[TAO's Note: At first glance, Judge Death may not seem like much of a Halloween character, but after careful consideration, I think you'll agree that anyone featuring "death" in their name probably fits right in. Taking a look at thie fellow's ugly mug only confirms that he belongs right alongside the other ghouls and goblins leading up to Halloween, so sit back and enjoy Clark's review of the Legendary Comic Book Heroes Judge Death figure from Marvel Toys.]
Name: Judge Death
Line: Legendary Comic Book Heroes, Series 2
Manufacturer: Marvel Toys
Released: 2007
Price: Online $2.99-$12.99
Scale: 6.00 in. (figure in 6.75 in. tall)
Accessories: None
Build-a-Figure Piece: Monkeyman's left leg
Sponsor Listings: Ka-Razy Kings of Toys-$9.99, Amazon-$4.99
Forgive me, but I really don’t know anything about Judge Dredd other than the awful Stallone movie that came out in the 90s. I do know that I would probably like the comics, I just never sought them out. I did, on the other hand, seek out this figure, because the more I heard about him and the more photos I saw, the more I realized what a great figure he was. I never got around to buying the Marvel Legends figures when Toy Biz made them, I thought the articulation screwed up the looks too much (not to mention that I also was only buying about one figure a year, and didn’t start collecting until 2006). By the time Marvel Toys released their Legendary Comic Book Heroes line, I had lightened up a lot on the sculpt and appreciated the articulation. This figure does not skimp at all when it comes to a quality sculpt, but he keeps all of the articulation that made Marvel Legends such a hit.
Judge Death is quite a gruesome figure with rotting green skin, emmaciated body, and hideous grin. It appears that he has a full face underneath his helmet, and from what I can see he has pale, pupil-less eyes. His clothes are tight enough that you can see the ribs and spinal column underneath, and they are wrinkled, which looks very much like the artwork from which he is based. He is also chalked full of little details, from the bones incorporated in the majority of his armor, to the tiny veins on his hands and neck. If there is any part of the sculpt to criticize, at least based on the pictures I’ve seen of the character, it’s that his arms are too short and hands are too small, and maybe his torso is too long. All of the pictures I’ve seen of Judge Death have him with very long arms and fingers, with which he can creep up from behind I guess. Aside from that one complaint, Judge Death is a great looking figure: tall, skinny, and menacingly scary.
Sculpt Score: 9 / 10
Marvel Toys did a fantastic job with the paint. I really can’t find anything to complain about here. All of the pictures I’ve seen of Judge Death have the effect of his clothes looking black, with some highlights on the wrinkles. This is captured very well by having his body cast in black plastic, with a light blue wash to bring out the details. All of his armor has some paint or wash on it, which helps bring out the details, his knee pads and belt look dirty. The best paint on this figure has got to be his teeth and gums. They are painted with a glossier finish to make them appear wet, with his teeth a yellow bone color, while his gums fade from dark gray to pink. The grin is really what makes the figure for me. Without it, this is just a skin and bone green guy, but that grin lets us all know of his ominous presence.
Paint Score: 10 / 10
Judge Death has pretty much all of the articulation that you would want. If you have any Marvel Legend figures from the Toy Biz era, then you know what joints are here. His head does not allow him to look forward or backward much, due to the design, so it is mostly a swivel. The right shoulder is also limited in its range, due to the decorative armor that sits there, but it doesn’t hamper it too much. JD here also has double-hinged elbows and knees, which I usually dislike since they’re ugly, but because of the elbow and knee pads these work very well with the sculpt. All of the joints are tight, and have a great range of motion (except for the neck and right shoulder, which aren’t really that bad).
Articulation Score: 9 / 10
Due to the wide range of poses that Judge Death can attain, and hold, this becomes quite a fun figure. He has a fun design, that is deathly, but not too grim for children, and he is just fun to move around. Not everyone will think that he fits in with other figures due to his unique design, but I think he works well with other six inch figures. He is just an attractive figure, well…attractive in that all of his horrible ambiance comes through in the sculpt, paint and posing possibilities.
Fun Score: 10 / 10
When Judge Death first hit stores back in 2007, you could readily find him for $10.00. After several months, you could find him for as little as $5.00. You won’t find him in big box stores anymore, but you can find him online for a fair price. With shipping I paid about $7.00 for him, which is a really great deal for a well-articulated 6-inch figure these days.
Value Score: 8 / 10
9 / 10 - Great details, and deathly proportions make this guy a winner.
10 / 10 - Nothing to complain about, good colors with great application.
9 / 10 - Only the neck and shoulder have any issues with range.
10 / 10 - No QC issues, tight joints, a lot of articulation, and a great look.
8 / 10 - You should be able to find him for less than $10, which is a great deal.
92 / 100 - This is a Wonderful Toy
You really can’t go wrong with this figure. If you did not pick him up while he was in stores, you can still get a good deal online. It is a shame that Legendary Heroes did not make it past two waves, there truly was some great sculpting and articulation to be found in that line.
-Clark
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