Marvel Legends War Machine figure review

War Machine is arguably the best example of a black character that fills in for his superhero pal and eventually assumes his own identity.

With apologies to John Stewart and Steel. War Machine has been one of those characters that’s needed an upgrade for years, but Marvel Cinematic Universe versions took priority. But the wait looks like it might have paid off with this version. War (Machine) might actually be good for something after all…

Packaging:  As a standard deluxe figure, War Machine has a bulkier package than a normal figure. It’s wider and shows off all the accessories.

I love the artwork from Joe Bennet, which captures War Machine in action. The bio seems even more streamlined than usual.

Likeness:  This is the version of War Machine that I’ve wanted all along. Toy Biz released a pretty decent one for its era, but this looks far more accurate to his comic book appearance. And from the 90s Iron Man cartoon for that matter.

It really comes down to that amazing head sculpt. There’s something about that grim looking faceplate that says don’t mess with me. This is one of my favorite armors with all of the layers and plating. It’s the most offensive minded armor in the arsenal

The rail gun and missile rack are swappable so you can place them on whichever shoulder you prefer. Toy Biz’s version was pretty good for the time, but over the years it’s felt increasingly dated thanks to the bulky mold. Hasbro’s MCU version was a decent enough stand-in, but it’s nice to have the official version now.

I think this is another use of the 80s era Iron Man figure as the base with the necessary new elements sculpted on.  That’s what makes this armor stand out as it’s very distinct from previous Iron Man armors with the thicker gauntlets, the shoulder rail guns and longer knee/shin protectors.

Paint:  War Machine sticks with the standard two-tone Iron Man armor color scheme only he’s got that sweet charcoal grey and silver.  Hasbro went with its pearlescent paint applications for the silver so it’s got a nice shine reflective of metal.

The only area that could potentially be problematic is the face plate, but that’s fine too. Nice job Hasbro.

Scale:  War Machine doesn’t need to be massive or towering over everyone else. He should be average height while looking like a guy in a sleek suit of armor. He’s about the same height as the 80th Iron Man and looks properly scaled next to other Avengers.

Articulation: Like the 80th anniversary Iron Man, War Machine has tremendous articulation capable of covering any reasonable armor wearing character pose. The joints were nice and tight and his center of balance was so solid he never felt top heavy.

His missile rack and rail gun also can be raised and lowered along his back, which adds a bit more in terms of his display possibilities.

War Machine has:

• neck
• ball-jointed shoulders
• biceps
• elbow (double-jointed)
• wrist
• wrist hinge
• torso
• waist
• hip
• thigh
• knee (double-jointed)
• ankle

Accessories:  War Machine comes with a swarm of accessories in keeping with a deluxe figure.  He’s got blast effects for his right arm like he’s already started shooting off a few rounds.

On his left shoulder, the effect piece has three missiles launching and it looks great. There’s another blast effect from his right shoulder that’s shorter like War Machine just launched it.

Finally, there’s two base pieces for his feet like he’s taking off. All of these blast effects have an translucent setup with a grey portion followed by a yellow, red or orange light effect.  There’s also smaller blast effects and vapor trails.

War Machine doesn’t have a Build-A-Figure add-on piece like some of the other deluxe figures. He does come with the alternate James Rhodes headsculpt in full 90s glory with the high top fade and lines on the side. I love it.

Worth it?  War Machine is regularly priced $10 higher than a regular Marvel Legends figure, but you can get him for $26 given the right sale period. With the supplemental accessories, that feels like a decent deal even without the BAF piece.

Rating:  10 out of 10

I tried tied to find some issues with this guy, but I couldn’t. This is an excellent version of War Machine and well worth the additional deluxe price thanks to the accessories. He’s a very worthwhile addition to any Avengers or West Coast Avengers display.

Where to get it?  I’ve seen War Machine on shelves at Target, but apparently he’s also available at GameStop as well.  You can also get him from Amazon or from Entertainment Earth.