The world of action figure collecting often brings us thrilling re-releases and reimagined classics, especially within the vast universe of Marvel Legends. For fans of the iconic wall-crawler, few villains loom as large, both literally and figuratively, as Dr. Curt Connors, also known as The Lizard. The video above dives into the highly anticipated Amazon exclusive Marvel Legends Deluxe Lizard, a figure that has collectors buzzing, particularly due to its significant nod to the legendary Todd McFarlane’s artistic vision. This new iteration isn’t just a simple repaint; it represents a careful evolution, aiming to capture the essence of a fan-favorite era while addressing some past critiques.
When Hasbro announced this Deluxe Lizard, the excitement was palpable. Collectors have long cherished the distinctive style of Todd McFarlane, whose impactful run on Spider-Man comics in the late 80s and early 90s redefined many characters, including the reptilian antagonist. His interpretation of the Lizard, with its more menacing and dynamic posture, left an indelible mark on an entire generation of comic readers. This figure attempts to translate that classic artwork into a tangible, poseable collectible, making it an essential addition for those who grew up with McFarlane’s groundbreaking work.
Unboxing the Amazon Exclusive Marvel Legends Lizard: A Visual Feast
From the moment you lay eyes on the packaging for this Amazon exclusive Marvel Legends Lizard, it’s clear that Hasbro understands its target audience. The box itself is a tribute, adorned with authentic Todd McFarlane artwork featuring Spider-Man in action against the Lizard. This design choice elevates the unboxing experience, transforming it from a mere product package into a collectible piece in its own right. The artwork, peppered with a sense of impending doom, perfectly sets the tone for the menacing figure within. It serves as a visual primer, instantly connecting the physical toy to its rich comic book heritage.
Upon extraction from its display-worthy confines, the figure immediately asserts its presence. Standing just a little over 7 inches tall, the Marvel Legends Lizard commands attention. While it largely reuses the body mold from the 2018 Build-A-Figure (BAF) Lizard, the real game-changer lies in the newly sculpted heads and the nuanced paint applications. This strategic reuse is a common practice in the action figure industry, allowing companies to bring beloved characters back to shelves with significant upgrades in key areas, making them feel fresh and desirable.
Deep Dive into the Dual Head Sculpts: Classic vs. McFarlane
The primary draw for many collectors, and certainly a focal point of the video review, is the inclusion of two distinct head sculpts. Each head offers a unique aesthetic, catering to different preferences within the Lizard’s long comic book history.
- The “Dino-Looking” Head: This sculpt, while new, leans into a more primal, almost dinosaur-like interpretation of the Lizard. Its long snout and detailed scaling give it a ferocious, untamed appearance. A standout feature here is the articulated jaw, which allows for a wide range of expressive poses, from a snarling threat to a gaping roar. The eyes are subtly detailed with visible irises despite being predominantly white, adding to its eerie realism. Crucially, the tongue itself is also articulated and features intricate paint details, providing an extra layer of poseability and character.
- The Todd McFarlane-Inspired Head: This is arguably the star of the show for many veteran collectors. It captures the distinct, angular, and often elongated aesthetic that McFarlane brought to the character. For those who remember procuring issues like *Amazing Spider-Man* #313 (which featured a memorable Lizard appearance) or other key issues from that era, this head sculpt evokes powerful nostalgia. The figure’s design team meticulously referenced source material, including a McFarlane Toys Lizard statue and trading cards, to ensure accuracy. While this head lacks an articulated jaw and tongue, its sheer fidelity to the classic artwork makes it incredibly appealing. The vibrant yellow eyes, as seen in the comic reference material, are a striking detail, contrasting with the more muted tones of the body.
It’s important to note the significant size difference between these new heads and the older Build-A-Figure head; the newer sculpts are notably larger. This means, as demonstrated in the video, swapping heads with the 2018 BAF is not a straightforward task due to differing head mounting systems. This detail, while potentially frustrating for customizers, reinforces the uniqueness of this Amazon exclusive Lizard.
Paint Application and Body Revisions: A Closer Examination
While the core body sculpt may be familiar from the 2018 BAF, the paint application on this new Marvel Legends Lizard is where it truly differentiates itself. The video highlights several key improvements and stylistic choices:
- Lab Coat Details: Unlike previous versions, this figure sports added “dirt” detailing at the bottom of its lab coat. This subtle touch enhances the realism, suggesting the Lizard’s grimy existence within the sewers or laboratories. Conversely, the arms appear cleaner, lacking the tan staining seen on the older Build-A-Figure, offering a more pristine contrast.
- Vibrant Purple and Scale Work: The purple elements, particularly on the Lizard’s pants, are presented in a much more vibrant hue compared to the darker, more subdued purple of the older figure. This color choice, coupled with the meticulous paint detail on the scales across the entire body, truly makes the reptilian texture pop. Each scale appears individually defined, creating a visually rich surface.
- Fingernails and Toes: A seemingly small but impactful detail is the painted fingernails and toenails on this new Lizard figure. This level of fine-tuned paint application adds to the overall premium feel and character accuracy, a feature often overlooked in standard releases.
- Belt Buckle: Even minor accessories receive an upgrade. The buckle on the Lizard’s belt, for instance, is painted, a detail that was absent on the older Build-A-Figure. These incremental improvements contribute to a sense of greater care and attention to detail.
These paint enhancements, combined with the new head sculpts, provide a compelling reason for collectors to invest in this Lizard figure, even if they already own previous versions. The visual impact is significantly improved, offering a fresh take on a familiar form.
Articulation and Posing Potential: Capturing the Reptilian Lunge
For any action figure, articulation is paramount to its playability and display potential. This Marvel Legends Lizard figure, despite reusing a body mold, benefits from some key updates and a robust range of motion that allows for dynamic posing.
- Enhanced Neck and Head Articulation: A major highlight, as noted in the video, is the improved neck articulation. The new neck sculpt, designed to accommodate the larger heads, offers an impressive range of upward and downward movement, along with side-to-side pivot and rotation. This allows for incredibly expressive head poses, crucial for a character with such a distinctive profile. Coupled with the articulated jaw on one head, the posing possibilities for lunging, snarling, or contemplative stances are greatly expanded.
- Shoulder and Bicep Swivel: The shoulders offer a full 360-degree rotation and can move outward, although the video points out a frustrating tendency for one arm to pop off easily, a common gripe with certain Build-A-Figure designs. A bicep swivel allows for rotation of the upper arm, essential for varied arm poses.
- Double-Jointed Elbows and Wrists: Standard for Marvel Legends, double-jointed elbows provide a deep bend, crucial for dynamic action poses. The wrists feature both hinge and swivel articulation, allowing for up-and-down movement and rotation, perfect for posing the Lizard’s clawed hands.
- Torso and Waist: While the U-joint doesn’t offer extensive backward bend, the figure excels in forward crunch, facilitating powerful lunging poses. A waist cut provides additional rotational movement, aiding in overall torso flexibility.
- Leg and Foot Articulation: The hips move outward, enabling wide stances and dynamic leg positioning, though the video notes a leg can occasionally pop off. Upper thigh cuts allow for leg rotation. The double-jointed pinned knees provide excellent backward bend. Crucially for a reptilian character, the digitigrade feet feature up-and-down movement, a pivot, and even toe articulation, allowing for stable, realistic-looking stances, even if the figure can be tricky to stand without assistance.
Despite some minor frustrations with limbs potentially popping off, a known characteristic of some Build-A-Figures, the overall articulation scheme of this Marvel Legends Lizard is robust. It enables collectors to recreate iconic comic book poses, particularly the low-slung, aggressive lunges that define the character’s predatory nature.
The Divisive Tail: A Collector’s Quandary
Perhaps the most contentious feature of the Marvel Legends Lizard figure is its tail. The video review, like many collector discussions, expresses strong dissatisfaction with the design. The current tail is described as “jagged” and unnatural, lacking the fluid, whip-like quality one would expect from a reptilian creature. It’s mounted on a ball joint, offering up-and-down movement and swivels, but its sculpted shape limits truly dynamic posing.
A compelling comparison is made to the tail from the Walmart exclusive Lizard figure, which is praised for its more natural bend and aesthetic. Intriguingly, the video explores the possibility of swapping tails. While the Walmart exclusive tail doesn’t fit perfectly without modification, it’s discovered that the green hues of the two tails are a near-perfect match. This opens the door for adventurous customizers who might be willing to “dremel out” the hole on the new figure to accommodate the older, preferred tail. However, given the Amazon exclusive Lizard’s price point of approximately $60, such a modification carries inherent risks and is not for the faint of heart. This tail design remains a minor but noticeable flaw in an otherwise impressive figure, demonstrating that even excellent figures can have areas for improvement.
The Verdict: Value, Nostalgia, and Future Desires
Considering its price tag of around $60, the Amazon exclusive Marvel Legends Deluxe Lizard offers a significant upgrade for collectors. Despite reusing the Build-A-Figure body from 2018 and the acknowledged issues with the tail, the new head sculpts—especially the highly anticipated Todd McFarlane-inspired version—and the improved paint application largely justify the cost. For many, the ability to display a comic-accurate, McFarlane-style Lizard on their shelf is worth the investment.
The figure’s aesthetic, with its vibrant colors and detailed sculpting, makes it a joy for toy photography and dynamic display. Its ability to stand, though sometimes tricky and often relying on its tail for support, is achievable. The overall sentiment, as echoed in the video, is one of profound satisfaction: “I really do like it. I am very, very happy with this figure. It does look much better than the previous version.” This echoes the widespread collector appreciation for figures that not only look great but also evoke a strong sense of nostalgia and comic book history.
Looking ahead, the discussion naturally turns to what other McFarlane-inspired Marvel Legends figures collectors would love to see. A popular request, as mentioned in the video, is a McFarlane-inspired Hobgoblin, a character whose villainous design would undoubtedly benefit from the same meticulous attention to detail and artistic homage. This ongoing dialogue between collectors and manufacturers is what drives innovation and continued excitement in the ever-evolving world of Marvel Legends. The Amazon exclusive Marvel Legends Lizard stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of classic comic book art and the passionate community that celebrates it.
Transforming Your Questions: The Lizard Figure Q&A
What is the Marvel Legends Deluxe Lizard action figure?
This is a special Amazon exclusive action figure of The Lizard, a well-known Spider-Man villain. It’s part of the Marvel Legends series and is designed to look like the character from classic Todd McFarlane comics.
What makes this new Lizard figure special or different from previous versions?
The main features are two brand new head sculpts, including one directly inspired by Todd McFarlane’s artwork, and improved, more vibrant paint applications across its body. These updates give it a fresh look even though it reuses a previous body mold.
Who is Todd McFarlane and why is his art important for this figure?
Todd McFarlane is a legendary comic book artist famous for his influential work on Spider-Man comics in the late 80s and early 90s. This figure specifically aims to capture his distinctive and dynamic artistic style for The Lizard character.
Does this figure offer different display options for its head?
Yes, the figure comes with two distinct head sculpts, allowing you to choose. One head has a more primal, dinosaur-like look with an articulated jaw, while the other faithfully recreates Todd McFarlane’s iconic design.