Toy Review – Hot Toys “Deadpool & Wolverine” Blade Sixth Scale Figure

We may be two full years out since the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, but there are still some new Hot Toys figures shipping for the film. The latest character from the movie to join the sixth scale collection is in the form of none other than the Daywalker himself, Blade, available via Sideshow Collectibles.

While Deadpool & Wolverine had several surprise actor and character appearances, I'd argue none were as genuinely thrilling and unexpected than the sight of Wesley Snipes walking onto the screen as Blade again. After all, unlike nearly all the other characters who popped up in the Void in that movie, Blade wasn't a based on a version of a Marvel character from a previous 20th Century Fox film - he was from a series of New Line/Warner Bros. movies that began even before the first X-Men movie debuted. And on top of that, the offscreen relationship between Snipes and his costars on the final Blade movie, 2004's Blade: Trinity, wasn't said to be very good, to say the least... and one of those costars was freaking Ryan Reynolds, who'd played Hannibal King in that film. So them ever reuniting felt highly unlikely.

But Reynolds knows the power of a crowd-pleasing moment and both actors were clearly willing to wipe the slate clean, and thus Snipes got his proper respect by reprising his iconic role as the first-ever successful movie version of a Marvel character (sorry, Howard the Duck). And we got that very funny and meta "I don't like you" / "You never did" exchange between Blade and Deadpool, for those of us in the know.

And now... we get a new Blade Hot Toys figure! No, this is actually not the first Blade Hot Toys figure, because there was one based upon Blade II way back in 2009. But as expensive as Hot Toys figures always are, that sucker can cost at least twice has much, if not more, to hunt down now. So yeah, while this is based on the older Blade from Deadpool & Wolverine, not the "classic" Blade, both the actual modern day Snipes and his Hot Toys counterpart still look really good.

This is in fact a terrific-looking figure, boasting an excellent likeness of Wesley Snipes. Though I expect most fans -- myself included -- will mostly pose Blade with his trademark sunglasses on, without the glasses, you can really see how much this looks like Snipes and how lifelike in general it is.

The outfit is great, boasting lots of impressive details amongst its pieces of leather and plastic armor. A benefit of Hot Toys is seeing much more specifics on a costume than you might spot onscreen, such as all the red highlights on the armor, evoking the red touches that Blade had in the second and third Blade movies.

And Hot Toys did an especially good job with the weathering and scuffing on his body armor, making it look believably beat up, versus overly pristine.

The accessories are also excellent, including a pistol and clean and bloodstained versions of both his throwing glaive and what Hot Toys and Sideshow call a "dagger," but looks more like a machete to me.

I got the exclusive "First Edition" version of Blade on Sideshow, which also has a notable additional weapon in the form of Blade's sword. As in, the sword he used in the New Line trilogy and was notably (and frustratingly) lacking in Deadpool & Wolverine. The dagger/machete just didn't look as right as the sword does in Blade's hands, and Hot Toys gets bonus points for including the alternate hilt with the spikes that pop out when someone tries to use Blade's sword without his okay.

On top of that, Blade comes with the bazooka he memorably used in Deadpool & Wolverine, alongside his possibly prophetic line "There's only been one Blade. There's only ever gonna be one Blade."

And that bazooka has some really fun rocket and firing effect/smoke accessories, in the manner that Hasbro has been doing with their G.I. Joe figures and vehicles of late. It is worth noting that it took me a bit to get all of these accessories, sunglasses included, on him properly without knocking something off in the process. Patience can be a virtue when it comes to Hot Toys posses.

My only real complaints about the Deadpool & Wolverine Blade is that the magnet "holster" used to keep his gun on him, as well as the sheath for the dagger (meant to go on his back), can be quite easily knocked off when moving the figure.

The base he comes with has some fun touches, in the form of Toad's goggles and his, well, chopped off tongue, that can be included among the debris at Blade's feet...

...I just wish Blade had his trench coat! And yes, it's true he didn't have it in the movie either, but that was also annoying, even beyond him not having his sword. Look, I think we're all glad to get Snipes as Blade back at all, but at the same time... his trench coat completes the look! This very week at Comic-Con, Sideshow and Hot Toys debuted the Cyclops figure for Avengers: Doomsday, which comes with an additional jacket that is described as inspired by the comic (and thus probably not worn in the movie), so it was doable! Alas, it was not meant to be though, so I may need to hunt down a custom coat for him online...

In the meantime though, trench coat or not, Blade is a wonderful Hot Toys figure and a truly awesome addition to the Deadpool & Wolverine line. Originally, Hot Toys teased all of the Resistance members from that movie would get figures, but while we did get X-23, Gambit and Elektra have yet to be announced... Well, a Deadpool & Wolverine-specific version of Gambit that is, since Gambit is getting one of those Doomsday figures too. Fingers crossed Elektra doesn't get left out as the only Resistance members to remain Hot Toyless, because she doesn't deserve that, dang it!

The Deadpool & Wolverine Blade Sixth Scale Figure by Hot Toys is $290.00 on Sideshow for both the First Edition and regular Collector Edition. It's currently a Waitlist item, though as I've noted previously, the odds are fairly decent you could get one if you join the Waitlist, based on my prior experience.