I’m doubling up again. I figured these are both big body villains that were announced quite a while back, finally finding their way into this assortment. So, review buddies they are.
It’s been so long since Hasbro announced that Bulldozer and Tiger Shark were coming. I’m going to guess SDCC ’13? If that’s completely wrong, don’t blame me. Blame Hasbro! Yeah! They were announced and then disappeared from the scene. Our poor Wrecking Crew was one man down for a long time. But finally, the Dozer (and Tiger Shark) have come BACK….to Marvel Legends.
Sorry, wrong franchise.
Packaging. Cardboard and plastic and tape, oh my!
I was just about to type “But these figures really shine out of the package” and then I stopped myself because it sounded silly. And then I thought it was funny, so I typed a sentence telling you about how I almost typed it. Reviews are weird sometimes.
Really though, busting the figures out of the package is the best part of getting new toys. Sure, finding them in store or getting them on your doorstep is a huge part of the ongoing battle to get the latest and greatest, but the journey isn’t complete until you slice that strip of tape, pull the tab, and slide the tray out. Case in point…
We knew exactly what we were getting with the Bulldozer figure, being a reuse of the other Wrecking Crew figures. But there is just something about him. The overlays add a zing that makes him unique in an awesome way. When you put him beside Wrecker they both make Thunderball and Piledriver downright boring.
Now don’t get me wrong, the body has it’s faults. 45 degree pinned hip, no hinge at the wrists, serious lack of ankle rocker. But my eyes are just drawn to the harness, helmet, belt, and ankle/wrist bands. They are intricately sculpted with dings and scratches, with a dark wash to emphasize the age and damage.
The paint on the rest of the body is essentially non-existent. It’s all molded in the correct colors. But it works as a contrast to highlight the awesomeness of the metal parts. So I’m okay with that.
I go through all this and the articulation in my video review…
But finally, we get to finish the Wrecking Crew. It’s not perfect, and it’s not even my favorite version of the group (which I’ll keep quiet about for fear of breaking Benty’s heart) but it’s a complete Crew. That’s what we’ve been waiting for.
By comparison, not just to Bulldozer but the whole wave, Tiger Shark falls just a bit flat.
And I say that knowing Giant-Man is also part of this wave. It’s not because Tiger Shark is a bad figure, he’s just a bit plain. It’s the paint, I think. I love the metallic purple. Love. But the orange is where we run into trouble.
Both biceps have some purple smear on them, the right being way worse. The torso is riddled with light spots where the purple is showing through the orange. It makes him look dirty. On top of that, the painted orange on the torso doesn’t quite match the molded orange of the limbs. But with Tiger Shark I almost want to make him more dirty to make everything match, not try to clean him up.
Overlooking that, it is awesome to get a classic villain. He’s one of those out-of-left-field choices that you have to appreciate. And the headsculpt is fantastic with the mouth full of sharp teeth and angry brow. Even the fin is impressive. It has a shark like texture that is heavy close to the head and then fades towards the outer edges. It would have been easy to cheap out and just give us a smooth piece, so nice work Hasbro.
Tiger Shark uses the big guy ML body, the same as Hyperion, Sentry, and others. As I write this I realize I forgot to shoot comparison shots. But at this point, as many times as we’ve seen this and the Bucky Cap body, you know what to expect.
He has his downfalls but he will take his place on the shelf. After some fixes.
The same goes for Bulldozer. Not only does he complete a team, he looks awesome doing it. It’s been a long time since I had pulled down the Crew so I completely forgot just how big this body is. It’s huge.
Both figures are worth it if you’re into classic villains. In fact, this whole wave was pretty good in giving us baddies along with a few Ant-Man related heroes. From the looks of it, we’re getting a lot more villains in the future. Gotta wear shades…
Tomorrow I’ll finish up this wave and then sit alone in my room impatiently waiting the next series to show up.
