If my previous review went to show how diverse McFarlane’s palate is in regards to DC in different mediums, this one goes a step further to show how many different characters they’re aiming to represent from the comics. We have a single Batman character, a few DC heroes, and several of McFarlane’s pride and joy in different Spawn characters, and all from different video games and comics to boot. Read on for some of the most diverse action figures I’ve reviewed so far, and may review at all to boot.
The Joker (Mortal Kombat 11)
Mortal Kombat branding or no, this Joker figure is excellent. Truly one of the better representations of the Clown Prince of Crime I've ever seen. He's tall and lean, without being so skinny that he appears frail, which makes him easy to pose and balance. The various "Joker" details pull from different representations over the years-- the suit is very much in line with his classic looks from the comics, like something you'd see Aparo or Rogers draw, while the lips evoke Ledger's look in The Dark Knight-- and I really like the look of this interpretation. The included knife and cane accessories fit nicely in hand, and allow for some pretty menacing poses. About the only complaint I have is that I kind of wish his jacket had a split tail, but that's a nitpick. With such great coloring and texturing on the suit and that grayish pallor, this is a great looking figure.
Available from Amazon and Entertainment Earth
Kotal Kahn (Mortal Kombat 11)
Having not played a Mortal Kombat since, like, 4, I don't know who Kotal Kahn is. That doesn't make his action figure any less cool, though, and he is cool indeed.
His body and outfit are adorned with tons of details, with his gold armor popping against his turquoise skin. There are impressive anatomical details, like individual toes in his sandals and some shading on his face that hints at plenty of time in battle. His detachable feathered headpiece adds some extra height, and looks really impressive coming out of the back of his head. That accessory, along with his massive sword, take a character I'm not familiar with and make him all the more interesting.
Available from Amazon and Entertainment Earth
Spawn (Mortal Kombat 11)
Just like I haven't played an MK game in a long time, I've never really been a Spawn guy. I can tell when a character looks cool, though, and if you haven't yet anticipated the trend, this Spawn looks really, really cool.
With a look that's inspired by the comics, and not a direct adaptation of Spawn's most familiar costume, this Spawn figure looks more like a knight than an agent of the underworld. The details on his mask, torso, arms, and legs resemble armor, while still giving him the familiar red and white outlines you'd expect from Spawn. True to form, his cape is impressive, resting heavily on his shoulders, and with some nice texturing to give it a bit of a patchwork look. It's almost as it's been torn and tattered in years of battle, and he's mended it himself, which is a nice touch.
His green energy dagger accessories are pretty neat too, though I wish they were a bit more varied. Make one, say, in the shape of an axe, or give him a hook and chain or sword accessory to shake things up a bit and make him look even more fierce. Still, the slip nicely into each hand, and look great when Spawn is set in a variety of poses.
Available from Amazon and Entertainment Earth
The Flash Hot Pursuit (Injustice 2)
Like my relationship with Mortal Kombat, I’m not too deep into the Injustice world, at least as far as video games go. I’ve read all the comics, and even reviewed them for a bit, but I’m pretty sure the only Injustice game I’ve played has been that one at Main Event that dispenses trading cards.
And I have a lot of those trading cards.
Even still, you can appreciate merch for a game without having played the game, like The Flash Hot Pursuit figure here. Why is he called “Hot Pursuit”? Why is he in all white? I don’t know, but he’s still pretty neat.
One of the things I don’t like about Injustice is how every single character’s costume is over-designed to death, with armor, plating, piping, and other adornments making even the most iconic of costumes look awkwardly bust and impractical. This Flash figure, at least, has a good balance of fantasy and practicality. The white suit with gray and black detailing looks sharp, even if you’d expect a Flash to be in red, and it reminds me of a less sinister Godspeed. This batch of figures has been all about cool accessories, and the attachable Speed Force blasts or what have you are pretty sweet. The best is what I can only describe as a lightning mace, a heavy ball attached to bolts of lightning or energy. I loved this attachment, and felt like it resulted in one of the most dynamic and energetic shots I’ve gotten from one of these figures so far.
Available from Amazon and Entertainment Earth
Dr. Fate standard and chase (Injustice 2)
Dr. Fate rules. For my money, he has one of the best costumes of any comic character ever, with the simple blue and gold suit elevated by that killer cape and the iconic Helmet of Nabu. As simple and clean as Fate has traditionally looked in the comics, there’s definitely some room to tap into his mystic background for some cool adornments and details. McFarlane have two separate Dr. Fate figures available, inspired by the Injustice games, and they’re both some of my favorite pieces I’ve received from the company. In fact, there’s only a single drawback, and that’s that Fate doesn’t come with any accessories, save for a posing arm. It would have been cool had the helmet been removable, or if some energy blast attachments, an Orb of Nabu, or a book of incantations had been included.
But that’s it, and a minor nit to pick. I love this figure, from the helmet down to the end of his cape. He’s identifiably Dr. Fate, with extra details that enhance the costume without becoming distracting. The added brown skirt with gold trim gives the piece an extra bit of color, which really just makes his trademark blue and gold hues pop even more. The ankhs on the breastplate, knee pads, and shoulders cleverly incorporate one of Fate’s most identifiable symbols, and the scarab on his belt and Eye of Horus on his gloves are nice touches too.
McFarlane provided the standard figure as well as their Platinum Collection chase, and the only real differences are the paints used. Surprisingly, it’s the standard figure that has darker tones, as the chase figure more closely resembles Fate’s colors in the comics. The Platinum figure uses lighter blues and a sharper gold, where the standard figure is dark blue and uses an almost bronze shade for the helmet and cape. Other than that, it’s the same great figure that can be posed to look like he’s hovering on your shelf, so either one is well worth tracking down. Just don’t be surprised to pay a bit more for the Platinum piece.
Available from Amazon and Entertainment Earth
The Redeemer (Spawn)
Having never read a Spawn comic, I don’t know who the Redeemer is.
As a fan of dudes with huge wings and cool swords, though? I kind of like this guy.
Of any figure in this batch, the Redeemer has what may be the coolest and most detailed accessory of all, with those massive detachable wings looking mighty impressive in his back. Each individual feather is rendered, which is just insanity, because it cannot be stressed just how big these things are. You can tell in the pictures that they’re practically as big as the Redeemer himself, and they’re in their own blister packaging in the box.
The rest of the figure is pretty cool too, though he’s certainly elevated by the wings. With a color scheme like Dr. Fate, the Redeemer looks noble and heroic, like a supernatural knight and protector. His armor plating makes him look noble and gallant, but it also makes it hard to pose him well. His sword is also disappointingly lacking in color, as it’s just a big, gold blade. This may be accurate to the character, sure, and the engraving at the crossguard and pommel are nice and intricate, but it’s just a tad disappointing that the Redeemer has one accessory that’s a 10 while the figure itself and his sword are strong 7s.
Available from Amazon and Entertainment Earth
Raven Spawn (Spawn)
Raven Spawn is spooky.
Raven Spawn is also the most Spawn-like of any of these figures, with a sculpt and accessories that remind me of the McFarlane figures I’d see in comic shops when I was growing up.
This figure is dark and drab, but purposefully so, with lots of deep browns and blacks that are contrasted by a few pops of silver. His skeletal grin is planted on a face that looks like it’s rotting off the bone, with his haunting green eyes peeking out from under his hood. If the Spawn figure from the Mortal Kombat line has a cape that looks like it’s seen it’s share of battle, Raven Spawn’s cloak looks as if it’s a tattered extension of his rotting flesh, and I mean that in the best possible way.
And then there are the spikes. So many spikes, with his arm gauntlets and boots just covered in them. It’s kind of ridiculous, yet it works.
I love his accessories too, as he comes with a massive axe and a hook and chain. The axe is pretty cool, with some skulls and more spikes to tie everything together. It’s that chain piece that’s really impressive, though, with a small hook at one end and a giant sickle at the other. Really, it looks like something Lobo would wield, and again, I mean that in the best way.
Raven Spawn is one of those pieces that surprised me. Not being familiar with the character, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the sculpting, details, and overall craftsmanship make him a truly impressive action figure.
With loads of spikes. Because seriously.
Available from Amazon and Entertainment Earth
OVERALL: A veritable cornucopia of different figures from different franchises, this batch of figures shows how diverse McFarlane Toys can be when making their different lines. From original figures created by McFarlane himself, to beloved DC characters given new interpretations, I’m impressed by the variety and quality of these pieces. Even if you don’t have much familiarity with Mortal Kombat, Injustice, or the Spawn franchise, there’s something here for everyone to enjoy.
McFarlane Toys provided each figure for the purposes of this review.
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