So…. should I tell you up front that I’m not a big Dr. Strange guy, or should I bury that lead?
Aaah you know how it goes. You can be aware of a character for decades, on the peripheral, and then the dude gets a movie and you go “hey, that’s pretty cool!” And you realize the last time you bought a figure of that character was back when we were getting 2ft build-a-figures. You know, that old story.
I own quite a few comics that feature the good Doctor, but I must confess that none of them are from his title. And even worse, my favorite of those books? Anybody here remember DC/Marvel All Access?
Yeah. My favorite Dr Strange comic has Batman and the X-Men in it. Go figure. But the movie portrayal and it’s application of sorcery as almost a form of martial art really gelled for me. And I dare say Strange’s scenes in Infinity War were my favorite of the film, and I’m a Cap/Spidey guy when it comes to Marvel.
So, now that I have disqualified myself in grand fashion, let’s get a look a this figure!
Dr Strange comes to us by way of what feels like a combination of the Joker/Star Trek body and some Spiderman style lower legs. He has the two piece neck, which I much prefer, and great ankle range, but is a little more static on the upper body with single elbows and no socketed shoulder joint. It appears that the upcoming Netflix Punisher and Ash sport an updated single elbow design, and I’m hoping that will improve that range. Either way, it’s too late to help Strange, though he can get just short of a clean 90-degree bend. The lower body is nearly as good as the Spideys we got earlier in the year, and that makes it easy to get him in cool floating, meditative poses. I rarely use the included Mezco stands, but this guy makes a great case for them, especially when paired with the spectral form accessory.
The other optional parts include two different magic effects that snug around his wrists, an alternate Eye of Agamotto (closed), and alternate hands. I sound a little repeative lately, but Mezco, y u no give us extra heads? For a guy like Strange, an open-mouthed “spellcasting” head, or an eyes-closed “meditating” head could have been really cool, and opened up some unique posing and photo opportunities.
Some of that accessories budget might have been needed for this gorgeous cape, though. Wired in the front and collar, magnetically attaching to his chest, and made and trimmed with a great rich fabric, the cape is practically a pack-in character of its own. Normally, I prefer the traditional non-wired capes we get for Batman- they play better and lay much more naturally- but for Strange, and a cape that literally can have a mind of its own, the wiring is perfect. I guess that makes him and Spawn my exceptions. Simply put, one doesn’t really expect to see Strange’s cape laying naturally, so the dramatic bends you can put in its posing really help sell the overall image.
The overall look is very close to classic comic portrayal, especially the headsculpt. Thr additional details on his tunic and “yoga pants,” as the lady put it, give him a slight video game texture, somewhat like his Ultimate Alliance 2 skin. That game was another major endearing element for me with the character, he kicked major ass when you paired him with a couple hitters.
I initially didn’t think I was going to need this figure. I thought he looked great in the promos, but like I said, I’m not at all what you would consider a Dr Strange fan. But he commands such a presence in person, I’m really glad Mezco was able to score one for me. By the way, should you find yourself late to a preorder and there is a Waitlist option available, absolutely put yourself on it. I think this is the third figure I was able to “rescue” this way. It’s a shame the first appearance version is now sold out as well, but this is definitely a figure worth picking up, especially if you can find one close to retail. And pair up his effects with a few of those Legends lightning and energy effects? He can easily take the focus of any display.
