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2023 has gotten off to a slow start for Marvel Legends collectors, but Hasbro is ready to get the ball rolling today with the first pre-order of the year—which happens to be one that X-Men fans have been waiting for! Featuring some long-requested fan-favorites who have never had mass release action figures before (like Monet and Quentin Quire) and characters who are perennially in-demand (like Cyclops and Emma Frost), the 2023 Marvel Legends X-Men Series with Ch’od Build-A-Figure is now up for order!
Individual Figure Pre-Order Links:
Cyclops ►
Fang ►
Chamber ►
Corsair ►
The “headliner” of this set is the one double-packed figure, which is a new Astonishing X-Men Cyclops Legends figure. It’s been over a decade and a half since Hasbro first tackled this version of Scott Summers, so I have no issues with Hasbro taking another pass at him.
With smoking visor and modern pin-less body, this feels like a worthwhile update to Astonishing Cyke. Even at two-per-case and without a Build-A-Figure part, this will be a hot seller.
I’m not sure if I can say the same for the new Astonishing X-Men Emma Frost Marvel Legends figure. While the White Queen is always in-demand, the portrait here is pretty horrifying. I may need to steal the head off my Walgreens Emma Frost, because the new face sculpt just looks terrible to me.
It’s a real shame about the head, too, because the modern body mold used here looks awesome otherwise. The portrait here looks too much “Charlotte Flair” for my tastes, though.
Cyclops’ dad, Corsair (Christopher Summers), may be a highlight of this lineup for many folks. The new Marvel Legends Corsair looks like a modernized, very upgraded version of the one Toybiz did 30 years ago, and hits lots of good nostalgic notes.
Considering there are really only three other must-have Starjammers members—and one more of them is in this wave—this seems like an easy team for Hasbro to knock out. I’m looking forward to Hepzibah in all her cat-girl glory, but I’m sure Raza will get the nod first.
The closest thing to a “villain” in this wave is the Shi’ar Imperial Guardsman, Fang. We got Gladiator a few years ago, so I suppose this would be the next most recognizable Guardsman, but it’s still a mite difficult to get excited about this gentleman.
Wolverine and now Daken have both worn this costume, so I guess this -sort of- works as the wave’s “Wolverine”, but it’s hard not to foresee this figure on deep discount 11 months from now.
For 90s fans, there’s not one, but two members of the original Generation X lineup in this series—and oddly, neither one is Synch, who has been getting heavily pushed and promoted in the current era of X-Men comics.
First is Chamber, who had a 5” figure in the Toybiz Generation X series many years ago. That action figure had very limited upper-body articulation because of Jono’s design, which the Marvel Legends Chamber easily improves upon. I think this is a figure I really need to get in-hand to judge because of Chamber’s unique character design, but I’m optimistic.
Monet St. Croix (M) will finally hit Mass retail stores after over 3 decades as well. Toybiz failed to get this character into stores, although there was a Toyfare magazine exclusive, so this isn’t her debut action figure. The red and yellow costume looks great, and I can’t wait to see Jubilee, Husk, Skin and Synch each wearing one as well on my shelf.
The Marvel Legends Monet figure feels very basic, but there’s not a whole lot that would make sense to do with this character for features or accessories. Alternate heads/hands to make Husk would have been cool, but Paige Guthrie deserves a better premiere figure.
Rounding out the series is the first non-HeroClix toy of one of my all-time favorite X-Men characters, the Grant Morrison-created Quentin Quire. I would have far, far preferred a “street clothes” figure of Quentin in his iconic shorts and jacket/T-Shirt look, but we’re getting the Krakoan Age Kid Omega in full-on superhero look instead.
I think the Benjamin Percy X-Force comic books this figure is based on are straight-up bad, but I am glad to finally get a 6” figure of Wolverine’s most rebellious protege (of a sort). The translucent pink “psychic gun” is loads of fun, as are the for-looks-only glasses. I think Hasbro did well here with this modern costume that most fans will not prefer.
As predicted by pretty much everyone, the new X-Men Legends Build-A-Figure is Ch’od of the Starjammers. Collectors will need to buy the six figures in the wave besides Cyclops to get all the Ch’od BAF pieces.
This figure is primarily built upon the 2016 Abomination BAF body that was also used for Ulik,and it’s definitely not standing the test of time well. The proportions look way off because of the legs, and somehow Hasbro managed to create new hands for Ch’od and STILL give him the wrong number of fingers.
Lacking a paint wash and some important details of the character design, I’m not thrilled with this Ch’od Build-A-Figure at all. At least he comes with his furry pet alien, Cr’reee, though, who I was pleased to see can stand on Ch’od’s shoulder. The articulated jaw on Ch’od is also very welcome!
The X-Men Legends Ch’od series of figures is now up for order, and will be arriving later this year. What characters in this wave are the must-haves and must-skips for you, X-Men fans?