Since it was my choice as the best figure of 2018, it’s no secret that I think Mezco’s one:12 Collective Popeye figure is some kind of crowning achievement in toymaking. Those who own the figure have run out of things to say in praising the figure. It quite simply lives up to the hype. If you don’t think so , then quite frankly your peepers need Windexing.
Looking at how Popeye was effortlessly translated from skewed “comictoon” proportions into quasi-realism makes me wonder what other properties might be able to weather the same sideways communication of styles and produce an equally excellent figure. It’s not easy; they have to be able to withstand the change to realism while still retaining their innate quality. Not every property works in this way. A realistic Bugs Bunny not only betrays his roots, but is also…just a rabbit.
I personally see the recent NECA ’90 movie Turtles as existing in the same universe as Mezco’s Popeye. They’re two vastly different properties that now share a commonality. Somebody make a comic where they interact.
Taking this into consideration, I’ve come up with a top three that I think might work in a similar vein. In no order:
Fred Flintstone
Fred has a stumpy, stubby physique that evokes cartonish qualities in their primal form. But at the core, Fred is a caveman, albeit one that dresses quite snazzily. If you retain some of the brutish stumpiness but move it sideways into a realistic avenue—all while carrying over his signature frazzled orange shirt and blue tie, you might be able to have a very cool looking figure. How many cavemen action figures do you own? I would love to see how this would work. Fred would obviously be missing out on a companion Barney Rubble, but then who knows if Popeye will be getting supporting members of his universe either, so we may have to settle for singles. For accessories, two noteworthy additions I can think of would be a club and a bronto-burger. Maybe throw in a stone bowling ball (with special bowling hand) and some ribs.
Dick Tracy
Dick Tracy already skews realistic, but, like Popeye, he’s a character with a very distinctive jawline, and it would be very interesting to see that same feature moved into a realistic Mezco arena. Plus, that bold yellow hat and trenchcoat are practically begging to get a 1/12th cloth take. Give him a pistol, a tommy gun, his signature wrist radio and maybe a few other choice items and you’d have figure that would pop off the shelf and demand to be noticed. You know Dick and Popeye are a match made in toy heaven for team-ups. They can compare jaws.
And finally
Shaggy and Scooby Doo Deluxe set
While I’d miss having a full set of the Scooby Gang, Shaggy and Scooby would make a great stand-alone set, and realistic versions of a stoner and a Great dane would effortlessly evoke the cartoon beginnings while holding up the previous standard set by Popeye. The accessories pretty much write themselves, from a box of Scooby snacks and a gigantic sandwich to various masks taken from the mysteries they (or the others) solved. Diving helmet. Creeper mask. Voodoo mask. Anything else that somebody would have gotten away with if not for those meddling kids.
Ok, that’s what I’ve got. I can see all of these working with Mezco’s signature style with just the right tweaks. Dick might work the best of all of them, and Fred would just look hilarious, but I think all three (four) would be a ton of fun.