Review of the Disney Store Exclusive Marvel Select Winter Soldier figure!

Character Bio:

Partnered with U.S. super soldier Captain America during World War II, young soldier James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes was believed to be killed on the same mission that plunged Captain America beneath the ice for half a century. Like Cap, Bucky was also found frozen but much sooner, and by the other side. Thawed out, given a cybernetic arm, and brainwashed to become an operative of the Soviet Union, Bucky became the Winter Soldier, and was kept in cryogenic storage whenever his Soviet masters didn't need him. Over the years, his existence (and possible identity) became known to SHIELD, and when Captain America was freed from the ice, Bucky's old partner made it his mission to similarly free his friend. With his memories restored, Bucky left his old masters, and even served as Captain America for a time, before faking his own death and returning to a life in the shadows as a SHIELD agent.

Scale: 7"
Price: $24.99 at disneystore.com and marvelstore.com


Sculpt and Paint:

This figure is an absolute masterpiece. It pretty much came out of nowhere, being announced maybe 2 weeks or so before it was released, and I was ecstatic. I love Winter Soldier. I have read every Winter Soldier comic, and I just love the character. I missed out on the Marvel Legends 2-Pack Winter Soldier because the Toys R Us in my area sucks at stocking Marvel Legends. So when they announced this figure I was on the lookout every day since the announcement and the day of his release, I snagged one, a week later he arrived, and I was once again, estatic.  Nervous about stuck or loose joints (Happily none!), and just so happy to finally have a Winter Soldier figure. Anyway, let's get into it.

This particular figure is based off the artwork of Lee Bermejo from the cover's of Winter Soldier's 2012-2013 series, and that is a huge plus for me as I love Bermejo's artwork, and I loved all of his Winter Soldier covers. The sculpt is dead on when compared to the Character Bio image which is actually the cover to the second issue. Jean St. Jean sculpted this figure, and he knocked it out of the park, the detail is ridiculous, all of the wrinkles in his pants, the straps and buckles and pouches on his torso, his boots, gloves, and that cybernetic arm, all perfection. The head sculpt is also dead on, a lot of people think he has a huge chin, and it is big, but not atrocious at all to me. I mean this sculpt is just gorgeous, but I'll let the pictures do the talking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The paint work is also fantastic. Mine had no slop, no missing paint apps, but if you actually get lucky and can find him in your Disney Store, definitely (like every figure) check the face. Other than that, I don't know, I suppose you could check everything given the type of box he comes in, but mine had no paint issues....God I love this figure...

Articulation and Accessories:

In terms of articulation,  the Winter Soldier comes packing. He has a ball jointed head that is slightly limited, it goes down fairly well, tilts side to side, rotates, but doesn't look up, which isn't a deal breaker, if you rotate the head It can look up a bit, but it doesn't bother me too much. He has a swivel-hinge shoulder, swivel bicep, hinge elbow, swivel wrists, ball jointed upper torso that is slightly limited in terms of leaning forward and back, but again, not TOO bad. He has a swivel waist, H-style hip joints which go out to the side well but forward they can't do a high kick, and they don't go back. He has a swivel above the knee, double-hinge knees, swivels at the boot, hinge at the ankle and an ankle pivot. So there is a lot of articulation,  some limited, but not too bad, I can still get pretty good poses with him but that is something to take into consideration if articulation makes or breaks a figure for you.

Now, accessories. Winter Soldier comes with a gigantic sniper rifle, seriously it's freaking huge, a pistol that fits perfectly into his holster, and a sub machine gun (I think?) that is attatched to a pliable strap. The sniper rifle has a huge scope and can go in either hand but fits best in the left (that goes for all of the guns). All of the guns are sculpted really damn well and have great paint apps, especially the pistol which has a great weathered look to it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lastly, the Winter Soldier comes with a really sick base! It has a really badass sculpt with a giant cracked window and bullet holes over the wall. The floor has 2 pegs for his feet and a sculpted on thermos, cup, some canister and a rag, and a moveable crate from Russia.

 



 
 OVERALL:
So, as I said I love Winter Soldier, so this figure was a no brainer for me, but for everyone else? I honestly would recommend it, he has a great amount of articulation and even with limitations  he can get some good poses, he has a ton of accessories, an amazing base, and looks stunning. I cannot  recommend him enough, and he is definitely my definitive Winter Soldier figure.
9.5 OUT OF 10!!!!!!!!