Marvel Legends: Yondu

Today's toy topic has to do with Yondu from Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. There was a time when the name Yondu wouldn't have resonated with many people outside die hard comic fans, then Michael Rooker brought the character to life on the silver screen as part of Marvel's Cinematic Universe in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie. We aren't talking about that version of Yondu however, we're talking about the "original" Earth-691 version that first debuted in Marvel Super-Heroes #18 (1969).

Hasbro's Marvel Legends series has a strong name recognition in the hobby and has produced some of the best comic action figures to date. Predominately a 6 inch scale line, Hasbro has toyed with the 3.75" scale on occasion whether it be with movie lines or with the defunct Marvel Universe line. Hasbro would even go on to slip the Marvel Legends banner to a few waves of 3.75" figures which today's subject matter hails from.

My introduction to comics came via two new Marvel titles in 1990 - The New Warriors and Guardians of the Galaxy...which I had no idea at the time had a connection to one another. It was easy to jump aboard both team titles since they were just launching with their first issues. While I was familiar with at least one character from the New Warriors team, I had no idea who these Guardians of the Galaxy were, but I was intrigued. Jim Valentino both wrote and drew the Guardians when they made their 1990's return and I was immediately hooked by the characters and the stories being told.

One of those characters that I was really intrigued by was Yondu. Maybe it was his blue skin color, or the large red fin on his head or perhaps that he yielded a bow & arrow. Whatever the reason I thought he was a cool character. Fast forward to the modern toy scene and a part of me wondered if we'd ever get an action figure of Yondu. Only one other Guardians member (of this team at least) had received a figure (Vance Astro) so I figured the chances of assembling a team of Guardian figures would be nill. The Hasbro surprised us by including Yondu in their short lived 3.75" Legends line.

Yondu's costume is a faithful reproduction of his comic duds, complete with the Guardians star badge on the left side of his chest. He comes with a belt, his bow, quiver w/ strap and one loose arrow. These are molded in a soft gold/yellow plastic.

Articulation wise the figure is fairly loaded - head, shoulder, elbow, wrist, waist, double jointed knees and ankles. I'm not the best when it comes to pulling off stellar action poses, but Yondu is certainly capable of sporting those dynamic poses.

Yondu is one of the only 3.75" Marvel figures that I still have hanging around in my collection. I would have loved to have gotten a complete set of Guardians - just thinking about what Charlie-27, Martinex, Nikki, Starhawk/Aleta) all would have looked like in figure form is something that I still ponder from time to time. So while it's a shame that we only got Yondu in this scale, I'll take 'em because it's a well sculpted figure of a great cosmic Marvel character.