Review of Loki - Thor: The Dark World 1/6th action figure

Introduction

Just last week I covered not one but two Thor figures from Hot Toys based on the second film The Dark World. Hot Toys has also released an updated version of the sometimes bad guy, sometimes not so bad guy Loki, based on his slightly different appearance in this film.

There's a regular and an exclusive with this figure, and I'll be looking at the regular release tonight. Not too surprising, the exclusive included one additional accessory - the Aether.

What is a little unusual is the price difference - the regular is $230, while the exclusive was $240. Ten bucks for one accessory?

Packaging - ***1/2
The box theme for this series is Mjolnir, and Loki's box matches the shape and style of the Thor releases. It's attractive, and it's certainly collector friendly - nothing needs to be damaged here - but it's really just an oddly shaped shoe box. There are plastic trays holding the figure and accessories safely inside, and far less plastic wrapping than we saw with his brother.

Sculpting - ***
There's no way to look at this figure and not compare him to the first release. It's inevitable, so let's not pretend.

I liked the first head sculpt quite a bit, and I think it has more personality than this second release. It's also slightly more angular, with a bit more pudge (not a lot!) on the bones with this attempt. Neither has an extreme expression, but I think Loki's attitude comes through better with the original.

While I don't think the likeness is quite as good this time, there's no doubt that the realism is spot on, and the fine detail work in the thinly stranded hair looks amazing.

The hands work nicely with the accessories, what few there are. They also pop on and off easily enough, better than with the recent Thor releases.

Paint - ***1/2
While I like the sculpt a bit better on the original, I think this new version has an even more life-like and realistic paint job. It seems like Hot Toys keeps pushing the bar higher and higher on production paint, with no end in sight.

I did knock off a bit for the slightly darker lips, but that's a minor nit considering the overall quality.

Articulation - ****
While the outfit is fairly tight, it does little to restrict the excellent TrueType underneath. You can get plenty of clean, natural, flowing poses, with little effort on your part. Even the soft hair moves over the shoulders easily, and tends to drape a bit better than the usual long hair sculpt.

Loki doesn't need to take any extreme poses, and this body (with the relatively unrestrictive outfit) can take deeper stances and poses than you'll require. More importantly, he can pose naturally with very little effort.

Accessories - *1/2
Here's an area where this guy really takes a hit.

There are three sets of hands - the relaxed pair he comes wearing, plus gripping fists, a splayed left hand, and a gripping right hand for the knife. There's a couple extra wrist pegs just in case.

Speaking of the knife, the sculpt and paint work are excellent. The scale is good, and it fits in the hand nicely. 

There's also a set of manacles for neck, hands and feet. These are connected with a chain, just like in the film. However, the chain is just plastic, a real missed opportunity. I'm not always a fan of metal accessories, especially weapons, because the weight can make it difficult to pose the figure holding them. But a real metal chain wouldn't have caused any posing issues, and would have added a lot to the look of the restraints.

He comes with the usual black display stand. And that's it. A knife, a couple hands, the cuffs, and the usual stand. Considering the price point, this is a huge disappointment.

The exclusive includes one more accessory, the light up Aether. While it's very cool, Hot Toys added another ten bucks to the already high price point to cover it, negating any additional value it could add.

Outfit - ****
I loved the outfit on the original, and while the overall look hasn't changed a ton  (the differences are very minor), the quality has.

The tailoring is even better this time around, with a terrific clean fit even with multiple layers. The material is thinner, and hangs more naturally. Very little futzing is necessary right out of the box.

He does lack the cape however, but that's to be expected since he didn't have it in the film. He also lacks the helmet, which while screen accurate, makes him a bit less Loki-like.

Fun Factor - ***1/2
The great articulation and posablility make this a great figure to pose and re-pose, looking for just the right display stance. While no one is going to give this guy to an eight year old, it is a very sturdy figure compared to other Hot Toys releases.

Value - *
This figure is not just a stripped down Hot Toys figure at an average Hot Toys price - it will cost you at least $10 - $20 over average! This is not a $230 figure, not by any stretch of the imagination. While there are some very good things about this guy, the obscene lack of any real value is a killer.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing.

Overall - **1/2
If you missed out on the original release of Loki, than this figure can provide the chance to pick up the character without paying extreme secondary market prices. For those in that particular boat, the $230 price tag might not seem that big of a deal.

But if you purchased the original, this is not a figure you'll have to add to the collection. The outfit is an improvement, as is the paint application. But unlike the Thor I reviewed last week, he's not enough of an upgrade to make the price point worthwhile. Save the $230 for a new, unique figure to flesh out the collection.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Sideshow had the exclusive for $240, but it's on waitlist now. They also had the regular for $230.

- Entertainment Earth has him for $300.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other Thor related Hot Toys figures include the recent Light Armor and Regular Thor,  the first Hot Toys Thor, as well as their first Loki. And don't forget his dad, Odin!

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