Popeye and Bluto

Popeye and Bluto

Stormy Seas Ahead : Deluxe Box Set

Mezco ONE:12 Collective

Welcome back, Popeye!  It’s been a while since Mezco’s last offering took “toy of the year” right before the stroke of midnight New Year’s Eve, and this set looks to take the competition by storm all the same.  The Popeye figure might look familiar, but he’ll need the change of duds after going toe to toe against his arch-nemesis, Bluto!

Since this is a re-deco, let’s talk Sailor Man first.  Here, Popeye gets a rerelease in more Navy/nautical colors.  He comes with the same accessories as the last (pipes, hats, alt heads, hands, spyglass, compass, peacoat, duffle bag (though in new colors), and of course, spinach cans.  You get the same stand and “flight” rod system (now white instead of navy blue...one for Bluto, too). Nothing has changed as far as sculpt or articulation...you can’t improve on perfection.  Other than the new togs, there are a few new accessories that will make this double dip all worthwhile.  More on that after a look at Bluto.

He’s large. (Laaaaaarge!)  He’s mean. (Do you know what I mean?)  He’s everything you could want out of an exaggerated, yet realistic take on these characters.  The grimace captures the big palooka picture perfect.  Just look at the weathering on those shoes and pants!  He has a fair amount of articulation in the head, arms, and legs...the most important to posing being the wrists for interchangeable hands and accessories.  He has some motion in his waist, but nothing for the chest.  This is not disappointing, as it’s true to the barrel-chested nature of the beast.

Accessory-wise, he comes with a removable hat (magnetic), three sets of hands, a boat hook, a giant wrench, and a 300 lbs weight.  I had no idea that the wrench and weight would be die-cast metal until I took them out of the package.  Not a necessary detail in the least, but very cool.  Really let’s your Bluto figure show off his heft, balance, and strength.

Now, the bonus.  Both Popeye and Bluto come with alternate, battle-damaged heads!  There are some really neat bumps (Boff!), bruises, (Wham!) and even a little bit of blood.(Un’erstan’?)  So, down some spinach for some knock-down, drag-out, Fleischer-esque fisticuffs!

Bonus bonus!  Which I guess adds to the “Stormy Seas” theme...both characters have some extra sea-weathering gear!  Popeye gets a rain slicker and matching hat, and Bluto gets a big leather peacoat.  While I usually get a Bluto-sized grimace when it comes to the struggle of changing out soft goods outfits on action figures, these weren’t so bad.  They don’t look too bad for soft goods either.  Popeye’s rain hat may have been better as a sculpted item, but it’s by no means terrible.

I jumped on the preordered for this set maybe a year ago?  If you didn’t do the same, you may have missed the boat:  sold out in most online retailers.  I’m happy that there are enough fans out there to want figures like these. I imagine more variants will be on the way...heck, Popeye has always been a new head away from his Poopdeck Pappy.  Not sure if they will do an Olive Oyl...not sure if I would want one, thinking about how freakish she could look in a realistic take.  Eh, I’d still buy it.

Take a look back at the previous adventures of Popeye:

https://terribletoyman.blogspot.com/2019/01/mezco-one12-popeye.html

https://terribletoyman.blogspot.com/2018/07/popeye-and-pirate-ship.html