POP! Marvel: Thanos (Infinity War)

Well, in just a few more days Avengers: Infinity War will finally be upon us. This is the big event that the MCU has been building to over the last 10 years, ever since the release of Iron Man in 2008. Stuff is going to go the h*ck down.

Or will it? The MCU has been surprisingly conservative when it comes to stuff like character deaths, and after almost twenty films the overall feel is akin to a soap opera – big events happen, but their overall consequences feel minimal. Still, I’ve enjoyed the ride and I’m sure it will be another solid entry into the franchise.

Naturally the merchandise train has long since left the station and crashed into your local toy store – which brings us to today’s review, Thanos!

Now, I gave up on collecting MCU POPs some time ago, because I didn’t feel the desire to update a bunch of core characters every time a new film came out. Still, I like Thanos as a character and I felt this POP had a look heavily distinct from the POP he got back in 2015.  

It’s a pretty decent figure; I liked the helmeted, ceremonial look of Thanos back in Guardians of the Galaxy, but this is a fresh take. This time he’s also wearing the Infinity Gauntlet itself, with all of the Infinity Gems in place. Paint is pretty solid, and while it’s not as big as the previous POP I think it’s a lot more effective at conveying personality. There’s no chase, but there is a chrome version which appears to be some kind of convention exclusive. Personally, I’d like a glow version, but only time will tell whether we get one.

Super fans can also opt for the 10'' version, which is the same sculpt but substantially larger. Additionally, there's a new 6'' POP with Thanos sitting on his throne on its way too. Last but not least, there's a Wal-Mart* exclusive, which uses the same base body but has a different head and left arm. He’s also got some kind of glittery energy field emerging from the glove. I like the new face and the overall concept, but it doesn’t quite do it for me.

Y’know, it wouldn’t surprise me if we don’t actually see very much of Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. Yeah, he’s got a bunch of toys on the shelves – but the Infinity Stones haven’t been assembled yet and there’s still another Avengers film to come in 2019. Not to mention that the merchandising suggests there are going to be a bunch of new characters introduced into a film that’s already pretty stuffed with existing characters.

Nonetheless, Thanos has taken a huge leap in popularity in recent years, thanks to his inclusion in the MCU. Infinity War is likely to boost that popularity even further, and I suspect this POP will be a strong seller.

*JB Hi-Fi exclusive in Australia – presumably New Zealand too