Premium Collectibles : Mysterio

Well, you know the saying..."it was worth the wait?" That definitely applies to this excellently made statue! Simply put, this is the only Mysterio I could ever want or need! Period!

I remember when I first saw this concept...it immediately grabbed me...that's when you know you really like something very much. The concept for Mysterio is pretty darn awesome...and the smoke effects are done very, very well. The lower the lighting..the better the effect...not that it doesn't look great in regular light, it does, but I can really see all kinds of cool lighting extras one can buy for cheap to go with the statue and give that smoke effect that theatrical oomph to it at night. After all, Mysterio is all about effects.

Mysterio comes in the same size box as Magneto, and don't be fooled by the small footprint, Mysterio is a pretty heavy statue, and thank goodness too because when I was putting the statue together I put a little bit of pressure trying to get the cape on, and while doing that, I heard creaks and cracks...similar to how a new house expands with creaks and what not. I know for certain, if this was a SS statue, it would have been a break, easy! But the smoke effects and base is very sturdy, as is everything else.

One thing I really wanted to point out was how tight and succinct this statue is. There is nothing that is obtrusive or oblong, or anything that invades other statues place, and it is quite a remarkable tight package. The footprint is very small in fact, and I see no problem with this fitting in anyone's collection.

The paint app on this is as usual another XM masterpiece. The paint lines are clean, never overlapping, even with something as fine and detailed as the bronze / gold like lines on the gloves and boots. I don't know how on earth these painters don't have the gold or green touching each other. It is a testament to the excellence and CARE that one gets with each XM product! The colors on Mysterio really pop, and it is the perfect contrast to the smoke effect. The colors of the smoke is actually very well done. In fact, it has an opaquish / translucenty type effect, and I have noticed in lighter conditions, it has a purply, pinkish, grayish hue. But in lower lighting conditions, it comes across as gray and white. It really plays tricks on the eyes, and quite honestly, that is a perfect effect, because as everyone knows Mysterio is a master of hypnotism and lighting and effects that can cause delusion, and other mental impairing type effects. The paint couldn't be more perfect on it!

The cape is also very well painted. Some feel that the cape is too dull and plain, and if by dull and plain they are referring to lack of texture...then I can understand that. But if one is talking about dull paint, then that is where I completely differ. I would have liked to see a texture (patterns) on the cape itself, but in all honesty, the flat look of the cape is a great contrast to the body, and it in no way conflicts or pulls your eye away from him. The paints are anything but flat, I can assure you. There are lots of magentas, purples, pinks swirled in the cape, and it is done very well. Nothing flat in that regard. The way the cape is sculpted I think is quite awesome. The way the cape billows inward is cool, and it was made in such a way so that the cape actually rests on a padded part of the smoke base to give the statue extra support. No statue is perfect, and with Mysterio, it continues. Lack of texture / patterns keeps it very simple in that regard, but the paint up itself is done very well. It is a very rich tapestry of purples, pinks, and magentas.

Lastly, the statue comes with three heads. Two domes...one with a visible skull, and an extremely well done portrait. In fact, next to Black Panther and maybe Vulture, I think it is the best male portrait I have yet to see from XM. I enjoyed Magneto as well, but this is really immaculate and I really like it because of the texture. It has a little more gruffness to it, and I also enjoy that his face looks distinguished from other comic characters. He really stands out. I am happy to report that the dome with the skull head turned out quite nice. It is the heaviest of the three, and it has this really cool white wispy smoke effect in the dome. However, Mysterio will always be best to me with the regular dome. It best fits his name...and is very mysterious when trying to see who or what is behind the dome so to speak. Overall, I couldn't be happier with how all three heads came out. Oh, and one other thing, the skull head is pretty cool because with it displayed, he turns his head to the left and thus gives the statue a slightly different pose / feel to it.

Mysterio is quite honestly one of those statues that even if you are a remote fan, he can be highly appreciated and look great on display. He doesn't take up a lot of space, has one of the better concepts for a statue I have seen, the smoke effect masks the foot plugging into the base so he appears to be floating, the paints are top notch as usual, and the heads are great...all three. BTW, this is also one of the better art prints yet to come with an XM statue. I highly, highly, highly recommend this statue, and unless one just doesn't like the character, it is a MUST BUY! One of the very best from XM!!

Concept / Pose = 10
Sculpt = 9 (loses a point for lack of texture on cape)
Paints / QC = 10
Extras = 9 / 10 (3 heads all great + Excellent art print)
Packaging = 10

Overall = 9.6 /10 One of the best yet from XM!! A tight, succint, well executed statue!