Let's Discuss another 2 in 1: Hasbro Marvel Legends: X-Men '97 Wave 2: The Goblin Queen and Nightcrawler Action Figures

As the X-Men '97 cartoon continues to get better with each episode, we move further into the Marvel Legends Wave 2 collection. This time around we're going to look at Madeline Pryor, The Goblin Queen and the swashbuckling teleporter, Kurt Wagner, The Nightcrawler!

In spite of the shortcomings, we've experienced in both waves so far, I have to admit that I'm fairly impressed with what Hasbro has done with this series of figures. I'm trying something new with the format, in terms of the grading. Read on to see what changes have been made.

The Goblin Queen, also known as Madelyne Pryor, made her first appearance in "Uncanny X-Men" #168 in 1983. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, Madelyne Pryor was introduced as a pilot who bore an uncanny resemblance to Jean Grey, the deceased love interest of Cyclops. Scott Summers, also known as Cyclops, was drawn to Madelyne, believing her to be Jean reincarnated.

However, Madelyne's life took a dark turn when she discovered her true origins. She was revealed to be a clone of Jean Grey created by Mister Sinister, a notorious villain obsessed with manipulating genetics. Sinister's ultimate goal was to use Madelyne as a pawn in his schemes against the X-Men.

Madelyne's descent into darkness accelerated when she learned of her connection to the demonic realm of Limbo. Manipulated by demonic forces, she embraced her role as the Goblin Queen, leading an army of demons against the X-Men and seeking revenge against Cyclops and Jean Grey.

Despite her villainous actions, Madelyne's tragic backstory and complex motivations have made her a compelling character in the Marvel Universe. She has been depicted in various storylines, including "Inferno" and "X-Men: The End," exploring themes of identity, betrayal, and redemption.

Nightcrawler, also known as Kurt Wagner, first appeared in "Giant-Size X-Men" #1 in 1975, created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum. Born with a distinctive appearance, including blue skin, pointed ears, and a prehensile tail, Nightcrawler was initially feared and persecuted by those around him.

Despite his physical appearance, Nightcrawler possessed a gentle and compassionate nature, earning him a place among the X-Men, a team of mutant superheroes fighting for peace and equality. His agility, teleportation abilities, and acrobatic skills made him a formidable ally in battle.

Nightcrawler's character is deeply rooted in themes of faith and acceptance. Raised in a circus by Margali Szardos, a sorceress, Nightcrawler struggled with questions of identity and belonging. His strong religious beliefs, coupled with his mutant abilities, added layers of complexity to his character.

Throughout his comic book history, Nightcrawler has been portrayed as a stalwart member of the X-Men, demonstrating bravery and selflessness in the face of adversity. He has formed close friendships with fellow mutants, including Wolverine and Colossus, and has played key roles in various storylines, such as "The Dark Phoenix Saga" and "Age of Apocalypse."

Overall, Nightcrawler's enduring popularity stems from his compelling backstory, unique abilities, and unwavering commitment to fighting for justice and acceptance in a world that fears and hates mutants.

Accessories:

Goblin Queen: The Goblin Queen figure comes with a few accessories to enhance posing options. She comes with two magical effect pieces that attach to her hands, perfect for recreating mystical spells or attacks. Additionally, she has a pair of fists, a pair of spell casting hands, and baby Nathan Summers.

Nightcrawler: Nightcrawler comes with two interchangeable heads. Sadly, the only real difference between the two head sculpts is a slightly open, teeth bared mouth on one and a more somber expression with a closed mouth on the other. Additionally, he comes with two sets of hands, including fists, and open hands, providing various posing options. However, some additional accessories, such as his signature bamf effect or a swashbuckling sword, would have been a welcome addition.

Appearance:

Goblin Queen: The Goblin Queen figure boasts stunning attention to detail in her sculpt and paint applications. Her costume features intricate textures and patterns, and the paintwork on her face captures her sinister demeanor perfectly. The figure's proportions are well-balanced, and the sculpting on her flowing cape adds a dynamic flair to her overall appearance.

Nightcrawler: Nightcrawler impresses with his comic-accurate design and vibrant colors. The sculpt captures his agile physique and iconic costume details, such as his pointed ears and prehensile tail. The paint application is clean, with no noticeable issues or smudges. Overall, Nightcrawler's appearance is faithful to his comic book counterpart and will stand out in any X-Men collection.

Articulation:

Goblin Queen: The Goblin Queen has articulation points at the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, torso, hips, knees, and ankles, providing ample flexibility for posing. The joints are sturdy and hold poses well, enhancing the figure's display options. However, in spite of the many points of articulation her range is actually fairly limited. The head movement is severely hindered due to the hair sculpt, she can basically look down and has only minimal head turning capability. The shoulders rotate nicely and can raise to just above a T pose. Her bicep swivel works fine and the elbows bend in very tightly. Both pairs of hands hinge and swivel. She has the upper torso joint, which is relatively limited in range. There's not much forward crunch, minimal back, decent turning range and very good side tilt. As with previous iterations of this body mold, the Goblin Queen lacks a waist swivel. The wider hip design does allow for a decent split, and relatively high forward kick. The thigh cut, knee joints and ankle joints all work well. The design of her boots though, does make getting her into stable stances somewhat difficult. Thankfully, the cap is rigid enough to act as a concealed support to keep her upright.

Nightcrawler: Nightcrawler boasts impressive articulation that captures his acrobatic abilities. There are enough differences between this and the previous version to note the improvements... pin less elbow and knee joints, decent shoulder range... all things that we'd want in a Nightcrawler figure. With articulation points at the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, torso, hips, knees, and ankles, Nightcrawler can strike various action-packed poses, from mid-teleportation leaps to agile combat stances. The joints move smoothly, and hold poses securely, ensuring stability during display. His head can look upward somewhat and down relatively nicely. The shoulders raise to T level and can rotate even with the shoulder flairs on his costume. Bicep swivel and elbow joints work beautifully and the hands all hinge and pivot. Nightcrawler's ab crunch works very well, getting him into a decent pose. There is a waist swivel which looks good enough when turned. Leg splits are good, but not great. He can kick forward reasonably high, has functioning thigh cuts and excellent range on the knee joints. His ankles pivot with ease and hinge without any issues as well. Unfortunately, once again, we don't get a bendy wire tail. However, this can rotate, which does allow for some posing options.

Affordability:

Goblin Queen: Priced competitively within the Marvel Legends line, the Goblin Queen figure offers good value for its cost. Collectors receive a well-sculpted and articulated figure with decent accessories, making it a worthwhile addition to any X-Men collection. I found both of these at Walmart for $24.99.

Nightcrawler: Nightcrawler's price point aligns with other figures in the Marvel Legends line, providing reasonable value for the quality and craftsmanship offered. While additional accessories would have increased the figure's value proposition, the overall package still represents a solid investment for fans of the character.

Overall Grade:

Goblin Queen: Accessories: 6 | Appearance: 9 | Articulation: 7 | Affordability: 8

7.5 out of 10 ToyBoxes

Nightcrawler: Accessories: 6 | Appearance: 9 | Articulation: 9 | Affordability: 8

8 out of 10 ToyBoxes

Both the Goblin Queen and Nightcrawler figures from the Marvel Legends X-Men '97 Wave are solid offerings. While both figures could benefit from a few additional accessories, they nonetheless stand out as must-have additions to any X-Men collection. Until next time... GEEK OUT!!!