Walgreens. Oh, Walgreens. Dear Walgreens. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
Invisible Woman
Human Torch
MEDUSA!
Yeah, the hits just keep on coming for my now favorite brick and mortar Marvel Legends outlet, Walgreens. Not only have they become a pretty reliable source to find regular Marvel Legends, they have been KILLING it with their exclusives. Now, I am sure I am biased because the Fantastic Four is my favorite Marvel group, but this year has been one of note for me because I am getting good F4 figures after suffering without them for years. So, while Walgreens is continuing the Fantastic trend next year with Mr. Fantastic and, eventually, the Thing, they are closing out 2017 with a member of one of my other favorite Marvel teams: The Inhumans!
Yes, Attilan royalty is getting some recent time in the spotlight thanks to their new TV show, and with Blackbolt coming out in the new Black Panther Legends series, it is only appropriate that his queen join him, and Walgreens has us covered with their new exclusive Medusa. See, with this, I get some Inhumans, but since I also associate them so closely with the Fantastic Four, that is even better. Plus, as far as modern Legends go, Black Bolt and Medusa have only even been released as SDCC exclusives via the Thanos Imperative set, so it is REALLY about time.
However, if you have that SDCC Medusa, you know most of what is coming to you in terms of construction of this figure, but there some key changes that make this version so much better than the one that came before. Really, that is all I could ever ask when we get updates of characters that already have Marvel Legends figures: just make it better than what we have already gotten. So, with a new belt, new feet, and the classic/modern costume, this figure is checking a lot of the boxes. Yeah, if you did not care for the body choice or hair sculpt before, that remains the same, but I think both continue to be good choices.
TECHNICALLY, this can be considered a modern Medusa costume, but since it is so close in tribute to the classic, I can definitely take this one for an “iconic” look. I don’t have anything against the costume choice of the previous figure, for the most part it is pretty solid, but I prefer my Medusa with a mask, so this one delivers on that front. The logo-ed belt is also a nice and simple touch, but after the costume choice, the big winner for this figure, at least for me, is that Medusa no longer has heeled boots and can stand just fine on her own, even with her big hair-don’t care locks. Listen, I get the argument that figures should have heeled boots when the comic or movie design calls for it, but in most cases, it is such a small detail that I will take functionality of the figure every time over the look, especially with a figure like Medusa. Plus, designers need to get past the fighting crime in heels thing.
Speaking of the hair, I liked the sculpt before, and I still appreciate it here. It highlights Medusa’s dynamic and “living” hair without getting too crazy with it (the figure still has to stand, after all). Sure, I would have loved to have seen a more “Kirby” approach to shape and volume, but since this is an exclusive, I was not about to make that a requirement because the budget was likely just not there. I have a feeling that this, more than anything, will be the determining factor for a lot of collectors in gauging the success of this figure, but since this figure can now stand on its own (without needing balance help from the hair), I think this makes the actual hair sculpt better because it is no too heavy for the now gone heels to accommodate. So yeah, if I ruled the world and there was no budget to consider, maybe for the sake of variety, I would have had a different hairdo, but this carryover works just fine.
Invisible Woman! Human Torch! Medusa! I have said it before and I will say it again, Walgreens has become the church of Marvel Legends for me, and I am completely unapologetic about that. Walgreens, Hasbro, and Marvel are teaming up for the best exclusive location by far (for me), and while we have confirmation that the partnership will continue into 2018, I really hope it will go beyond that. If Walgreens needs to be the one stop shop for the Fantastic Four and the Inhumans, then so be it. I would hope the latter will get the attention they deserve because Crystal, Gorgon, Karnak, Triton, and (especially) and BAF Lockjaw are soooooo needed at this point.
This feature is a little out ahead of the full release of Medusa, but keep your eyes peeled, she should be hitting Walgreens stores soon. Then, roll on Mr. Fantastic!
The best part is Lockjaw. Medusa, even without the hair, was miscast, and the performance is just stiff and well…. blahhh.
I don’t have a particular interest in the Inhumans, either, but Black Bolt is cool and I love Lockjaw. You gotta love Lockjaw!
Indeed. Anson Mount would look great in Blackbolt’s actual outfit.
Yeah. All of them would be colorful new additions to our collections without requiring a lot of extra effort on Hasbro’s part. And as Walgreens exclusives these figures which don’t fit in anywhere else can be sold without much hassle.
Great idea! As this is mostly a repaint line this is doable. Triton can use the Gobling arms and legs – needs new head sculpt and scaled torso – but that could show up in the Spider-man line for a Jack O Lantern or warrior Man-wolf. Gorgon would require the most new parts. Karnak is Iron Fist with a skirt from Zemo and a new head. Crystal is new hair.
I love this figure and can only hope that this is an indication that Walgreens will carry Inhumans exclusives after the F4 are all set. I need the remainder of the Royal Family next to this new Medusa and Black Bolt.
When the first Medusa was announced I https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1949f8672f713952d9b08b1d52519f3cb124dfb0e8230d687411a3c2e4c3fe07.jpg was over the moon. When this one was, I was underwhelmed by the reuse of her hair. Now that I have her, I love her. The face sculpt is softer, the colours are more vibrant and yes, it’s a heck of a lot easier to make her stand.
Till a more Kirby-esque one gets done, and the rest of the Inhumans are done, this one looks great with my A-Force display
You know what I think would be cool? If the Inhumans on the TV show looked like the Inhumans.
I’m so torn on whether or not to get this. On one hand, my ML budget is tight, and I don’t NEED Medusa. But if they ever get around to making Maximus, Crystal, Karnak, and Lockjaw, they’ll feel lonely without their queen…
SO MUCH THIS. I vote for her hair as a BAF and will continue to do so until it happens.
Queen Medusa has the power of prehensile hair, which translates to Medusa’s action figures have giant chunks of immobile plastic glued to their heads. Hasbro forbid they give her bendy hair tendrils since Marvel Legends are all about articulation.
If this had come out a year ago I would be all over it. As it is, all of my ML female figures are starting to look the same, Mary Jane Watson, Sue Richards, Spider-Woman, Rogue…
I have no real love for the Inhumans, aside from a passing interest in both Crystal in Medusa thanks to their other team associations, but this review has convinced me to pick this figure up for my ever-expanding Marvel Heroines display….despite the fact that something about this figure still looks off to me. I think it’s that “inaccurate” hairstyle with the mask. It worked for the maskless figure but it looks kinda strange here.
I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch it. I actually really love comic Inhumans, I mean I know why people are down on them with the whole replacement X-Men thing but I’ve always liked them and everything I’ve seen about the show makes me think it would make me very angry. Though I’ve heard some people say Medusa is the best part of it even without her hair so that’s something.
It’s the first Marvel show I’ve had no interest in watching. I haven’t watched any but it doesn’t look promising.
Sadly, I will be passing on this. I have no need of a group I know little to nothing about and have no interest in caring about. The only member I would probably pick up would be crystal if they gave her the FF costume she wore after Sue gave birth.
Me too, they needed the movie budget for the Inhumans powers, as the tv show is proving.
So excited to get this, it’s MUCH nicer than the SDCC version in my opinion. I prefer the costume too.
Same here, wasnt gonna get it because I have the SDCC version but I can’t stand having to lean her against another figute just to get her to stand up!
I wasn’t sure if I needed this figure since I have the SDCC Medusa but I think you convinced me. If she can stand on her own it is a worthwhile upgrade.
I’m still bummed the Inhumans were demoted from getting a MCU movie to a network TV show.