The World’s Greatest Heroes finally come together in this impressive line of high-end action figures eager to fill some space on your shelf that prove this Justice League is in a league all its own.
For the avid film aficionado and action figure collector, we’re living in very exciting times! The market has expanded to the degree that the generation of fanboys (and fangirls alike) that grew up avidly infatuated with Kenner’s extensive line of Star Wars 3 ¾ action figures and larger than life Masters of the Universe line from Mattel, have been able to add to their collections. As now adult collectors the expectations have also increased, and toy manufactures have continuously worked to meet this growing demand.
The MAFEX line of Medicom Toy Company action figures have also pushed the level of playability with extensive articulation and multiple accessory options often packaged alongside a highly detailed 6” figure that has become the envy of other various competitive manufactures. Medicom has prided itself on the ability to capture remarkably well-sculpted likenesses of characters especially those based on personalities appearing in film and other media. The MAFEX line drew great attention from collectors with the figures based on the films in The Dark Knight Trilogy.
Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of the Batman mythology introduced the role of Bruce Wayne as portrayed by celebrated actor Christian Bale. The action figures captured the hero in truly authentic detail, and bared an uncanny resemblance to Bale himself. Although the experience hasn’t always been positive, in the pass many critics cited at how fragile the MAFEX figures are, with limbs that detach all too easily or figures that fail to properly stand upright because their legs are far to nimble to support their weight.
The line has come a long way and has even reissued many of its most popular first editions with far more improved sculpting, accessories and assembling, and the recently completed series of figures based on the heroes from DC’s Justice League are perhaps the best examples yet. All six of the leads assembled on the big screen have finally been released, Wonder Woman and Aquaman rounding out the bunch, that launched with Batman and Superman, and include The Flash and Cyborg!
The Justice League Assembled
The MAFEX action figures based on the line-up appearing in Justice League have fully assembled and may be among the best set of figures on the market — when they aren’t falling apart that is. Confidently Medicom has worked out many of those issues that plagued the earlier releases in the line. Batman has he appeared in Justice League and portrayed by actor Ben Affleck inaugurated the line and is a sturdy reproduction of the action star as he appeared in the Caped Crusader famously upgraded kevlar suit. MAFEX also designed a version of Batman in the “tactical suit” the hero wears in the last act of the movie.
Though the Wonder Woman figure is mostly a reissue of the version first produced for the Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice line, the repaint and subtle details between the 3 released representations of Gal Gadot, as the Amazing Amazon are worthy of collectibility. Wonder Woman is accessorized with movie accurate weaponry as well. The action figure based on the King of the Seven Seas, Arthur Curry, Aquaman allows collectors to really appreciate the detail and design of the ceremonial warrior attire that Jason Mamoa wore turning the longtime comics character into the film’s most formidable badass.
The Man of Steel Superman finally appears in the more comic-accurate colors that fans have always loved; the classic red and blue is a richer, more cinematic color to the grim, darker hue of the figure released for BvS. Ray Fisher’s superstar athlete Victor Stone is the Cyborg the most impressively detailed of the bunch with plenty of accessories to recreate the film’s most action-packed moments, and Ezra Miller’s The Flash suit may not hold a candle to his primetime counterparts, but we have to remind ourselves that the suit that appeared in Justice League is a prototype.
The figures are all comparatively sized at about 6” a piece, and range accurately. Momoa’s Aquaman is armor is heftier than the others, but that doesn’t mean that Cavill’s Superman can’t float majestically posed on the included stand above his teammates. It’s unfortunate that the film didn’t do as well as expected at the box office, especially when you have the whole team assembled like this, but with the individual successes of Wonder Woman and now Aquaman there’s no doubt that the Justice League will once again gather on the big screen. In the meantime adult collectors can direct their own sequel with these impressive figures.