Mezco One:12 Popeye

Popeye

Mezco One:12

Happy 90th Birthday to the man with the spinach can!  To celebrate, let's take a look at the definite figure of the year for 2018: Mezco's One:12 ultra-realistic Popeye!

Like Scrooge McDuck, Popeye is an old favorite of mine.  I couldn't resist this figure.  Having done a Popeye line in 2001 (see my retro review here), someone at Mezco must really love this guy to take a chance on a single, high-dollar figure.  So far, it sounds like the action figure community as a whole is eating him up.  And everyone should, especially comic book fans.  Popeye is the prototype superpowered superhero.  I needed this figure standing side by side with the Man of Steel and sitting next to Luke Skywalker on the Council of Nine.  He's epic and deserves an epic figure.

Let's get the griping out of the way first.  One:12 is a pretentious way of saying "it fits with the standard 6-inch figures."  Want some more pretension?  How about going all Mego with cloth clothing...seriously?  Who prefers cloth clothing on scales below 12 inches?  I really hope that's not the detailing that pushed these figures up to the $80 mark (wait for it.)  That's right...$80 for a 6-inch figure.  I will not be making a habit of this.  Well, unless they bring out more strange properties that you don't see everyday...like Popeye!

The cost aside, he delivers.  Over 28 points of articulation, an interchangeable outfit, and a fair amount of accessories along with a unique sculpt that is either something of dreams or nightmares.  The ultra-realistic take with cartoony proportions is both strange and beautiful.  All the lines in the forearms and face and...ew...cloth clothing means you can look at Popeye's defined abs!

Accessory-wise, you get a couple of hats (captain's hat, sailor cap, stocking cap), 2 cans of spinach (one closed, one crushed open), an opening compass, a telescoping spyglass, a duffle bag, and a peacoat.  There is also a large, round base with interchangeable foot peg or flight stand.  I guess the flight stand is for those big uppercuts.  You also get a plain pipe and one with a little, pissed off smoke cloud coming out of it (plus several extras of each, because they are so small and easy to lose.)  There is a second head for the figure, but it only has a slight variance in some gritted teeth.  I would have preferred a battle-damaged look with some scuffing, blood, and a black eye like Bluto really let him have it before it was time to break out the spinach.

  

This figure was announced some time ago and has been at the top of my "must haves" for some time.  I am glad to have him and he is a great figure, but I do have to end this on a sour note.  Out of the package, I noticed some popped or missing stitching on one of the inside pantlegs.  I contacted Mezco customer service to ask about replacement parts (which they do have as an inquiry selection on their contact page.)  I bought this figure from Big Bad Toy Store, so they said it was their policy to have me return it there for a full replacement.  Really?  You don't have a tiny pair of replacement pants handy?  Instead of dealing with the return hassle and wait to get a completely new figure, I'm living with the defect.  I find that hard to swallow on a big-ticket item.  It should be perfect, and good customer service should make it right with as little stress to the consumer as possible.  Despite where I bought them, I have had excellent, direct replacement service with figure defects from Diamond Select Toys and DC Collectibles.  For shame, Mezco.  As I told their "customer service" rep, Popeye would be disgusted.  Pissed off, in fact.  He would probably give you one chance to make it right before he popped you in the mouth and your pants comically exploded into hundreds of tiny replacement pants.

The Fantastic Feats of Captain Strong!