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Recently, Marvel Minimates have had a shift in focus, leaning to either totally current, event-driven stuff (like AvX, Axis, Infinity, and of course all of the movies) or the ‘90s X-Men side of things.  Now, I enjoy ‘90s X-Men, but I like my Marvel comics a bit more 70s/80s.  Wave 68 was definitely a breath of fresh air, offering up a really great assortment of classic X-Men, but there was a lack of a solid classic Avengers wave.  The last comic-based Avengers wave was way back in early 2012, and even that only offered two new characters (and one of them possessing a marginal connection to the Avengers at best).  68 was great, and I wanted an Avengers series that rivaled that.  Enter Wave 69, officially dubbed “Most Wanted”.

The Packaging

Apparently, I didn’t get shots of these two in package.  For that, I direct you over to Minimate Database.  It’s just a variation of the standard boxes we’ve been getting from Marvel for a while.  Very similar to the GSXM packaging, but in gold instead of orange.  We get to see the new masthead design, which is emblazoned with the “Most Wanted” moniker.  Not too shabby.

The Figures

Black Knight

First up, it’s Black Knight, specifically Dane Whitman, the heroic incarnation of the character.  For me, this guy is hands down the star attraction of this series.  He’s based on his classic costume, which makes me very happy.  His other designs always felt like rather pale imitations of his original look. 

He’s got add-ons for his helmet, cape, glove cuffs, and boots.  The gloves and boots are re-used pieces; they’re just basic flared gloves and boots, which work well for the character.  His helmet and cape are both new.  The helmet is spot-on to his comics helmet, and sits very nicely on the head.  The cape is okay, but could be better; it seems to lack some of the dramatic flare usually seen on Dane’s cape, and it looks like something was lost during the transition from control art to final product. 

Rarely do I point out something that’s missing on a Minimate, but I was slightly disappointed that Dane just had a painted on belt, with no scabbard for his ebony blade.  It’s a fairly consistent feature of his design, so it’s a slightly odd omission.  That being said, it’s likely a cost thing, and if something was going to be cut, that was the easiest thing.  Black Knight’s paintwork is pretty standard fare for a ‘mate; the colors are all nice and bold, and most of the application good and clean.  I really like the subtle work on the scale mail.  I also quite like the face; it’s intense expression is a good match for Dane’s look on the cover of his first appearance, and it’s always great to get some variety in expressions. 

Black Knight is packed with his Ebony Blade (which is the same sword included with the animated Taskmaster ‘mate from a little while back.  It’s a good enough fit for the character), a spare hairpiece for his un-helmeted look, and a clear display stand. 

Black Knight’s been pretty high on my Minimates wishlist for a good long while, and I’m beyond psyched to finally have him.  He certainly didn’t disappoint.

MMC Score – 9 out of 10

Enchantress

The Enchantress is a pretty prominent member of the Thor’s supporting cast, as well as a founding member of the Masters of Evil, and an all-around pretty cool character.  It’s about time she was given her due! 

Like Black Knight, she uses the standard ‘mate body, this time with add-ons for the hair and skirt.  The skirt looks to be a standard piece, but the hair is new.  It’s a decent enough sculpt, though it does feel a tad lifeless when compared to some of the other hairpieces in this set.  Still, it looks like Enchantress and that’s really the point. 

Enchantress’s paintwork is actually quite impressive.  All the details are very sharp, and there’s a lot of really cool small detail work, especially on the arms and legs.  The face does a really nice job of capturing that alluring, yet still devious look that she’s prone to sport in the comics, and really sells just who this ‘mate’s supposed to be. 

Enchantress includes two green effects pieces and a clear display stand.  Not a ton of stuff, but I’m not sure what else you could give her (apart from a Skurge to keep her company).

While she may not have quite the same coolness factor as Dane, Enchantress is no slouch either.  She’s an essential character, and DST did a great job translating her into ‘mate form!

MMC Score – 8 out of 10

Agree? Disagree? Why not vote for yourself below, or comment further over at the Minimate Multiverse MMC Review Forum.

As of this writing, this set is in stock at Luke’s Toy Store here.

Review and pictures by Glantern.

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