As I mentioned before, I love Captain Marvel. Genis-vell popped up in the ’90s as a really crappy character. It was an attempt to carry on the Mar-Vell legacy and it just failed on all fronts. But Peter David picked up the character again and really made him into something special. Partnering with Rick Jones, there were plenty of hi-jinks to fill a good number of issues. The comic also tapped into the whole cosmic and trippy aspect of Mar-Vell, making for a great tie-in to the original Marvel.
Genis-Vell was part of Marvel Legends Series 15 – M.O.D.O.K. that was released in 2006. This figure is the variant to Mar-Vell and uses the same exact sculpt. Since I already covered my dislike for this particular variation of the Bullseye sculpt, I won’t cover that again. Instead, head over to the original article and read about it. And yes the headsculpt on this figure is also too small. Way too small. Just smalley smallkins.
I do, however, like this figure for two reasons. I do think that it is a good choice base for the character. While Chris Cross drew Genis big like his dad (technically he’s kind of a clone) it would make sense to have him on a larger base. BUT! Genis was never a soldier and never had that training, so it never worked for me that he would be huge, and therefore he doesn’t need that monster-base figure that Marv does. The Bullseye base figure works for me here.
The other reason that I like this figure is that he is a “Jolly Rancher” figure; he’s molded in clear or see thru plastic. This figure captures the cosmic awareness that is bestowed on the Vell family. It’s a nice clear blue, it’s almost watery. The parts are bit rubbery, but not terrible. Jolly Rancher. Reminds me, I need to review Jolly Rancher Vision.
As with his dad, Genis has all the Toy Biz articulation love for the time. The articulation is as follows:
hinged toes
rocker ankles
hinged ankles
shin swivels
double knees
ball hips
swivel waist
hinged ab
rocker shoulders
ball shoulders
swivel biceps
double elbows
swivel forearms
hinged wrists
articulated fingers
hinged neck
swivel head
Like Mar-Vell the paint is limited. I like the little white specs all over the blue — you know, stars to show cosmic awareness. Cosmic awareness is a cool trait. There does seem to be a wash over the painted reds and blues, or it might just be my mind playing tricks on me. Yes, it’s the latter, I think. The head is well painted, but like with Mar-Vell, the small size of the noggin just doesn’t make this figure pop.
I don’t have Genis-Vell currently on display. I don’t quite know where he fits; I like the character, but he just doesn’t go anywhere in my collection. Well, not true, he will go in the Thunderbolts set up. And, yes, I know that Genis is currently split in two and spread about the universe as no one could figure out how to write him, restore him, or prevent him from destroying the universe. I think there was too much focus on his “destroyer of the universe” business and too much need to resolve that. They just needed to make it a part of his existence; one day he would munch the universe and recreate it like he already did, like his name suggests — Genis, genesis. It’s an aspect that can more or less be ignored until Marvel needs to reset the Universe, like after M-Day or X-Day or A-Day or whatever-Day. He and Scarlett Witch and Franklin Richards need to go toe to toe.
You can still pick this figure up on
And you can discuss this figure further on the Fwoosh
