Widow Maker: Marvel Legends Black Widow Review and Retrospective

[@SeanSolo8]

Amazing breakdown. Michael is truly on another level. Thank you for the entertainment. 🔥

[@MichaelJShaffer]

"I'm simply into toys that don't suck." I need to get a T-shirt made.

[@collegerebel]

Another good one would be "Don't judge a toy by its' supporting media", because on occasion a bad show or movie will yield some good toys.

[@Chronically0nline]

Here before Hasbro modifies MY chest!

[@LaserPants]

The on going struggle of the Marvel Legends collector. So many characters in this line suffer from this same issue: Several versions, several releases, never quite right. Your ending comment was spot on. Great video, Michael.

[@J-T-A]

I sometimes wonder if stars have contract language saying stuff like "If they make a toy of me, screw it up a bunch of times" or "All toys of me must be a glassy eyed homunculus".

[@MayumiC-chan9377]

Another wonderful episode of RB for me and husband to watch on our weekend!

[@HidamariBread]

This has to be one of the best videos you've produced. Everything just hit so well. Loved it.

[@LivingRangerKey]

Good thing you never covered Power Rangers Lightning Collection, the level of absurd inconsistency and incompetence on that toy line would’ve drove you insane

[@retro_vintage]

I really really enjoy these particular videos of yours. This is the kind of obsessive but strangely satisfying kitbashing that makes me keep returning to MCU Marvel Legends, especially this character. I know every idiosyncrasy you're talking about with all of these releases. I have a pretty good kitbash recipe that uses a few of these as well as the latest Yelena figure that I'm happy with.

[@lewis45acp]

Never thought I would want to see a Lost Boys/Married with Children crossover, but then you said “Christina Applegate if she was a very bored vampire” so, here we are

[@collegerebel]

Al and Peg would turn and Al would be crying because he'll spend the rest of eternity with her. Or he'll just walk out into the sun and laugh maniacally in pain as he combusts.

[@lewis45acp]

@@collegerebel and Bud is the only vampire that still can’t get any. Meanwhile Marcy becomes a vampire Hunter. NO MAAM pretty much continues unchanged

[@davidreeves4556]

This is a descent into madness.

[@katiepersons6575]

I am so grateful I don't have the eye for detail that you do.

[@cerethpainting6606]

I really enjoyed the video. I totally understand your not “wanting “ to get into sculpting and that level of customization, but after watching your videos over the years, it’s definitely not from a lack of patience or ability. I totally get that with all the irons you have in the fire on the surface that we see, and the hidden iceberg that we don’t, you may not want to invest the time in something new. But you definitely possess the skill if you ever wanted. It’s a deep rabbit hole. Again, I love the variety of videos you put out. Always have.

[@soulcraft_84]

What is frustrating is all the movie figures are never accurate because they work off of concept art. You have to wait for the second or third iteration for the most optimal figure. But I guess selling the same figure to you 3 times is convenient for them?

[@haydentcem]

It’s so weird that they’d suddenly skimp on updating old MCU figs when they’ve been doing so good with new MCU figs and comic characters

[@vanmorrissey9087]

Wow!!!! Well said sir. As a collector that wanted that perfect movie BW I’ve now realized that I’m not inept but handcuffed by Hasbro offerings. Thank you for solving this conundrum for me. Great video!

[@AlanDavidDoane]

I totally agree that Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron are the two best MCU films. Every criticism of Age of Ultron other than the Thor Psychedelic Bath scene is invalidated by actually paying attention as you watch the movie. The bath scene is weirdly ridiculous, granted, but it's the only flawed moment in an otherwise spectacular and spectacularly underrated film. As to the new Infinity Saga Black Widow, I snapped it up the moment I found it and have despised it from the moment I opened it. Like you, I had been waiting YEARS for a perfect MCU Widow. It's tragic how badly they botched it. And the Bruce Banner figure, which I bought at the same time, is also terrible other than the face sculpt. It uses the Coulson legs and feet and is utter trash. This was a great video, Michael, thank you for concisely laying out precisely WHY I am so angry about this stupid Black Widow release. Coming on the heels of Spiral and the Target comic Black Widow, there simply is no excuse for Hasbro's catastrophic failure.

[@RxneIsHxre1010]

hearing you talk about toys is honestly entertaining.

[@SquatchyToyDad]

Perhaps these designs were an afterthought as hasbro tried to put everything they had into the Eternals figures. Which are now clogging the aisles of Ollie’s everywhere.

[@jesusvillasenor355]

Awesome video!

[@Tyler_Lalonde-]

I wanted an mcu display. But after the Amazon 4 pack i stopped getting any mcu figure. The last was the first or second Black Panther figure. So glad i gave up trying to build a display.

[@johngarrett157]

That one Endgame Black Widow with the Thanos BAF was sold in Australia at Popcultcha. That’s where I got it.

[@MattDeckard]

I’m still waiting for a proper agent, Carter with the red hat… and Dum, Dum Dugans I made that hat… If only the series were better, and it hadn’t been canceled. I also wish they would’ve made the black widow movie several years earlier without ruining her character first

[@soulcraft_84]

I could see them doing a more accurate final Endgame scene suit. Civil War Widow would be welcomed as well.

[@bhodie131]

I cannot unsee christina applegate Black Widow now. Well played Sir!

[@scubapete9500]

It’s simply astonishing the ramshackle offerings of this figure. They try to reinvent the wheel everytime, and convince you “square is where it’s at!”

[@JamesMincksFeb81]

Hey Michael 😀 I highly recommend the mafex Black Widow figure. It looks like Scar Jo. They did a good job with the sculpt. Enjoy the channel! 😃

[@SP8inc]

Dude you need to get the Sh Figuarts Indy. He's easily the best Indiana Jones below 12". The likeness is amazing.

[@jakemonster001]

For Marvel Legends weapons (And John Wick) I buy the Japanese Little Armory 1/12 scale weapons. They look just like the real firearms! (They also sell better hands and holsters) Sucks that Marvel doesn’t supply us with them so we don’t have to buy more - they are obviously capable of doing so.

[@thunderrobots1980s]

i think due to Johansons fallout with disney ,they may not have the likeness rights anymore

[@deadbatterydepot]

As I am a person who needs to see what I am buying before I will buy, and won't buy online unless a return policy on Marvel Legends, if the figure's face paint is off, I won't buy or will return, I only buy, if I would keep forever, not pissing me off. I agree with you, I didn't buy widow movie baf or the new one you said the face got hit by a dump truck, not looking like a good future for Hasbro. The deluxe widow with white suit perfect eyes head with the comic three head deluxe body, great personal kitbash. I had a toyrus, to pick from 20 black widow deluxe with white suit faces for only 2 good faces, brutally bad quality control. Hasbro has fired brain dead people wasting money, the X-Men97 new legends are excellent! McFarlane gets it, kept the window box, soaked up the mad at Hasbro market. That Hellbat, gold versions and cheap figure prices got me in deep with McFarlane recently.

[@AL-ws5yi]

Wow, I didn’t realize it was so bad.

[@grumpyirish9627]

I agree with everything you said. Hasbro needs to make some major course corrections.

[@MrDrokkul]

15:30 "We got no food, we got no jobs, our Black Widow's HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!”

[@Shockwave-ob2tx]

Mmm, might have dropped Scarjos face because of her lawsuit against Disney, and/or paradoxically she might show back up with an alternate timeline variant in the MCU.

[@curseoffenrir]

Hasbro's neck peg situation is the worst, I agree! They'd actually (In my case anyhow) sell more figures if they had more standardized pegs, because I want to head swap to my classified figures which also suffer from egregious peg randomness.

[@BrappyHour]

And everyone was gushing about the Target exclusive one too.

[@Darthbauer951]

With Widow, I said screw it and went Figuarts. They nailed most of them and the shorter scale works cause ScarJo is short anyway

[@ActionFigureAtorium]

I assume you're referring to lay offs at the Wizards of the Cost division, as they were the most profitable segment of Hasbro last year. I looked up to see who they fired and it was mostly D&D designers. I have an opinion that Hasbro made its money off D&D from its own line of action figures, plus licenses to Neca, Diamond Select, Super 7 and that Honor Among Thieves movie (w/ related merch); and not the actual game books. So they cut the game book people. Going forward Hasbro will most likely focus on licenses, which lends itself to less risk and not having to put up any capitol to develop its own products.

[@skabcat242]

Yep. That Black Widow movie line went on clearance fast after the film came out.

[@scottknudsen6611]

“Age of Ultron” is a seriously underrated film. It has some of the best action in the entire series and Spader nailed it as Ultron (the unfortunate decision to articulate his mouth notwithstanding).

[@AllBreaksLoose]

I saw the recent wave of endgame figures at target and the first thing I thought was "these look like older figures, not new ones." Now after watching you explain all this I wonder if they found a bunch of figures in a warehouse somewhere and repackaged them. What you said at the end said it all...two steps forward, one drunken fall back. I enjoy these videos where you go over every version of a character. It's neat to see them all lined up together.

[@wesleyhendricks2486]

Great video. Marvel legends is a line I alway check out on the pegs. They look great at 20sec or 20 ft but there is always something off. I've enjoyed your video break downstate really spell out the differences. As price go up and marvel quality down I've happy to pass on ML.

[@sxhbk]

This is funny... I just got the most recent black widow ( infinity saga) figure and when it came in the mail I was thinking.. I guess Michael finally has a great black widow figure.. and then this video hits

[@primusvsunicron1]

we need this with MCU Thor and MCU Steve Rogers

[@patrickbirt9034]

Great video. The way things are going at Hasbro, it makes me wonder how they can continue to be profitable. Adapt or die. They aren’t adapting very well.

[@Cenazinosaur04]

I ended up getting the Infinity Saga figure PURELY for the double jointed arms

[@a_world_made_of_cardboard]

Hasbro really has a hard time with female figures. All of this attempts and yet no success at making a worthwhile figure. You should NOT have to buy a bunch of figures just to kitbash to make one good figure...Wait...that's their game! THEY WANT YOU TO BUY A 12+ FIGURES JUST TO MAKE ONE THAT IS CORRECT TO THE MOVIE! AAAAAHHH! Seriously, I am not a conspiracy theorist, but I wouldn't put it past Hasbro to do this. Great video, Michael! You are fantastic!

[@collegerebel]

No, I think they're just inconsistent with execution (inept), but they hope you keep paying for multiple versions of the same character.

[@williamcurry4868]

I really hope we get an iron man 2 version as that’s still my fav johansen version

[@daybydey134]

More of this pls 🤩✨

[@retroblasting]

Thanks for watching it. I'm very proud of this video.

[@JonathanMedd]

Thanks for this. I should have checked more closely before I pre-ordered the latest Black Widow. Well done Hasbro.

[@TimHayes]

Excellent video Michael!

[@fairamano4657]

Have you ever considered getting MAFEX figures? They're amazing items in the 1/12 scale.

[@pedrolerma5952]

Yes thank you some else said it captin america winter soldier is my favorite and the best mcu movie

[@BladeStar-uq6xe]

I have so many Black Widows that I have made 9 Evil Black Widows with Head Swaps, and I have Black Widows on my DC Earth's.

[@jeremyp7013]

And iv been a subscriber for over 5 yrs never had this problem till recently

[@StevenJShow]

Ouch, man. Big ouch.

[@jeremyp7013]

Wtf. I'm not getting notifications for the show. Have to type in retroblasting to check on new shows

[@myronaustin]

👍🏾👍🏾💯🔥🎯 Excellent!!! Great breakdown!!!

[@jmunkki]

I posted a long comment, but it vanished. No idea why and I guess I'll never learn why. Maybe some automated filter, so I'm not going to try posting again. Good job on the overview. Too bad Hasbro doesn't really do a great job on these figures.

[@retroblasting]

Yeah I've noticed lately a lot of my replies just disappear as well. It isn't us, I assure you.

[@jmunkki]

It's so weird. I tried to look into it and found something saying that URLs in comments might cause some kind of auto-moderation, but I didn't include even a full doman name. I have a screenshot of the post, so maybe I'll try to figure it out some day... @@retroblasting I have the Figuarts Infinity War Black Widow. Worth looking for, if you haven't seen it. Same scale.

[@venom7558]

I ADORE redheads,so I'll collect most everything Black Widow. However,it's all about the face for me. If the face is off,then most times I'll pass. She doesn't have to look exactly like Scarlett,but it must look like they put a little effort into it.

[@tecpaocelotl]

This is why I gave up and stop buying them. They raise the price and lower the quality.

[@portland-182]

Great video. Am I the only one who sees the blonde Widow as looking like Kim Cattrall? You might like to look at the SHF S.H.Figuarts Marvel Avengers Endgame Black Widow as being so much better, cheaper, and in the same scale

[@SentinelGiga]

Strange, I just saw a review of the tweaked re-release today and that guy's Widow actually had a pretty good likeness compared to the previous version but looking at yours, yikes it almost looks like a different head entirely. In any case, all this nonsense just makes me glad I decided cost be damned and just went down the Bandai/Medicom route for my MCU collection. They're not all home runs (god knows who the head Bandai based their first Captain Marvel on) but when they're on point, they tend to nail it in a way Legends never comes close to. But of course, ML is way cheaper and I understand the importance of that, especially in the current climate.

[@paakdisayaniyom]

Ironically, what Michael said in this video pretty much sums up the current MCU problem too (they're going backward)

[@mrgrudge5856]

That new black widow looks a lot more like Millie Bobby Brown from stranger things, then Scarlett Johansson 😂

[@adamknight8127]

Aaaand.... that's HasBlow for you.

[@Merylstreep1949]

Right on! And being the Doctor Who fan i remember you being, could you do a video explaining why Character Options hasn't produced a Nyssa and Teegan ??? Also no really decent Sarah Jane Smith ones either....😮😮😢😢😢😢

[@retroblasting]

Watch my interview with Janet Fielding.......

[@dokadadoka]

​@@retroblasting Lioconvoy is a groo.mer

[@SteelDog91]

What you are describing is what I call the 80% rule at no time will you every be able to buy a character 100% accurate. Just look at how hard it was for them to get Indiana Jones correct oh what they still haven't. I am not sure if the creative team just doesn't care to be accurate or don't pay attention to the details.

[@irishvader2193]

I display my black widow head on a tb league silicone body, wearing a spandex turtle neck and leggings

[@kenmercadante4565]

It all makes sense if you realize the figures are designed by accountants, not artists...

[@skylx0812]

Wasn't prepared to just happen upon that thumbnail. All those staring redheads freaked me the hell out. ...I thought, what did he do to Melinda

[@collegerebel]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[@PrincessFionaYT]

Well it looks like Hasbro is paying the price karmically for it’s laziness for whatever that’s worth.

[@qZbGmYjS4QusYqv5]

RIP Hasbro

[@Cornholio174]

I’m not really shocked, I’ve been collecting hasbro figures since 2013 and I’ve noticed a decline in quality for a while now. Even brand new figures can be kinda bad like most of the Indiana Jones line that seemed like it made out of obligation, had to go with figuarts to get a good Indy figure

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

Hasbro is like a black widow, it preys on those who worked hard and gobbled the profits for themselves

[@judgejase7583]

I feel your "Widow" frustration mate. I still have hope for a definitve Hasbro BW but they keep dropping the ball like a drunk one-legged monkey ! My shelf still ONLY displays the brilliant SH Figuarts Black Widow (The Avengers vers circa ~2022). This Avengers SHF has ALL the curves & was better bang for buck than all my Hasblo's combined. PS - those hips as on the new "Saga" version remain rubbish & were a big disappointment.

[@Kittykumbata]

I mean tbh I don’t think the more recent winter soldier black widow is that bad….. I mean in my opinion she’s definitely way better then the original

[@jeremyp7013]

Well the woke crap have influenced the Natasha bust line deflation and laziness would explain the rest. I'm a transformers collector only but I do know has be frustrating to yall on things like this . G1 look is my thing

[@Michael_Johnson_5446]

There needs to be praise for your great video titles and killer last lines.

[@GundamWarrior1]

I'm glad I've really backed off Marvel Legends. I pick one once in a while or good word of mouth (the recent No Way Home versions of Goblin and Doc Ock for example).

[@ManlyStubrick]

Thank you for venting my frustration, saving my sanity, and saving me money on the new Widow.

[@KensToys74]

This doesn't suprise me in the least..

[@AnthonyBau1]

with that said, does that mean star wars episodes 1, 2 & 3 sucks?

[@retroblasting]

You're commenting on the wrong video, pal.

[@Merylstreep1949]

I hear Colin Jost has an accurate Black Widow figure😂

[@georgeaitken2719]

Hasbro the company that’s always guaranteed to disappoint its customers

[@Jcc2224]

I find it so ironic that Hasbro still struggled with their MCU Black Widow figures, cuz their recent comic book Black Widow is like, top 5 best Marvel Legends of all time worthy, it's incredible; meanwhile Hasbro's choices, re-use, laziness, and inconsistency continue to be baffling.

[@rotaxhippie]

Hasbro is a bunch of neck holes.

[@JONNYSORENSEN_AU]

If they had redecod the Widow movie figures into the early appearance with bonusmheads and kept neck posts, no problem. But hasbro suck. Im a fool for buying that recent trash widow throwback. Definitely moving it on. I bought it for the heads which dont work on my older figures and tne whole figure stinks anyhow

[@absoLukeCollecting]

Oof, more hasbro nonsense

[@robertsinfiniterealms1308]

Wow she does look like Christina applegate. I was thinking “yeah she looks like someone but not Scar Jo.” Kind of makes me glad I’ve been stepping away from MCU figs unless it’s one I really think will never get a comic fig and not Eternals. 😂😂

[@IsiahTomas]

"Christina Applegate, you got it going on."

[@MayumiC-chan9377]

12:45 can we all agree the house of the plague mouse ruined EVERY franchise they touched!

[@EnigmaticPenguin]

I could almost understand this nonsense for a kid focused line with a minority subset of adults collectors, but on a premium priced, collectors as the primary consumer line, it’s ridiculous.