Marvel Legends: 'Heroic Age' Captain America!

04.10.2014 – Captain America: The Winter Soldier is breaking its own box office record and the merchandise is flying off the shelves. The latest action figures that has ‘Marvel Legends’ stamped on it might have been sold out. The secondary market might have been selling them briskly there. But if you’re more of going back to the previous figures that you haven’t seen or heard about for a newbie, the previous line of Legends figures might find you wanting to pick up one or two.

In 2011 Hasbro re-introduced Marvel Legends to retail stores that were immediately picked up. Some characters where updated like Steve Rogers as the ‘top cop’ during his time leading SHIELD and the Avengers and Bucky as the ‘new’ Captain America.

Steve Rogers was released in the first series of new Marvel Legends figures and then followed with Bucky as Captain America in the following series that you need to complete to put together Armin Zola or a ‘Red Skull’ variant BAF (Build-A-Figure), which inhabited the latter’s body in the Captain America comic books that was written by Ed Brubaker.













By that time Marvel is heavily promoting the ‘Heroic Age’ line of comic book titles, where Bucky continued his role as the ‘new’ Captain America even though Steve Rogers came back from the dead.

This version of Captain America is more of a fighter and trained in combat than powered by the super soldier serum. This ‘new’ Captain America had a metal arm to throw the shield efficiently. Of course it’s Bucky Barnes under that mask the main antagonist in the live action sequel known as ‘The Winter Soldier.’ The figure is based from the comic book series that was written by Ed Brubaker that also inspired the box office sequel.

The costume was designed by Alex Ross when it first debuted in the comic books, but in the Marvel Universe the designs where collaboration between Tony Stark and Bucky at the time there was a crisis they are trying to avert.









It was in the will and last testament of Steve Rogers to Tony Stark to keep Bucky safe at the same time to continue the fight there must be a ‘new’ Captain America. The Winter Soldier took that identity and spun it into a fresh new hero. At the same time Bucky tries to redeem himself in filling in those huge shies.

This action figure takes inspiration to that comic book series that made it popular. But it’s not the ‘glossiest’ costume you’ll see in plastic. This was a little bit better than the one you see running around in comic book art.

For starters the blue here is more of less than the Captain America colors. But Bucky retains his pistol and dagger as accessories to differentiate himself from the original Captain America. The boots looks outdated when it comes to modern fashion sense. Who wears these kinds of pair of boots? This would remind you how Jack Sparrow made it his trademark pair and it doesn’t look appealing don’t you think?









But Bucky looks better in a Captain America suit than being the bad ass terrorist who carries a sniper rifle that killed a lot of people as the Winter Soldier. This version is very much ‘human’ than a superhero.

Aside from the pistol and dagger that fit snugly in their holsters Bucky comes with the Vibranium shield that he can attach at his back or clip on both his arms. Plus he also includes the right leg of Armin Zola that you need to put together with the other figures from the same series.

There’s no doubt the articulation is superb and you can do numerous action poses. The only down side for this figure is the paint chipping off. There’s no perfection here as you’ll never know if you’re getting a lemon that was produced poorly.

Overall ‘Heroic Age’ Captain America jumps out from the pages of Ed Brubaker’s run on the comic book he popularized and inspired that became a box office Marvel film.

The figure is now on clearance being sold at PhP 700.00 pesos ($15.75 US) along with Drax and Madame Hydra (with a variant ‘Red Skull’ in Armin Zola’s torso), while the rest to complete an Armin Zola BAF is available at specialty stores still in its original retail price.