INTRODUCTION:
Black Panther aka T'Challa is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, and was originally created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Jack Kirby.
Black Panther first made his appearance in Fantastic Four #52 (July 1966).
The Black Panther serves as king and protector of the fictional African nation called Wakanda. He possesses enhanced abilities achieved through traditional Wakandan rituals, is a excellent martial artist and hand-to-hand combatant and has a special suit made of vibranium metal and claws.
Black Panther is the first superhero of African descent in mainstream American comics, having debuted years before early African-American superheroes such as Marvel Comics' the Falcon (1969) and Luke Cage (1972) or DC Comics' John Stewart in the role of Green Lantern (1971).
The character is portrayed in live action by Chadwick Boseman in the 2016 film Captain America: Civil War, and the 2018 film Black Panther, set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In 2011, Black Panther was ranked 51st overall on IGN's "Top 100 Comic Books Heroes" list.
Erik Killmonger is a fictional super-villain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Don McGregor and Rich Buckler, the character first appeared in Jungle Action #6 (September 1973).
Killmonger, whose birth name is N'Jadaka, is a nemesis of Black Panther. A native of Wakanda, he was born under the name N'Jadaka. When Ulysses Klaw and his mercenaries attacked Wakanda, they forced N'Jadaka's father into helping them; but when Klaw was defeated, his father died and his family was exiled.
N'Jadaka ended up in Harlem, New York, nursing a hatred against the supervillain and T'Challa, the king who'd exiled him. He changed his name to Erik Killmonger and studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, desperate to avenge his father's death.
He eventually contacted King T'Challa and was repatriated back to Wakanda, settling in a village that would later change its name to N'Jadaka Village in his honour.
He became a subversive, with dreams of ridding Wakanda of what he termed "white colonialist" cultural influences and return it entirely to its ancient ways.
He then took advantage of the Black Panther's frequent absences in America with the Avengers to stage a failed coup d'état. He was subsequently defeated.
The character appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe adaptation of Black Panther portrayed by Michael B. Jordan.
PACKAGING- Black Panther: 7/10, Erik Killmonger: 7/10
Black Panther and Erik Killmonger both come packaged in the standard collector-friendly Marvel Legends cover; with a tray inside which can be used to store the figures as well as their accessories.
ACCESSORIES- Black Panther: 8/10, Erik Killmonger 7/10
Black Panther comes with:
- two headsculpts
- four interchangeable hands
- one BAF part
Erik Killmonger comes with:
- Two weapons (sword/dagger and spear)
- four interchangeable hands
- one BAF part
Erik Killmonger got a lower score simply because it was annoying that he didn't come with an unmasked headsculpt. I'm pretty sure Hasbro could have pulled it off seeing how they nailed Chadwick Boseman's likeness for the Black Panther unmasked headsculpt.
UPDATE: Its been announced at Toy Fair that there will be a two-pack ML set featuring an unmasked Erik Killmonger and Everett K Ross. Now we just have to wait for that sweet set to hit the stores...
FIGURE- Black Panther: 9/10, Erik Killmonger: 9/10
Both of Hasbro's latest offerings for the Marvel Legends line prove just why the toy company is at the top of its game compared to rivals like Mattel- who still struggle to come up with a decent product for the mass toy market.
From the beautifully-crafted headsculpts, attention to detail, paint finish and articulation of both Black Panther and Erik Killmonger, Hasbro has once again shown how a product priced in the lower-end scale of the collector's market doesn't necessarily mean having to compromise in terms of standards or quality.
Black Panther and Erik Killmonger are two superb figures that capture the very essence of the characters they are based on; and are a joy to pose, play with and display.
With Marvel Legends, its definitely a case of more hits and misses and they keep getting better and better every day.
ARTICULATION- Black Panther:9/10. Erik Killmonger: 9/10
Both figures excel in terms of articulation; there are generally no issues in getting them into articulated poses, nor are there any concerns that the figures might break if you bend them too much.
My only slight gripe is that my Erik Killmonger figure's shoulder joints appear to be a little stiff compared to Black Panther. But there are of course remedies to this- use a hair dryer or apply hot water to the affected area and problem fixed.
POSEABILITY- Black Panther: 8/10, Erik Killmonger: 8/10
Both figures complement each other extremely well and are definitely meant to be played with and posed alongside one another. If you're not buying the whole box set I'd suggest to get at least these two figures.
VALUE- Black Panther: 9/10, Erik Killmonger: 9/10
Both of these figures are a must have for your Marvel Legends collection, and even more so if you enjoyed the Black Panther movie as much as I did.
I've seen many diorama-makers and customisers selling their interpretations of the Wakanda throne online. Get one of those and put T'Challa here in a sitting pose, and you'll have one heck of a Black Panther display in your home!
Big Bad Toy Store has Black Panther in stock for US$18.99 (RM74) and Erik Killmonger for US$18.99 (RM74).
OVERALL SCORE- Black Panther: 8.3/10, Erik Killmonger: 8/10
Like my review? Leave a comment below.
Please like, share and subscribe to The Abah-Geek!