The Vision… Y’know, sometimes you buy a figure because you like the character (I kinda like the Vision), sometimes you buy a figure to complete a set or an assortment (I don’t have hardly any of the Avengers), and sometimes you buy a figure just because it looks really damn cool. In this case, I gotta tell ya, it was mostly number three.
Vision wasn’t on my short (budget) list, but when I ran across him at the store, I couldn’t leave him there. He rode around with me while we grocery shopped and I’d like to think we bonded. Me being a HUGE fan of clear toys and him being… well… clear. But he’s not just clear, he’s clear in all the right colors. Frankly, that doesn’t happen enough in toydom. I can only think of a handful of figures that had have that feature and that made sure Vision really jumped out at me from the pegs.
Vision is an interesting character. He was created by Roy Thomas back in the late 60s, but Thomas was clearly channeling the previous Timely Comic & Kirby created Vision from the early 40s (their general appearances are similar, as are the poses on their respective debut covers). The earlier Vision was an alien, however, and this one is an andriod built as part of the ever ongoing Hank Pym vs. Ultron saga. Vision was built for nefarious means, but, like all cool robot heroes with dark pasts, he turned on his creator and joined forces with the heroes. Of course, since he’s an android, he does get blown up now and again. I haven’t kept up with him in recent years, but it seems he’s as likely to be an active member as he is parts in a box on Pym’s to do list. Anyway, to cut to the point, one of his many powers is the ability to become intangible; which is what this figure represents. A Vision you could punch in the face and miss while he simultaneously reaches into the chest and pulls out your… well, you get the idea.
I don’t have it, but Vision is a complete reuse of the original figure from early last year, so if you’ve got that one then you know what to expect. For me, this particular buck seems a bit stocky for Vision, but if I had both figures I’d want them to match, so it’s moot to really make a big deal about it here. Aside from seeming a bit more buff/round than I normally think of him, the figure looks to have a decent sculpt with raised boot/glove lines, a perfectly captured cape, and a sharp head sculpt that really looks like Vision, even when it’s mostly see-through.
The articulation annoys me a bit on the legs because I find the limited ball-joint so… limiting. I want to do more with the figure, but I can’t. The rest of the legs are good – ball ankles and double-hinge knees, but they have to work overtime to make up for the hips and they can’t completely get the job done. The arms are nicely articulated with ball shoulders, swivels at the bicep and wrist, and hinged elbows. Vision also features a ball-jointed head though it doesn’t do much more than swivel and an ab crunch that you need because ball hips really can’t move backwards whatsoever.
Paint is mostly a non-issue. I guess I’m not sure if Vision is molded in the translucent colors or painted with a thin coat, but either way he looks great. The few paint apps that are there like the symbol, the face, & eyes are nicely done, but are a little difficult to see because of the format of the figure. Some of them show up better in these pics than they do on the actual figure.
Overall, I was happy to find both of these figures since they’re still a bit on the rare side at the moment. While neither blew me away like Thanos or Colossus, I still enjoy both of ’em, particularly the Vision. The older articulation was the only thing that annoyed me, though I would like to see Hasbro update the packaging in some way to reflect that these figures are different from the originals or at least include stands with older figures that didn’t originally come with them.
Now, I’ve just got to figure out a spot for these on my MU Checklist…
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Excellent review and dio pics. I REALLY need these two, especially Phasing Vision as I didn’t find him anywhere last year. I LOVE clear figures and Vish here has always been one of my favorite Avengers. Congrats on finding him at retail!
Thanks, Clutch! I don’t know what it is about clear figures, but I do love ’em so…
I’ve still got the ML “phasing” Vision (aka Jolly Rancher Vision! LOL), but I do think the “solid” MU Vision might still be hanging around up here? both Wash and Onion WMs reset their toy areas and clearanced these and DCUC out (but noy the pegwarming IM/Spider stuff. wtf?), but I’ll look again if you really want him?
also, I think I’m totally moving down there if y’all are able to get all this stuff I can’t find, despite having the same distribution warehouse in St James. WTF??
also, I’ve only been cherry picking this line, as well. Trying to keep to the 6″ format and the fact these are up to $9 now. yeah, PASS.
Wow, thanks to that Capt Matvel/Cape picture I’m now going to have to go and find one of these – like I needed anything else to break the budget this month. Don’t review anything else cool until April ok?
I can’t make any promises, but I’ll try.
Phasing capes are all the rage… LOL
That Vision figure is totally sick. I’m really jealous that you were able to get one of those.
Hopefully, he’ll show up a bit more plentifully! Vault ran across one at Target and I found this one at Wal-Mart.
That Vision is pretty nice. You don’t usually see a translucent figure with colors so close to tranaparemcy. I love the hard candy look of others, but this has a more effective ghostly look.
Marvel Universe continues to improve with better paint and more ambitious and obscure ideas. I only wish they’d bury some of the early sculpts that were very average for a company that has mastered this scale in its other lines. For example, in the close-up photo it looks to me like Ms. Marvel’s lower torso may be spun around backwards. I’ve gotten one or two of the females like this and the piece doesn’t have much form to it so you don’t even realize it at first until you spin it back yourself. It’s tougher to tell by photos, of course.
Good reviews!
I assumed the softer ridge on the abs was her front and the sharper one on the back the spine, but I could’ve been off. LOL
I do agree on burying the older sculpts too. The upcoming Cap line looks so great that I’ve happily skipped any figure likely to get a release there because I know it’ll be better.
Man, I wish I could find this guys!
Good luck on your toy hunts!
Thanks to your review, I went ahead and picked up the phasing Vision that I found the other day!
He’s pretty cool, like I said I love that he’s got such subtle coloring like he really is nearly transparent. The red of the face doesn’t quite over one side on mine, but this is about the only figure where such a paint goof doesn’t matter. It’s extra nice since I never saw the regular vision. Funny that this repaint wave is full of characters I never saw the first time around, like Thunderbird and Jean Grey.
I saw the Ms. Marvel a while ago, but didn’t want it after getting the other 2 who I’m not crazy about. It’s a shame, since this one is better than either of those I think.
Looking again, I don’t think the torso is backwards there. I guess the point is that even if it was it would be tough to tell! They could stand to upgrade that body and make the elbows ball joints. Jean Grey’s got ball elbows and mostly an entirely unique and slightly better female body…with a pin head and no neck. Ugh.
Not been too up on Dark Ms. Marvel, To me she seems like a minor head swap at best plus I would much rather have a Moonstone that looks like her Thunderbolts appearences.
Phasing Vision is the bane of my existance (along with Death Archangel). I can never find either one anywhere, Will probably get them eventually but no new MU since Christmas here due to Iron Mans and Namors clogging the shelves. Oh well.
We got a few of the variant cases and then nothing here. Good luck with your search for Vision, I’ll keep an eye out for ya!
And agreed on Marvel, I was okay with her, but she could’ve been better.