Some Iconic Additions to the “Indiana Jones: Adventure Series”

 written and photographed by Jonathan Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 31, 2023

 

Despite the box office performance of Dial of Destiny, the Indiana Jones merchandise train seemingly continues full steam ahead. 

The Adventure Series, a line of 1:12 scale highly detailed action figures in the same vein as Hasbro’s other toy lines, Star Wars: Black Series and Marvel Legends, features Indy and his surrounding cast of characters depicted in plastic form. The first wave, which DisneyBizJournal already covered, was mostly made up of characters from Raiders of the Lost Ark. With a new set of releases, the Adventure Series covers some familiar ground, as well as expanding into new territory. 

The least interesting of these new releases must be the Indiana Jones Temple Escape figure. Now, to clarify, this is not a bad release. In fact, it’s the same original (very good) Raiders of the Lost Ark Indy that was released by himself in the first wave. The “new” draw for this version is the inclusion of the pillar that holds the fertility idol from the opening of that film along with a few additional accessories. The problem with this figure is the price point. Retailing for $39.99, this release of Indy is almost double the price of the standard Raiders Indy. If that figure was hard to come by this might be a good release for those who missed out on the standard Indy. However, you can currently find that Indy for its retail price, so the “Temple Escape” release has a few interesting additions, but I would say it is not worth it given the price point. If this set eventually comes down in price, it might be worth picking up for a standard Indy and a small diorama piece. 

The only other new figure from Raiders is another variant of Indy. This is the Cairo version of Indy that appears during the iconic swordsman “fight” and chase for Marion throughout the streets of Cairo. This is a great figure. It does not seem like much at first – another slightly different version of our protagonist. But once you get it in-hand, there is a certain rugged quality to this particular version of Indy. It’s Indy in the midst of an adventure – not all cleaned and polished. This figure comes with a few alternate hands, the standard whip and gun, and a repack of the Raiders monkey that was originally released with Marion. Once again, the only thing keeping me from recommending this figure is the price point. Even more so than with Temple Escape Indy, the “extras” here do not justify (in my mind) the additional cost. Cairo Indy retails for $33.99 which is almost ten dollars more than the standard “Adventure Series” release.

 

Now, to move on to the positives (which is virtually everything else), this most recent wave of figures has dialed in on Temple of Doom as the movie that comprises most of the release slots. Three of the five figures are all from Temple of Doom. Two of those three are different versions of Indy. 

The first is the iconic look that most people will associate with that awesome theatrical poster for Temple of Doom, you know the one where he’s holding the machete and his shirt is all torn up. Awesome. It is also the same look that is featured at the end of the film on the bridge where he says, “Prepare to meet Kali…in hell!” Iconic. This figure is a fantastic representation of that look, coming with previously mentioned machete so you can recreate your own bridge scene. The other Indy look is the hypnotized Indy that I feel most people will simply deem shirtless Indy (ooh lala). Made for only completionists and Calista Flockhart, the shirtless Indy is an iconic sequence from Temple of Doom, but is still sure to give you some odd looks when purchasing or displaying. 

Finally, to add to the character roster beyond Doctor Jones himself, the final character from Temple of Doom is the best Indy sidekick: Short Round. Short Round is one of my favorite releases from all of the Adventure Series. Not just because I think he is one of the best parts of Temple of Doom (if not the best part), but also because they make up for the small stature of the figure by packing the box with accessories: removable jacket, removable New York Giants (not Yankees, sorry) hat, the first removable Indy fedora of the figure line and a whole host of other little additions that make the purchase well worth it. 

The other two figures in this most recent wave are both from the fifth and final Indy film, Dial of Destiny. One, of course, is Indy in his main look from that film. It’s an update on his iconic look from all films, except the figure is notably detailed to be older. This Indy does not feature the gun holster, and the whip has changed from the other releases to reflect the movie, but otherwise it is mostly similar to the standard release Indy. He comes with the adventure backpack (the one Disney got sued over) and a flashlight, both of which are featured in the third act of Dial of Destiny. 

Also from that film, the final figure in this wave is Helena Shaw – Indy’s goddaughter and adventurer in her own right. Like the release of Indy, they used the look she has in the third act of the film for the basis of this figure. She also comes with her own backpack and flashlight. Both are solid figures and, in my mind, the main figures people will want from Dial of Destiny. 

 

To go back to Temple of Doom, this wave’s build-an-artifact is the skull structure that houses the Sankara stones (note: if you pick up the whole wave you can get both the standard Sankara stones and glow-y orange scary ones). Not as impressive as the original wave’s Ark of the Covenant, this is still a worthwhile reason to pick up the whole wave and adds some life to your overall display. 

Finally, also from Temple of Doom, is the Club Obi-Wan Indy figure. This was not part of the most recent wave, but was instead a Target exclusive release. I had pre-ordered mine months ago, but Target inevitably cancelled my order. I was not alone in this, as it seems that Target is particularly terrible in terms of randomly cancelling people’s preorders. I still got the figure, but it was through a third party and was not officially through Target. It’s a shame that Target botched the release of this figure for so many because it really is an interesting addition to the line. Indy is sporting that inspired-by-Bond look from the best opening to any Indy film. The Club Obi-Wan Indy is a figure that is visually different in a sea of browns and tans.

 

There are still plenty of Indiana Jones Adventure Series figures slated to be released, but with the box office performance of Dial of Destiny I do wonder if this line is long for this world. Despite the mostly positive fan reception (myself included), does Indy still have the financial draw to sustain an entire collectible toy line? Hopefully the answer to that question is yes, but only time will tell.

 

The figures that are announced, but have yet to be released, include: Indiana Jones (Map Room), Marcus Brody & Rene Belloq (Ark Showdown 2 pack), Doctor Jurgen Voller, Renaldo, Dr. Elsa Schneider, Grail Knight, Henry Jones Senior, and Indiana Jones (Last Crusade). These figures can be pre-ordered virtually wherever you get your collectibles, with the exception of Map Room Indy which is another Target exclusive. 

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Jonathan Keating is a contributing writer and photographer to DisneyBizJournal.

 

“Indiana Jones: Adventure Series” Has “For Fans, By Fans” Feel

 written and photographed by Jonathan Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

July 2, 2023

 

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.