It would seem that as Toy Fair draws closer, Mezco is working swiftly to settle some outstanding accounts. So this month, along with a slew of other anticipated figures, we get to close out the Captain America variants with the Previews Exclusive Commander Rogers.
This third One:12 Collective take on Rogers has him in his “agent” uniform, first seen after his resurrection following Civil War and again recently when Marvel had Falcon take the mantle, as they … sigh … set out to make sure I won’t be reading any new comics of for about another couple years. Or decades. Shine on, Marvel, you crazy diamonds. Anyway, the suit itself its pretty good looking though, with all the classic Cap regalia and colors represented in a nice utilitarian uniform that has a kind of G.I. Joe aesthetic to it.
And as a figure, I kind of him-hawwed around on committing to this one. I already have two Mezco Caps, and like I mentioned during their reviews, these were on top of some of the best Cap figures in toy history coming out over the last couple years. But once getting the box and seeing how great the fit and the colors turned out, it has warmed on me.
Speaking of that box, the inner panel artwork from Carlos Pacheco was a cool and unexpected surprise.
Out of the box, the majority of what we’re getting here is pretty familiar, but there are some notable new additions. The base body is very much the same as the other Caps, with the only changes being in parts of his forearms (for the shorter gloves) and new boots. Articulation is essentially the same as a result, but the boots do feel a little more functional, closer to Dawn of Justice Batman’s in terms of range. The gloves themselves, as well as the Steve head sculpt, are the same as the other releases. The harness is also the same, but the belt is new, adding a sheath to the back for his new fighting knife. The shield is also appropriately translucent this time around.
The magnetic shield “gimmick” is still made possible by some small pieces of metal set into his forearms, but where the previous Cap’s are a functional, if soft, magnetic grab, this one is pretty weak. Definitely make use of the handle for this one. I really like the new blade, though. And while the proper Cap uniforms are pretty tough to beat, I do like the look and fit of this one quite a bit, especially the fitting on the upper body and it’s white details.
You may be thinking at this point, “That’s all very nice, DisThunder, but what the hell do I need ANOTHER Captain America for?” and, to be honest, it’s a good question. I realize, at the end of the day, this is still just a variant, but it would have been nice for a little more “new” to make it into the set. For example, I feel like getting the exact same Steve head sculpt for a third release is a missed opportunity — Commander Rogers could have easily gone for a different expression, or an older look, and that would have certainly sweetened the deal a little. For my collection, I actually think the simplicity of the uniform and it’s … uniformity? … means it might be good for other looks, and maybe other characters.
For example, he really only needs a little paint on the helmeted head for a “stealth suit” variation. And I suppose you could always just go with one of the Marvel Legends heads — the last few “Ultimate” and unmasked ones have been particularly good.
But the thing I found to be the most fun with him is putting my old repainted ToyBiz Nick Fury head on there.
Sure, it really ought to be Nick Fury Jr wearing this getup, but I actually think this is how I’ll keep him in the collection for now. Just need to dig him out a Thompson. Along the same lines, I was thinking the newer Hasbro Fury’s alternate “masked” head might look pretty killer on here too. Unfortunately, I don’t have one of those.
Even so, it’s hard to justify another $80 for a variation. I am again in a spot where I can’t recommend without hesitating a little. Nothing wrong with the quality, nothing wrong with the look, and so, obviously, if you have been holding off on a Cap to get this specific style, then you’re going to be in for a treat. For those of us who did get the others, though, it really just comes down to how essential a look this is for your set. But if you go for it, I think, like me, you can find ol’ Commander Rogers a post. He just might not go by “Rogers” at it.
