The biggest problem with these two figures is the paint jobs. The bodies are mostly molded in green and given an added depth with darker areas, which all look great. It’s the small details like her gold belt and astronaut shoulder pads that look sloppy on inspection. But the biggest issue here is the paint job given to the eyes on both of her heads. The simplified design and lack of color give them an animated look, which really stands out among all the other figures with more realistic eyes. I also had an issue with metallic paint from her helmet piece getting stuck to her neck, which is something that can really throw off the look of the Queen figure.
Marlena’s articulation is standard for a MOTU Classics female buck. But one problem that there’s just no helping is the limitations of her dress. The plastic may be soft, but is still blocks almost all of her articulation from the waist down. The figure looks great, but this really limits her to just standing around and gesturing with her arms. I was also annoyed with the lack of articulation in her neck. It’s still a ball joint, but it’s very limited and can’t even look up. Couple this with how her eyes were painted and both Marlena heads look as if she’s hurt or angry.
Captain Glenn comes with her helmet, Adora’s gun and holster, and a newly sculpted rifle (Which I’m assuming is the Higuchi 1114 mentioned in her bio). The Queen comes with a new scepter to match Randor’s and a repainted sword from Battleground Teela.
Marlena also comes with a figure of Cringer. I really love the look of this figure, especially the face sculpt which looks perfectly nervous. The problem is that Cringer only has two points of articulation: a swivel joint on his tail and head. I realize they might not have had the allotted budget to do a fully articulated Cringer with this figure, but then they shouldn’t have done him at all. As is, he has less articulation than Zoar.
I’m not even sure why Cringer couldn’t have been his own release. Length-wise, he’s almost the size of a regular figure. They could have even added in a couple more heads for added value. (I’d love to see him with a sleeping head and another with his mouth open.) They could have even used the body a second time as Catra’s cat form. Sure I’m glad to finally get a Cringer toy, but I was really looking forward to posing him cowering with his arms over his head, or even sleeping with my Prince Adam leaning against him. This Cringer can’t even look up at the people around him.
There are obviously things that could have been better with this figure. The painted eyes and Staction Cringer are my biggest complaints. But that didn’t keep me from liking the figure enough to buy two. But with her awesome bubble helmet and the ability to pose dynamically, I’m going to have to say Captain Glenn is the better of the two figures even though Queen Marlena is definitely a necessity. I’d like to see one more figure of Marlena though. I’d really love to get a Battleground Marlena decked out in her 200X battle armor look. Then He-Man’s mom could really kick some ass.
-Vault
I couldn’t find a SDCC hook-up for MOTUC this year and missed the online sale date, so I’ll be e-baying these two in the future. As for Cringer, think of him as a cub version. I’m sure the Battle Cat buck will be reissued with a new Cringer head or two soon enough.
Excellent review and fun pics, as always! I’m also of the opinion that an articulated smaller cat figure could be used not only for Cringer, but panther-form Catra as well. I’d happily pay to have those two in a couple of Quarterly Repaint slots. Not that toy companies ever listen to me. The number of toy lines that could’ve lasted longer if only they’d produced more villains and secondary characters and laid off flooding the aisles with all the “Neon Lightning Laser Jet-Pack Scuba Grappling Hook” heroes they made . . . .
Back to the subject at hand, what stumped me was that in order to find Captain Glenn on MattyCollector, you had to use the search engine to find the ordering page. Not a trace of her on the MOTU Classics page. Probably why she lasted so long.
The only issue I want to raise with the review is the mention of Queen Marlena in “200X Battle Armour.” I must’ve missed something, ’cause I don’t recall ever seeing her in that type of gear. Could you direct me to an image of that, please?
Looking forward to Megator and Man-E-Faces!
does anyone else think the tiny little handgun is kind of insulting? it’s so dainty and “feminine” when the rifle is so huge… if she’s a badass, let’s quit treating her w/ kid gloves and arm this bxtch, right?
oh, and beedo? peep here, it’s a panel from the episode where she appeared in armor and then a fan rendering of same http://www.he-man.org/forums/boards/showthread.php?t=180740
I think to think of it as ‘precise’ – one weapon’s a scalpel, the other’s a f*#k off great broadsword.
Except, you know, they’re guns.
I have her on display holding both weapons – coz she’s that good. And going by her face sculpt, really pissed off.
Thanks for that link, D.R. That’s kinda nifty, but I don’t recall ever having that outfit register when watching those episodes. Chalk it up to never paying much attention to animé-style drawings, I guess.
But, yeah, I think I’d spring for one o’ they Battle Armour Marlenas, provided there was a Battle Armour Randor to go with ‘er. But I’d rather get Two-Bad or Spikor first.
oh, totally, but the “ultimate battleground’ versions of marlena and randor would make for one hell of a 2 pack… but yes, i completely agree there that i want two-bad and spikor first. of course, i’m still apparently the only guy championing extendar for 2012 all over the web, so i feel kind of on the outside of the core fanbase.
Well, you can put my name down on your Extendar petition, if you like. One of my favourites as a youngster.
Been going through the MYP MOTU DVDs, and finally got to the episode with Battle Armour Marlena in it. It’s an episode I’ve only ever watched once, ages ago, so no wonder it didn’t register. Hey-ho.
Capt. Glenn rocks! I fell in love with her retro Sci-Fi look and love the helmet, but sue looks great without it, too. I don’t care for the Queen Marlena stuff as I’m not a fan of that aspect of He-Man. Same goes for Prince Adam and Cringer which I’m currently selling off on eBay. But Glenn I absolutely love!
Great review!
The inarticulate Cringer is rather unfortunate – on the one hand, nice to have him in the line, but his existence is an excuse for Mattel not to revisit the character with full articulation any time soon; on the other, the release of a fully articulated version will make this staction pack-in (or stack-in, if you will) a slightly pointless lump of plastic.
He is cute though.
Two things really struck me about Marlena when she finally arrived – first, the eyes are nowhere near as bad as they’ve been made out to be! The only real design difference is the lack of coloured irises (they’re just plain badly painted on the Captain head though, which doesn’t help). Second – I was going to display her as the Queen, right up to the point when I got her out of the box and changed her into that dress. It just didn’t look as fun – so now she’s forever the captain on my shelves, who for some reason needs to keep her awesome bubble helmet on even though all the other toys are looking at her funny.
I’m really hoping they’ll have another go at Cringer. I completely agree that they shouldn’t have tried him at all if this was the most they could afford.
It’s funny, but in the end all I can think of is how amazing a AdamFaker would be as a real figure… 🙂
I don’t really see a problem with Cringer. I tend to think of this figure as a ‘placeholder’ for some reason and soon enough Mattel will whip out a Cringer variant for Battlecat.
Yeah, I love me that ’50s retro EC comics/Wally Wood/ John Severin/Al Williamson look. Just needs tubing on the arms and legs for that David Clark T-1 high altitude suit look. (http://www.astronautix.com/craft/t1.htm) 🙂
For some reason, Marlena was the final push I needed to swap the heads on several of my female MOTUC figures.
Battleground Teela’s head went onto original Teela’s body (who also took the Queen’s gold scepter which looks great), original Teela’s helmeted head went to Battleground’s body, and original Teela’s head went to Captain Glenn’s body (she also looks nice wearing the Queen’s dress).
Both Queen and Captain heads went into the parts drawer.
all good points! any cringer is better than none in my book however! I would be ok if they made one jsut like this but in coering pose with a future figure….maybe the baby adma and adora two pack??? 😀
one question did you guys JUST get your figures or have a backlog of stuff to write? the Queens been in the residence for quite sometime now.
Really, I just read these for the writing and the humor, but it always amazes me how close you come to selling me on things I have no reason to want.
I haven’t bought a six inch figure in forever, all of them are boxed up and hidden away, but I suddenly need a Cringer, an unarticulated cartoonish green tiger.
For what? I have no idea. I think he would probably ruin Shipwreck and Polly’s relationship if I brought him into my current set-up.
The finally like that we actually have a Queen marlena figure in Classics but I really the Caption Glenn figure alittle more better. But I have both of them being displayed together. Cool pics & review as always!!
no one need this crap…i got the first 20 Figures matty released than i stop to collect couse i think that they kidding with releases like molar and this here