Sometimes, some crimes, go slipping through the cracks here in Duckburg. So let’s get dangerous and head into a tailspin because the second series of Disney Afternoon figures have just been released by Funko, and they are an additional dose of childhood nostalgia that I will welcome on any afternoon.
The Disney Afternoon is enjoying a bit of a renaissance right now thanks to the awesome new DuckTales show that is currently being taken in by a new generation of duck fans. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy watching that show with my daughter right now, it is so much fun. However, I came up on the OG series, and its pals Rescue Rangers, Darkwing Duck, and TaleSpin, so getting these new figures to add to the first assortment from last year is a real joy. While the initial series got us established with the heavy-hitters and stars of the shows, this new assortment is all about starting to fill out those casts, and I have to say that I think the pick for each show is pretty much perfect.
So, let’s dive deeper into the characters from that magical block of television, and take a look at King Louie, Launchpad, Gizmo Duck, and Gadget!
TALESPIN – KING LOUIE
As a kid, DuckTales and Rescue Rangers (and Gummi Bears) were my real jam, so I was never into TaleSpin at the same level as those particular shows. Don’t me wrong, I certainly don’t dislike the show, far from it, but I never had the same connection to it. So, much like Baloo from the first series, I was looking a bit past King Louie in this assortment, but that was certainly a mistake. I think all four of these figures are strong releases, but King Louie most certainly has the most personality of the group.
Sure, his animated nature likely contributes to that, but this figure is colorful, his expression is spot-on, and his articulation, while nothing crazy in terms of individual points, functions very well to fit his movements. I will admit it, I am sucker for colorful and eye-catching figures, and Louie is certainly that, and he offsets the relatively plain tan and grey hues of Baloo nicely. Additionally, as KL is an orangutan and known to walk and jump about with the assistance of his hands and knuckles, this figure is sculpted well to facilitate that. However, the shoulder articulation helps with that as well and because of this, you can pose him “in stride” nicely so he is not just static on your shelf.
Overall, King Louie is the most pleasantly surprising figure of the assortment, and the TaleSpin corner just got a lot more interesting.
DARKWING DUCK – LAUNCHPAD McQUACK
Oh, now here is an essential and very interesting choice for inclusion. Of course, as a diehard fan of DuckTales, Launchpad was very much on my “must have it” radar for this line, but, as you probably know, he is also quite essential to the Darkwing Duck show as well, and that is how he is presented in the like with a corresponding DWD card. This is actually pretty smart thinking because, be you a DT or DWD fan, you are going to require Launchpad for your collection, but since he is likely the most needed DWD figure after Darkwing himself, that opens up the DuckTales releases (where there are likely more required characters), and gets the much-demanded Gizmo Duck out here now, too. Pretty sneaky, Funko!
So, yeps, being more of a DT fan, I couldn’t care less about how this figure is marketed. What I DO care about is quality and accuracy, and I while I hate to say it, Launchpad is probably the weakest figure of this assortment. Now, that has almost as much to do with the rest of the figures in this set being so strong, but LP does have a couple of issues that the rest of the figures don’t carry with them. First, and this might just be this particular copy of the figure, but he has a gummy and weak right leg. It’s not TERRIBLE, but it is enough to give LP a bit of a lean. Like I said, that might just be mine.
However, more noticeably to me is that the likeness on this figure just isn’t as strong as the others. Louie, Gizmo, and Gadget are pretty much perfect for likenesses in this style, but while this figure is unmistakably Launchpad, a lot of the facial features don’t match as closely to the source material. Like I said, it’s not bad, but there is something off about the proportion of the head and the eyes look off to me. I might be nitpicking just a bit, but I love the other three so much, LP just doesn’t rank as highly. Your opinion is likely to vary, though.
CHIP ‘N’ DALE’S RESCUE RANGERS – GADGET
Man, I am soooooooo happy to get this figure! Yes, I would have likely been just as happy to have gotten Monterrey Jack (he better be in the next assortment!), but getting the crew of the Rescue Rangers completed is VERY important to me. Very. Gadget is an essential part of the team, and the figure turned out really nicely, so RR is well on its way to be the first main cast of the DA to be completed. DuckTales could have its own separate line, to be honest, so I am not expecting to get everyone from that show, but for MJ shows up next, along with Gadget here and Chip, Dale, and Zipper from before, all of the Rangers will be present and accounted for.
Gadget is a great figure, and I think this accomplishes everything it needs to in that regard. Overall, she is probably my favorite of this group (though Gizmo Duck and possible King Louie are overall better figures) because she is so vital to RR and has great character development. The figure is accurate in terms of looks, and all of the paint is clean on this sample. The articulation is fine, thought I wish the legs were just a bit more useful, but nothing is really limited from a realistic pose standpoint. The feet are odd in that the left is one solid part of the leg, but the right foot is actually pegged and can swivel. I suppose this can help with balance, but it was certainly not required, and it is kind of weird to have that asymmetry in the articulation scheme.
Another good part is that Gadget scales with Chip, Dale, and Zipper perfectly, even though RR is not really in the same scale as the rest of the line. To do that, these figures would have had to be TINY, so I get it, but I am glad that that sub scale is consistent and that the line can still accommodate Monterrey Jack being much bigger than these guys. Oh, and Gadget does benefit from getting an accessory in the line in the form of her trusty wrench, which she can hold fine.
DUCKTALES – GIZMO DUCK
Just to be clear: Gizmo Duck is by far the best figure of this assortment, and maybe the best Funko DA figure thus far overall. Now, I know a LOT of people have really, really wanted this figure, but I am not quite as high on him from a character standpoint as others seem to be. That said, a good figure is a good figure, and guys, this is a good figure! This thing has everything going for it from likeness, to quality, to articulation, and with the popularity of the character in the NEW DT show, I have a feeling this is going to be the figure of the assortment to get, and will be in the highest demand. I kind of love it when the character that might not be the most recognizable of centrally essential to a property has the potential to be the most sought after figure in the assortment, and Gizmo Duck has everything going for him to pull that off.
As you can see, the figure matches the classic Gizmo Duck designs quite well, and while I always get nervous with figures that are primarily white (and yellow, for that matter), all paint lines are crisp and clean, so that REALLY helps sell the non-organic parts of the design. The articulation is also well done, especially for the more basic style these figures follow. I really like the range of movement in the neck, it gives you posing options for the head that add a lot of personality. Additionally, the shoulders move well, and are actually partial ball joints, not just cuts. The neat part is that the wheel actually spins as well, and it might just be the kid in me here, but I LOVE that addition. Sure, that means the figure requires the included stand in order to balance upright, but that would have likely been the case anyway, so it is a cool feature, and not a limitation as far as I am concerned.
Dudes! I love the Disney Afternoon! Dudes! I love this line! King Louie, Launchpad, Gadget, and Gizmo Duck are all great additions to the series and they are starting to hit stores now, so be on the lookout! I REALLY hope the line will continue to be successful because I need Monterrey Jack, Huey, Dewey, Louie, Webby, and a lot more, like right now! If you are a DA fan, go out and find these guys, you will not regret it.
