Fin Fang Foom/Iron Man

Marvel has no shortage of large characters, which is good news for fans of the chibi characters in the Superhero Squad. Because nothing spices up an army of similarly sized figures like one among them that stands twice as tall. It's a gap that's always been slightly disappointing in the Marvel Minimates line, but Hasbro doesn't suffer the same restrictions; and thus, we get the nifty Superhero Squad Mega Packs. One of the figures in Series 3 is a repaint of the Series 1 Sentinel, though this time he comes with Cyclops instead of Wolverine. But who's going to be impressed by that when he's sitting on the shelf next to Fin Fang Foom? Finny stands 6½" tall, thanks to his little horn thingies. Of course, he's even more hunched than usual for this line, so if he stood up straight he'd probably be closer to 8". The sculpt is simple, but it's still got a lot of detail to offer. There are big, straight wrinkles all over his skin, and a line of armored scales runs from his chin down his throat, over his chest and tummy, and along the underside of his tail, ending just before the tip. There are similar scales on his thighs and shins, too. There's a zig-zagging ridge of spines down his back, and his head is about the best you could hope for in converting the character's unusual proportions to the Superhero Squad style. The only things missing are his tiny purple underpants. This may be the most articulated figure in the SHS line, with pegs at the butt, waist, shoulders, neck and head, plus balljoints for his little wings. Yeah, this dragon's got wings. They're behind him in the package, and plug in place easily. If you were buying this for a kid, they'd probably get pulled out and lost in mere minutes. The butt joint lets his tail swing from side to side, and the long neck deserves to its extra articulation. Overall, this figure is unexpectedly dynamic. Sadly, Hasbro didn't take this opportunity to give us our first Superhero Squad version of a Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. member. Yes, we all know that a tiny version of Monica or Aaron Stack or even The Captain would have been awesome, but this set plays it safe by giving us Iron Man. Surprisingly, though, it's an all-new Iron Man. This is the classic Iron Man armor, the red and yellow suit with the little pods on the hips. It's the one he wore longer than any other, so it's easily the most recognizable suit. It's hard to believe that right now, this set is the only place you can get it. Yes, there's a flying version in the "Face Off" four-pack, but it's got a different pose. You want this Squady, this is the only place to get it. Iron Man's articulated at the neck, waist and shoulders, which is enough to get a few different poses. His right arm is held out straight, while his left is bent, and he has that familiar "Superhero Squad Squat." The backdrop behind Iron Man and Fin Fang Foom shows them fighting in front of some Asian mountain temple, which suits the big dragon. Unfortunately, you won't really be able to enjoy it, because FFF's wings are behind a tray glued to the backdrop. Yes, that means in order to get them out, you'll have to rip the scenery to hell. What a shame. Apparently the Superhero Squad Mega Packs are working out for Hasbro. They're already up to their third series, with more on the way. The sets are generally a good value, and the larger figure size means more room to work on the sculpt. There's a Fin Fang Foom BAF due out this fall, but that doesn't mean this Superhero Squad version isn't worth getting right now.

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