#55: Marvel Legends - Beetle

I've been trying to force myself not to buy figures solely for build a figure pieces. So that's not why I bought this Beetle figure, but it did certainly play a part in helping me decide to get it. I'm not familiar with the character at all, but he's got a cool design. And there's just something about winged action figures, it's like they're a better value because you're getting all the extra plastic. The wings are cool looking, and a good re-use of those from the Wasp figure from a couple years back. They can be removed, and the shell folded into place as if the wings were tucked away. I'll be keeping them on for display, since they look cooler that way. Unless you count the wings or the build a figure piece, there are no accessories.

#54: DC Comics Multiverse (Wonder Woman) - Wonder Woman

Perhaps because they had so recently released a Wonder Woman figure for Batman v Superman, there wasn't actually a regular in-costume Wonder Woman figure in the movie series of the DC Comics Multiverse line. Sort of. They did release one, but it was a Toys R Us exclusive. The likeness on the BvS version was so terrible that I was glad to get a chance to get an upgrade. Of course, I could have waited for the Justice League version. But this one has a shield and that one doesn't, so I guess that's a bonus. From the neck down, this is mostly the same figure as the BvS version, but most importantly a the head is completely new and actually looks like Gal Gadot rather than her stuntwoman or whatever. This time around, her golden lasso is removable, although it's permanently coiled, so there aren't too many exciting posing options for it. While the main movie series includes all the pieces to put together an Ares figure, this figure includes a shield for him to use. It's larger and spikier than Diana's shield.

#53: DC Comics Multiverse - Damian Wayne Robin

Mattel made a Damian Wayne Robin before, but it was a Mattycollector exclusive so I never got it. More recently it was re-tooled for a Toys R Us exclusive. Damian is a really fun character, and adds a certain murderous something to the Robin role. The major issue with the figure is that it's a teen body, so it's too big for Damian, who is still a kid. Otherwise, it's the Mattel DC figure we're all used to from the DCUC days. This version of Robin has the hood on his cape up, while I think the previous version didn't. For accessories there is a sword, as well as a Court of Owls mask. It slides over his face and the hood holds it in place pretty well. The kneepads are separate pieces held on by friction. While this isn't my ideal Damian Wayne figure, it's still pretty cool.

#52: Pokemon - Bulbasaur vs Pikachu

While the two pack with Squirtle and Charmander was pretty easy to find, it took me a while to find the two pack with Bulbasaur and Pikachu. Pikachu, being Pikachu, is included in various two packs, but Bulbasaur is only in this one. Of course I wanted all three of the original starters so I waited to get this Pikachu. Like all the other figures in this line, these Pokemon are small plastic figures with no articulation. Bulbasaur is taking things easy, and is posed in a crouch, while Pikachu is ready for action, posed in mid-stride. There is a three pack of the middle evolutions of the starters, and they are sold separately in their final forms.

#51: Marvel Legends - Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson

So the last time Hasbro made a Mary Jane figure, it was in the smaller scaled Marvel Universe line, and pretty scarce. This time, she's a Toys R Us exclusive packaged with another Spider-Man figure. The previous six inch version was from the Spider-Man 3 movie line, and she wasn't exactly a peg-warmer. What I'm getting at is I think Mary Jane would sell well enough by herself. Ah well. So this version of Spider-Man is from some storyline I'm unfamiliar with. Why does he have glowing eyes and a glowing spider on his chest? No clue. It also has weirdly angular boot tops, further setting it apart from the classic Spidey suit. The main appeal of this figure for me is that there is an alternate unmasked Peter Parker head. Mary Jane turned out pretty well. She's basically wearing her classic "Face it tiger, you just hit the jackpot" outfit, although with a more modern hairstyle. Her lower torso and legs are new, because the jeans have sculpted wrinkles that most skintight superhero costumes don't have. She also get a purse for an accessory. I don't know if it's just me, but I see some Emma Stone in the face. Sure, she was Gwen Stacy in the Amazing Spider-Man movies, but she would have been a good MJ.

#50: Pop! Games (Overwatch) - D.Va with MEKA

Not surprisingly, Funko was one of the first companies to get Overwatch toys to market, as part of the soon to be all encompassing Pop! line. I had to wait for the second series to get my favorite character, D.Va, and she turned out pretty cool. While Funko could have just released her as a standard sized Pop! figure, they opted to include MEKA, so she's one of the mini Pops and MEKA is one of the oversized figures. The canopy on MEKA flips open, so D.Va can sit inside to pilot it. Apparently the Overwatch Pops have been plagued with quality control issues, and mine was no exception. Upon opening the package, MEKA's left arm fell off. Rather than dealing with the hassle of getting a replacement, I just super glued it back into place, and that seems to have worked. You can see in the picture that the two arms aren't exactly even with each other, but that doesn't bother me.

#49: DC Comics Multiverse (The Flash) - King Shark

Fun fact: King Shark is a shark! Sure, for the TV version on The Flash, King Shark may have been a metahuman, but we all know in our hearts that he is truly a shark. I was pretty stoked to see King Shark on TV, and very pleasantly surprised that Mattel decided to immortalize him in plastic. Fortunately the series his various body parts were sold with was pretty decent. King Shark is one of the more massive build a figures Mattel has done, and ends up around nine inches tall. It's a very cool looking figure, and even the jaw is articulated, which is a neat touch. Remember how the Suicide Squad Killer Croc had variant pieces? King Shark similarly has a variation, which is a different hammerhead shark style head. I definitely prefer the great white style head.

#48: DC Comics Multiverse (Legends of Tomorrow) - Hawkman

I mainly got Hawkman for the King Shark piece he comes with. For whatever reason, there weren't many of them on Ebay, so I got impatient and decided to just get the figure. This is the TV version of Hawkman, from Legends of Tomorrow. The first season was kind of dodgy, but the second season was a huge improvement and a lot of fun. Part of that improvement was that Hawkman wasn't around anymore. I'm actually surprised they made Hawkman before Hawkgirl, since she was a more important character. Maybe with Batgirl in this series already, they didn't want another female figure. Aside from the wings, Hawkman is an entirely new figure (okay, maybe the mace is re-used). These are the same wings from the earlier DCUC versions of Hawkman and Hawkgirl, so they continue to be cool. Due to TV budget issues, the Hawks spent most of the time with their wings hidden (in another dimension? shrunk to microscopic size?), so the wings are removable.

#47: Marvel Legends (Doctor Strange) - Dormammu

I figured since I already had over half of the Dormammu build a figure, I ought to complete it. What's not to like about a big evil magic dude with a flaming head, who also has two flaming skulls as accessories? That's Ghost Rider level metalness. His armor does kind of get in the way of his movement, but as a possibly non-corporeal magical being, he's probably more about the magic attacks than punching anyone out. Dormammu was previously released fully assembled as part of a SDCC exclusive box set, with a slightly different color scheme. So if you already had that one, this version would be redundant. I haven't even bothered with trying to get any SDCC exclusives for a couple years now, so this was a good way to get him.

#46: DC Comics Multiverse (Wonder Woman) - Diana of Themyscira

I was pretty psyched for the Wonder Woman movie to come out, and the toys hit shelves before the movie, so I decided to pick up this version of Diana in her Themiscyrian outfit (yeah, I'm like a couple months behind with my blog here). It's a much better likeness than the BvS figure, so it's already an improvement. For accessories there is her godkiller sword and the Lasso of Truth, which is a separate piece this time. The build a figure for this series is Ares, which I'm not going to be completing. Interestingly, the Ares is based on concept art rather than his final onscreen appearance, so there's no David Thewlis likeness to be had. I've got my Rey figure on my desk, and the whole "brunette with tied back hair wearing a tan outfit" similarity keeps catching my eye while I type this. Maybe Rey is secretly an Amazon!