#SDCC Toy Review - Marvel Studios: The First 10 Years Red Skull and Electronic Tesseract!

Friday, July 20 2018 10:26

#SDCC Toy Review - Marvel Studios: The First 10 Years Red Skull and Electronic Tesseract!

Written by James Zahn

Johann Schmidt. A brilliant scientist, but one that's been terribly misguided over the years, becoming obsessed with world domination and falling into a leadership position in the HYDRA-Abteilung division, a secret unit that specialized in artillery and harnessing the power of the Tesseract to create super weapons back in WWII. Of course, back then the Tesseract was known as the Cosmic Cube, and while pursuing its ultimate power, Schmidt injected himself with an early version of the Super Soldier Serum and was deformed, ultimately becoming RED SKULL. Now, straight from the screen and into toy collections, Hasbro is kicking-off it's all-new Marvel Studios: The First 10 Years Collection with Set #0 - the Marvel Legends Series Red Skull and Electronic Tesseract SDCC Exclusive, inspired by Captain America: The First Avenger! I received one for review, so let's take a look...

Marvel Legends Series Red Skull and Electronic Tesseract SDCC Exclusive Review

Made available for the first time at the 2018 installment of Comic-Con International (SDCC) in San Diego, this $60 set features an exclusive 6" Marvel Legends version of Red Skull, complete with a figure-scale Tesseract and a life-sized replica perfect for display or cosplay. The gatefold box is gorgeous, emblazoned with HYDRA-inspired artwork and information that points out the obsession with Captain America, Steve Rogers.

Marvel Legends Series Red Skull and Electronic Tesseract SDCC Exclusive Review

The version of Red Skull included here is a different sculpt than the one that will soon be hitting retail as part of the basic Marvel Legends series. Presented with his long coat and premium articulation, the possible poses are many - right down to the ability of framing the villain as he admires the Tesseract in his own hand. His face is both creepy and captivating, perfectly capturing the look of the character makeup in toy form.

Marvel Legends Series Red Skull and Electronic Tesseract SDCC Exclusive Review

From the "stuff I never thought I'd own" department comes the life-sized Tesseract, a nearly 4-inch cube that's so well-crafted, I was actually surprised at the quality of its design. Encased in clear plastic, the Tesseract can be removed and opened to reveal it's power source - a "seamless" design that hides electronics and 3 AAA batteries (not included) at its core. Alternating LED light patterns emit a compelling blue glow, easy to admire on your own quest for world domination.

Marvel Legends Series Red Skull and Electronic Tesseract SDCC Exclusive Review

I should point out that use of the Tesseract comes at your own risk. After all, it harnesses an Infinity Stone at its core, which means that Thanos will soon come looking for it. And if used improperly, you could find yourself like old Johann... one day you're on Earth looking much like Hugo Weaving, and then you end up transported somewhere into the cosmos, eventually becoming the Stonekeeper and looking a lot more like Ross Marquand.

This set is a must-have for diehard fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but if you missed picking it up in-person at SDCC, a limited quantity will be made available at HasbroToyShop.com (an affiliate of this site) beginning August 13, 2018 while supplies last!

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James Zahn

James Zahn is best-known as The Rock Father™, a media personality, commentator, adventurer and raconteur. In January, 2019, after nearly a decade as Publisher of The Rock Father Magazine, he joined Adventure Publishing Group as Senior Editor of The Toy Book—the leading trade publication for the toy industry since 1984, as well as The Pop Insider—a destination for all things pop culture. He is also editor of The Toy Report, a weekly newsletter published by The Toy Book each Thursday. Zahn has over 25 years of experience in the entertainment, retail and publishing industries.

He regularly serves as a Brand Ambassador and spokesperson for several Globally-recognized pop culture and lifestyle brands in addition to consulting for a number of toy manufacturers.

Creatively, James has directed/edited music videos, lyric videos, and album trailers for bands such as FEAR FACTORY, has appeared as an actor in feature films and commercials, written comic books, and performed in bands. He currently serves as an artist manager and video director for PRODUCT OF HATE, whose debut album was released by Napalm Records in 2016, distributed by ADA/Warner Music in the U.S. with Universal Music handling global. A new album has been completed and is set for release this year.

James and/or his work have been featured in/on CNN, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, WGN, G4, The Chicago Tribune, BusinessWire, Babble, Fangoria, Starlog and more. He's appeared as a music expert on CNN's AC360 alongside Anderson Cooper, and has been interviewed by Larry King. In the past he served as a writer for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family and PBS KIDS, penned articles for Sprout and PopSugar, and was a contributor to Chicago Parent.

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