Last week, I talked a lot about retiring older Toy Biz Marvel Legends figures as new and improved versions of characters are re-introduced into the line. Well, much like Kang, this new Falcon, ahem, swoops in to take the shelf spot from a figure that many collectors have likely had since Toy Biz series 14. Unfortunately, I cannot count myself in that group because I ejected that figure from my collection long ago.
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the Falcon as a character, and I pretty much always have. Plus, he has been handled really well in the MCU, too, and I cannot wait to see how it goes with the upcoming Falcon and Winter Soldier Disney+ show. However, I have always had a pretty high level of disdain for that old ML Falcon figure, because, despite the classic costume being there in all of its glory, the figure was kind of a mess in terms of build design and aesthetics. Poor Sam had some crazy bubble shoulders, and I never had a way to display that figure that just did not look awkward. So, needless to say, even more than Kang, this new Falcon figure is long overdue.
When the Joe Fixit series was unveiled and this new Falcon was shown off, it was dubbed as a “classic” update for the character. Now, I am sure that was said more to differentiate this from the Captain America version of Sam Wilson that was released a few years ago because while this does recall several notes and color cues from the classic design, this is most definitely a modern take. That said, I am not going to mince too many details at this point because I have been without a Falcon on my shelf for a long time, and I am glad to have that rectified with a figure that does a good job of paying tribute. I am not going to rest there, however, because until I get Sam complete with with his vest/deep V onesie and sidekick Red Wing, I will still make it a point to remind anyone who will listen that it would make for a great Vintage series figure or the like.
For now, though, this Falcon will do a fine job of standing in the collection much like my current Mockingbird figure. If, by some chance, the worst outcome occurs and we don’t get a classic Sam, I will be good with this figure, but the second we do get one, this one will hit the bit. I stop short of calling this a “bridge” figure because that sells it short for what it actually is, but my person want for Falcon is in that 70s sensibility, so there is still more opportunities for the character. If this is YOUR Falcon though, I think you will be happy all the way around because it is a good figure that is sensible in its reuse and new parts combination without sacrificing to achieve the look. In essence, it accomplishes exactly what ML should do according to its formula.
Falcon is built mostly on the Sunfire body, and as far as “medium” build bases go, it is probably my favorite. It looks nice and features that wonderful butterfly shoulder joint, and that is pretty crucial for posing the wings dynamically. Speaking of which, the wings are now in translucent red, but are a carryover from the recent Vulture figure. I would imagine the wings are big part of the budget consideration when evaluating the cost for a Falcon figure, so that tooling portion was already in the can and waiting for this guy. Aside from that, Sam gets reused fists and slappy hands, as well as a new head, gauntlets, and feet, and the latter are much needed for this base body, in my opinion. If I had to call out a weak spot in it, it would be the pointy feet we have seen several times at this point, so this newly rounded and treaded foot form is most welcome.
My favorite part of the figure is the new head sculpt, and it does a great capturing this modern version of Falcon and achieving a likeness that also works for an earlier version. Yeah, the shape of the yellow/gold brow piece isn’t exact for classic Falcon, but it is pretty close. The important part is that this looks like Sam no matter how you slice it, and the expression captures a stoic look that fits him well. The wings are, of course, the primary draw for the eyes, and the reuse of the Vulture wings is most certainly appropriate here as they match the modern Sam look well, and the red pops. The gauntlets do a good job of breaking up the rest of the “nude” base, so I appreciate having them and not just having to rely on paint to achieve the look.
Overall, Falcon is a very serviceable new Marvel Legends figure. I cannot say that I find this figure as cool as the new Kang, but as I mentioned, it has been needed for a long time. With Sam’s popularity and standing in the MCU, I am sure we are going to get a crack at an even more classic version sometime, but for now, I am pretty happy with this Fixit series entry. Get him at Dorkside, BBTS, or Amazon now.
