Reader Review By:
Shawn Dawson in San Jose, CA
A note about my review style: This review is a bit different than others you might have seen, because I have a couple more categories than some other reviewers. I have seven categories, and three of them are weighted double. So four of them are worth up to 10 points, and three are worth up to 20, for a possible total of 100 points.
It might seem a bit nutty to have so many categories. Fodder is a bit strange to some people, because not everyone is a customizer. My attitude on this is that it's better to be overly detailed than it is to leave out subjects that do matter to some people. I care a great deal about a figure's suitability as fodder, but I don't care a bit for packaging. I review the packaging anyhow, because I know that there are many other who do care about that aspect.
Opening: I don't know how you all feel, but to me, Marvel's Face Off line has been more exciting lately than Marvel Legends. Was anyone really excited to get a Falcon figure? I know I sure wasn't. But I loved the first Face Off wave, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on wave 2. Today, I'm reviewing the Punisher/Jigsaw two pack.
Packaging: 10/10. I can't find anything not to like about the packaging. The figures are displayed well, and the blister pack makes life easy for the MOC types.
Sculpt: 8/10. I get called a "scale [hardcore-enthusiast]" sometimes, because I actually care if my figures are in scale. I hate that term. I prefer the term "scale aficionado", but that has not caught on yet. While the sculpt on these figures is pretty darn good, I just can't give a perfect score for two reasons, and they both have to do with scale. For one thing, Jigsaw is supposed to be bigger. In the comic that comes with the figures, Jigsaw is depicted as being taller and wider than Frank. Also, Punisher has a small head. I don't care for that. The head is one of the main points of interest on the figure, and while the sculpt itself looks great, it's just a bit too small compared to the rest of the body. I've seen people modify the figure by putting the head of ML 4 Punisher on the new Face Off body, and that really drives the point home: this head is a bit too small.
There are plenty of details to love on these figures, sculpt-wise. The details on Jigsaw in particular are impressive, from the stitches that cover his costume to the gory details of his disfigured face. Punisher himself is a bit more sparse, but the sculpt conveys the character very well.
Articulation: 9/10. Again, I can't quite give a perfect score here. All of the articulation that you might want is present, but there's just one thing that bugs me. Both characters can't put their arms down by their sides. This is a pretty minor quibble, but it does interfere with poseability somewhat. It's a pretty common malady amongst Marvel figures, and it mostly results from massive lateral muscles in the back. I get that the sculptors are trying to convey the massive muscles of theses superhero types, but I'm quite sure that there is a way to do that without compromising the poseability of the figures.
Paint: 9/10 The paint looks pretty good on these guys. Once again, Frank is the more simple of the two. Jigsaw has a dirty look, thanks to a grayish-brown wash on all of his white parts. The effect works well, and really helps to differentiate the two figures from each other. I'm taking one point off because the Punisher logos on both figures don't have clean lines.
Accessories: 10/10 There's really nothing more that one could want in this area. Each figure comes with two rifles, a pistol that fits very well in their hands and in their holsters, and a knife which has a sheath. Plus there's the stands that come with all Face Off figures, and the backdrop. I'm giving a perfect score in this area.
Fodder: 10/10 I can think of millions of great things I want to make from these guys! I consider these to be some of the best fodder that Marvel has cranked out in recent years. Jigsaw's head could be used for a Two-Face custom, and Punisher seems to have a pretty Superman-ish look to him. Plus the guns make them suitable for GI Joe characters done in Marvel Legends style.
Value: 10/10 I just don't think you get more action figure bang for you buck than this set. At 15 dollars, you're getting two great figures for the same cost as collectors are used to paying for a single figure in other lines. Value is one area where I feel that Marvel really excels.
Overall: 96/100 Pretty high marks, but I love this set. Way to go, Marvel!
*Note: reader reviews do not reflect the opinions or feelings of Marvelous News or ENI staff and are strictly the opinions and feelings of the reviewer alone
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