Toys Battalion "Mars Guardian" (ZSJL Martian Manhunter)

[jal76]

The illuminated eyes feature for mine doesn’t work, which means I can probably return him to Giantoy. It’s still Chinese New Years so it’ll wait until after the holiday ends today or tomorrow for Giantoy to respond. But they’ll probably give me the option to return it. I’d probably be fool not to ship him back out and just get a refund. But even despite all the negative things about the figure I like him overall posed at certain angles. What to do…

Definitely refund! It’s a sign!
It’s not just about whether you can live with it for what you paid…the figure is so bad that it actually brings down the rest of the figures on the shelf next to it…they should have to pay you to keep it!

 

[Alatar]

Definitely refund! It’s a sign!
It’s not just about whether you can live with it for what you paid…the figure is so bad that it actually brings down the rest of the figures on the shelf next to it…they should have to pay you to keep it!

Lol, yeah I likely will. It’s mainly the hideous arm joints and very thick lower head sculpt joinery that are so bad for this figure. The rest of it I can live with, and I even kind of like the head sculpt likeness itself. Unlit eyes are doll-like and relatively lifeless however.

But again, my Asmus hobbits—especially Merry—are also subpar in the head sculpt department, and I still enjoy them as part of the entire fellowship of the Ring ensemble I’ve collected. It’s like there’s things I can overlook and forgive in order to have a total effect. And really and truly, to my eye this figure looks fine for the most part in that flight pose on the shelf with the superior figures. But it is a chance to instead spend my hard earned money on something much better quality. So I’ll probably return, and take the money and run.

 

[Turtle882]

My quick thoughts:. He's not a horrible figure. But he's not great or good. Very meh. The costume feels pretty much like MoS Superman. It's fine. The cape. At first I thought it sucked, but now I think it has the possibility to drape will. The boots. The upper part is fine, and it's separated from the foot to allow for articulation. Except this foot is specifically designed here, and it really limits movement to not much more than a swivel joint. The body is not beefy enough, and the paint job isn't great. His neck is too long, and those EYES! Horribly creepy. But also ... I had fun fwooshing and swooshing this guy around for a minute, so there's that too.

 

[Alatar]

My quick thoughts:. He's not a horrible figure. But he's not great or good. Very meh. The costume feels pretty much like MoS Superman. It's fine. There cape. At first I thought sucked, but not I think had the possibility to drape will. The boots. The upper part is fine, and it's separated from the foot to allow for articulation. Except this foot is specifically designed here, and it really limits movement to not much more than a swivel joint. The body is not beefy enough, and they paint job isn't great. His neck is too long, and those EYES! Horribly creepy. But also ... I had fun fwooshing and swooshing this guy around for a minute, so there's that too.

Yeah, I’m torn on it, lol! Because I can pose him in a way—and I like him in flight the best—that it minimizes the crude elbow joinery plus getting the best angle on his face. To my eye he actually looks pretty good when carefully posed. I definitely want Martian Manhunter represented on my shelf! I just hope Soosoo will eventually make a version of him as well. Because he deserves better than this.

 

[Alatar]

@Turtle882 Did you get the illuminated eyes feature to work?

 

[LIBBY1957DOG]

haven't heard back from giantoys for a week or two so dropped them a line

not sure whats going on as i thought the holidays ended a few days ago ,

anyway im not too hopeful after receiving this reply ,might be worth you returning it sooner rather than later if that's your decision

Amelia King (GIANTOY)

Feb 11, 2022, 14:46 GMT+8

Hello Chris,
Thanks a lot for contacting us. After the supplier is back from the Spring Festival Holiday (Chinese New Year), we'll make a request and ask for a replacement of the head sculpt for you.
They will be back in the next month. We'll provide you with a solution in 1-2 weeks.

Thank you for your patience while waiting for our reply.

she seems nice

 

[Turtle882]

@Turtle882 Did you get the illuminated eyes feature to work?

No luck there. I guess I need to find some batteries. Not sure what size is needed yet.

 

[actionfiguremovies]

Did an upgrade to my current Martian Manhunter.
IMG_20220213_114256595 by A.F.M. Productions, on Flickr

IMG_20220213_114311234 by A.F.M. Productions, on Flickr

 

[Alatar]

This makes me think that if I do hold onto my Martian Manhunter I can actually repaint his eyes to try to recreate the glowing red. That's probably more practical for the every day display than occasionally using a battery and lamp inside the head.

 

[Futurion]

TNS still did not send the figure and failed to respond to my messages so I got fully refunded. Well, maybe it's for the best.

 

[guites9]

It's far from a perfect figure, but i'm content with how it came out. It's not the worst figure that i've invested in. I suppose that it will do for now.

 

[jal76]

It's far from a perfect figure, but i'm content with how it came out. It's not the worst figure that i've invested in. I suppose that it will do for now.

View attachment 562874

Wait…which one was worse?

 

[guites9]

Wait…which one was worse?

I didn't have high expectations for this one. For me it was The War Story Orc Assassin

 

[user 64404]

maybe replace his body with a Predator body would work to make him more muscular

 

[LIBBY1957DOG]

jasons light up eyes dont work either so im guessing they are all knackered from the factory

 

[Alatar]

Haha, Justin’s video convinced me to hold onto this figure. He’s right that it’s unlikely that any other company is going to make another version of him (I think Soosoo is our only hope there.) If you want a ZSJL Martian Manhunter this is what we have. There’s enough here to be satisfied with.

I do like the idea of using him as a base from which to mod the figure into something much more pleasing overall. And as I‘ve mentioned, when posed in flight… for me anyway… I found a particular angle where the elbow joints are mostly concealed and the long neck and thick back of the head sculpt are hidden. And he actually looks very cool. So Ima keep mine. But down the road I want to soup him up and trick him out like making a Honda Civic into a hot rod, lol.

 

[The Buffinator]

Yikes! That's the worst neck seam I've seen in quite some time. The neck definitely should have been part of a one-piece sculpt (neck + head), but they must have needed to use an existing body to keep their costs down. If the figure had hair they might have gotten away with it, but in this case it looks horrible. The exposed elbow joints aren't helping either. His costume didn't have sleeves in ZSJL?

 

[Alatar]

Yikes! That's the worst neck seam I've seen in quite some time. The neck definitely should have been part of a one-piece sculpt (neck + head), but they must have needed to use an existing body to keep their costs down. If the figure had hair they might have gotten away with it, but in this case it looks horrible. The exposed elbow joints aren't helping either. His costume didn't have sleeves in ZSJL?

Nope. In this sort of pose the rear neck joinery and elbows are hidden though.

 

[LIBBY1957DOG]

so as its looking like all the light up features are defective ,and no replacements are forthcoming at the moment i guess it will be return or a partial credit or refund ,

so i removed the light up part and used a bit of metallic red chocolate bar wrapper , and he now has shiny eyes and the neck sits better to my eye anyway
your mileage may vary

 

[Alatar]

so as its looking like all the light up features are defective ,and no replacements are forthcoming at the moment i guess it will be return or a partial credit or refund ,

so i removed the light up part and used a bit of metallic red chocolate bar wrapper , and he now has shiny eyes and the neck sits better to my eye anyway
your mileage may vary


View attachment 563402View attachment 563403View attachment 563404View attachment 563405

Hmm! I’d say yeah, now we’re talking! Tbh the light up feature isn’t very practical anyway. I mean, for the occasional photo, sure. But not for everyday display on the shelf.