Hot Toys MMS Mech Test Tony Stark

[JeffSaylor]

Tony Stark's Hall of Armor continues to grow...

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Tony Stark’s Hall of Armor continues to grow with a plethora of fantastic 1/6 scale collectible figures and as we prepare for Hot Toys to place the finishing touches on their upcoming Iron Man 2 figures, yet another great figure from the first film has been released. This time around, we get a deluxe limited edition figure based on Tony Stark's preliminary Mech Test suit.

PACKAGING: The latest release in the Iron Man MMS collection is housed within a very tall black box similar in size as to last year's Godfather MMS figure. The package art is significantly different from past Iron Man figures as it is consists of a matte black color all around with mechanical schematics of the Mech Test suit. The package opens up like a book and includes a full color photo insert of the actual figure in a dynamic pose. The figure and additional accessories are housed in separate plastic trays which interlock into each other.

The cardboard diorama background comes folded and poly-bagged underneath the figure/accessory trays. Although the package design is fairly simple in terms of design, it looks elegant and expensive.

SCULPT: This particular figure features a significantly high level of detail opposed to other Iron Man releases so far mainly because of the raw nature of the exposed mechanics on the suit. The Tony Stark head portrait is the absolutely the best one to date and bares the closest likeness to actor Robert Downey from all the MMS figures so far.

The bio-mechanical test boots and repulsor gauntlets are riddled with electrical wiring and look extremely life-like. Additionally, this figure includes a decorative display base and Tony Stark's workshop robot from the film.

PAINT: The paint application on this figure is remarkable as expected from Hot Toys. The Tony Stark portrait is colored realistically and even features a five o'clock shadow look to the face which significantly enhances Robert Downey's likeness as Tony Stark. This head portrait of Tony Stark is the best one produced to date and the most life-like. The mechanical parts of the figure are also expertly decorated with an extremely high level of detail and precision.

ARTICULATION/ACCESORIES: This new figure consists of the standard Truetype 1/6th scale male body which is extremely versatile and features well over 38 points of articulation. This particular figure is a lot more poseable than previous Iron Man figures due to the fact that the body is not fully covered in robotic parts such as past MMS Iron Man figures. The range of movement on the lower portion of the legs is a bit restricted due to the solid parts of the mech boots which only have hinged joints at the tip.

The Mech Test Tony Stark figure includes two pairs of interchangeable hands and a pair of dress shoes. The gloved hands look great but are a bit limited in mobility which is a bit of a drawback for such an impressively unique figure as this. The shop robot also features a certain degree of articulation which allows for it to be posed in several different ways. The hands attach directly onto a hardened light bulb which stick out of the wrists on both arms. The figure has an impressively tailored outfit which consists of a black long sleeve undershirt, gray cotton shirt and gray striped dress pants inspired by the Mech Test scene from the first film. The figure also includes a working belt with attachable pouches and adjustable knee pads.

The main battery pack which provides the lighting for the hand repulsors conveniently fits inside the larger belt pouch. The mini core reactor on the chest lights up via an on/off switch on the figure's back which can easily be switched without removing the shirt. Tony's workshop is also included with this figure in the form of a cardboard diorama background. Both mechanical boots have a tiny ON/OFF switch on the bottom which powers the lights that come from their soles. The boots can be easily detached from the legs by removing two small metal clips on each side which exposes the lower portion of the legs if you want to attach the dress shoe feet to display Tony in a more casual manner. The figure includes an elaborately detailed instruction sheet which illustrates how.

OVERALL: Hot Toys has gone above and beyond to offer new and exciting MMS figures to fans of the Iron Man films as is evident with the new Mech Test Tony Stark. This amazing 1/6th scale figure is one of the most visually impressive pieces in the Iron Man collection so far and is a great alternative to all the armored figures in the line so far. The Mech Test Tony Stark figure is available through many fine online retailers including BigBadToyStore and retails for approximately $150. Although Hot Toys collectibles such as this may not be affordable to many, this high-end figure is an absolute must-have for Marvel and Iron man fans alike. Trust me when I say that this figure is definitely worth pulling some overtime at work to get one.

Review by Jorge Pelaez

Photography by Robert Pastoriza

Review Sample Courtesy of Hot Toys

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