Released - I assume - because the character was a real big deal in the 1980s and was also part of Mattel's Secret Wars collection, Daredevil brings you the kind of retro figure you expect. He sold pretty well, and I don't see him hanging out much. He uses the bigger male body (also used for Captain America, Loki, Black Panther, and others) with a new head and unique white billy club accessories. That or he has sticks to clang together for elementary school music class.
The "Kenner" take gives what is expected - and it's pretty good. The wrists and neck swivel, as do the arms and legs. The boots and gloves are molded in a different shade of red, with a body featuring a painted black belt and "DD" on the chest. It's a little silly and not quite a perfect match for the colors on the card art, but it's not entirely untrue to the comics and old toys. This Kenner version also has white eyes, as opposed to the red eyes in a lot of the comic art. The best way to do authentic Kenner is to get some detail wrong, and in that capacity, this figure really works.
At 3 3/4-inches tall, he's pretty much exactly what I would hope for from a faux retro figure. He holds his clubs well, the head has horns and is a unique sculpt, plus he stands like a champ. I have very low standards for "good figure" after writing about toys for what may soon be three decades, and it's amazing how few figures achieve these simple specifications. I have no doubt fans could ask for a different paint job, but the figure scratches the necessary itches to deliver a perfectly acceptable figure of its era.
I assume a lot of fans are buying these just to keep them packaged... and who can blame them? It's great card art. Which I shredded after taking these photos. I hope Hasbro some day puts out an art book of all its Marvel packaging drawings, because the flat colors and cool border do take me back to an era where action figures were widely available and generally quite cheap. Hasbro does make a better Daredevil figure every year or two with tons of articulation and more gear, but at $20-$25, it is less of an impulse buy. I can pick up a retro Kenner figure for around $10 and be ready to buy another one next week.
There is absolutely nothing innovative about this particular figure, and that's OK. But that may be age talking - I've seen the heights of what Hot Toys can achieve, the shining examples of a good McFarlane figure, and all sorts of high-end and low-end figures. I'm increasingly impressed with simplicity and efficiency. I assume this figure could be cheaper, but Hasbro probably has an allergy to low price points in its toy lines anymore. I'd recommend this to someone just wanting a cool figure to display or fuss with on their desk, or to the die-hard 3 3/4-inch junkies who were there for the old days and want a cheap thrill. At this price I would be likely to buy almost anything Hasbro puts out for Marvel or Star Wars in this style. If they expand to other licenses, as long as the price point and general style are kept, I'd be receptive to more. And that is why I hope Hasbro doesn't expand it too much, I'm feeling ready to wind down the new expansions.
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