Review of Daredevil - Vigilante Edition
One:12 Collective action figure

Introduction

Netflix may have cancelled all their Marvel shows, but the characters live on in collectible form. And who knows, we may still see at least some of the shows resurrected on another streaming service...here's hoping.

Of the multiple series, my personal favorites were (and this is in order of first to last) Jessica Jones, Daredevil, and the Punisher. So you can imagine I was pleased to see Mezco Toyz giving us the Punisher and Daredevil in their One:12 Collective series of high end action figures.

As with most of their figures, there's more than one version of their Netflix Daredevil. Both versions are shipping right now - the standard release (which I'll be reviewing soon), and the 'vigilante' edition, available only through the Mezco Store. This guy sold for $80 originally, but has long been wait listed.

Packaging - ***
The box has an attractive, clean design based on the show's style sheet. It highlights the exclusivity with one sticker, and the Netflix relationship with another. Remember, Mezco has already produced comic version Daredevil figures, and the sticker helps you keep them straight without opening the box. It's all collector friendly too, and while there's no instructions, there really isn't a need for any.

Sculpting - ***
The vigilante version is the first costume he wears in the Netflix series. It's pretty simple stuff, and the mask is a bandana covering the top half of his face, Zorro style. Of course, unlike Zorro, he doesn't need eye holes.

There are two head sculpts, one with a pretty emotionless expression, and the other with a fighting face, with gritted teeth and bloody lip. I can't really see the actor in either portrait, but as I've always said - isn't that the point? If you could see the bottom half of their face and say "Oh, gee! I know who that is!", the mask wouldn't be particularly effective. The sculpts are nicely realistic, with good skin texture and lip texture, especially at this scale. Remember, this guy is just 6 1/2" tall.

I do wish the sculpted bandana had a bit more texture though. You can see the subtle pattern in macro photos, but in hand it looks almost smooth. I know they didn't want to go overboard with it, and neither would I, but it's almost too subtle to have an effect.

Paint - ***1/2
The paint work on all One:12 figures is a high point, and while this guy is pretty basic, the overall quality is still right there.

Both portraits have a slight five o'clock shadow, and the skin tone is much better here than the last couple figures I've discussed. The blood work on the battle damaged head is terrific, but I will say the visible teeth could be slightly better - see the earlier review this week on Batman for an example.

I'm also wondering if the subtle texture on the bandana's could have been improved with the paint in some way, shape, or form. I'm not sure if a wash or a dry brush would have looked good, but I have to wonder.

Articulation - ***
The underlying body has all the usual excellent articulation, although there's a couple joints that could use a little more mobility.

It seems to me that the prototype had a separate neck and head. The final version is one piece however, and the shirt tends to get stuck in the neck joint. I actually think the two piece version looked better, and while this one does have decent tilt and lean movement, it's also less mobile than a two piece version.

The shoulders, elbows, and wrists work as they always do, and he can take decent, natural arm poses. As I've said many times now, I do wish the arms had a little more cross body movement, but it's a minor nit.

The torso crunches, turns, and tilts great, breaking up any straight lines in most poses. The shirt is not restrictive on these joints, which is a big plus.

The hips, knees, and ankles also take good short and medium stances, but the two piece boots don't give me quite as much rocker movement as I'd like. That means getting the feet flat on the ground in deep stances can be tough.

Accessories - **1/2
Sadly, he comes up pretty short in this category, particularly compared to some other recent One:12 releases.

He does have the two heads I mentioned earlier, a key component of almost every One:12 figure. It's a big plus in my book, and a competitive advantage for them in the market.

He also has four extra hands to go with the fists he comes wearing. There's a set of open hands, and a set of tight grips. These swap easily, and stay attached while you're posing him.

He doesn't have a ton of weapons - he's not the Punisher - but he does have his billy clubs. These are an early version, sculpted to look like wood. They fit neatly in a holster on his right hip.

Last but not least, he has the usual logo display stand with either a simple foot peg, or the large, translucent support rod that allows for great leaping and jumping poses.

Outfit - ***
The suit is quite simple, as it was on the show. The shirt has leathery forearms and a slim piping along the sides, but that's about the only detailing. The belt and pants are basic stuff as well. The boot sculpt is good, but not terribly unique, and the only add on is the holster for the clubs on the right leg.

There's no quality issues, but this is one of the most basic costumes they've produced in the One:12 line up.

Fun Factor - ***
He's simple, but he's still fun. Big fans of the Netflix show will appreciate getting this variant, and it's also the perfect choice for an exclusive.

Value - **
The simple nature of the figure, combined with the lower number of accessories, makes the full $80 a hard sell. Sure, I'm betting the production numbers are pretty low, and the 'exclusive' tag tends to add some value, but he's still not as good a value as a regular release.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing.

Overall - ***
As a fan of the show, I'm glad I picked up this variant. It's not cheap, and it's not complicated or packed with a ton of extras. But it's a unique look for him, and provides some evolution of the character for your shelf.

Stay tuned - I'll be checking out the regular release next week!

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

Where to Buy 
This version was a Mezco Store exclusive, where you can still joint the waitlist. Online options for the regular release include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth also has the regular Netflx release on pre-order for $80, but with free shipping too!

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Mezco has produced other comic Daredevil figures, like the classic version. If you're a big fan of the Netflix Daredevil, you should also check out the sixth scale release from Hot Toys.

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

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