[TAO's Note: Ewan just brought us a review of the Iron Man (Mark I) figure from the new Iron Man 2 line, and now he's back for a take a look at the Mark II armor, which he might like even more. Keep reading to see his beautiful action poses and well-written review!]
Name: Iron Man (Mark II)
Line: Iron Man 2: Movie Series
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Released: March 2010
Price: Online: $9.99-$12.99, Retail: $7.99-$8.99
Scale: 3.75 in.
Accessories: Clip-on missile launcher, 3 x Armor Cards, Base (1 peg) with Armor Card stand
I've gotta say that a great sculpt is such an important starting point for a figure, especially one like Iron Man Movie Series Mark II. Where Mark I was clunky with loads of plates and gears and whatnot, Mark II has to be the direct opposite—sleek and sexy, but yet not so simple as to lack detail.
So how do you pack in detail in a suit of armor that's supposed to more way more stramlined than the tank that's Mk I? Well for starters, you give it lots of grooves. And not just in any random manner—they have to fit with the form of the armor as well as complement each other in a sort of design/pattern. That's the beauty of Mark II's sculpt. It's sleek but well detailed so that it looks flexible yet fast and powerful.
Other highlights of this sculpt are the head, which is instantly recognizable as our favourite Robert Downey Jr-portrayed super hero. His shoulder guards clip on to his arm and can swivel up a little to accomodate arm movement. I also love the leg sculpt, which has more of those wonderful contoured grooves. The way the thighs, knees, and lower legs are joined is so seamless that it pleasantly concealed the figure's double-jointed knees. It wasn't until I took him out of the package for a spin did I realize just how much he'd be able to bend the knee.
Sculpt Score: 9 / 10
First thing that stands out on Mark II is the sweet, sweet black wash they used that gives depth and shading to the armor. It looks like they cast him in grey, washed the figure with black and then painted silver over to give him that shiny coat. The silver paint is nice and smooth enough that he looks like he's been cast in that color, but he's actually been painted from head to toe. Well, the effect is sharp black lines and bright matte silver that highlight the details in the sculpt in a very catchy manner. This guys pops like hell from every angle.
Mark II's eyes and mini Arc Reactor in his chest are actually not paint but stickers! I had a friend call and tell me that he didn't like that they used stickers for his arc reactor. I laughed and told him it was obviously paint and not stickers. Upon closer inspection of my Mark sI and II, I realized he was right and that the eyes are also stickers! Well that'll teach me. Still, the stickers are extremely well done with blue and a white highlight that gives a warm, glowing effect. It's clean and goes well with the silver. And what's great about stickers for these areas is that they can't mess up the eyes/chest power sources with paint bleed. Neat!
Paint Score: 8 / 10
He's got 22 points overall, but his head has a really good range of motion all around, his elbows can do 90 degrees, he's got double-jointed knees like the recent GI Joes, and he's got a seriously flexible chest pivot that not just works front to back, but side to side and all the way round as well.
In any Iron Man continuity, the Mk II is an improvement of Mk I. Therefore it's also apt that the MK I figure is a step forward in the right direction for better Marvel 3.75 inch figure articulation. Having said that, he does have limitations in the ankles and the shoulders. While he can get about a quarter turn out of swivelling his ankles, he can't point or pivot his feet. His shoulders' hinge movements are actually fine, except that if you raise his arms higher than his head, his shoulder guards will pop off.
Articulation Score: 8 / 10
Every time I look at this figure it reminds me of the comic scenes from the first movie. There's the rocket boot testing (where ony Stark does a back flip right into the wall above and behind him), the icing scene, where he discovers that the computer systems will shut down if the armor ever freezes, and also the 'flying for the first time' scene. All of these very much added to the fun of the first movie. So when Mk II's in my hands, I tend to feel the same sense of wonder and amazement. After all, it was first ever sleek Iron Man form in the movies.
With this figure and the way he looks and moves, you can easily relive all your favourite comedic moments from the movie! I do really wish that with how great this figure looks that it had a greater part in the movie other than just as a 'test' suit. But no matter, he visually really great to look at and can fit alongside any of your Marvel Universe dudes. I'm seriously cosidering him for my default Iron Man. ;)
Fun Score: 8 / 10
You should be able to find him in retail no problem, so you can actually wait if you're not sure if he's worth it. But beware, if you wait too long to wait for him to go on clearance, there's a high chance that he'll all be swiped up by the first guy who discovers 'em. So don't wait! With the amount of paint they've used for him and the overall sturdiness of the figure despite the head-to-toe paint job, he's quite the catch. Throw in a stand, a BFG, and a 3 armour cards and he's golden. Well, actually he's silver. But you know what I mean.
Value Score: 7 / 10
9 / 10 - Seeing the detail in this sculpt makes the Marvel Universe Iron Men look a little dated. His face is also more classic and recognizable universally (esp when compared to the MU figures).
8 / 10 - Can be inconsistent from figure to figure. Go for the solid black lines with the least bleed. Other than that, the eyes and arc reactor are stickers which are really well colored and highlighted.
8 / 10 - Mark II's very, very good. Double-Jointed knees and a really flexible neck joint. Still, he can't look up directly (for straight ahead flight) and his shoulders are limited by (detachable) shoulder guards. His ankle hinges are also blocked. More's the pity.
8 / 10 - A really significant figure dispite its lack of action in the movies. Now that he's an action figure, there's no stopping Mk II from taking down some baddies! (With your help, of course.)
7 / 10 - I really like the lower price point on this line. So while the MkII doesn't come with a whole load of accessories, he does come with a stand and a somewhat useable forearm cannon. And really, who doesn't love those Armor Cards?
84 / 100 - This is a Great Toy
This is a great toy and my current favorite in the line (with Mark I a close second). But then again I've only opened him, Mk I, and Mk III. And I've not had the chance to really look too closely at the latter yet. Will I be swayed by the signature armor from the first movie? We'll know by the time the next Iron Man 2 Movie Series review rolls around!
-Ewan
This could be the figure given away in this month's Review Commentator Contest. Join the discussion by leaving a comment on this review for a chance to win!
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