Review: 76081 The Milano vs. The Abilisk
Posted by CapnRex101,
76081 The Milano vs. The Abilisk is the largest of the three sets which make up the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 range. Only three years have passed since the last model of this impressive craft was released and 76021 The Milano Spaceship Rescue is widely considered one of the best Marvel Super Heroes sets to date.
The new model therefore has a difficult challenge in matching its predecessor, although this is alleviated to some degree by its considerably lower price point of £44.99 or $49.99. It is difficult to envisage that justice could be done to the Milano given that the set contains just 460 pieces, particularly since a considerable proportion of those are devoted to the Abilisk. However, I am very pleasantly surprised by the results!
Please note that this review is spoiler free.
Minifigures
Star-Lord is the only member of the Guardians of the Galaxy who appears in two of the new sets and this one wears a grey armoured suit which features detailed printing on the front and back. The metallic dark grey looks splendid and I like the jet pack design on the back, although a separate accessory is also included to represent that. The head is decorated with some stubble and Star-Lord comes with a nice medium nougat hair piece which only appears in four other sets.
Gamora sports an identical outfit and it looks very striking alongside the lime green shade of her skin. The hair piece is cast in black but features some dark pink printing to replicate the highlights seen in the movie. Both characters include a double-sided head with smiling and angry expressions and they are each equipped with a jet pack which consists of just three pieces and is shown in the image below.
A pearl silver katana is included for Gamora and Star-Lord is armed with his unique Quad Blasters which look great. His helmet also makes a return from the 2014 Guardians of the Galaxy range but has been updated with new printing to show a white area in the centre of the eyes. The eyes on the original helmet were entirely red and this seems a little more faithful to the film, although the 2017 design is more visually impressive in my opinion.
The 2014 Drax the Destroyer minifigure received very high praise based on the extraordinary detail of his tattoos. This figure is similarly detailed and features tiny LEGO skulls on the front and back of his torso, although the red printing is a little less fine that it was on the previous version and some detail has therefore been lost. However, the arms and head are printed with accurate designs and Drax's angry expression is certainly appropriate.
The original Drax minifigure wore red trousers but these are dark blue and include some attractive sand blue details as well as a metallic silver belt on the hips. He is armed with two dark bluish grey knives and can also be equipped with a jet pack if you wish, as shown in the official set image.
Baby Groot will undoubtedly prove to be one of the most popular aspects of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 so I am sure LEGO fans will be pleased to see him in two of the three new sets. This version is not wearing his tiny Ravager uniform so has some exposed bark details on his chest, unlike the figure in 76080 Ayesha's Revenge. It looks splendid and the big black eyes are suitably adorable, as is that little smirk!
However, what I find most impressive about the figure is its small size. Groot barely reaches the waist of a standard minifigure, as shown below, but an impressive level of detail has still been captured and he can even hold onto accessories despite his diminutive stature. A pair of Annulax batteries are included along with Groot's blue speaker and these can be clipped to his hands which are designed to match the diameter of a bar element. It is worth purchasing this Baby Groot figure, or his counterpart in 76080 Ayesha's Revenge, even if you have no intention of buying the entire sets.
The fifth and final minifigure is Nebula, Gamora's adopted sister and a frequent thorn in the side of the Guardians. This version is considerably more detailed than the 2014 figure and features a pearl silver cybernetic arm along with an implant on the left side of her head. This is printed on the front and back, as are some mechanical details which are faithful to the design of the character in the movie.
Both sides of the torso are littered with shrapnel and I like the combination of purple, dark blue and dark azure clothing. Unfortunately, the legs are left plain and I think dual-moulding to represent boots would have been beneficial. Nebula comes with a pair of handcuffs but you might also want to equip her with Gamora's spare sword in readiness for a duel.
The Completed Model
The Milano has become very popular since the first Guardians of the Galaxy film was released and recreating its organic shape in the medium of LEGO presents a difficult challenge, particularly at this comparatively small scale. The model has a wingspan of 37cm which is only slightly narrower than that of 76021 The Milano Spaceship Rescue which was released in 2014. However, this model is considerably shorter and its proportions look slightly odd as a result, at least in relation to the original set.
In fact, the proportions are not totally inaccurate as the 2014 model is a little too long when compared with the vehicle in the film. This version is too short by a similar margin but some improvements have been made to its design, most notably around the cockpit. I like the orange colour scheme very much and the relatively new 8x6 angled wedge component is perfect to form the nose of the Milano. A few stickers are used to ensure the utmost accuracy and it looks very good when viewed from the front, bettering the last rendition in my opinion.
The cockpit canopy also represents a considerable improvement over 76021 The Milano Spaceship Rescue and features a printed design which matches the film very closely. The shape of the canopy is a little less impressive as it should appear sleeker but I do not think this could not have been improved upon at this scale without the creation of a new element.
You can open the cockpit on a hinge to access the interior, revealing perhaps the most significant change between this set and its predecessor. The interior space is limited to an area of just twenty studs, less than half that of the model from 2014. There is little room for elaborate details and the controls are limited to two small panels as well as the tape player, without which the Milano could not be considered complete. Three stickers are used to represent these features which is somewhat disappointing, although I am quite impressed that the tape player is included at all.
The interior space may be small but it is used to its fullest potential, containing seats for four minifigures. They fit quite comfortably, do not interfere with the closing of the cockpit and there is even room for Baby Groot to stand on somebody's lap if you like! It might have been nice to see a control yoke in front of the pilot as there is a sliver of space left but I suspect this was not possible because the construction of the angled nose leaves very few connection points exposed.
The orange stripes continue onto the wings and a sticker emblazoned with the name of the vessel is applied to the port side while a red tribal marking appears on the starboard. Stud shooters are mounted next to the cockpit and you can launch additional projectiles, in the form of bombs, by pressing the exposed grey Technic axles on the wings. I think the overall shaping of the fuselage and wings is quite pleasing and I am glad to see a pair of 3x10 curved wedges used to replicate the leading edges on each side, just as in the original set.
The adjustable winglets are attached using ball joints and can be manoeuvred just as in the film. The orange highlights look splendid and I like the 2x2 round tile which extends above the ball joints in an effort to hide them. Unfortunately, the Technic liftarm to which the wing tips are attached is slightly wobbly and this becomes apparent during flight. They will not detach altogether but a tighter fit would have been preferable.
The rear facing winglets are also adjustable using ball joints and each one is decorated with a sticker to continue the orange and blue colour scheme. You can also change the orientation of the circular repulsors towards the centre, although these are attached using click hinges so they are less likely to be moved accidentally when the Milano is being handled at the rear.
A single engine nacelle is situated at the back of the ship to provide forward thrust. The engine is represented by two more stickers on top of the hull, bringing the final total for this model to thirteen. I like the small area of black which distinguishes the power plant and light bluish grey 1x4 slopes are used to good effect on either side, maintaining the streamlined design right to the back.
76021 The Milano Spaceship Rescue received great praise for the level of detail found on the underside but this set fares less well in that respect. A few unsightly Technic elements are visible and the lime green piece beneath the nose looks particularly awkward. On the other hand, the red dropping bombs are a nice play feature and I like the flowing shape of the landing gear, especially since the rear support provides a good grip for enthusiastic swooshing!
The Abilisk is included to challenge the heroes. This multi-dimensional creature is much larger in the film than the model suggests but it is recognisable and offers great play value. Rotating the head of the Abilisk causes the tentacles to flail wildly and this is facilitated by a simple geared mechanism which is fairly well hidden. The body of the monster has been omitted due to the low price point but this is cleverly disguised by some rubble which gives the impression that the Abilisk is emerging from the ground or through a wall.
In addition to the geared mechanism, the tentacles can be articulated individually and you can open or close the jaws on hinges. There is not room to fully enclose a minifigure inside but you can clamp one between the teeth which gives much the same impression. The printed eyes which were first used in 76060 Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum last year make another appearance here and are used to good effect alongside a couple of stickers which represent wrinkles in the skin of the Abilisk.
Three further stickers are used around the base and these show more of the monster as it emerges. The pink skin colour is not entirely accurate but is probably the closest that was possible given the current range of available colours. While I would have liked to see a full model of the Abilisk, I think this smaller version is a good compromise given the low price of the set and it certainly suffices with regard to playability.
Overall
76081 The Milano vs. The Abilisk is inevitably going to be compared with its predecessor from 2014 and this sets a high level of expectation. The Milano itself is considerably smaller than that found in 76021 The Milano Spaceship Rescue but I still like it very much as the details are thoroughly impressive and the new printed canopy looks splendid. It is a shame that the entire team cannot be placed inside but squeezing four minifigures into the cockpit is a reasonable compromise in my view.
Furthermore, the minifigure selection is excellent and the tiny Baby Groot figure is an absolute delight. The original Milano is still superior but at a price of £44.99 or $49.99 I think this is a brilliant set on the whole, offering tremendous play value and a marvellous range of characters at a very reasonable price. It is certainly a worthy purchase and is my favourite of the three sets based on Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2.
I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your thoughts on the set in the comments below.
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19 comments on this article
Great Review, the film was amazing, not as good as the first one though, a bit like the Milano! I recently built a MOC on Kraglin and his WarBird using the instructions for the Ravager Attack but made it double the size!
I'm totally getting this after a small discount. The figures look great, and at its size there isn't much that can be improved upon the Milano.
The slime monster looks totally different in the movie. I think this one is more something of a playset and will pass on it.
I have the first Milano and I am not buying this new version as I can get Baby Groot in another set.
Now I need to get a few of those baby Groots to use as monsters in my custom Heroica games...
The main disappointment of this set is the smallness of the Abilisk.
Lines up pretty much with how I felt. The Milano was good, but after how amazing the first set was, it WAS a bit of a letdown. On the other hand, it's significantly less expensive, and the tradeoff is mostly worth it, especially if you don't have a Milano set yet.
+DragonLord56 you also still play those games? My friends called me a nerd for never playing "classics" like Monopoly and those others, but I enjoyed Heroica very much. It's a shame LEGO Games cane to such a sudden end.
I wonder if it's posssible to put Rocket in Drax's place in the cockpit? Without his tail, maybe?
+Boredom Supreme
I know, right? I never got one but just seeing them on LEGO.com made me think "whoa, that's the coolest thing!". I really don't care too much about how we didn't get LEGO Phineas and Ferb, but it sure would be great to see, say, a Nexo Knights board game!
Another thing I don't get is why has LEGO completely retconned Microfigures? They are a fine stylization of a minifigure, and they look nicer than printed trophies in my opinion.
Glad I got the original Milano when I did. This one looks a poor compromise.
I think you mean Harbulary batteries.
@Boredom Supreme--yup, I still play those games! In addition to the five official sets, I have made seven custom games and an ocean :) Also, I have a 27-page custom rulebook, expanding on the vague official Heroica rules.
Absolutely love this model, I couldn't resist playing with the design to make it a little more accurate. However, most of my changes are not that noticeable from the front of the ship. Bigger fins, slighly longer body, no gaps on the sides and circular thurusters under the wings.
I was very happy to find a way of getting all 5 guardians (yes, bought the other sets) in the cockpit - I had to add a small clip piece right at the back of the cockpit so that baby Groot could appear to be at Rockets left shoulder.
Its an interesting build too, especially making up the nose of the ship.
First thing I thought when I saw baby Groot was "Heroica!" I'm happy to see I wasn't the only one.
Regarding the Milano, the photos do not show the ugly open gaps in the fuselage.
It is also a little disappointing that, now TLG has introduced the metallic laquered 2x2 radar dish in the Assembly Square, they didn't include two to add on the front, like the previous model.
I'm also still trying to fit some controls in the front underneath the 8x6 angled wedge.
I kind of want to see a UCS of this.
I don't like this set because the Milano is such a huge downgrade. The first one was not that expensive in the first place and i got that one at a discount as well. This second one is kinda pathetic and that pink thingie - what's that supposed to be? I've watched the movie and I don't recall anything that resembles it. The only reason to get this set is to complete the minifig collection. I still think the original dark red uniforms in the first movie are iconic and attractive compared to these.
@johnnie_tee The Abilisk was the squid they fought at the beginning of the movie.
I really wish they gave us a torso that resembled the outfit Gamora wears throughout the majority of the movie and not just recycle the armor for the opening sequence. I also notice yours has a small nick in the base of the torso like mine did.