Wolverine 1:4 Scale Statue
Produced by XM Studios
Watch the video review HERE
So, the initial photos surfaced of the XM Wolverine production piece and there was some panic that arose...did XM produce a FAIL? Hardly. Not to worry whatsoever. You can watch the video in the link above, or read down below to find out just how awesome this statue turned out.
(Note: At one point in the video I mention the calm portrait "that I just talked about"...well, I cut that part from the vid to shorten it up. You'll have to read my thoughts on the calm portrait below.)
Product Size: 17.5" H x 14.5" W x 12" D
Product Weight: 15 lbs.
Artists: Studio HIVE (Illustrator , Design and Concept), Marthin Agusta (Sculpt), XM Studios Design and Development Team (Design and Concept)
Edition Size: 950
Released: May 2015
Wolverine Fun Facts
First Appearance: Incredible Hulk 181 (1974)
Real Name: James Howlett
Alias: Logan
Height: 5'3",
Weight: 195 lbs. naturally, 300 lbs. with adamantium skeleton,
Eyes: blue,
Hair: black
Powers: Mutant healing power allows him to regenerate damaged tissue at incredible rates, makes him virtually immune to poisons, drugs, and diseases, and slows his aging process. Also possesses super-humanly acute senses. Wolverine's entire skeleton is laced with the unbreakable metal adamantium, including his claws.
Sculpt: 9.5 / 10
Every last inch of this statue is detailed to the max. Great musculature, dynamic pose, incredible details on the costume. The sentinel base has exceptional detail as well. If you look into the eye socket or the mouth opening, you see the electrical piping and hydraulics...half the face has been torn off and there is a conduit laying loosely off to the side (this conduit is actually a separate piece that attaches with t a magnet). This piece is absolutely outstanding and has the astounding level of detail throughout that XM is known for.
The "calm" portrait (closed mouth, unmasked) takes a bit of heat for its lack of likeness to the character. Originally, this portrait was supposed to include a cigar, but the idea was scrapped by Marvel. XM decided to still include the portrait as a show of respect for sculptor Marthin Agusta's hard work on the piece, and I think that shows the kind of loyalty that XM has. So, if the calm portrait bothers you, just leave it in the box and pretend you never had it. It's simply a bonus third head (you still get two amazing portraits on top of this one).
I only dock it the half point because of the monotooth...yes, it is a flaw, although it is extremely minor. In all other aspects, this sculpt is a 10.
Paint: 9.5 / 10
Another superb XM Studios factory paint application. Aside from the slightly more red than normal lips, and a gum line that doesn't accentuate the bottom row of teeth, the paint work is immaculate. The colours throughout are incredibly eye-catching. I could ramble on and on here, but I'll let the photos speak for themselves.
Design: 7.5 / 10
Wolverine standing on a broken sentinel head is nothing new, but XM did add some cool features to spice up this old concept...the sentinel eye impaled on the end of the claws, the flickering light-up eyes on the sentinel, three switch-out portraits...there is enough here that the design should have garnered easily a 9.0/10.
However, I had to dock the statue for the design choice of the painted arm hair. This is one of the first "misses" from XM so far. The painted hair, although it doesn't look terrible, just doesn't compare to the sculpted hair look on other Wolverine statues. Even though I'm maybe being a bit harsh for the hair, which isn't going to be noticeable from most viewing angles, don't let the hair be a deciding factor as to whether you purchase this item. Yes, XM could have probably made a better choice for the hair, but this is still an outstanding statue in all other respects.
Production & Build Quality: 10 / 10
Everything about the statue is absolutely top notch. The packaging is the same great, high quality material, with the Styrofoam inserts held together by Velcro straps. The claws are real metal and are all perfectly aligned...the look and feel heavy duty, you could probably use the detachable hand as a weapon if you wanted to! Real copper wires are used for the damaged electrical conduits...what more can I say? XM went the extra mile on this one!
An amazingly simple inclusion with the package is a photo showing where the individual pieces go back into the box, which should make re-packing the statue a breeze. Why has no one thought to do this before? Hopefully this becomes a trend in the industry, because I find this very helpful.
Each piece comes with a high quality art print designed by Studio HIVE, and roughly half of the edition receives a collectible silver coin.
Of course, all of the pieces are solid cast giving the statue that weighty feel desired by collectors. Everything fits together snug and secure with strong magnets. A light-up feature was designed for the sentinel's eyes on the base...each eye can be removed easily to be turned on/off...it really is an innovative way to implement the light-up, as it is totally independent from the rest of the statue.
All I can say is that it's a pleasure to unbox an XM piece. The quality is literally oozing off of this piece in all aspects.
Overall: 9.1 / 10
Another home run for XM. I cannot say enough about the high quality of this statue. If you have a chance to get yourself one of these statues, GO FOR IT!! It's bound to be a classic, despite some minor flaws and the questionable design choice for the arm hair (don't mistake the arm hair for a flaw...it was a design choice). I absolutely love this statue, and I think anyone lucky enough to get their hands on one will too.
