2006 ToyBiz
Marvel Legends Icons - Series 3
Beast - Variant (Blue Fur, Glasses and Labcoat)
MSRP: $16.99
How did the variant of the under dog Icon figure do? Of all Marvel characters deemed an "Icon" was Beast the best choice?
Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine, Hulk, Venom, Spider-Man.... Beast. Beast? Why in heck did they pick Beast? Don't get me wrong I like Beast just as much as the next guy, but I think someone like Thor, The Punisher, Dr. Doom, Magneto, Phoenix, Daredevil, Moon Knight, etc might have been a more likely choice for "Icon" status. As a figure, personally, I like him, nice new sculpt head to toe, overall nice job. I thought their choice of regular version and variant was an awful mistake. Why make the drab gray Beast that almost no one is even familiar with the regular and the blue-furred, lab rat that we all know and love the variant? What does that give you? Eleven gray Beasts on clearance at Target and no sign of variant Beast at a brick and mortar store ever, that's what it gives you.
Sculpt / Design
The sculpt of the fur is very intricate and miles ahead of the last version of Beast we got in Marvel Legends Series 4. That older version had tufts of hair here and there, but this new Icons Beast is absolutley covered in the finest detailed fur from head to toe. It's a phenomenal sculpt job and looks like they really took their time to get it right. Portrayed as the older "Ape" style Beast and not the Frank Quitely to current "Cat" style Beast. Longer forearms and the thumb-like toes really bring home the "ape" design. This variant version has a nice cloath white lab coat and the glasses are glued on the head. Everything looks accurate, in place and solid. Too bad he's not built to stand on one hand.
Score: 9
Paint / Color
The Blue fur is just right with a perfect amount of black wash. The paint app here is nearly flawless. Belt, buckle and shorts look good. Accurate painting of the teeth, finger nails and toe nails. The only flaw is the line is not so clean along the hairline on the brow and the chops on the face. The blue pours over into the hair and the black pours over onto the face a bit here and there. This is the type of thing that varies from figure to figure I'm sure but when you get up close it gets pretty ugly.
Score: 8
Articulation
Beast's articulation is all of the articulation you'd you think you ever need, however Beast is very special because he is very bulky and very agile. For a toy maker, this must be a nightmare. ToyBiz pulled off the bulk but not the agility, flexibility and poseability, not even close. You can basically get two poses, standing and err, standing with arms out. The ball joint hips are pretty much useless and very very tough to get to move like a lot of other Icons out there and once you do get them to move you can't do much with the rest of the leg to get any cool poses. No mid-foot / toe articulation. I love the jaw articulation, it's imperative with a good Beast figure, however, when opened he has a massive over bite.
Score: 4
Value
Nice big heavy figure like this, makes you feel pretty good about the purchase. Add in a large cloth lab coat and it sweetens the deal just that much more. Icons are a good value, especially when compared to rotocast (hollow) figures like the Amazing Spider-Man 12" figures. These are double the price of 6" figures, minus a dollar (depending on which store you pick them up from). Comes with a nice glossy full color poster book.
Score: 9
Score Totals
Sculpt / Design: 9
Paint / Color: 8
Articulation: 4
Value: 9
Overall: 30 out of a possible 40
Maybe not the most likely choice for an Icon, but I'm glad to have that fuzzy teddy bear, The Beast in my collection of Icons, especially this variant version. You get the blue fur, the lab coat, the glasses... what's not to love? A solid figure that over shadows the regular like mount everest. This is why the gray Beast (regular version) is warming the shelves. We could have used better articulation and less of an overbite, but if you ever see this guy at retail price or better yet clearance, grab him!
