GRADE: A
Mezco has slowly been posturing themselves as a major player in the toy game. They solidify their solid rep with this amazing entry into the deluxe figure market. Their new One:12 Collective figure of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns goes all out and nails it just right.
While I ordered the figure sometime last year, there was some kind of holdup in the shipping because of a strike by the dockworkers in Long Beach, CA. (see our editorial on the strike here). This would have been a problem for me if the waiting did not end up in a such an epic entry. Yes, I was just that impressed when my Mezco package was delivered earlier this week. Like The Dark Knight himself, everything about this piece is big. The figure comes in an encyclopedia sized box with a beautiful slip case that has the cover of the iconic 1986 seminal THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS comic book. After sliding that off, their is a flap that opens like a book revealing the figure in all its glory. And man, is this the TDKR figure fans have been waiting for. It is a rarity when I will say, “It was worth the wait” but this piece exemplifies that statement.
Everything about this piece is big. From the 1:12 size of the figure down to the perfection of every last detail. It is as if the figure has been torn from the pages of Frank Miller’s classic opus that redefined Batman for a new generation. The figure comes with a sweet Bat-signal base and all the trimmings you want in this figure. From a brilliantly designed flowing cape and an amazing head sculpt (with alternate scowling head!), this Dark Knight is a must have for any Bat-collector worth their salt. Even cooler is that this figure is a Limited Edition upping the exclusivity coolness factor by even more.
Prices on the secondary market are going to start spiking soon and with a Navy Blue version becoming available, the collector has two options if they want to pay the price. Even I could not get my hands on the Navy Blue version because it sold out super fast and by the time I knew it was available, I missed out. This is actually a figure that you do not mind spending sixty five dollars on. It is just that impressive. The body is “hyper articulated” by Mezco’s description with a whopping 30 points of articulation. And this costume is no paint job, no, this is the real deal made out of fabric. I thought that this was the perfect hybrid of old school Mego figures and the articulation heavy Marvel Legends style of the 2000’s. That is just another reason that makes Mezco’s entry so brilliant.
In addition to this museum quality piece, here are some of the extras that have collectors that missed out on ordering one chomping at the bit to score one.
Accessories include:
pair of fists
pair of "holding" hands
pair of posing hands
pair of "Batarang" hands
interchangeable boot with pistol holster
pistol
sniper rifle
removable utility belt
removable leg utility belt
grappling hook with climbing rope
alternate head
Bat-symbol display base
articulated figure stand for multiple dynamic figure poses
detachable cape-posing accessory clip for posing stand
I am not certain if these will be back in stock again but they were exclusive sold at MezcoToyz.com. It can’t hurt to check the site every now and again to see if you can score one. Prices are already starting to hover around the $100 mark on eBay making this a serious contender for my Top 10 of 2015 at the end of this year and we are only in March! The description from Mezco also goes on to make a point that the packaging was specifically designed and engineered for maximum protection while not sacrificing “ease of removal for display”. Can’t wait to see the next entry in the ONE:12 Collective from Mezco because this one is an easy “A”.
Jarrett Kruse is the creator and administrator of Action Figure Junkies, one of Facebook’s largest toy communities and website. He has been writing for Mania since 2009 along with Cinema Blend, Hollywood.com & GoFigureNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheAFJunkies.