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!