Toy Biz Toy Review - Xoanon @ 20:42 PST
From: Anthony

I am reading alot of the reports concerning the new Toy Biz LOTR figures, and thought since I have bought a number of them I should throw in my 2 cents. In recent weeks I have purchased the LOTR figures and am quite pleased with how they have come out. I do though have a few little complaints on a few of the details or features of certain figures.

In my possession I have the Boromir vs Lurtz two figure set, Legolas,New Born Lurtz,Merry-Pippin-Moria Orc, set, Gandalf, Saruman, Frodo w/ "Ringwraith Reveal Base", Sam and Moria Base, and Arwen w/Asfaloth&Frodo.

All of these figures are much more articulate and detailed than the Toy Vault M-e toys. I am quite impressed on their detailing and from the photos thanks to theonering.net we have seen what I mean. Now here are my problems with them:

Gandalf: His staff is supposed to light up when his arm is raised, mine does not. I have to contact Toy Biz Cust. Serv on that. His arms DO stick out with out much poseability with the cloak on. Glamdring is quite plain and no sheathe for it. HIs hat is grey when its actually sky-blue.

Merry- supposed to have arm swinging battle action, mine does not work, perhaps lack of spring inside another I shall speak to Cust Serv on. and his feet are angled so I had to use a stand from the Toy Vault figures on him tto make him stand properly.

Those are my only issues with these toys. I think they all look great. A great feature with the Saruman figure is that he comes with a palantir and its stand, which the stand had these two nodes atop it which when the palantir is in between them it floats in the air from the magnets within. Saruman's hand has a metal disk in it to hold the palantir which makes it look like its sort of floating.

The Frodo figure comes with a small diorama which when he stands on it and is turned the trees turn around and are black as night and a Ringwraith appears in the pic behind him which was originally a forest.

Arwen is done really well it looks like Liv alot and her clothes are quite nice. Asfaloth when stood on his hinds you press a button on his rear and he gallops, rears his legs. A small Frodo sits atop it non poseable and Arwen can fit on the back of the horse behind Frodo to reproduce the scene from the trailer. Lurtz is awesome, with the White Hand upon his brow he looks menacing, he has a bow and quiver with arrows, the figure can hold the bow drawn and shoot an arrow, I have him pointed at Boromir, which comes with horn, sword and shield, and removable cloak. The sword I am not fond of at all it is similar to the hobbits swords and quite unattractive, so I took the sword from the Toy Vault Barrow Wight and gave it to Boromir, tho it looks like StormBringer from Elric.

Legolas is cool as well squeeze his legs together and he can either draw an arrow or slash with his elven blades.The detailing on his clothes is fantastic. So run out to your local T'R'US or comic shop and get your own!