Review of Avengers Thor - Wal-mart exclusive action figure

Introduction

I've been pretty disappointed with the mass market releases for Avengers action figures so far this summer. There's been a few of the 4" scale figures that have been decent, and I like the jet, but for the most part the series has been pretty lackluster.

The best series is an exclusive series, of course. Wal-mart has a set of 6" scale figures based on most of the characters in the film - Iron Man, Loki, Captain America, Hawkeye, Hulk and tonight's review, Thor.

These aren't just an exclusive - you have to get lucky to find a Wal-mart that's carrying them. Of the seven Wal-marts within driving distance of my house, only two had any in stock.

If you do manage to find them, you can expect to pay around $16 each. I don't know if there is any short packing going on, but it's pretty clear that Hawkeye and Hulk are the hardest to find - at least in my area.

Packaging - ***
I didn't include a package photo this time, but it's identical to the Loki or Cap. It is *sort of* collector friendly, but you'll still need to slit the plastic bubble at the bottom to remove the tray.

Sculpting - **1/2
This series is considered a 6" scale, but that means Thor is about 7" tall. He's a big boy, almost too big, especially compared to his brother Loki.

The sculpt is very life-like and realistic, particularly for this scale. The funky hair is a bit thick, but the skin texture is great, and even the beard looks good in person.

But I'm not seeing Hemsworth in there, and that's a key to the overall look. I'm also not loving the hair, which really does look like what it is - a separate piece glued on the head.

The textures on the suit are terrific, and the overall appearance of the costume is excellent. There's lots of detail work, and sharp cuts give it a clean look.

The plastic is a bit soft this time around, especially in the limbs. That can make holding poses over time a bit tricky, as the soft plastic tends to wilt.

The cape is not nearly as soft, and since it's glued in place, that means it can get in the way with some poses.

He does stand great on his own though, and the hand sculpts work well with the hammer.

Paint - ***
Again, considering the scale the paint work is very good. Up close the beard might look a little funky, but in hand the work is much more realistic. The hair itself isn't quite as good - the paint is as chunky as the sculpt when it comes to the strands and style.

The colors and cuts on the suit look fantastic, but I'm not sure I'm feeling the red on the cape. Compared to the rest of the figure, the cape seemed cheap and toyish.

Articulation - ***1/2
I mentioned the softer plastic in the sculpting section, but of course it has some effect on the articulation as well. I didn't have any specific issues, but the joints were a little weaker than usual.

There's plenty of them, no doubt about that. The ball jointed neck works well, as do the ball shoulders and hips. Double pin elbows and knees, cut biceps, wrists, waist, hips, and ball ankles round things out. Most of the joints are free to move cleanly, and he's as poseable as you'd expect with this many points of articulation.

The cape is not removable though, and it's a fairly thick, hard plastic. On the one hand, that means it can help him stand in some poses. On the other, it means he can't take some stances because the cape gets in the way.

Accessories - **1/2
Unlike Loki, Thor's cape is NOT removable, which is a bummer. It also means it's not an accessory this time around.

That leaves only has his hammer, which is probably enough but still seems a tad skimpy to me. It's a nice sculpt though, and fits in his hands pretty well.

There's also that silly base, which I've included a photo of this time around. It's a re-use from some other Hasbro action figure series, something from one of their games...Heroclix maybe?

Fun Factor - ***1/2
While I'm not loving the sculpt, this is still a terrific toy. Add him in with the rest of the series, and you'll have a decent line up of Avengers, all with enough articulation for some serious battles in the sandbox.

Value - **1/2
These are around $16, and while that's a common price these days, it's still a lot of money. These have exclusivity in their favor (which usually translates to a lower production run), making the price point an average value for me.

Things to Watch Out For -
I didn't have any issues, but with the softer plastic, you'll want to take some care with any stuck joints.

Overall - ***
In the package, I wasn't thrilled with the head sculpt. Between the likeness and the hat hair, it just wasn't quite doing it for me.

Out of the package, it's no different. The head sculpt is the weakest overall aspect of this figure.

The cape needed to be a bit softer too...or even cloth this time, instead of plastic. Even better, do it like Loki and make the cape removable.

Still, he's a solid B performer, and makes a nice match with his brother. I think the entire set of six will look great together, but I'm still on the hunt for Hulk and Hawkeye!

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - **1/2
Paint - ***
Articulation - ***1/2
Accessories - **1/2
Fun Factor - ***1/2
Value - **1/2
Overall - ***

Where to Buy 
This is a Walmart exclusive right now, where they run about $16. Or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I've checked out the Loki and Captain America from this series already, and if you're looking for a very movie accurate version, check out the Hot Toys figure!

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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