHAT?!

  

If you're a fan of MARVEL LEGENDS then you no doubt have an opinion about the two companies that have produced them over the years. For some, Toy Biz will always be the "true" maker of Marvel Legends, with their crazy finger articulation, extensive paint washes, dry brushing and wealth of included accessories (including not just weapons, but full comic books, stands and mini-dioramas). You were getting a lot of bang for your buck.

For others, Hasbro's no nonsense packaging, sharp sculpts (that have produced some fine looking figures since the relaunch in 2012), and constantly improving modern articulation have made them a successor worthy to carry the proud name of MARVEL LEGENDS into the future. 

Front View

But regardless of which side of the fence you are on, one thing has remained a constant: Fans like BUILD A FIGURES. To paraphrase Wikipedia:

Waaaaaay back in 2005, Toy Biz introduced the "Build-A-Figure" (or BAFs to the cool kids) to the MARVEL LEGENDS line, starting with series 9. Figures in the line (though not always ALL figures in a given series) were packed in with a piece of a larger figure. Collectors who bought all the figures that included such pieces would then be able to assemble an additional character that was unavailable in individual packaging.

  Things like this are crispy crack to the Toy Collector.  Normally, I wouldn't even bother with a BAF since shelf space is at a premium for me.  But as soon as I pulled that shiny new BAF piece from my BISHOP figure's packaging, I felt the sweet, sweet whisper of the completionist in my ear, and eBay in my fingers.  It's like an Easter egg hunt for geeks.  Every new piece you get is tantalizing, and makes you want the next one even more... inching ever closer to that glorious moment, when your fragmented plastic pal can be made whole.

While eschewing the comic books and dioramas of the Toy Biz era, Hasbro has wisely continued the tradition of pack in figure parts... the main difference being size. For Toy Biz, the goal was for BAFs to be huge... spectacles too large to otherwise be included in LEGENDS packaging. Hasbro has taken on a more modest (and likely cost conscious) approach, going so far as to plan Mini-BAFs like Hit Monkey, Puck, and possibly even Rocket Raccoon. But we're talking about APOCALYPSE, on of the biggest, meanest X-Monsters around... and Apocalypse doesn't do "modest".

SCALE and HEIGHT

Rear View

This is an approximately 14 inch figure that is in scale with pretty much all MARVEL LEGENDS figures. While I usually wouldn't recommend a LEGENDS scale figure to be used with the larger scale MARVEL SELECTS, Apocalypse is so damned big that you won't care.

Sculpt

  This isn't a straightforward thing to judge since most of Apocalypse's surfaces have more in common with the body panels of a car, than a person.  He's all smooth curves perforated by seams, with only a peek of meat to get creative with.  This doesn't really have much to do with the work of the sculptor himself since his hands are very much tied by the original design... a design that is a holdover from the 1990's and is starting to show it's age.

Kiss me, baby...

  What is there is solid and serviceable .. but I've seen much finer detail in much smaller figures.  At this size you really have a large canvas to work with and I find myself wishing that they would have spent a bit more time finessing the detail that IS there.  Just look at the MARVEL SELECT Juggernaut figure for a fine example of what is possible for "Big" figure sculpts.

  In particular, I feel that the hands are a major let down.  Yes, the "Fingers" are articulated (which is great) but they could have done so much more. 

Paint Apps 

Peep the dry brushing

This one also comes back to being constrained by the original design, which doesn't give the painters much to work with.  To their credit (while being molded in the color needed) thighs and upper arms feature shading, with dark blue sections and bits of silver detail trim here and there.  The face uses mostly flat colors with no shading, though the eyes use a nice red metallic paint.  The most love is given to the upper torso which has a semi-metallic blue sheen to it, and this is offset by what looks like dark surfaces intentionally scored to take a nice silver-grey dry brushing.  It's a clever technique that does a lot to enhance the form of his MASSIVE lats.

Articulation   

When producing a brick of plastic with this kind of size and heft, you're bound to have to make some concessions, and articulation is likely going to be one of them.  It's commendable though that Toy Biz tried as hard as they did to carry over much of the articulation seen in their smaller figures.

  I have no doubt that you could design a figure this size that can get into just about any pose you can imagine (for example, Toy Biz's masterpiece of an 18" Spiderman).  But like my Medicom RAH Neo Evangelion, you can also run into joints that need outside support.  With Apocalypse, Toy Biz's Articulation mantra seems to have been "sturdy".  They know that this isn't the kind of character that would be found twisted up like a pretzel, low to the ground.  No, Apocalypse would prefer to tower over his defeated foes and look menacing.  And the articulation is more than up to that task. 

  While I can't see the joint to confirm, I believe his head uses a ball joint which supplied more mobility than I was expecting.  When hunched over you can get him to look up and forward, or arch his back triumphantly while bringing his head down into a glare.  The head also swivels side to side, but this is somewhat inhibited by his massive collar.

Lean back

Torso Articulation is made possible a formidable Ab Crunch (Great for looking down on the broken bodies of dispatched minions) and a waist that can freely swivel 360 degrees.

Traditional LEGENDS style shoulder joints

His shoulders rotate and raise just like most MARVEL LEGENDS do, along with the familiar bicep swivel and double jointed elbows. He also swivels at the wrists, and has a very limited range wrist pivot.

Yeah, but can he snap?

  Found here too are four INDIVIDUALLY ARTICULATED fingers which normally would be great. Unfortunately, these cubic digits are pre-curved into a fist. 

Busting his Leopard Fist

 When open, this undermines his ability to hold things (like say, squirming Marvel Legends), instead putting his hand into a kung fu style "Leopard Fist" position. His thumb doesn't move, but neither does any Marvel figure in this scale. But as I said in my Ultra Poseable Spiderman review... you're gonna need a PERFECT GRADE Gundam if you want that.

Moments before a tragic break dancing accident

  His lower body articulation is actually pretty good for a figure this size.  It includes the standard ball-hinge hip joints (with less than 90 degrees of dorsiflexion), upper thigh swivel, double jointed knees, shin/calf swivel (instead of at the ankle), a toe joint, and my favorite.... ANKLE ROCKERS for foot Inversion / Eversion.

Yay!  Ankle Rockers!

  Since weight bearing is a major factor in a figure this size, many of joints are ratcheted.  Good call, Toy Biz.

Special Features

Apocalypse don't need no stinkin' PEG HOLES!!!

The Apocalypse BAF is not really a "Special Features" kind of collectable, since it IS the special feature. I can say, it's missing Foot hole pegs....But then what would you do with them on a figure this size? There's nothing out there to attach him to.

Tubular.

One cool thing he has going for him though, are two massive TUBES that connect the small of his back with the area just above his elbows. These are not flaccid hollow noodles of plastic. In fact, they are so firm that the arcs that they create are enough to separate his back from any flat surface by about an inch. And while totally ridiculous conceptually, somehow look kind of cool.

Accessories 

Apocalypse IS the accessory.  

Other versions

Marvel Legends Series 7 Apocalypse

In 2004 Toy Biz released a standard sized MARVEL LEGENDS Version of Apocalypse as part of their Series 7. I don't have this figure so I can't comment on it.

Black and Blue

Additionally, a BLACK Variant of the Apocalypse BAF was available by collecting the pieces included with variants of the series figures themselves. What's odd is that I began my BAF quest with a bald variant BISHOP figure, and yet he was packed with a standard blue BAF part. I would have preferred the Black version. Oh well...

Size Comparison

The second best 14 inches a guy could have

You can see here that this BAF absolutely dominates the space when posed near your regular LEGENDS. While he's not as big as the Galactus or Sentinal BAFs (16 inches each), he's no slouch in the size department. If you're looking for a stand out piece to compliment your LEGENDS, you could do worse than Apocalypse.

Opinion, Value and VERDICT 

How much or how little you pay to wrap your sweaty meat paws around this BAF comes down to how you collect. If you are the type who would have bought all of the figures in a set in their packages anyway, then congratulations. This BAF will cost you zero beyond your initial investment. Apocalypse.... Always looking out for the little guy

But if you are only interested in a few (or no) figures in the series then you have a few choices. You could buy a pre-assembled BAF via eBay. That'll set you back between $50-$100. That's a pretty good deal considering a new MARVEL LEGENDS figure will run you $15-$25. But then, $50+ buys a lot of tater tots too.

I chose to spread the cost out over time. I got one piece new with Bishop, and collected the other pieces one at a time at a cost of $3-$15 each. At that price, pretty much anyone on any budget can afford to add this guy to their collection. 

Left Arm Piece

 The pieces needed are:

• Waist
• Upper Torso/head
• Right Arm (plus tube)
• Left Arm (plus tube)
• Right Leg
• Left Leg

The Attach points are sized to be idiot proof, but make sure you get the correct COLOR (blue or black) or your BAF won't match. Once pieces are on, they aren't coming off.

Closing thoughts

KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!  Er, Apocalypse...

  Unless you really don't like Apocalypse or BAFs in general, you really can't go wrong here.

  For more REVIEWS like this one, keep checking back on yer' old pal Evotaph and GEEKISH PURSUITS.  In the meantime, please COMMENT and SUBSCRIBE!