One:12 Daredevil: Mezco’s Man Without Fear

The devil’s in the details when it comes to Mezco’s take on the Hero of Hell’s Kitchen.

If there was one Marvel super hero I’d expect NYC-based Mezco Toyz to totally nail in their One:12 Collective, it would be Daredevil. And they definitely did.  The Man Without Fear makes a striking debut in Mezco’s 6″ premium format toy line, in a realistic and practical variation of his classic red costume.

The whole aesthetic behind the Marvel One:12 releases is based on finding real world interpretations of very comic book-y character designs, and I feel Daredevil was kind of a gimme– while his red suit fits perfectly amongst the spandex crew, he has, over the past decade, become a much more grounded, street level super hero. And stylistically, that entails a lot more body armor and utilitarian flourishes and less straight up spandex.

Mezco’s figure leans heavy into the body armor motif, while still presenting Daredevil as an agile fighter, and the result is a great balance. He’s got hefty, segmented gloves and boots, smartly designed shoulder pads… as well as a mask that looks more like a compressed helmet in its design.  This all helps to convey this hero as a fighter, which is exactly what Matt Murdock is. Eschewing the spandex, Mezco’s figure opts for a coated fabric that has a patent leather feel, which adds to the figure’s armored demeanor, while still affording him a great range of motion thanks to the well articulated base body.

This is a great Daredevil figure… but what really makes Mezco’s release shine is the awesome range of accessories.  Yes, we get the stuff you’d expect from a One:12 release– multiple alternate pose hands and two extra headsculpts (unmasked and battle damaged, with half of Matt’s bruised and bloody face exposed)– but he also includes some very inventive extras, which are included in toy form for the first time in this character’s comic book history.

First up is the billy club.  We’ve seen other Daredevil figures sport a cane that disconnects at the middle to form his tonfa-style stick weapons, and even some that include a string to connect the two halves. But Mezco skipped the string and opted for a thin wire connector, which can be bent and posed to create a much more dynamic display. It’s a genius choice of material, and allows for some very action-packed, natural poses with the figure.

Even better is the sonar piece that can clip onto the figure’s flight stand. This simple piece, a collection of concentric circles in translucent red plastic, is a perfect toy adaptation of Matt’s extraordinary senses, and the piece can attach to any point on the included flight stand, which connects to the figure’s base.  The end result is a sturdy support system that can bear the figure’s weight in any pose, while adding a comic-booky flair to highlight Daredevil’s main super power.  It’s absolutely genius.

Along with The Punisher, Daredevil is one of the true highlights of the One:12 Collective thus far… and considering the caliber of toys Mezco has released under this label, that’s really saying something.  If you’re a fan of the Collective, or Marvel Comics in general, do yourself a favor and check this figure out now, while you still have the chance.