Isn’t there some movie line about “introducing a little chaos?” Let’s introduce a whole bunch in one shot.
Mezco has always, to some degree or another, done their own thing. They have recently added some figures to the One:12 line that, at least to some, may feel a little self-indulgent. They have cranked out some amazing figures of their mascot Gomez, and like any good protagonist, they decided he could use some villains. The only problem with this, if you see it as a problem, is that this potentially takes away a “slot” that could go to another Marvel/DC/what have you character.
Well, that’s crap.
Those of you who have been with us for a while might remember my regular “beat” around here was covering the DC Universe Classics line. And that line, while always having a place in my heart, was a constant frustration of unreached potential. One of the biggest reasons was the need to “cost out” a figure, of figure out a “place” for it in the schedule. One:12 Collective is not that line. There are no slots. There is not a schedule. Instead of a line that let itself be ruled by self-imposed margins, retail presence and some very odd preclivities, this line is an animal unlike any other. So, if you feel like One:12 is somehow denying you another character by taking off the reservation, I would encourage you do please, stop thinking about this line like you do any other 5 or 6-figure build-a-figure, quarterly release. Even Hasbro has blown out that rigid structure. Instead, try to kick back and see the sights, enjoy the ride, rather than guess where it goes and be mad when it doesn’t.
Anyway…
So Mezco has created a crew of trouble makers to square off with Gomez, and really, anyone else you like, in the form of the Pink Skulls Chaos Club. Like any good punks, they hide their identites behind flashy masks, and count on their strength in numbers to subdue and intimidate. There is a classic Warriors feel to them, with their Chuck Taylors and custom bomber jackets, and that carries into their weapons- in fact, let’s start there, for a change.
Interestingly, the Pink Skulls probably have records, so they had to get creative with their weapons. Other than some switchblades and Yakuza esque katana, most of the weapons are improvised. Still, many a guy has underestimated an asshole with a baseball bat- a good ol’ Mezcoville Skullcrusher, at that- and paid the price. Pipe wrenches, metal chains, and the infamous Molotov cocktail round out their loadouts, and this is obviously plenty to give them all a unique flair in a fight. the Molotov bottles in particular are my favorite.
Under those jackets they are, essentially, street Gomez. And seeing as Gomez was an excellent figure, that is not a bad thing at all. Hell, maybe Gomez used to run with these guys? Or maybe the Pink Skulls are Gomez agents gone rogue? But, should you need to make them stand out a bit more from their foe, each has a bandanna and messenger bag to further personalize.
Of course, the biggest bonus of that Gomez body is the excellent articulated base body. Double jointed everything, lots of range, and the clothing fits tightly enough that it moves with the body in ways that clothing realistically does. This also means the Skulls get access to Gomez’ personality-infused hands, and all the according gestures. And while my preferred skull mask is just a pink version of the alternate we’ve seen with Gomez, each has an alternate skull that looks a little more comic book, with exaggerated eye holes and white teeth. And the caps included fit on either, again, making it easy to make these guys look as uniform or irregular as you please.
The best part about this set is that they are 3 punks, packaged with all the trimmings, ready to raise hell out of the box, wherever hell needs raising. They could file into Black Mask’s false face society, be new-wave radical devotees of the Red Skull, or just some jerks in masks to give Punisher and Daredevil additional rough nights in the kitchen. This set is begging to be used to prime that pump and fire up your imagination. So what if they don’t have a “canon” backstory? One this one, it’s YOUR canon, my friends. You get to tell the stories, cast the characters, and bring on the bad guys. Have some fun with it. I know I’m gonna.
