10" Bootleg Figures

As with the 6" bootleg figure shown previously (see the 6" Bootleg Page or Even More Bootleg X-Men Figures for more info) , these are not officially licensed Toy Biz products. Instead these are bootleg figures designed to capitalize on the popularity of the X-Men line by using the look, style and trademarks of Marvel's X-men characters. I do not endorse, nor am I affiliated with any manufacturer of bootleg figures.

Also, I need to stress that I do not have any of these figures for sale. These are merely part of my personal collection that I am presenting here for the edification of X-Men figure fans.

Here is the 10" version of Cyclops. It is really a hybrid of the original release 5" version (with total skullcap) and the later release (with hair showing) of the Cyclops figure. Unfortunately, the picture is not able to show the half skullcap that covers the back of the figure's head. Very odd looking. The costume details look improvised for the most part. The face sculpting is very close to the sculpting found on the official 10" release of the Toy Biz Cyclops figure.

The articulation is very funky. Should and hip articulation are fairly normal, but the elbow joints are unlike anything I've ever seen. Instead of the standard elbow joint, there are rotator-like joints similar to those found mid-bicep on Playmates Star Trek figures. This type of joint allows movement in a circle. Not very functional, to say the least.

The plastic has a cheap look and feel to it. The figure is hollow for the most part. My overall impression of this figure is that it is a nice try, but doesn't compete with the 6" forgeries. Detailing is sparse or missing. The little things really drag this figure down. I can only assume that it was made by the same manufacturer as the X-Team 6" figures since the name and "style" are preserved here.

This is a version of Gambit. Again, the face sculpting is the best part of this figure. The articulation is identical to that of the 10" Cyclops figure. The plastic is similarly cheap as well, but it seems to look better in these colors.

Gambit's trademark overcoat is replaced by a cheap black vinyl cape. It's barely attached to the figure and looks weird. In addition, the figure's hands are filled with something that I can only assume is intended to be Gambit's energy power or his cards. It looks more like he is prepared to sling mud balls, but I don't think that's a good enough mutant power to get you accepted....even on the X-Team.

The boxes of both figures are identical. Notice the blatant rip-off of Toy Biz's new generic X-Men (Wolverine) logo at the bottom of the box. This picture of Wolverine has appeared on the vast majority of regular X-Men series since the re-release of the Phoenix Saga figures in 1995. Two of the other pictures on the box front come from Jim Lee's cover of the variant X-Men #1 comics released in 1991 (as opposed to the Uncanny X-Men comic title).

Various other snips of X-Men art appear on the sides of the box and the back (see below).

Overall, the 10" line of bootlegs pales in comparison to its smaller scale bootleg bretheren (well, the first series anyway). However, I still consider these to be interesting piece if for nothing more than the sheer audacity to rip off these figures in such a blatant and undisguised manner.

If anyone knows of other bootleg figures in this series or other series of bootleg X-men figures, please e-mail me ([email protected]).