Review of Captain America - The Avengers 1/4 scale action figure

Introduction

I think that Thor 2 was a critical movie for the Marvel franchise. Everyone knew Iron man 3 would make big money, and it also closed out the arch of their phase 1 of films. The recent Thor was the first film in their second phase, leading up to Avengers 2. While the big Marvel properties can stand on their own, many people felt Thor was riding on the coat tails of the others, so the success of this sequel was critical to the overall franchise.

That means the excellent box office is a terrific sign - it's not just the big names that can make money for the studio.  And that means the second tier characters have a greater chance of getting their own movies in the future.

All that leads up to one of those second tier characters - Captain America. Yea, I know in the comic book world Cap is anything but second tier, but the powers that be don't understand that. Poor Wonder Woman knows what that's like.

His next flick is coming up in the spring, but until then we can enjoy the figures and collectibles based on his Avengers look. The quarter scale figure from NECA is a perfect example, and will fit in great with their quarter scale Iron Man.

This guy is available right now from various online retailers, and runs around $80 - $90. I got mine from Entertainment Earth, where the shipping is currently free, but I have some other suggestions as well in the Where to Buy section.

Packaging - ***
The current quarter scale figures come in a large window box, not too big - no real waste - but big enough to handle the figure and accessories. This is not a collector friendly package though, largely because of the heavy duty twisty ties and plastic insert. You don't have to obliterate the package to get the figure out, but putting him back would be a real trick.

Sculpting - ***
Chris Evans plays the current Captain America, and the head sculpt here is a very good portrait of the actor as the character. It's not dead on realistic, but the shape of the nose, chin and jawline are all very accurate to the character.

Remember, this is a big figure, standing about 18" tall. If you're going to collect figures in this size range, you better have some serious display space.

The costume is also very nice, with some great detail work. The belt and boots are particularly well done, with great textures and sharply defined edges. I love the finely sculpted stitching, and the textures on the boots and gloves is just about perfect.

The figure stands great on his own, and most of the sculpt is designed to work with the various joints.

My one big complaint that holds this guy back from a higher score here revolves around the torso. He's a little too thin from chest to waist, more of a rectangle than a triangle. His chest and back need to be wider, more heroic.

Paint - ***1/2
One of the most impressive aspects of this figure is the paint work. Everything is very clean, right down to the small details. The facial details - lips, eyes, skin tone - are extremely nice, and even the silver details on the costume are well done. Silver is always a tough color to get consistent and clean, with appropriate coverage, but they managed to pull it off.

The work on the shield is also critical, and the bright, glossy colors look great. There was no nicks or errant marks, and the colors were consistent in coverage and finish.

Articulation - ***
One of the things figures in this scale lacked in the past was good articulation. Often, they had a few cut joints and that was it.

NECA has bucked that trend though, especially with their more recent releases. Here, you get similar articulation to a decent 6-7" scale.

The neck doesn't have a great ball joint though, which is one area that hurts him slightly. It works more like a cut joint, and a little more tilt action would have been great.

There are ball shoulders, ball elbows, and ball wrists (pin and disc style), as well as a cut waist and a ball-like chest. The hips are hinge joints, with clicky ratchet knees and ankles. I also wish the ankles had some rocker action so they could lay flat on the ground in deeper stances, but it's a minor nit.

Overall, the articulation is solid and a big step up from the days of 5 or 6 cut joints.

Accessories - ***
This big boy isn't super outfitted with extras, but he does have the most critical - his shield.

The sculpt and paint are great, with a nice gloss finish that catches the light. There are two rubbery straps attached to the back, and either arm slips through cleanly. It's easiest to put the shield on the arm with the hand detached, however.

Speaking of removing the hands, there's actually an extra set included. He comes wearing fists, but there's also a splayed left hand and a right head specifically sculpted to hold the edge of the shield. I couldn't come up with a  good pose where he's throwing the shield, but the more creative amongst you will probably have better luck.

One thing that bums me out about the shield is that it can't be worn on his back. A minor complaint I'm sure, but something that even cheaper figures figured out how to do.

The hands swap easily, and I didn't have any fear of breaking a post.

Fun Factor - ***
This is a very high quality, very sturdy action figure. I would have loved something like this when I was 8 - I bet most adult collectors would agree. Kids and adults alike can have a great time posing him, and he's very impressive on the shelf.

Value - **1/2
You'll pay $80 - $90 for this guy, but he's huge, heavy and well built, worth that high price. These aren't the same quality as the Enterbay or Hot Toys quarter scale figures, but they don't cost $400 either. And with the improved articulation, these are a big step up over the old school figures from NECA in this same scale.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing!

Overall - ***
I have quite a few figures in this scale, at least two dozen, so I'm obviously a fan. But I've been disappointed with the lack of articulation in past years, and so the greater number of useful joints is a big selling point for me.

Overall, the quality is up in the other categories as well. Sculpt and paint are solid, as is the accessories, and while these aren't cheap, they are a cheaper alternative to the high end figures from companies like Hot Toys and Enterbay.

And don't forget - NECA has quarter scale versions of the 66 Batman, 89 Batman and Dutch from Predator coming soon!

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth is at $90, and has free shipping on this figure.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other cool 1/4 scale figures include Tonto, Bilbo, Gollum, Aragorn, Gandalf, Iron Man, classic Predator, Hellboy, Abe Sapien, Alien, Lord of Darkness, Pumpkinhead, Beetlejuice, Jack Sparrow, and more!

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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