Action Figure Smackdown: Hasbro Avengers Legends Infinite Series vs Mezco Breaking Bad

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Action figure geek John Turnbull takes a look at the latest release in the Marvel Legends line along with the highly controversial Walt & Jesse Breaking Bad action figures from Mezco.

Hasbro Avengers Infinite Series – Allfather Build-A-Figure

The Marvels Legends series first appeared back in 2002, then produced by Toy Biz. The first wave included Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk and the ever-popular Toad. The figures were blocky but relatively robust, and Toy Biz produced another 14 waves along with a bunch of gift packs before the licence was taken over by Hasbro in 2007.

Revealed at San Diego Comicon in 2014, Marvel Avengers Infinite Series Wave 1 includes Hawkeye, Iron Fist, Marvel NOW! Thor, Sentry, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel and Machine Man. On first look the figures are more polished than previous Legends waves, which often looked a bit ‘kiddie’ compared to the more ‘adult’ DC Universe figures.

Avengers 1

Not all of the figures in this line are what you would consider essential for collectors, but the Marvel NOW Thor is a nice alternative to previous cartoony versions of the character, and Captain Marvel is one of the more striking female action figures that I’ve seen. Iron Fist stands out because you don’t see too many white action figures (you know what I mean). I doubt that too many people have been hanging out for a Machine Man figure, but you don’t actually need him to complete the rather cool Build A Figure – The Allfather.

 

A small nitpick about the BAF in this line. He’s billed as Allfather, but it’s clearly Odin. Do Marvel not like the name Odin? Are they afraid of offending religious types who still believe in the old gods? Either way, I’m going to call him Odin, as he joins Hannibal Lector in my ‘Academy Award Winner Sir Anthony Hopkins Action Figure Collection’. I just need John Quincy Adams from Amistad to complete my collection.

Mezco Toyz Breaking Bad – Hazmat Suit Walter White & Jesse Pinkman

Established back in 2000, Mezco Toyz built their reputation off the back of licenced figures including The Blues Brothers, Hellboy, Austin Powers, South Park and Thundercats. They also have some original creations including the Living Dead Dolls, creepy creations that have had conservative parents up in arms for years.

The controversy continues with the Breaking Bad line, which was unceremoniously ripped from Toys-R-Us shelves following a campaign by some wingnut who thought that playing with Breaking Bad action figures would lead kids to grow up and become meth cooks. If that’s true, why didn’t I grow up to become a Master of the Universe, huh?

BB

Mezco have always been known more for sculpting than articulation, and this issue is particularly noticeable on the Breaking Bad line. While the figures looks a lot like Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, they don’t even have the most basic articulation, which means that Jesse can’t even hold the tray of tasty blue meth that comes as an accessory. Wait, did I say tasty? I meant terrible.

These are figures for the adult collector, assuming that the adult collector doesn’t actually like putting their action figures in dynamic poses. Each package also contains one ludicrously small piece that you will drop on the carpet and spend half an hour looking for; for Walt it’s his glasses and for Jesse it’s his jar of chili powder. I’d also advise being careful with Walt’s beaker accessory, as it seems to be as fragile as an actual tiny glass beaker despite being made out of plastic.

The Wrap Up

Mezco Walt & Jesse are fine for the type of collector who leaves their collectables in the box or puts them in a glass case, but if you actually want to play with your toys you can’t go past Hasbro Avengers. As a bonus, BAF Odin also comes with an alternate head that makes him look like a super-buff version of Tim the Enchanter from Monty Python and the Holy Grail…

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JT is a hot air balloonist, writer and tattoo aficionado. He writes about movies, science, music, video games, action figures and professional wrestling.