Boss Fight Studio Reveals Bucky O’Hare Wave Two

At New Jersey Collectors Con, Boss Fight Studio premiered the Bucky O’Hare variants of Stealth Mission Bucky and Astral Projection Jenny, with newcomer Dead-Eye Duck rounding out the second assortment.

As nice as it was to see the latest surprises from arguably the best 3.75” figure company in the industry, I was privileged to tinker with a near final version of the titular character, and I have no words to properly convey how well-executed the figure was made, top to bottom. This Bucky O’Hare action figure, if the display sample was any indication, is a clear frontrunner for figure of the year: a distinction Boss Fight appears to be competing with itself to achieve.

Variants using pre-existing tooling has been the tactic of Boss Fight Studio if one is familiar with the Vitruvian H.A.C.K.s collection. Hardly the first company to employ such methods to get their money’s worth from their tooling, Boss Fight has become experts at creating compelling new characters and characterizations with each new deco to make them meaningful to any fan’s collection. It becomes more tricky when it’s a licensed property like Bucky O’Hare. Most of these anthropomorphic characters don’t deviate greatly palette-wise from comic to cartoon, Bucky in particular. Boss Fight Studio dug deep to give collectors variant Bucky and Jenny figures worth purchasing.

Stealth Mission Bucky has been given a dark blue uniform with black camouflage, departing wildly from the bright reds and yellows of his default outfit. This opens the doors for all sorts of swamp adventures, taking the fight directly to the upcoming Storm Toad Troopers on their home turf. As far as creative decos go, this choice becomes about as mandatory a purchase as Bucky’s first figure.

Pilot Jenny, however, has several options to consider. She has been depicted with comic white fur, hair, and tail, as well as pinks locks seen in the cartoon. There was an opportunity for some visual amalgamation (read: compromise), so it is appreciated that the Jenny we are getting appears lifted straight from the comics wholesale. Astral Projection Jenny shows that Boss Fight is keeping each variant relevant. To convey her out-of-body ability, the figure has been cast in milky white translucent plastic, with light deco of all of her colored parts. She includes her C.A.T. effects like the first release. Opting to showcase Jenny’s ability over a popular cartoon deco demonstrates Boss Fight’s understanding of the property and appreciation of the character. That is to be applauded. I’ll be seeking out a flight stand for her.

Hopefully manning the M.A.S.E.R. cannons of a future Righteous Indignation spaceship is Bucky’s newest ally in the Toad Wars: Chief Gunner’s Mate Dead-Eye Duck. Unlike previous entries in the line, his figure execution deviates a bit. Obviously his torso accommodates a second set of arms, none of which lose the amazing articulation of the other figures. Dead-Eye also will have alternate bills, rather than faces, so his steely gaze will be maintained throughout. Like the other figures, character-appropriate hands and weaponry will be included to brandish or store as needed. With four hands and only one eye, his shooting skills are all the more impressive. I can’t wait to see what mission or adventure deco Boss Fight Studios has planned for Dead-Eye Duck!

While nothing was shown outside of a character design card, the Storm Toad Trooper appears to be the first adversary of our heroes. Like Jenny, the Trooper benefits from numerous options: weapons, heads, helmets, and decos referencing the comics, cartoon, or even the Konami video game. If one figure can reclaim the cost of tooling, it will be the Storm Toad Trooper.

Though hardly a review of a final product, Boss Fight was kind enough to let us tinker with a near-final version of the Bucky in the display case. The honeymoon is hardly over. The articulation if fully functional, and the limbs move nicely without being hampered by the costume design. The head is a heavier part of the figure, but the large feet provide a solid base. His legs are capable of being completely straightened at the knee, yet he remains appropriately shorter than Pilot Jenny. The alternate hands are perfectly rendered to hold his blaster.

One surprise is the soft epaulettes are attached to the collar as one piece. The shoulder was never going to have a complete range of motion as it was, but this design choice allows better movement than if they were fastened to the shoulder outright. A hinged joint like Iron Man would have been bulky and ugly, so this is a fantastic remedy. The ears are ball-jointed and plugged into his headgear, and they can fully swivel 360°, stand up or fall back. This complements the expressions of his faceplates further, if that was even possible. The cape is soft and removable, plugging into his back with the top sitting seamlessly into his shoulders.

Lastly, Bucky’s neck is a full barbell, with the larger one housed in the head and smaller ball sitting in the neck. At first I wondered why a green color wasn’t selected for his neck, but ultimately red is the better choice, seeing as how well it blends into the collar. The neck can cock back quite a bit, which is fantastic, but still, ensure the figure has well-planted feet for balance.

These figures take the best elements of the Michael Golden art, the bright colors and expressions of the series, the Boss Fight Studio design, and encases it lovingly in collector-friendly, resealable, vintage-Hasbro-inspired packaging. Understanding the inherent limitations a small company faces with utilizing unique tooling for a nostalgic property with a diminished yet rabid fan base, this collection has launched as perfectly as it could. Compelling variants, dynamic and posable sculpts, selecting a white whale like Jenny at the start of the line, and all in resealable packing makes Boss Fight Studio’s Bucky O’Hare the best new action figure line for 2017, hands (or paws) down!