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Captain Toy/Michael's Review of the Week

Review of Dr. Fate - One:12 Collective
Action Figure05

Mezco Toyz
Date Published: 2021--03
Written By: Michael Crawford
Overall Average Rating: 3.5 out of 4

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Dr. Fate One:12 Collective action figure by Mezco

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Introduction

I'm more of a DC guy than a Marvel guy. I say this all the time, and I know it intrinsically, but as I worked on the final superhero section of the CIOPCC, I realized just how crazy the imbalance is. I have WAY more DC themed collectibles than Marvel, even with the much greater number of Hot Toys figures on the Marvel side.

Even with that clear and present bias, Dr. Fate is not a character I've ever cared about with any particular passion. While he's older than I - yes, hard to believe, I know, ha ha - as a kid, I was never really drawn to the wizard/magician/mystical characters like he and the Marvel rip-off, Doctor Strange.

Still, I'm a DC guy, as the shelves and shelves of collectibles in the CIOPCC can attest. So grabbing the latest incarnation of Fate in the One:12 Collective series from Mezco was a clear and present no-brainer.

This guy just started shipping, and ran about $95, depending on the retailer. Finding one now might be tough though - he sold out pretty quick - but there's always Ebay.

Dr. Fate One:12 Collective action figure by Mezco

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Packaging - ***
Rather than the simple, basic look of most of their comic themed boxes, this guy gets a really attractive slip cover, with bright colors and nice graphics. Everything is collector friendly of course, and it's all sturdy and well made, but I did have one grip.

There's no instructions, other than for replacing the batteries. Thank God those are there, although if you have one of the other One:12 figures with light up eyes, you'll probably already know how to get to the batteries and switch.

But in addition to changing the batteries, there's also a couple unique, clear plastic extras which you'll have to figure out for yourself. While it's not complicated I suppose, it's also nice if I don't have to guess at what the designer had in mind, and potentially miss some cool aspect.

Dr. Fate One:12 Collective action figure by Mezco

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Sculpting - ***1/2
The figure includes both a masked head and an unmasked. The masked head is all mask, bright, shiny, clean, but you can see the sculpted eyes underneath. What's interesting is that when the light is turned on, it shines through, obfuscating the painted/sculpted eyes.

This is a very nice sculpt, with just the right amount of dimpled texture and the short of sharp edges that create the impression of metal. Scale is good too, which is why going with a sculpted helmet head rather than a removable helmet is always the right move.

The unmasked head is an older, wizened, version. The hair has good stranding, the eyes a haunted look, and there's some deep wrinkles. This is their interpretation of the comic character of course, and has that certain Mezco feel.

He stands about 6 1/2" tall, and will fit in with the rest of the line nicely, scale-wise.

Dr. Fate One:12 Collective action figure by Mezco

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Paint - ****
The paint work on the unmasked head is the first thing folks will notice, but it may not be the most interesting of what's here.

It's great, don't get me wrong. The slightly gray hair - always tricky to pull off - is fairly well done, and the skin color looks good. They added some interesting darkening around the eyes, adding to the haunted look.

The pieces of armor is where the real magic is happening this time around. The helmet is a clean, consistent, single color, bright and smooth. But the body armor - shoulders, waist, arms, legs - have a really cool two tone effect. It's subtle, super clean, and adds tremendously to the look of the costume. With a little imagination, you can believe he's glowing.

Dr. Fate One:12 Collective action figure by Mezco

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Articulation - ***1/2.
Overall, the articulation is great, with plenty of joints with a good range of movement. They are tight as well, able to take and hold even more extreme poses.

The neck is the one area where things are a little less mobile than usual. This is because of the light up feature. Oh, there's still a ball joint, but it's at the top of the neck only, and it does cut down on the amount of tilt and lean, even with the unmasked head.

The rest of the costume is less restrictive, and you should be able to get good poses out of the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, torso, and ankles. There's better than usual rocker movement in the ankles, allowing for more natural deep stances.

The cape also has several edges with a wire, and you can add some dynamic movement. The collar can be folded down or flipped up, and adjusted as you see fit. I liked it down, out of the way of the face and helmet, but flipping it up can add some drama.

Dr. Fate One:12 Collective action figure by Mezco

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Accessories - ***1/2
Compared to other One:12 figures, Fate is a little light in this department, but he does have some really cool extras.

As I already mentioned, there are two portraits, which always adds a lot to this score.

There are also eight additional hands - four sets - to go with the fists he comes wearing. These all swap easily, and are designed to look great casting various spells.

There's an extra helmet too, perfect for him to hold (or levitate) while wearing the unmasked head.

I just recently discussed how cool the book was that we got with the Asmus sixth scale Crown series Gandalf. Mezco has put them on notice with this Book of Toth. With a hard plastic cover that opens, and every page printed with text and graphics, it's the nicest 1/12 scaled tome I've seen.

There are also three 'magic effects', translucent plastic shapes that aid in creating the appearance of spell casting. One is a large Ankh, and there's a smaller square version, and an atomic looking or planetary style set of circles.

Earlier I mentioned the lack of instructions. There are two clear plastic pieces that are clearly designed to hold something...but you get to figure it out for yourself. One is quite obvious though, with a loop to hook to the wrist and a post hole that attaches to the various magic effects. This allows yo to suspend them in front of his hands, creating a really cool effect.

The second piece attaches to the end of this first piece. Why? Well, I came up with two ways to use it. First, the helmet fits neatly on top, so you can pose it suspended or floating in air. Second, you can use it with the book, by sliding the spline or edge inside it, again floating it in the air. I don't know if that's the end of it, or if there are other ways you can use this square.

Finally, there's the usual stand, with a foot post or the large clear plastic support rod. While the latter isn't always super useful with every character, Fate is a guy that likes to float around, and you can come up with some nice ways to hold him aloft.

Dr. Fate One:12 Collective action figure by Mezco

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Light Feature - ***
This figure is more expensive than the usual, due in large part to the light up feature. Pop the  neck out (follow the instructions), insert the two included batteries, and flip the switch. There's a bright blue light at the top and bottom of the post, which illuminates the eyes and chest.

Swapping batteries is a pain, and you want to be very careful opening the compartment. Follow the instructions! Once you get it working, it's pretty straight forward. However, the lights aren't super bright, but they are visible in a room under normal lighting.

I don't love it, and I'm not going to use it a lot, but he is a character where it makes sense.

Dr. Fate One:12 Collective action figure by Mezco

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Outfit - ****
My favorite aspect of this figure is the costume, easy. The bright color is extremely eye catching, and the paint work on the armor makes it stand out against the rest of the costume.

The sculpted bits look great, with a soft definition that matches nicely with the subtle paint work. The flowing cape can be posed in very dynamic ways, and the simple body suit doesn't distract from the rest.

The fit is great, the quality is top notch, and it's one of those Mezco comic book designs that takes the best from both worlds.

Dr. Fate One:12 Collective action figure by Mezco

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Fun Factor - ***1/2
While the two heads are always a factor, this time it's the addition of the useful and attractive magic effects that really increase the fun factor. You'll have lots of options for posing, and you'll be drawn back to this character on a regular basis.

Dr. Fate One:12 Collective action figure by Mezco

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Value - **
Unfortunately, he's an expensive one. While I love the costume, and there's some great extras, the additional $15 - $20 is hard to justify. Of course, the reason is the light up feature, but this one doesn't wow me, and is less likely to get used with any regularity.

Dr. Fate One:12 Collective action figure by Mezco

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Things to Watch Out For -
Pay attention to the directions, especially when putting in the batteries. Otherwise, you should be good to go.

Overall - ***1/2
I'm not a huge Dr. Fate fan and I love this figure - I hope big fans will love it even more. The costume is great, the effects work great, and there are a ton of posing options. Yea, I don't love the light up feature, but that's a very minor quibble with an otherwise excellent release.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ***1/2
Paint - ****
Articulation - ***1/2
Accessories - ***1/2
Light Feature - ***
Outfit - ****
Fun Factor - ***1/2
Value - **
Overall - ***1/2

Dr. Fate One:12 Collective action figure by Mezco

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Where to Buy 
He sold out pretty fast - he's a popular character who hasn't gotten a lot of collectible representation over the years. You can join the wait list at Mezco, and you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other recent One:12 reviews include Hellboy, Gomez of Death, Iron Fist, and Reeve Superman. Talk about variety!

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

Enjoyed this review? Be sure to head back to the main page to find thousands more just like it!

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Dr. Fate One:12 Collective action figure by Mezco

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This product was purchased for the review by the reviewer. Photos and text by Michael Crawford.

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