[ad_1]
Diamond Select Toys has established itself as the affordable option in the statue collecting market, which has seen prices skyrocket. Their Marvel Gallery statues lineup has been continuously expanding, with more X-Men characters joining the series in the past year. Adding to their collection is the release of Marvel Gallery Gambit, completing the 90s X-Men super couple. Should you consider adding this Cajun character to your collection?
In a market where action figures commonly sell for $25 or more and resin statues often cost over $500, it is refreshing to see Diamond Select Toys offer PVC statues in the $50-60 range. The Marvel Gallery lineup features a wide range of characters in a decent size, with dynamic designs and unexpected details for a “budget” series. As a fan of the X-Men, I have been collecting more DST Gallery figures, such as Jubilee, Rogue, Beast, and Madelyne Pryor. One PVC figure I have eagerly anticipated is Gambit, the beloved card-throwing rogue. Now that I have him in my collection, does he live up to my expectations? Not entirely.
Like all Marvel Gallery PVC statues, Gambit comes in a simple cardboard box with plastic windows, allowing you to see the size and basic details of the collectible. This packaging style is acceptable to me as it helps keep costs down. At first glance, all the defining characteristics of Gambit are present: his iconic 90s costume with a jacket, bo staff, throwing cards, energy effects, red eyes, stylish hair, and a dynamic pose. However, upon closer inspection, I was disappointed with some of the design choices.
While fans of X-Men are accustomed to seeing Gambit charge objects with pink energy, the energy effects on the Gambit Gallery statue are yellow for some unknown reason. Although there may be instances where Remy’s energy is yellow in the comics, the majority of depictions across different media show his effects as pink. Additionally, the figure has Gambit’s red eyes surrounded by the whites of his eyes, which feels strange as Gambit’s mutation typically gives him black scleras. This choice reminds me of the bucktooth smile emoji, which I find unappealing. Unfortunately, these design choices were intentional since Diamond Select Toys announced the PVC figure last year. While these color choices can be easily fixed with paint, not every collector has the skills or motivation to correct a collectible they purchased. In my opinion, these color mistakes are significant and should not have been made by DST, especially since they have released previous Gambit products without these errors.
Despite these coloration issues, I still believe that the Marvel Gallery Gambit figure is very nice. The metal debris base complements Rogue’s base thematically, and the flow of Gambit’s coat and hair feels natural. The arc of thrown cards adds a sense of dynamism, and the diagonal orientation of the staff is just right. The most impressive detail on the figure is the ornate design on the backs of the thrown cards, which is typically seen on larger and more expensive statues. I also appreciate the brushed metal deco on Gambit’s boots and collar-piece. The pose of Gambit, with his straight throwing arm and right leg, and bent staff-gripping arm and left knee, gives a sense of life to the figure. Overall, the pose is a major highlight of this piece.
In conclusion, despite two puzzling color choices, I still find the Marvel Gallery Gambit figure to be a great addition to any collection. The yellow energy effects can be overlooked, but the eyes will need to be repainted for accuracy. The pose of the PVC statue is impressive, and its price of around $50 is excellent value in today’s collecting landscape. The attention to detail, such as the design on the throwing cards’ backs, elevates this piece. It is frustrating that strange mistakes were made with the colors, but if you feel confident in making some paint corrections yourself, I would recommend adding this Gambit figure to your collection.
[ad_2]
Source link
