written and photographed by Jonathan Keating
Review
DisneyBizJournal.com
Back in 2008, to coincide with Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull hitting movie theaters, Hasbro released a line of 3¾ inch scale action figures. While this line of products actually extended beyond action figures to include playsets, vehicles, roleplay items and larger scale “doll-like” figures, it mostly revolved around those 3¾ scale figures that were extremely popular at the time. Hasbro released figures from all three of the previous movies (at the time), in addition to new figures and characters from Crystal Skull.
Fast forward to present day and the new film Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Hasbro once again has taken a crack at a similarly structured line of Indiana Jones figures. However, this time it is in the 1:12 (or 6-inch) scale that now dominates the collector toy market. These figures are similar to Hasbro’s other collector action figure brands “Marvel Legends” and, more directly with a Lucasfilm tie, “Star Wars: The Black Series.” The similar scaling between all three lines allows us all to ask the question: What if Indiana Jones met Han Solo, and Captain America was also there, too?
Like the 2008 toy line, much of today’s line is comprised of figures from the first three movies, with a few figures sprinkled in to tie into the new film’s release (note: there have been no figures released or announced for Crystal Skull in this new “Adventure Series” line).
The figures actually released so far are mostly made up of characters and appearances from Raiders of the Lost Ark. This first line of figures included the titular Indiana Jones, Marion Ravenwood (in her Cairo market attire), and Sallah as the first “good guys” of the line. On the villains end, the first wave also included René Belloq in his ceremonial robes, as well as Major Arnold Toht with his iconic black trench coat and hat combo. If one buys the entirety of the first wave of figures, you can assemble a build-an-artifact of the Ark of the Covenant. In fact, many of the figures come with individual artifacts such as the fertility idol from the opening of Raiders, the Grail diary, the false cup of Christ, and more.
The other figures that have seen a wide release so far include two additional characters and one different appearance for Indy, all from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Walter Donovan, the main antagonist for Last Crusade, is immortalized in plastic and comes with the previously mentioned fake cup of Christ, as well as a scary-decaying swappable head for when he drinks from said cup. The other additional character from Last Crusade is Kazim (a Target exclusive figure), in his iconic fez and suit from when he tries to hunt down Indy before their misunderstanding is rectified. Indy’s new appearance in plastic is his professorial look from the beginning of the film. He comes with the Grail diary (mailed version), and the torch he makes in the catacombs of Venice, as well as the shield he and Elsa find in said catacombs.
Overall, the figures released so far are very impressive, especially for the price point. Despite the increasing prices of Hasbro’s various lines, most figures in the “Adventure Series” price at $24.99 retail. While this price may be a turn-off for some, comparative to other action figure offerings, like NECA, Mezco Toyz and various import companies, Hasbro still tends to be the (relatively) budget option for most.
Personally speaking, I feel that the “Adventure Series” is more definitive than the previously mentioned “Marvel Legends” and “Star Wars: Black Series.” Those lines have had extended decade-plus runs, in which every conceivable version of every character in the universe will inevitably be produced (sometimes just updated versions of the same character with the same exact look). The “Adventure Series,” on the other hand, has felt more definitive in its releases so far. There likely won’t be multiple attempts at the same look for one character, and while the same character might receive different appearances from various scenes and films, I won’t be obligated to update my Marion figure in a year’s time.
This also speaks to the strength of the overall line. Hasbro is covering a wide-range of characters from the films. While they have yet to announce figures from Crystal Skull in any capacity, you get the sense that there is a love and passion behind the line from the designers and other architects behind the “Adventure Series.” Each figure is almost perfectly crafted to their on-screen appearance, and usually comes with accessories that fans of the Indiana Jones franchise will become giddy as a schoolboy over (even if they never were giddy, even when they were a schoolboy). While you may achieve a higher quality with more expensive figures through various import companies, the “Adventure Series” has the advantage of a much cheaper price point, as well as a large cast of characters that other companies will simply never be able to compete with.
Speaking of other characters, there is a long list of solicited figures that have not yet seen a wide release (i.e., coming soon). These include:
• From Raiders: Indy in both his Cairo and map room appearances, a small diorama set of Indy and his temple escape, a two-pack of Marcus Brody & René Belloq.
• From Temple of Doom: Three different Indy appearances including his Club Obi Wan look, hypnotized and ripped-shirt from the final act, and Short Round.
• From Last Crusade: The Grail Knight, Henry Jones, Sr., Indiana Jones with his black tie, and Elsa Schneider.
• From Dial of Destiny: Old man Indiana Jones, Helena Shaw, Renaldo and Jürgen Voller.
Virtually all of these figures are up for pre-order at various websites and will be distributed over the course of the next year. Hopefully, the “Adventure Series” will continue to cover various characters from Indy’s history. Obviously, Crystal Skull is the most lacking, but Temple of Doom also has some obvious key characters that have yet to be announced. So far, the line seems to be made for fans by fans, and I can’t wait to see what characters, films, and appearances they cover next.
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Jonathan Keating is a contributing writer and photographer to DisneyBizJournal.
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