Review of the Popeye action figure
One:12 Collective

Introduction

While most One:12 collectors have been patiently awaiting the next Marvel or DC release, there's another release the collectors of the quirky and unusual have been anticipating. Mezco has visited the Popeye license before in action figure format, but their One:12 release is truly unique.

They've gone with their own take on the character, starting with the old Fleischer cartoons and making him more realistic, less animated. The result is now shipping to a retailer near you.

Original retail on this guy was $80, pretty standard for One:12 figures this last year.  However, he's selling out everywhere, and I see ebay prices are already in the $100 range.

Packaging - ****
Most of the One:12 packages are simple and direct. This time we get a little more personality, complete with a great head shot of the cartoon character, along with a nifty Popeye logo. It's all collector friendly too, and you won't have to damage anything when removing the figure and accessories.  The box is sturdy with thick cardboard, and the interior trays hold everything safe and sound. There's no instructions, but there is one secret I'll reveal that will make your life easier when using the pea coat.

Sculpting - ****
"I yam what I yam, and that's all I yam." Popeye might have said that - a lot - but you can actually make him more than he is coming out of the box with the inclusion of two portraits.

Both are the same basic sculpt, with squinted eyes (the right fully closed), huge dimpled jaw, bubble nose, and grimaced expression. The detail is excellent for this scale - remember, this guy is just under 6" tall - and there's a ton of Popeye personality in the wrinkles and crags.

The head he comes wearing has a completely closed mouth, a thin line of pissed off attitude. The second isn't any less pissed, but the mouth is slightly open on one side, exposing teeth and a small hole perfect for holding the pipe.

The two heads swap easily, and two of the three hats (more on those in the Accessories section) are held tightly in place with a magnet. The neck is long and thin, and the arms, particularly the forearms, are beefy and big. The hands are large as well, and the entire underlying body creates a unique look on the shelf.

The one nit some folks may have is with the large, round wrist pegs that are pretty obvious. However, they work great, allowing for good hand poses, and they blend in well enough with the rest of the hand and arm for me.

Paint - ***1/2
The paint work varied slightly on the two heads I received, with one looking a bit better than the other.

My favorite paint job is also on my favorite sculpt - the slightly open mouth version designed to hold the pipe. The wash on this one, used to bring out the wrinkles and craggy expression, is a bit cleaner and softer, doing the job without looking sloppy. The lips are neat, the eyebrows perfectly covered, and even the tiny teeth look good.

The second portrait, the one he comes wearing in the box and which has the completely closed mouth, is a little sloppier. It's not a lot, and it's only by comparing one to the other that the differences become evident. But the definition on the lips is less sharp, and the wash is heavier.

He also has his tattoos on the forearms, slightly faded from age.  The skin tone on the various body parts matches well, and the paint work on the accessories is terrific.

Articulation - ***1/2
I just mentioned two piece boots earlier this week, when I complained that the sixth scale Hela does not have them. I'm getting spoiled by them on all sorts of figures, and Mezco is doing a great job with the One:12 line. Popeye has two piece boots, and the seam looks great. It allows for decent ankle movement, particularly side to side, which makes deeper stances much more realistic.

The top of the boot is also a cut joint, a big plus. The ball jointed neck, with a joint at the jawline and at the torso, allows for a ton of tilt and lean action, giving you the opportunity to add real personality to every pose.  If you tilt the head back too far, the neck can look a little weird (it is long and skinny), but you'll find the sweet spot.

The shoulders, elbows, and wrists work pretty well, but the beefy forearms do restrict the elbows a bit. The hips, knees, and aforementioned ankles allow for all sorts of stances, from shallow to deep. And of course there's an ab crunch and twist, so you can bend, turn, and lean the torso.

Accessories - ****
He has a bunch of extras, all of them interesting and useful.

Of course he has that extra head, which I've already covered in detail. Suffice to say the inclusion really boosts this score.

There are also extra hands, as you'd expect. He comes wearing a set of fists ("I'll take you all on, one at a time!"), and there's another set of relaxed hands, a set of tighter grips, and a single right with a pointing finger. They swap easily, and I had no worries about breakage.

I mentioned he comes with hats - three in total. There's his standard captain's hat with black brim, his basic white sailor cap, and a black knit cap, much like a longshoreman might wear.  The black cap fits down tightly over his bald pate, but the other two have magnets that will keep them in place. You can tilt them side to side or front to back, as you prefer.

Every sailor needs a compass, and Popeye's even opens and closes, with lots of tiny detail on the face. He can chart a course with it, along with his trusty telescope. It has plastic lens on either end, but does not collapse. EDIT - yes it does!  It took some pressure for mine to collapse, but it does work. Take care though, and don't overdo it.

He has a couple cloth pieces as well. There's his satchel, with his name on one side (properly worn with age). It's plenty big enough to fit all the extra accessories, and has a drawstring top.

The other piece of cloth is his pea coat. It fits over his clothing, but it's definitely a tight fit. I figured out too late that there are velcro closures at the wrists, which make getting the sleeves on over his big forearms much, much easier. Open them up, and the sleeves slide right on! The fuzzy material actually works with the velcro strap, so a second piece of velcro isn't needed. That is a plus for two reasons - it's thinner, and you can attach the velcro to the underlying material where ever you want, allowing you to create a straight, even line.

That's a lot of stuff, but we aren't done yet. What would Popeye be without spinach? "I'm strong to the finich, 'cause I eats me spinach". He has a full can with a label, and a second crushed can that is sculpted to fit perfectly in the gripping left hand.

Perhaps most important, he has his pipe. Actually, there are two versions of the pipe - normal, and smoking, with a puff of translucent plastic 'smoke' rising from the bowl. And because the fine folks at Mezco know these things are going to be super, super easy to lose (they are tiny!), they've given you three of each. They slip into the hole between the teeth of his open mouth, and the fit is tight enough to keep them from falling out easily, yet not so tight as to require too much force to insert them.

Finally - finally! - he has the usual display base with either the large translucent support rod, or the simple foot peg. *whew*

Outfit - ***1/2
Popeye has his sailor shirt, bell bottom jeans, and sculpted boots. He also comes with a separate pea coat that I discussed in the Accessories section.

By using super thin micro fabrics, Mezco manages to create properly scale clothing. The tailoring is great, and the unique sailor style collar lays down his back smoothly. The materials are high quality, as is the construction.

The pea coat has actual raised plastic buttons (and a faux pocket!), but the gold buttons on the shirt are the printed variety. That's my one nit with an otherwise terrific looking costume. The coat also has a thin wire in the collar, so you can flip it up if you'd like and it will maintain the look.

Fun Factor - ****
The articulation and accessories really add to the fun of posing this guy. You'll revisit him time and time again, looking for that perfect pose, and coming up with some cool nautical items to go with him, diorama style, should be no problem.

Value - **1/2
At $80, he's coming in at the new normal for One:12 figures.  I can guarantee they made less of him than something like a Batman or Iron Man too, which is probably why he's selling out at so many retailers.

Things to Watch Out For -
While I had no trouble fitting the pipe(s) in the mouth, you still want to take care and avoid using too much force.  And if you drop one, you're screwed. Thank God they gave you three of each!

Overall - ****
Another home run from Mezco in the One:12 line. While I understand the Marvel and DC love, getting unique characters like these is simply amazing. I love the pseudo realistic design, and the articulation generally works great within the confines of the sculpted arms. He's fun, he's funky, and he's old school all the way.

If you think you want one, you better grab it fast. I suspect the ebay prices are going to continue to rise for awhile before they hit their plateau.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth also had him for $80, but they are looking pre-sold out as well...they may have a few left over though once they get their shipment.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other recent and unique One:12 figures include Alex from Clockwork Orange, Ash from Evil Dead, and Space Ghost.

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

Discussion:
Want to chat about this review?  Try out one of these terrific forums where I'll be discussing it!

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