There was a time when Diamond Select was guaranteed to have the better Marvel action figures, larger and in more detail than the competition. After Disney bought Marvel, though, Hasbro’s Marvel Legends significantly upped their game, making it a real competition. With this particular new Iceman action figure, Diamond just might take the lead again. It’s not just a nicely sculpted, articulated figure, but it also has some interesting innovations as far as American toys go.
All Right, Stop
Clear figures haven’t been as common as they used to be, for reasons that may be obvious if you think about it. Modern collectors demand articulation and a clear figure loaded with joints makes all of them visible, which could be a distraction from its intended look. For a character like Iceman, it’s less of an issue — different parts of ice freeze differently, after all, and faultlines, cracks, and bubbles look not unlike points of articulation.
Collaborate and Listen…
Iceman’s joints are mostly disc-and-pin: shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles. He has true barbell ball joints at the neck, hips, and mid-torso, with cuts at his waist, upper bicep, and upper thighs. Scale-wise, he looks good next to McFarlane DC figures.
Iceman’s Back, With Some Real Reinvention
Iceman is often depicted riding an ice sled that he himself generates. Usually it looks just like an ever expanding ice slide. For this figure, however, the sculptors really went above and beyond. His slide looks like a small ocean wave, frozen mid crest, with all the detail such a thing would have. It’s something out of a Japanese Zen painting.
Something Grabs His Blast Effects Tightly
The base includes two footpegs on which Iceman can stand. It also includes two holes, in which you can peg support bars for his weapon effects. They’re the same stands used for other Diamond figures like Avatar: The Last Airbender (disastrously) and Cobra Kai (better). Here, they plug into the blasts, and don’t take too much futzing to find the right angles.
The illusion factor is odd at first. Those stands are clear because they’re theoretically “invisible,” but they’re working here with a clear figure meant to be visible. One could suggest Bobby Drake made these ice bars as supports and they’re actual ice or try to just pretend they aren’t there. They help with dynamic poses, but needless to say, they aren’t essential. If you don’t want Bobby blasting forward, they can be done without.
Flow Like a Hand-Swap Daily and Nightly
Let’s talk about those effects. Rather than having to plug them into his hands, they come pre-attached to bonus hands that can swap out for the other open or fist hands. This seems smart — why create hands specifically for holding one accessory, and not sculpt the accessory into them? Ought to be cheaper molding too.
Will It Ever Spike? Yo, Dunno
There is one other extra hand, and it looks aggressive.
Swap Out the Heads, and Let Go
Iceman himself can have two distinct looks. Want him in classic X-Men style, as seen on Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends? Give him the bald head and the thin, translucent X-logo belt. Unlike Indiana Jones’ annoying belt pegs, this one fits easily.
Prefer more recent Bobby? The giant metal melt goes on just as easily, as does the head with hair.
To the Extreme, He Saves Your Wallet Like, a Bundle
This would have been a cool figure even with only one look, but the interchangeable heads and belts, hands attached to effects, posing posts for the effects and the detailed wave base makes this an outstanding purchase. At $27.99, he’s a deal.
Ice, Ice, Iceman
Check out even more pictures below if you aren’t convinced yet.
