Hey fellow toy collectors, welcome to Dan's ToyBox and our Hasbro Marvel Legends Infinity Saga Iron Man Mark II Action Figure Review. Based on the design of Tony Stark's prototype armor from the first Iron Man movie, the Mark II holds a special place in my heart. When we finally see Tony suited up for his test flight in this magnificent, gleaming armor, I admit to cheering. Yes, we'd seen Spider-Man and the X-Men on the big screen, but here was a character that was considered more of a "B" List hero in the Marvel pantheon. If his standalone movie was a flop, we might have never seen the MCU. Instead, thanks to Robert Downey Jr's amazing performance and a solid story, the foundation for the Marvel Cinematic Universe was poured and movies haven't been the same since.
Unfortunately, in spite of my enjoyment of this particular Iron Man armor, it doesn't necessarily translate positively into action figure form. Back when the movie was first released, Hasbro did a series of Iron Man action figures, and I did have the Mark II from back then. Sadly, I have no idea where it disappeared to, so when this one was released, I was excited to have one in my collection again. As it stands, this one is a pretty bad disappointment for me.
Accessories: 2/10
The major letdown of the Hasbro Marvel Legends Infinity Saga Iron Man Mark II lies in its accessories, particularly the repulsor blast hands. Unfortunately, these hands lack any hinging mechanism and lack ports for attaching the blast effects, diminishing the figure's playability and posing potential. This oversight significantly impacts the overall experience for collectors who enjoy dynamic displays. I've said, so many times before, hinged repulsor hands are as necessary for Iron Man as wall crawling hands are for Spider-Man. The fact that there isn't even a port to plug in the effects is mind boggling to me.
Aside from the trash repulsor hands, there is a set of fists, one unmasked head sculpt, one masked head sculpt, and a pair of dark, translucent blue repulsor/jet blast effects. The open mask does look good, with a decent depiction of RDJ as Tony Stark. However, try as I might, I honestly cannot recall any scenes in the film when he is in this armor, and has the faceplate on the helmet open, so it's kind of a head scratcher, but it does look decent on the figure. The repulsor effects have been re-used so many times, they're almost as tired as the webbing effects packed with Spider-Man.
Appearance: 8.5/10
The silver armor of the Iron Man Mark II does boast intricate detailing, capturing the essence of the iconic suit from the Infinity Saga. However, the disappointment comes with the minimal effect the marbling has on achieving a truly metallic appearance. The figure falls short of delivering the premium look that fans expect from a collectible of this caliber.
Looking closely, you can see a considerable amount of work has gone into detailing the figure from the "riveted" look around his chest plates, to the sculpts of gears and machinery visible at seams in the armor plating. As I mentioned, the attempt at marbling doesn't look good at all, though and is evidenced in the first chest close up. Sadly, most of the detail and any type of paint work seems limited to the front of the figure. The back looks good but doesn't have anywhere near the intricacy displayed on the front. That all being said, there was effort made to be screen accurate and the Mark II does look solid and will look good in your MCU or Iron Man display.
Articulation: 3/10
Articulation is a major drawback for this figure, hindered both by design choices and engineering flaws. The limitations on key joints restrict posing possibilities, making it challenging to recreate dynamic action scenes. The figure's articulation fails to meet the minimal standards set by other figures in the Marvel Legends series, leaving enthusiasts wanting more in terms of mobility. Starting at the top... The head can turn easily, but has almost no upward tilt, which makes flight poses difficult. It can look down reasonably well, but that's no help when flying. The shoulders can raise to a nice T pose and the pauldrons are attached to the joint, allowing them to rotate with the arm, as well as hinging with the T pose/outward motion. The 360-degree rotation works, but the shoulders tend to click into place, rather than rotate smoothly. The bicep swivel works fine and surprisingly, the double-jointed elbows bend in very deeply. The fists hinge and pivot, while the repulsor hands can only pivot. The upper diaphragm joint is extremely limited for crunches and back bends. It will rotate though and can tilt side to side relatively cleanly. There is no waist joint, which immobilizes his lower torso. The legs are an absolute disappointment. Splits are limited to maybe 45 degrees and the cut/design of the hips means his legs won't even kick forward 90 degrees. The upper thigh cut does work well, thankfully. The knees are double jointed and can bend in fairly deeply. However, both upper and lower joints on both of my legs were frozen and needed warmed up to unlock them. The ankle design is also shot. I understand that this armor has a very specific look at the foot, but this design constrait means that whatever generous ankle pivot and hinge we're used to, is completely shot. The hard part here is that it's tough to even get his feet flat/parallel to one another, which makes his stance somewhat crooked. This isn't necessarily a piece you'll be dynamically posing. Instead, it's likely going to fit into your Hall of Armor display as a statue figure.
Affordability: 4/10
While the Iron Man Mark II may not break the bank, the affordability score reflects the disparity between the price point and the overall quality of the figure. Collectors may find it difficult to justify the cost given the shortcomings in accessories, articulation, and the slightly underwhelming metallic appearance. This figure retails for $25.99 on BBTS which is standard for Marvel Legends but is disappointing for such a lackluster figure.
The Hasbro Marvel Legends Infinity Saga Iron Man Mark II disappoints across key categories. Despite a commendable effort in capturing the facial features of Tony Stark/Robert Downey Jr., the lackluster accessories, subpar articulation, and questionable affordability combine to result in a figure that falls short of expectations. The best grade I can reasonably give this figure is an underwhelming:
4.5 out of 10 ToyBoxes
Enthusiasts may want to explore other options within the Marvel Legends line for a more satisfying addition to their collections. If you're an MCU completist, he'll fit your display nicely, but I wouldn't rush to grab one, you aren't likely to miss out. Thanks for taking some time out of your day to play in Dan's ToyBox. Until next time... GEEK OUT!!!