Hasbro: Marvel Legends Xenmu Super Villain Series Arcade Review

You know that old saying about the bad guys always having more fun, right? Well, I would say that Arcade is the seminal example of this, and now that he has landed in Marvel Legends, he has parlayed that old cliche to the next level because, based on this release, the bad guy action figures are always more fun, too.

It would be an easy lie to see through if I said I wasn’t looking forward to this new all Super Villains ML wave more than most of the other offerings so far this year. I have redoubled my focus on comic-based figures, so having an entire series of characters who can fill out the villainous ranks on my shelves is just what I needed. It’s really strong wave overall, and with some heavy-hitters like Dormammu and Red Skull FINALLY seeing light in their iconic looks, the list of demanded bad guys gets to explore more diverse corners now. You would think that as he is accompanied by big guns and characters with dynamic looks, Arcade might be overshadowed here, but honestly, I think he is my favorite of the entire wave, and that is saying something.

Arcade was originally brought to us by comic legends Claremont and Byrne, and his late 1970s entry into the Marvel Universe was undoubtedly done to catch the new wave of video game and, ahem, arcade crazes across the globe. Yes, his name is not subtle, but neither is anything about the character really, so it all just kind of fits together. I will admit, I did not find a real appreciation for Arcade until I was a bit older, but as your sensibilities evolve (or devolve, as is likely in my case), you tend to find much greater appreciation for white suit-clad creator of MURDER WORLD. Arcade actually has a pretty diverse history, so while he is most known for his run-ins with the X-Men, he has crossed with others like the Avengers, and even the Micronauts, so this figure can bring some villainy to several spots throughout your display.

Red hair. Bow tie. White suit. Platform shoes. If you have not already been won over by this, I don’t have anything for you because while it might not seem like the recipe for a perfect action figure on paper, in reality, it totally is. Marvel Legends has been around for a LONG time, and we have a LOT of figures, so when a character gets a first shot into the line, that is a cool thing. When a new character can also stand out effortlessly amongst all the others, that is pretty much exactly the definition of a Legends win for me. 

I love how bright white (mmm mmm-mmm-mmm) the suit is, and the oversized bow captures that iconic Arcade feel to a tee. This whole wave has a lot of vivid colors and amped up tones, and that plays right to my tastes. All of these figures feel like they are paying tribute to their four color origins, and letting that white, green, yellow, and red speak for themselves is really effective on this figure. Sure, this is a man in suit figure, but it is dynamic and the icing is applied liberally with his glorious platform shoes that I love more than I can say. I mean, there have been platform shoes across the Legends line before, but these are new gold standard, and they add so much personality to the figure. Oh, those red lines are glorious.

Arcade has two portraits, one with his short hair (which is my go to) and also his long-haired look. Both are great and this is one of those instances where no matter what your preference is here, you cannot go wrong. It isn’t a matter of a hair swap as the expressions are different, but both very appropriate. Oh, and if you have been waiting on putting together a Dave Mustaine custom, now is the time. Arcade also gets his staff/scepter thing, which is essential and works well here. Finally, the requisite Xenmu chunk is also included, and Arcade is the bearer of the right shank. We are going to cover Xenmu soon, but maaaaaaaan, I love that figure so much more than I would have ever expected.

BRING ON THOSE BAD GUYS! Overall, this is a very strong wave, and as I mentioned, Arcade might just be my favorite of the lot. This is pretty much a perfect action figure rendition of the character, so we can check him off the list with the enthusiasm of getting exactly what was needed for the character. This series was a day one pre-order for me, and I got mine from Dorkside Toys, where they still have him listed as an August arrival pre-order. It seems some of the quantities were allocated for this first round (I have seen horror stories of Amazon canceling figures on people), so hopefully it is just a delay and more are on the way. This is a great figure from a great series, so I hope everyone who wants it gets their chance.