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Standard Marvel packaging. A cardboard carton with windows through which the figures can be seen. In a marked departure from previous waves the large Minimate Spider-Man graphic is missing from the ‘J’ hook area of the box and the Wolverine logo sits proud above the window section. Other than that it’s business as usual. Each character has it’s own side flap and the rear of the box features a picture of all the characters in the wave and bio boxes for the figures within.

It’s been a long time coming for fans of mutant master-thief Remy Lebeau. But is he worth the wait?

The first thing that strikes me about this Minimate is the hair. It’s absolutely berserk! Someone’s had a whale of a time designing that hair piece. It goes off in all sorts of directions and adds a lot of attitude to the ‘mate. The face though is a bit of a disappointment. There’s far too much black around the eyes, the pupils are barely visible there’s also a hunk of hair hanging over the right eye which only serves to further obscure it. At this scale eyes need to be clear and expressive, almost exaggerated but here they’re just black smudges. Gambit’s been given a very neutral expression for his mouth too. All in all the face of this ‘mate is really quite unsatisfying. 

Thankfully the rest of the ‘mate is a much happier story. Gambit’s signature trenchcoat is present and correct as is the rest of his rather distinctive wardrobe. Seriously, what sort of master thief prances about in pink and metallic purple? Hardly stealthy is it? The trenchcoat and armour plate that sits below Gambits neck are all one piece. I did try to remove it for some photos but it was a tad reluctant to come off and I didn’t want to wreck the ‘mate. There’s some impressive musculature on Gambit’s midriff and a nice bit of silver detailing at the waist gives a touch of contrast between the pink torso and black legs. 

Gambit’s boots are a new piece and look great. Rather than simply painting the legs and feet, or sticking on some clunky boots DST have opted to cast new feet with additional boot fronts that sit up the front of the leg. This look is so much better than separate boots as it allows the lines of the figure to flow. Gambit’s wearing his trademark finger-less gloves, again not the ideal thieving accessory but it’s part of his look. 

For accessories, DST have included two alternative hands with this figure. One hand holds a single powered-up playing card. The other depicts a trio of powered-up cards in mid flight. Both are excellent pieces. The single card in particular really sets the figure off. Gambit also comes with his staff, which is the same staff that can be found with C3 Robin and DC Deathstroke. It’s a sensible re-use though. 

In conclusion, should have been better. The body is good but the face just irks me, there’s definitely something off about it.

MMC Score – 6 out of 10

Psylocke is another fan favorite character. The contemporary version of Betsy Braddock (sister to Brian ‘Captain Britain’ Braddock) finally emerges in all her mini-glory. 

While I love how the hair looks on this ‘mate I have to admit to being disappointed at how much it interferes with the head movement. The piece of hair that drapes over the left shoulder effectively kills off any articulation. You can turn Psylocke’s head to the right. Er… That’s it. Still it is a great looking piece, especially the color of it and it does frame the face nicely. The face itself is excellent. There’s a definite Asian cast to the features, one that doesn’t rely on skin tone alone. It’s well executed and makes for a nice looking female Minimate. 

For me the costume is pretty much perfect. But seeing as Psylocke’s costume is a simple leotard with a few straps here and there it would have been difficult to mess up. The color of it is spot on, the chest and muscle definition is maybe a touch too heavy and someone’s paid waaaaaay too much attention to the boobies [This is impossible, you can’t pay too much attention to boobies! – Ed]! I’ve a feeling that the sash around Psylocke’s waist is a new piece. At first I thought it was a re-use of the similar piece that can be found on Phoenix but it’s worn on the opposite hip and on close examination appears more detailed, so I’m going to go out on a limb and claim it as a new piece. Then wait to get shot down in flames! 

Psylocke has two accessories. First is a Katana blade that’s a re-use of the sword packed with Blade. The handle of the sword is an absolute claw killer and I don’t advise you to display your figure holding this blade. Thankfully DST have also included Psylocke’s psychic knife, an energy weapon that manifests around her hands. It attaches over the hand post, sits between hand and wrist, and looks fantastic. This tiny accessory absolutely completes this great looking figure. 

In conclusion, this Minimate is almost perfect.

MMC Score – 9 out of 10

Review and pictures by Rad Kerrigan

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