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By Hervé St-Louis
December 17, 2004 - 15:28
As a teen, I found Doctor Doom gaudy and laughable. Today, I gaze upon his Marvel Select action figure. The good Doctor seems to be a favourite of Marvel action figure fans. The Marvel Legends' version flew off the shelf, quickly. Anyone who sports a metallic mask and a green cape so well cannot go unnoticed and unwanted by action figure fans. The Marvel Select version of Doctor Doom is a work of art.
Likeness
The marvel Select Doctor Doom action figure resembles the modern version of the character drawn by Jim lee. His design has not changed much throughout the years, but a few variations are apparent. On the forearms of the figure, there are patterns who are more in line with the modern version of the character than the Silver Age's. The face mask has protruded eyebrows, unlike the smooth version of some comics.
Sculpt
Doctor Doom's sculpt is incredible. The action figure projects fear and dignity. It stands as if he were about to conquer the world. His arms don't fall flat apart his ribs. His right hand can hold the small pistol he came with, but without, it's as if he was clasping his hands. The left hand is great for posing Doctor Doom as if he were shooting beams from his hands. There's an alternate hand where he holds a cup of wine.
Paint
The paint job is great. All of the figure is covered with silver paint. It's a bit dirty too. Doctor Doom's jacket is dark green. Unlike the skirt part of the jacket, Doctor Doom's cape which is also made of soft rubber, doesn't have any highlights or paints. A detail which would have improved the figure is to colour the area around the eyes and the actual eyes of the figure with skin tones, instead of silver paint.
Scale
At seven inches, Doctor Doom is much bigger than a regular Marvel Legend action figure. However, he'll fit perfectly with other Marvel Select action figures. As a villain, it's possible to pose him next to smaller Marvel Legends figures and argue that his armour makes him taller.
Stability
Doctor Doom is very stable. Although his torso is wide, it's also hollow. It reduces the amount of weight on the figure. Although he has ankle articulations, they are very tight and don't affect the figure's stability.
Articulation
Doctor Doom has 16 articulations at the neck, the shoulders, the biceps, the elbows, the wrists, the waist, the hips, the knees and the ankles. Doctor Doom has excellent articulations at the shoulders. Most articulations are tight. A removable mask would have made this action figure perfect.
Plastic
Marvel Select often uses brittle and thin plastics. For deluxe action figures, this always seems like a rip off. At the price point of Marvel Select action figures, collectors should have figures in the best plastic as possible. Doctor Doom's cape and skirt are thinner than other rubber capes used on similar action figures.
Diorama
Doctor Doom comes with an elaborate Latverian throne which he fits into. It's best to remove the cape before sitting the figure in. The throne sports two side panels, like flags and in cardboards. There's a golden eagle on top of the throne. The throne sits on a steps with fake red carpet. Assembling the eagle is not clear as there is no instructions. It's a great piece.
Props
Doctor Doom comes with a small pistol that fits within a holster on his hip. The cardboard flags are cheap though.
Packaging
The figure comes in a huge clear plastic bubble box with a card board back cover. The front part of the card is a mix of Marvel comics cover with Doctor Doom. On the right side, there's a painting of the Doctor. On the back cover, there's a short bio of the Doctor, a cover of a recent Fantastic Four story with the villain on the cover, as well as a picture of the assemble figure and past products.
Cost
This figure costs about $25. It's very expensive. The Marvel Legend version of Doctor Doom is a good alternative, although very rare and more expensive than at first. This figure is really for collectors appreciating great products.
Availability
This action figure is available exclusively at shops ordering from Diamond Comics. Marvel Select products are limited to their original orders and usually quickly fade from view. If this figure interests you, don't wait at all. Get it now. The previous Marvel Legend Doctor Doom was very popular. This one, with superior production values should also appeal to more than Fantastic Four fans. Even I enjoy it!
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