I read peoples’ Marvel legends wish lists virtually every day of my life, but one figure I can’t remember ever seeing requested in the last decade is an updated First Appearance/Classic Sabretooth figure. Even so, Classic Sabretooth is now shipping from the X-Men Bonebreaker Series, and collectors wanting to complete the Build-A-Figure will need to buy him. Does Hasbro one-up what Toybiz did way back in 2006? Here’s my review…

In recent years, Hasbro has been systematically going back and updating and improving older 6” Marvel Legends figures that Toybiz produced. Very rarely do I think Hasbro’s efforts fall short of that goalpost, but this is a rare instance where I think that they might.

It’s been over a decade and a half since the Toybiz Face-Off Sabretooth, and you would think if Hasbro felt the need to update a classic comic book Sabretooth Marvel Legends action figure, it would get all the latest innovations. It does not.

Instead, we get old-styled pinned knees and elbows plus the now-aging Grim Reaper body mold introduced back in 2015. At this point I would have preferred Hasbro waited to give us an update at truly modern standards of aesthetics and articulation, but there was a spot to fill in this wave and I guess this was a popular character that could be slotted in with minimal expenses.

I won’t complain that this isn’t a larger, bulkier Jim Lee-styled Sabretooth, because that’s not at all the intention here. This is more of an Iron Fist #14 1977-styled classic Victor Creed, when Sabretooth was more streamlined and less hulking.

My primary problem is that this just doesn’t look quite right to be a definitive early appearances Sabretooth, as Hasbro has given him fingerless gloves and toeless booties that cut off and show his uncovered digits and then claws. This feels strange to me and doesn’t match up with any significant appearances I can remember for Creed.

In that same vein, I don’t like the brown pupils in Sabretooth’s eyes at all. While I’m sure he’s depicted this way from time to time, it’s not common or memorable and certainly not something I think fans were wanting.

The head itself looks less neutral than Toybiz’s, but the head sculpt feels goofy-psychotic to me and rather ugly. I don’t really think I like it, though I appreciate the expressiveness.

As far as accessories go, Victor gets three Build-A-Figure chunks of the cyborg tank man Reaver, Bonebreaker. I am far from convinced that a Bonebreaker BAF will move the needle as far as incentives to anchor a Marvel Legends wave go, and I think some alternate pieces for Sabretooth himself would have much improved this release. Alternate fully-gloved hands would have made this figure look less odd, as would an additional portrait without pupils.

The articulation is exactly what we expect from figures on this mold. The super-articulation is there, but it’s nothing particularly outstanding to write home about:
Ball-Hinge Head and shoulders
Upper torso Ab crunch
Swivel-hinge wrists
Swivel Waist, Biceps and Thighs
Double-hinge pinned knees and elbows
Hinged feet with rockers

There’s no butterfly swivel shoulders, and the knees and elbows still have unsightly pins. The feet can’t angle upward much because of the fur on the legs, and I had some issues getting Sabretooth to balance and stand stably. The joints felt a little wobbly too, which is disappointing on $23-$25 action figures these days.

Overall: I may get some flak for my grade here, but to me this is just not quite at the average level of modern Marvel Legends figures. The head sculpt itself is ugly, the painted pupils and fingerless digits are uncommon/odd choices and the Grim Reaper body is becoming antiquated. This feels like a downgrade from the 16 year old Toybiz Sabretooth Legends figure, which is not what we ordinarily see from Hasbro. Overall, I think this is an unnecessary update with some awkward design choices that leaves me a bit cold.

GRADE: D+