Hyperion (Marvel Legends)
The figure I’m reviewing today, from the Hit Monkey wave in Marvel Legends line is Hyperion. Apparently, the name has been used for more than one character in the Marvel Universe, sometimes the character turned out to be villainous, sometimes not, but the one we are talking about today certainly falls in the good-guy spectrum.
Conceptually, Hyperion is a none-too-subtle rip-off of Superman, from the broad range of powers to the debilitating vulnerability to a made-up substance. Visually, Hyperion borrows cues from a much broader range of sources.
The action figure is one as large as they could make it in the Marvel Legends line, without being a Build-A-Figure. Hyperion has a massively muscular build, and the overall sculpture reminds me a little of the style favored by soviet sculptors for their heroic monuments.
The costume is pretty much painted on and achieved with surprisingly few sculpted elements, like the removable cape and the flared boots. The cape actually consists of two independent pieces, one for the collar with the sculpted “clasps” and the cape itself. Both pieces connect to Hyperion’s back on adjacent holes drilled between his shoulder blades.
My only complaint is that the collar piece doesn’t quite rest in contact with the body at the front, but I’m thinking that that’s an effect of the way the figure comes packaged, and that it will correct its form over time or with the help of a cup of hot water.
In terms or articulation, Hyperion has plenty of it, in form of:
• Hinged peg neck.
• Pegged hinge shoulders.
• Upper biceps swivel.
• Double hinged elbows.
• Pegged hinge wrists.
• Hinged torso.
• Swivel waist.
• Ball jointed hips.
• Upper thigh swivels.
• Double hinge knees.
• Upper calf swivels.
• Pegged hinge ankles.
• Rocker feet.
That is a lot of joints, and for the most part they all work fine. I was half expecting the cape to be a nuisance when trying out dynamic poses because of its weight, but as it turned out it was not. In fact, the cape does help a bit as a support piece on certain poses.
The paint job on Hyperion is deceptively simple. A lot of the pieces were molded in their final colors, but the painted sections match up nicely with the color of plastic from adjacent areas.
The mid riff of the figure seems to be painted in a pearlescent yellow paint that looks rather nice, and even the plain yellow pieces from his cape and boots received subtle shading with an airbrush to provide depth to an otherwise plain surface. Small details like Hyperion’s pupils or the symbol on his chest were painted in a clean and precise way.
Other than the cape pieces, Hyperion comes with no extra accessories for him but the package does include a couple of black pistols and the arms for the Hit Monkey Build-A-Figure.
So, despite knowing next to nothing about Hyperion, the figure looks suitably heroic and the construction feels quite sturdy, which is something I always appreciate. I must also confess that I probably would not have bought this figure if it hadn’t been essential for completing the BAF, but in the end I am quite satisfied with it..
Errex Score: 85/100
Category: Featured, Marvel, Toy Reviews
About the Author (Author Profile)
I've been collecting action figures since the original Kenner Star Wars days. Nowadays, I still collect pretty much anything that catches my eye.Subscribe
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Hyperion was a blatant rip-off of Superman, part of the Squadron Supreme which was a really good story actually