by Jarrett Kruse YOOOOO!!! I pre-ordered this figure months ago and completely forgot about it until it arrived on my doorstep today. I am as psyched as a Rocky training montage to report that this new MEGO-style figure is the real deal. This piece is so authentic, you’d think you were back in 1976 when the original film just hit the theaters. It is just that screen accurate. Those that are die hard Rocky fans, like myself, know that his sweatsuit from the first film was a dilapidated mess that barely looked passable for the fighter. Here, they get every detail down from the black Converse to the wrappings around the brawlers hands. The grey jumpsuit looks just as thrown together as it did in the movie and NECA does a winning job making the iconic look work. The face sculpt is excellent and one of the best that I have seen for a Rocky figure especially considering this is their first foray into the MEGO-style world of the "Italian Stallion" line. Its charm is in its simplicity and the figure works on every level for the novice collector to the fan like me that has been waiting for this iteration for a long time. The figure is also fully posable so be prepared to make that “famous arms up at the top of the steps pose” once you get him out of the package. NECA’s earlier efforts in the super detailed Rocky line are still the gold standard but this throwback has a classy touch and nods to the old school collector. A must have for Rocky fans everywhere, this new cloth addition from NECA and Reel Toys is a slugging champion from top to bottom.
9/10 Stars