Marvel Universe Uncanny X-Force Minimates

[JeffSaylor]

Mutant hit squad gets shrunk...

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As Diamond Select Toys' Marvel Universe Minimates keep chugging along, so do the multiple price points with TRU two-packs, four packs (exclusive and otherwise), etc. While the former may bring a wider assortment of characters, the latter feature fun and easy team building. Over the past year or so we’ve seen the original X-Men, X-Factor, New Mutants, X-Force, Age of Apocalypse characters, and more. In specialty stores and available online now is the newest four-pack collecting the members of Marvel’s newest X-team, Uncanny X-Force!

X-Force was a superhero team back in the ‘90s with Cable and young mutants that fell by the wayside early in the 2000s. The team’s name would be resurrected in 2007-2008’s Messiah CompleX storyline, but in a whole new way. When Cyclops determines that tracking Cable and finding the prophesied first mutant born since M-Day, he gathers together a unique group. Comprised of mutants with hunting and tracking abilities, X-Force’s mandate is to do that which other X-groups won’t, namely kill. After serving with distinction for a few years, X-Force was disbanded by Cyclops. But that wasn’t the end. Late last year the original members Wolverine and Archangel created a new, totally secret black ops group under the title Uncanny X-Force. They added to their roster the telepath ninja Psylocke, mercenary weapons expert Deadpool, and the cyborg Fantomex.

The Uncanny X-Force minimates comes packaged in the usual four-pack style, a tall shallow window box. The background is a dark image from the comic series, and on the front panel is the Marvel Universe logo, minimates logo with Spider-Man, the Uncanny X-Force title, and the names of each included character. Above each name is a small window through which you can see the figure. The sides of the box have character art of each figure’s head, and the back panel shows the figures in action above brief bios of the team members.

As any collector knows, nearly all minimates are built on the same two inch blocky body that’s outfitted with 14 points of articulation. Of course, it’s the paint and added elements that make each figure unique! In this X-Force team, there’s quite a bit going on. Archangel has a built-in torso cover with two pegs on the back that plug into his large metallic wings (repainted from the previous Archangel figure). What you might not notice at first is that he also has cool clawed hands.

Wolverine has his distinctive pointed cowl along with an X-Force belt, long glove and boot parts, and of course extended adamantium claws. He also comes with a hairpiece for displaying him without the cowl.

Deadpool has little bands around his arms and legs, a complicated belt, and a chest harness that includes sheathes for his twin swords.

Finally there’s Psylocke with her long ponytail and belt sash. She also has a katana and translucent “psychic knife” accessory.

Minimates all have good paint applications, and this team is no different. Archangel is striking with his silver on black uniform and blue face with red eyes. Wolverine is more accustomed to the shadows with a dark gray and black palette with red on the belt and cowl. His unclothed upper arms have plenty of painted hairs, and his face captured the rage of the mutant berserker. Deadpool is mostly a light gray with black accents (and again red on the belt and eyes), while Psylocke stands out with her darker skin tone and deep purple hair. Her face, the only one of the group’s that’s so uncovered, is decorated with large eyes and red lips slightly apart. Because of the different shades of silver and grays the team is not quite visually unified, but they all look great anyway.

Marvel minimates collectors and Uncanny X-Force fans will definitely want to snap up this set while it’s available. For those looking to complete the regular X-Force team, this is an easy way to get Wolverine without hunting for the first release, and DST is still bringing out those figures with an upcoming Warpath. When this set was first shown off at conventions it included the fifth member of the team, Fantomex, but he didn’t make it in the final product. Thankfully, it seems as though he will be included in a future minimates wave and after what he did to Apocalypse, it’s a good thing!

Review and Photos by Scott Rubin

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