Since we’re all buck, the paintwork must also be sharp – and it mostly is since it’s also pretty minimal. The yellow pieces are all painted over to give them a little deeper color and the H logo is tampoed on and looks great. The only areas where the paint is a little weak is the yellow paint over the green forearms (a tough spot) and then some of the wrinkles on the face where the thicker skin tone paint didn’t quite cover around the nose. They’re small issues overall thanks to the sea of green and he looks good on my shelf.
The thing that probably put me over on this guy is the accessories. He comes with two rifles. One, a futuristic elephant gun of sorts and another that looks even more futuristic that than. The sculpt and paint work is great on both and they look like a lot of fun. For whatever reason I just really wanted the one with the Hydra logo emblazoned across the top of it and that ended up being a large reason for me to separate with my $20. Silly, but I’ve bought worse for more.
What didn’t get me to buy him though was the Mandroid Arm. I really wish Hasbro, or anyone that does BAFs/C&C, could work out better logistics on the parts. The Hydra & AIM Agents are running changes from Zemo & Red Skull so they include the same parts. That means buying one of everything is going to net you two extra arms. Now, I can give Hasbro credit here – everyone in Wv2 has two heads which means a more hardcore chap could buy doubles to display all looks and then have two nearly complete Mandroids. You’d still only get one head because that piece comes with NOW! Cap. There is another variant in the line, WW2 Cap, but Hasbro wisely – or at least collector-friendly-ly – didn’t give him a piece since he’s a reissue on a new card. I’m not sure what the best solution would be to do, but one thing I would’ve like to see was the arm attachments to be switched. Give the left arm the blades and the right arm the guns on the running changes and then you could armor up your Mandroids a little differently, and non-canonically at your discretion.
Overall, the Hydra Agent is by all points a great figure on paper and the real deal hits all the right points. If you’ve been waiting for a good, or at least a better, Hydra Agent to build with then I imagine you’re happy with this release (enjoy all the arms!), but he might not have been the best use of my $20. Red Skull has already stolen his rifle. His Mandroid arm is of no use. He’s still a great figure – the sculpt is still doing its business, I love the articulation, and I still enjoy the colors. But in the end I can’t argue with one little detail. I only bought one.
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I mentioned the BAF arm weapon swappage in a previous review, didn’t I? or was it in the AF Addicts page on FB?
Either way, it would allow a bit of customization for army builders, even with the Iron Monger BAF the Mandroid is built on. In fact, I just made a spare Monger with these extra Mandy arms. He does look a bit cool with those dull silver arms on the metallic blue body.
(possible base for Box? I already did him and yellow Mandroids with TB HBIM. hmmm….)
I do find it annoying that the “running change” is only 50/50 with the first half of the series. I found three fresh cases of the B wave Saturday night at WMs and it confirmed for me that it only has Skull and Zemo. WHY NOT THE ACTUAL ARMY BUILDERS???
Any chance we can talk an e-tailer into selling 2pks of AIM and Hydra for army builders, the way they did with the DCUC Parademons? still kicking myself for passing on that deal!
I do have a good half-dozen of the Brood series Hydra, I think I tried to keep the screamers and grimace heads equal? The only catch is those are more of a drab olive green, not the Kelly green seen for this figure. Maybe my lone Cap2 Hydra can be their squad commander?
(also, *those* extra arms I used on the Brood BAF body for a Brood “King” to go with the Queen. but then I wound up with a pile of those shorter legs. LOL)
and where is our Hydra Bob variant for Deadpool?? and his AIM cohort Bill??
both of those would be fun variants. Maybe Hasbro will start shipping the A case again and I can pick some more up, but I’m already plottin-er, planning to just order a case so I at least have a pair each of Hydra and AIM guys.
(still annoyed one guy on FB posted finding his EIGHTH Hydra at Target, then an hour later, posted “NINE!” sonofa–!!!)
Anyway, yeah, pretty basic figure without too much to screw up EXCEPT for the fact he’s a SHORT-PACKED ARMY BUILDER. gah.
Have one and yes is a fun fig. Another great review.
Nice review! I’m really enjoying the pics with these Cap figures. I share your frustration with the BAF parts on these guys. I don’t know how to fix the problem either, but I would have loved to have been able to vary my Mandroids. Of course, this is only going to be the an “issue” if I find a Black Widow to get his torso…
Venture Brothers totally sold me on the idea of henchmen as a viable source of humor (okay, and the first Austin Powers flick). I love this.
While my first love as far as evil organizations go will always be A.I.M (beekeeper suits and MODOK, how can they fail?), Hydra is pretty cool too and this is a great figure of their “generic” troopers. I hope one day they can put out a 4″ figure with this uniform as well, as their previous attempts were not really up to my standards.
Awesome review, great pics. 🙂
I have this guy as my Bob paired with Deadpool. The goggles may not be the right color, but they changed from yellow to white so much in the comic, it’s not that big of a deal for me for them to be red.
I think his belt’s a reuse of the ultimate Hawkeye belt.
The two AIM Agents are the new Sandtroopers
Nice review!
i don’t know how/why they did what they did w/ the BAF pieces, but i do think this is a nice play figure if you or the kids need a good generic goon to have a goodie kick the crap out of… and who doesn’t need that? if TMNT classics would give us a foot soldier with this solid a base body, i wouldn’t buy 20 of them, but i bet a lot of guys would. but i’d get one. 😉 there is something to be said for just getting a base body done right.
I would love to have two of each AIM & Hydra, BUT I’ve yet to see them in the wild. Sure there are a few of the individuals at every store, yet the army builders are gone in an instant. An employee let out at one store that they check the online prices and sell them. Wonderful. Glad some people are getting these; my toys may all end up preorders to get anything I like.
When are you doing the Captain America review?