TOY REVIEW ARCHIVE    LIVING WITH LATE FEES    FEATURES    LINKS    BIO    MISSION    EMAIL    MAIN PAGE >


Action Jackson

Sure, you're probably saying, Michael, what are you doing reviewing a toy this old?  This is ancient history!  And you'd be right - partly.  You see, KB toy stores are having major clearance deals right now, and the Action Jackson figures, which are currently exclusive to their stores, are down to $3.99.  At that price they won't last long, and if you haven't considered these yet, this might be your last chance to get this terrific deal.

There are three different figures - the Aquatic Mission Specialist (not pictured), the WWII Ranger, and the Covert Operations Specialist.  All three use the same body, are 8" in scale, and use several head sculpts that are used with all three figures.

Articulation - ***
This body is very similar to the old Action Jackson, at least in articulation.  An elastic band runs through the center, holding everything together.  Neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, hips, knees and ankles round him out as nicely articulated.  The bands on some are a little loose, and the hip design can cause the figure some trouble standing, but overall these are pretty nice.

Sculpts - ***
While the sculpts are generic, they certainly aren't bad.  I particularly like the sculpt I've pictured above with the unshaven appearance.  There's a nice retro feel to them as well.

 

Packaging - **1/2
Not bad!  The boxes show off the figures and all the accessories well, and stand up pretty good to shelf wear.  Unfortunately, removing the figure means utter destruction, but the nice big window allows the MIB collector to still enjoy the view.

Uniform - **1/2
We aren't talking Dragon quality here, but at $4 who's complaining.  Biggest problem is the use of velcro.  On a figure this size, the velcro is simply huge, and doesn't close well at all.  The boots on the Covert Operations Specialist are HUGE, while the boots on the Ranger are great.  These inconsistencies in the outfits ended up hurting them in this catagory.

Accessories - ***1/2
These figures really shine on the accessories.  Each is extremely well outfitted, with 10 or so accessories each.  The Covert Operations Specialist is particularly well equipped, and the picture to the left shows the terrific detail.  You can see the three part rifle hidden in the foam on one side of the briefcase!  The plastic is a little soft on these, and there are a few - the computer and briefcase for example - where the hinges won't last through too many operations, but overall the play value on these figures is absolutely terrific.  I'd have loved these as a kid, and that nostalgia is part of their charm.
Value - ****
At $7.99, they were a pretty good buy.  But at $3.99, these things knock the value meter off the scale!  Considering the number of customizing possibilities for the bodies, heads, and accessories, I'd suggest picking these up while they are both at this price and still available.

Overall - ***
While the quality on the costumes could have been better, and I suspect some of the accessories will end up breaking pretty easy, the overall value, play possibilities and customizing opportunities greatly outweigh the negatives.


Figure from the collection of Michael Crawford.

This page copyright 2003, Michael Crawford. All rights reserved. Hosted by 1 Hour Hosting.com