LEGO 71031 Marvel Studios Collectible Minifigures review

The first LEGO Marvel Collectible Minifigures series has arrived in 71031 Marvel Studios, but can this collection of superhero characters live up to the reputation of their respective cinematic universe?

71031 Marvel Studios is a landmark moment for many fans of the franchise and the LEGO Group, as the company’s detailed minifigures embrace this half of its superhero themes for the first time.

With expectations in place and a total of 12 characters exploring the latest streaming series from the MCU, sit tight as we review the full range of LEGO Marvel Collectible Minifigures – but be warned that spoilers are present for WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki and What If…?

— Set details —

Theme: Collectible Minifigures Set name: 71031 Marvel Studios Release: September 1, 2021

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Price: £3.49 / $4.99 / €3.99 Pieces: Variable Minifigures: 1 per pack, 12 to collect

LEGO: Available now

— Characters —

The long-awaited 71031 Marvel Studios is here, with characters ranging from the recognisable Scarlet Witch to alternate versions of beloved superheroes like Captain Carter. The LEGO Collectible Minifigures are well-known for their attention to detail so the prospect of a huge brand such as Marvel being given that same attention, especially after a similar franchise received the same treatment with 71026 DC Super Heroes, is exciting to say the least.

We’ve come to expect a variety of new prints and pieces from the many Collectible Minifigures that have formed the theme over the past 11 years, but with 12 new and old Marvel superheroes to build, how do the characters of 71031 Marvel Studios fare compared to other blind-bagged series?

The Scarlet Witch

Hailing from WandaVision, Wanda Maximoff embraced her fate as the eponymous magical figure in the finale of the streaming series, donning a new costume made from her own magic that brought her MCU appearance closer to her outfit in the comics – red headpiece included.

The minifigure that debuts in 71031 Marvel Studios embodies that outfit in what is likely to be the most desired LEGO version of the character to date. The detail that is present in this character stretches from dual-moulded arms to a new hair brick and surpasses any previous minifigure of The Scarlet Witch.

An additional face is also included, depicting the glowing red eyes that Wanda takes on when controlling her powerful magic. That arcana is also depicted by an additional pair of transparent red accessories. However, The Scarlet Witch does lack in one area compared to the rest of the series, as the hair adopts only one colour in the moulding, showing an auburn outline around the printed red headwear. This is especially confusing when Sylvie has no problem incorporating her circlet in a dual-moulded hairpiece, as we’ll see further down.

The Vision

The second in the trio of WandaVision minifigures depicts the latter half of that particular pair, but possibly not the version of Vision you were expecting. The Vision is a literally pale imitation of the character who in the series uses the remaining body of the superhero after his death at the hands of Thanos, with the lack of Infinity Stone meaning that this Vision has little to no emotion.

Despite this version of The Vision lacking most of the bright colours that the more familiar iteration of the MCU hero boasts, the detail is no less abundant, surpassing the minifigure from the normal Marvel theme and matching the rest of 71031 Marvel Studios. The included accessory also features an appreciated nod to the overarching narrative mystery.

With dual-moulded legs and full printing across all limbs, the only notably missing feature of The Vision is that the head design does not continue on to the sides of the face, creating a substantial gap between the front and back of the head. This is helped in no small part by the all-white brick it is printed on. Admittedly, this may be a limitation of the LEGO Group’s current minifigure-making process, but the same issue is not as prevalent as other minifigures in the series where more colour can successfully distract from the gap.

Monica Rambeau

Monica Rambeau is our first minifigure representative of S.W.O.R.D (Sentient Weapon Observation and Response Division) who was tasked with keeping an eye on Wanda’s hex after it trapped the town of Westview. With a new hairpiece that helps to diversify the part catalogue and some arms that may find some use in a galaxy far, far away, this may prove a popular character for fans outside of the theme.

Compared to the other characters in 71031 Marvel Studios, however, Monica Rambeau can’t help but feel a little disappointing. While her arms can be used in Star Wars, and the torso as a whole may help to increase the ranks of your LEGO S.W.O.R.D agents, the plain legs stand out amidst 71031 Marvel Studios for all the wrong reasons, and the miniature helicopter only amplifies this with its lack of printing.

Despite the use that this minifigure will find in your wider collection, Monica is undoubtedly one of the weaker icons in the impressive array of characters in 71031 Marvel Studios. But with her future appearance in The Marvels confirmed, this probably isn’t the last time we’ll see her in minifigure form…

Winter Soldier

Those familiar with the MCU will know that James Buchanan ‘Bucky’ Barnes has had an eventful journey since his debut in Captain America: The First Avenger. As one half of the duo in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Bucky has earned his spot in the series with an authentic recreation of the 106-year-old superhero.

The detail on the Winter Soldier matches and surpasses that of the minifigures in the standard Marvel theme, with a double-sided head and superbly-printed Vibranium arm. The dark blue leather jacket matches the character’s look in the streaming show well, and – possibly calling back to his villainous introduction in Captain America: The Winter Soldier – a knife is even included as one of his two accessories.

The other item for Bucky to hold comes in the form of Captain America’s shield, an appreciated inclusion that is likely an Easter egg to Bucky’s constant desire to take back the shield from John Walker in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier – though it only helps to amplify the many references to Captain America throughout 71031 Marvel Studios.

Captain America

What can we say about Sam Wilson’s first minifigure as Captain America? Well, after two previous Falcon minifigures exploring brick-built and moulded wings, the LEGO Group seems to have perfected the formula in one of the most appealing and detailed minifigures to date.

Even those unfamiliar with the MCU should keep an eye out for this minifigure (a task which will be made easier thanks to the large wing piece) as the attention that the LEGO designers have given to Captain America echoes their implicitly clear love for this new version of the character. Every aspect of desirable minifigures, from full printing to dual-moulding, is present in easily the best LEGO Marvel minifigure yet.

While Captain America still suffers from the same gap in his head printing that The Vision does, the additional features such as the detaching Redwing drone, iconic shield (which you’ll have two of for collecting the full series) and bright red goggles make up for what is likely a limitation of current LEGO minifigure development. In short, get the new Captain America minifigure.

Loki

When one character is simply not enough, the LEGO designers have paired one of the most unique Marvel characters with the latest version of Loki. But before we talk about the Amphibian Asgardian, let’s focus on the god of mischief as he appears in Loki. The egocentric character has been a thorn in the collective side of the MCU heroes for some time, but that all changed when he was flung across time on an adventure to discover his place in a universe that has moved on without him.

Loki features less detail than other minifigures in 71031 Marvel Studios, but thanks to the recent airing of the series (and, in turn, the character’s renewed popularity), will likely still be appreciated by Disney+ subscribers. That said, the LEGO Group isn’t solely relying on the streaming series to make this minifigure a success, with smaller details referencing the Time Variance Authority (TVA) present all across the character. Even a themed mug is included, continuing the LEGO Group’s well-documented obsession with the ceramic coffee holder.

Joining Loki as the second character in this Collectible Minifigures pack is Throg. We’ll discuss the character in detail in the accessory section of this review, but rest assured he features an impressive amount of detail for such a small piece. Can’t remember this froggy character appearing in Loki? That’s because his scene was cut, but he did appear as an easily-missed Easter egg later in the series.

Sylvie

This alternate timeline version of Loki, who embraced the new identity of Sylvie, is one of many that the LEGO Group could have chosen for this spot in the first LEGO Marvel Collectible Minifigures series. But thanks to her connection with the more familiar god of mischief and her role within the ongoing Loki narrative, it makes sense for Sylvie to be the second minifigure for the show in 71031 Marvel Studios.

Unfortunately, Sylvie suffers a similar problem to Monica Rambeau with the lack of leg printing standing out amongst the rest of the detailed minifigures. Thankfully, her hair piece helps in making the minifigure more desirable, but the smiling face is a little confusing if you’ve seen the series – even considering the LEGO Group’s decision on faces when Gamora with the Blade of Thanos and more feature disgruntled expressions.

Otherwise, Sylvie is a perfect pairing to the other Loki minifigure, but could include a bit more detail representative of her main role in the streaming show. One big reason you’ll want to pick up this minifigure is for none other than the Alligator Loki accessory himself, but more details on him (and Throg) later.

T’Challa Star-Lord

What if Yondu and his gang of Ravagers never travelled to Missouri and found Peter Quill, but instead made their way to Wakanda and abducted a young T’Challa? The would-be Black Panther has instead embraced the role of Star-Lord in this minifigure as one of five characters from What If…? in 71031 Marvel Studios.

Peter Quill’s Star-Lord has already received a fair number of minifigures in the LEGO Marvel sets over the years, including the first version in 76021 The Milano Spaceship Rescue, which also included the new helmet mould. Part of that has been repurposed here, only with T’Challa’s hairstyle poking out of the top instead of the wavy brown curls. The elemental blasters also call back to that initial minifigure.

As for the details, they are certainly plenty through the torso and legs. The stylish purple jacket is particularly desirable but not as much as the bottom half’s integrated golden boosters, which Marvel fans may want to grab a spare of for future Star-Lord minifigures from the main timeline.

Captain Carter

As Captain Carter’s second minifigure (barely), the Collectible Minifigures iteration offers more detail than can be found on the version in 76201 Captain Carter & The Hydra Stomper.

Every aspect of this minifigure feels like an improvement over the first, with intricately-printed arms, legs and torso, as well as a new hair element that matches the classic style seen in What If…?, and offering some outside use for any 1950s minifigures you might have in mind.

With recognisable Union Jack emblems spread across the minifigure as well as a healthy dose of red, white, and blue, this is a LEGO Collectible Minifigure you’ll want to get before What If…? Season 2 (and the teased future of Captain Carter) begins.

Gamora with the Blade of Thanos

Who needs the Mad Titan when you have the most dangerous woman in the galaxy? That’s one of the questions that What If…? plans to pose in a future episode of the streaming show, with Gamora donning her father’s armour and sword, as well as the role of intergalactic conqueror. Whether she shares her adoptive father’s ambitions for the Infinity Stones has yet to be seen.

You may be surprised to hear that this is the first Gamora minifigure since 76107 Thanos: Ultimate Battle, despite reappearing in Avengers: Endgame (albeit briefly on the side of good). This has represented a chance to revisit the character with the sufficient amount of detail that the Collectible Minifigures can provide. While the hair, torso, and legs all provide new prints, the face is reused from 76021 The Milano Spaceship Rescue, a set featuring a rarer version of the character that helps add to the desirability of this minifigure.

The designs on this character differ slightly from the new Thanos minifigure included in the upcoming 76237 Sanctuary II: Endgame Battle, opting for a thinner figure and including some green colouring on the dual-moulded arms, showing Gamora’s light green skin. The bright colours of this character help it to stand out among the wider array of heroes and villains in 71031 Marvel Studios, making up for the lacklustre sword accessory.

Zombie Hunter Spidey

In what could be a tease for Spider-Man and Doctor Strange’s imminent team-up in Spider-Man: No Way Home (as hinted at in 76185 Spider-Man at the Sanctum Workshop), Zombie Hunter Spidey adopts a new moniker in what is presumably the end of the world.

Wearing the older fabric version of the Cloak of Levitation, Peter Parker has managed to survive a zombie apocalypse, a task that presumably the mystical Doctor failed to achieve. Whilst a newer piece for the cloak will be introduced later this year, the spread of the fabric allows you to admire the many details featured on this minifigure.

We’ve gone on record stating that the best version of LEGO Spider-Man includes both dual-moulding and arm printing, but this minifigure also throws fully-covered leg designs into the mix. You need only look at the images of the superbly detailed minifigure to see why this is truly the best LEGO Spider-Man out there – ready for an appearance in any chapter of the MCU or beyond.

Zombie Captain America

The final minifigure in 71031 Marvel Studios is another version of Captain America, but one that we are very unlikely to ever receive outside of the Collectible Minifigures series. Zombie Captain America is the undead version of the super soldier inspired by the line of transformed heroes from the Marvel Zombies run of comics.

This isn’t your usual pristine Captain America minifigure, with much of the Star-Spangled icons being worn away (including an oddly adorable bite mark in one of the helmet’s printed wings). This attention to detail matches that of the character as seen in What If…? as well as the aesthetic of other LEGO zombie minifigures. With how rare undead minifigures have become, Zombie Captain America is likely to be in demand for good reason.

The detail on this minifigure carries through every aspect of the character, including printing on the back of the head, which would usually be covered entirely by the helmet. Even the hungry facial expression can be seen perfectly through the contours of the cap, showing how much thought the LEGO designers have put into this minifigure.

Accessories

The accessories of 71031 Marvel Studios match the quality of the minifigures that make it, referencing and featuring a level of quality that would usually be expected of only the most dedicated and specific of elements.

While some of the more mundane elements such as the Vibranium shields and S.W.O.R.D laptop fulfil their purpose, others such as Captain America’s metallic wings are standouts of the series (as well as being particularly easy to feel for), with nothing short of exquisite printing and shaping that perfectly suits the detailed minifigure.

Throg is a real highlight of the range, supporting an impressive amount of detail – including a printed cape, moulded helmet and miniature Mjolnir. However, the same cannot be said for Alligator Loki who, while using a new piece, omits the pointed helm from Loki’s TV series. It seems likely that this is because the LEGO Group wishes to use this piece for future infant alligators, especially considering the species’ reappearance in CITY 60302 Wildlife Rescue Operation, but the lack of a helmet compared to Throg is ultimately disappointing considering the attention to detail and accuracy elsewhere.

One of the most notable accessories comes in the form of a new Tesseract, just one month after an earlier version made from a Minecraft head was released in 76201 Captain Carter & The Hydra Stomper. This marks another difference between the LEGO Captain Carter minifigures, but ultimately this latter version better depicts the scale of the artefact, and the iridescent blue colour from which it is made does a good job of representing the cosmic energy that comes from the Infinity Stone.

— Price —

Priced equal to earlier Collectible Minifigures series at £3.49 / $4.99 / €3.99 per pack, 71031 Marvel Studios very much feels worth the entry cost. Some of the minifigures are admittedly much more appealing than others, but every single one includes at least an adequate amount of detail and new pieces that make them worthy of the current price tag.

Those who are unfamiliar with the MCU may still struggle to swallow that cost, but the quality of printing and attention that these minifigures have been given are representative of the LEGO designers’ clear love for the franchise. 71031 Marvel Studios certainly won’t directly appeal to every brick-lover, but for those who have followed the story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe this far, the price for a full collection of 12 characters should be easy to overcome for such an authentic suite of unique minifigures.

— Pictures —

— Summary —

What more can we say about 71031 Marvel Studios? In case you couldn’t tell by now, we’re very impressed with the long-awaited first series of LEGO Marvel Collectible Minifigures. The budget that is usually set aside for the blind-bagged theme applied to the intricately-designed characters of the MCU makes for a perfect pairing, even at the series’ low points.

Those with no interest in the superhero franchise should still aim to get at least some of these new minifigures purely for their versatile printing, with Monica Rambeau and T’Challa Star-Lord proving particular standouts in that department, while hardcore MCU fans will delight most in Captain America, Zombie Hunter Spidey and Captain Carter.

Compared to the regular assortment of minifigures available in the many standard sets, 71031 Marvel Studios is a one-of-a-kind chance to score beloved and brand new characters in LEGO form that truly shows just how much potential the theme has always had. Here’s hoping for a LEGO Marvel Collectible Minifigures Series 2 in the future.

This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

You can support the work that Brick Fanatics does by purchasing your LEGO Marvel minifigures through one of our affiliate links – thank you!

FAQs

How long does it take to build LEGO 71031 Marvel Studios Collectible Minifigures?

One minifigure from 71031 Marvel Studios should only take you a minute or so to build, but those planning to grab the entire series will want to plan for around half an hour to build and properly appreciate the detailed characters.

Which characters are in LEGO 71031 Marvel Studios Collectible Minifigures?

71031 Marvel Studios features 12 characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe including The Scarlet Witch, The Vision, Monica Rambeau, Winter Soldier, Captain America, Loki, Sylvie, T’Challa Star-Lord, Captain Carter, Gamora with the Blade of Thanos, Zombie Hunter Spidey and Zombie Captain America.

Where are the minifigures in LEGO 71031 Marvel Studios Collectible Minifigures from?

Those who are new to the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be glad to hear that 71031 Marvel Studios only recreates characters who have appeared in the four most recent original streaming series from Disney+, including WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki and What If…?

How much does a LEGO 71031 Marvel Studios Collectible Minifigure cost?

Following the price point established by recent LEGO Collectible Minifigures series, 71031 Marvel Studios features 12 characters for £3.49 / $4.99 / €3.99 each, bringing the total for all of them to £41.88 / $59.88 / €47.88.

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