Since their introduction over 10 years ago, the collectible range of LEGO® Minifigures has become a much-loved LEGO product. Over the preceding years, character count has decreased and they have expanded beyond original characters to include licensed characters from popular films or TV series. Now almost 10 years since the super heroes and villains of the Marvel universe leapt into LEGO sets, they have become the stars of the first-ever Marvel-themed Minifigure series. The Marvel Studios series is inspired by the various MCU shows available to watch on the streaming Disney+ service. Characters from WandaVision, Falcon & The Winter Soldier, Loki and What If…? are all featured in the new series. So ahead of their releases next month, here’s my review of the Marvel Studios series LEGO Minifigures.
A full box of LEGO Minifigures contains the new count of 36 Minifigures. Thankfully Wile E. Coyote isn’t involved to cause any shenanigans this time around and the box I received does feature three full sets. This should be the case for all boxes, although it’s not guaranteed, due to fluctuations with production.
Although we now get fewer characters in a series, their accessories and new elements have certainly been stepped up. Almost every character featured in this series features a new element. This includes variants of previously used pieces such as Zombie Caps Captain Carter’s shields and T’Challa Star-Lord helmet. New pieces are very impressive especially the frog version of Thor, the crocodile variant of Loki and Scarlet Witch’s hairpiece. Each Minifigure also includes a standard black baseplate, along with a 1×2 jumper plate and clear display plate. I really wish the special series of Minifigures would include different coloured baseplates or printing like a couple of the past series.
The Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch is fully introduced into the MCU in the closing moments of WandaVision. Unlike Wanda’s previous Minifigures, this version fully embraces the Scarlet Witch costume. This requires a new hairpiece, which incorporates the red headdress. Although it doesn’t peek above the hair, it will have been done for safety reasons. Her cape sits a little iffy due to the length of the hair. Her accessories are a pair of Power Blast projectiles.
Feel for: Power Blast element
The Vision
Although Vision is destroyed during Infinity War, he returns in various guises for WandaVision. It turns out Classic Vision isn’t what he seems and SWORD has been working to reconstruct his broken body to create White Vision. This version of Vision is far less colourful than previous Minifigures but the print detail is quite impressive even if a few different colours have been added compared to what was featured in the show. Vision’s accessory is a SWORD laptop, this uses a book element with a clear cover for the screen and a 1×2 flat tile for the keypad.
Feel for: 1×2 flat tile
Monica Rambeau
Monica didn’t debut in WandaVision, her first MCU outing was in Captain Marvel, where she was much younger. By the time of the events of WandaVision, Monica has grown up and works for SWORD. Her Minifigure features her in the SWORD casual clothes. She has a brand new hairpiece, further expanding both female and people of colour hair types. Her accessory is a slightly awkward brick-built helicopter.
Feel for: Bar element
Winter Soldier
After being deprogrammed by the Dora Milaje in Wakanda, Bucky has chosen to redeem his past deeds in the Disney+ series which leads him to help Sam track down the Flag Smashers. His appearance is very similar to his other Minifigures, but he has his Wakandan bio-arm, which looks great against his tactical outfit. For Bucky’s accessories, he’s got a knife and Captain America shield. Although he doesn’t end up with it in the show, he does handle it a few times.
Feel for: 2x knives mounted
Captain America
The mantle of Captain America is now held by Sam Wilson. But he hasn’t forgotten his roots of being the Falcon. His take on the Captain America outfit combines both heroes and is a great looking Minifigure. Falcon wings have been portrayed in many different ways and the wings here are great with a newly printed element combined with a couple of clip fins. The corner 2×2 tile used to create the Red Wing droid is quite clever. Sam also has a new hairpiece that blends nicely with the overall outfit. His accessory is an updated version of the iconic Captain America shield.
Feel for: Wing element
Loki
Stripped of his godly powers and fine Asgardian robes, Loki has a very different look to what we’ve used to. Instead, he’s kitted out in a rather sensible outfit and one he wears as he helps the TVA to track down his Variant. The Minifigure perfectly captures the costume from the show and I particularly like his TVA-branded mug. But the big appeal of this character is his other accessory, which is technically another character. Throg is the frog-like variant of Thor. He’s only briefly shown during the 4th episode of Loki, after having a longer scene cut. It’s basically a frog wearing Thor’s outfit and carrying a mini Mjolnir.
Feel for: Cup element
Sylvie
In another branch of reality, there is a God of Mischief called Sylvie. She is determined to find out the truth behind the TVA. Her Minifigure uses a new hairpiece, which incorporates her broken Loki crown. Her outfit is nicely captured on the Minifigure, although her expressions are far too cheery, one could have been a little more menacing. She includes an oddly bright green sword. But just like Loki, her other accessory is both cool and disappointing. Of the many Loki variants featured in the show, one most beloved by fans is Alligator Loki. This employs a brand new animal element, which is great but it lacks the Loki horned crown.
Feel for: Alligator Loki
T’Challa Star-Lord
T’Challa is a much-loved character even more so since the passing of Chadwick Bosman. But he is no longer the noble king of Wakanda or its guardian, Black Panther. In another branch of the Multiverse, T’Challa was taken by the Ravagers instead of Peter Quill and so he became the infamous outlaw Star-Lord. This alternate version of Star-Lord, has a similar outfit, helmet and weapons, but they are slightly different to suit T’Challa. Along with a variant of Star-Lord’s helmet, you also get a fairly new hairpiece. T’Challa accessories include two blaster guns.
Feel for: Blaster guns
Captain Carter
The mantle of Captain America has been held by many, but What If Steve Rogers never received the Super Soldier Serum and instead Agent Peggy Carter did? Well, the answer was the focus of the debut episode of Marvel’s What If…? and the result is Captain Carter. Although she has similar traits to Captain Britain, she is technically an all-new character for the animated show and one who has appeared in the Hydra Stomper set. Oddly, the version in the set pales in comparison to the one here. She has the correct, colourful suit and shield plus a brand new hairpiece, which perfectly matches the style seen in the Disney+ show. In fact, it’s so much better than the Stealth Suit version it feels like an entirely different character. Peggy carries a shield emblazoned with the Union Jack, along with a Tesseract. Oddly this is merely two 1×1 plates when the version featured in the playset uses a Minecraft character head. I prefer the playset version of the cosmic cube although I like the translucent pearl blue colouring on the CMF version.
Feel for: 1×1 plates
Gamora with the Blade of Thanos
Although the episode is yet to air, in a branch of the multiverse, it’s not Thanos who becomes a fearsome warlord, it’s his adoptive daughter Gamora. Her What If…? Minifigure basically transposes an outfit similar to Thanos’ armour. Although it’s all achieved with print detail, the hairpiece wouldn’t have allowed the addition of any sort of armour. She also welds a smaller weapon which is similar to Thanos’ dual-bladed sword.
Feel for: Lightsaber hilt
Zombie Hunter Spidey
Spider-Man’s appearance in What If…? has been debated ever since the show was announced. But it seems the version included in the series is a new creation. Dubbed Zombie Hunter Spider-Man, the key difference is the addition of a Doctor Strange-like cape. This is created by two material pieces, one for the cape and the other for the collar. The suit also has visible web-shooters around the wrist, which makes the costume similar to the one at the Avengers Compound at Disney. You can also swap out the Spider-Man head for Peter’s. His accessory is a web string.
Feel for: Web string
Zombie Captain America
Marvel Zombies have featured in a number of popular comic runs. They have been hinted at during moments in a couple of MCU films but What If…? will finally bring them to ‘life’ with an undead Captain America. The Minifigure is a nice blend of Cap’s worn suit and damaged shield along with a pale-skinned, dead-eyed zombie. It’s a cool Minifigure and one which certainly will not appear in a set. But four Captain America-themed characters does seem a little much.
Feel for: Cap’s helmet
I’ve always considered my movie passion to belong in a galaxy far, far away, but over the 1o year since the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been building, my admiration for Marvel has grown. I’m no Marvel expert but I am a big of the interconnected stories and characters told across the MCU. By extension, the same goes for the many LEGO Marvel sets. In recent years, we’ve been treated to some pretty cool playsets and Minifigures. It’s nice to finally see Marvel become the focus of a Minifigure series. The line-up of characters is OK, but there are certainly some who have been featured in the various Disney+ series who would have been nice to see. But hindsight is a wonderful thing and who knew characters like Agatha and Mobius would gel so well with fans. There are a few things that could be improved upon as well, some of the characters have odd expressions, even those with alternate faces. The same goes for a couple of accessories, such as Alligator Loki and the Tesseract. The LEGO Minifigures Marvel Studios Series will be released on September 1st, globally (October 1st APAC).
These Minifigures were provided by the LEGO Group for purposes of review. The thoughts within this review are that of BricksFanz and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group, Marvel or Disney. Providing the set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.
