Monday, April 24, 2017

Action Figure Review: The Punisher: Fully Loaded from One:12 Collective Marvel Universe by Mezco

 It's been a frustrating road filled with me having multiple preorders cancelled from various e-tailers and shelling out a bit more money than I originally planned but, finally, I have the Previews exclusive One:12 Collective version of The Punisher: Fully Loaded in my hands. And he's pretty darn impressive. While I really haven't been too tempted by any of the Captain America or Daredevil variants, the Punisher is just unreal in terms of how much stuff he comes with. If you count the interchangeable heads and hands, along with the magazines included with each weapon, I count 51 accessories plus the metal storage box and accessory bag. That's insane! If you pick this guy up at the retail price of $129.99, you're still getting your money's worth. I had to pay a bit more, unfortunately, and while I hemmed and hawed over the initial purchase, once the figure arrived I forgot how much I'd spent. This is a pretty amazing package! Let's take a look at this very deluxe version of Frank Castle after the break, shall we?

The Facts:

Height:  6 1/2 inches

Articulation: Swivel/hinge ankles, boot swivels, double hinged knees, thigh swivels,  swivel/hinge hips, ball-jointed waist, ball-jointed mid-torso, swivel/hinge shoulders w/ "butterfly" joints, swivel biceps, double-hinged elbows, double swivel/hinge wrists, a balljointed beck, and a double ball-jointed head.

Accessories: Too many to list!

Non-Scalper Price: $130 dollars

 The Positives:

* At it's core, this is really just a deluxe version of the previous Punisher release so, for details about the articulation, concept, and execution, read that review. What you're getting figure-wise is exactly the same except this Frank is wearing a black T-shirt with the skull logo and some gray tactical pants. I like the base outfit better on the standard release, but this one offers up some nice variety, too.
 * The three included heads are all shared with the standard release. They're still incredible, though, so I don't mind having a second set. My favorite shows Frank after an altercation. He's got a bunch of cuts across his mouth, aright eye that's swollen shut, a bandage across the bridge of his nose, a few gashes on his forehead, a five o'clock shadow, and some messed up hair. This is incredible work and one of the best headsculpts I've ever seen on a figure in this scale.
 * There's no way you could look at this headsculpt and think it's anyone except Frank Castle. The slicked back hair, strong chin, steely gaze, and a laundry load of scars and cuts capture Castle's likeness. It's a blend of the best Punisher renditions you can imagine. This is the standard headsculpt and, while it shows Frank in pretty good shape, you can also see various scars and cuts all over is face. This is a guy who lives a rough lifestyle.

* Last, but not least, is the angry headsculpt. Capturing the Punisher right in the middle of battle, this headsculpt features a wide open mouth. What's Frank yelling? You decide! The open mouth is really well done. You can even see the separate teeth on this guy!

* The first new accessory in this set is a pair of night vision goggles. They're very cool. Very Splinter Cell-ish. They fit over the two heads with slicked back hair and stay on very securely. I love these things, especially the green and yellow paint applications. There's also a battery pack attached to the back, which is just a cool little detail.

 * Frank's wearing some tactical boots that look perfect. The sculpt and paint really give these a very life-like quality. Heck, the treads on the bottom are excellent, too.

 * Frank comes with quite a few extra outfit items, most of them unique to this set, to help you create your own Punisher look. The standard for this figure is a pistol belt with various pouches and a sheathe on the back for Frank's combat knife. The paintwork and sculpt is pretty impressive.
 * The second piece of gar might just be my favorite: It's a set of web gear that features a shoulder holster for Frank's revolver, a drop down thigh holder for his pistol, and a sheathe on the back for the knife. If you remove the head and the right hand, it's actually fairly easy to out on the figure. It's looks incredible and seems like something that would be insanely useful to the Punisher while waging his one man war against crime.

 * The third set of outfit pieces is the armored skull vest and the utility belt that features the "teeth-like" pouches for storing extra ammunition. Both of these pieces were included with the standard release but now the skull is given a cool red paint job. Shaped like his classic skull logo, this armored vest features a killer paint job and lots of dents, dings, and bullet holes. It looks like it's seen some combat, adding to the gritty appearance of the figure. The belt is also a separate piece that 9 nonfunctional pouches and a functional sheathe. It also has a killer paintjob that really manages to replicate the look of a distressed, leather-like material.

 * Perhaps the most significant accessory included to spice up the figure is the Punisher's leather trench coat. It's become a very recognizable look for the character and it's absence on the standard figure was definitely a bit puzzling. Lo and behold, it has been included with the deluxe set. And it's nice. It's very, very nice. It's made from a faux leather material and fits the action figure very well. The tailoring is incredible and there are plenty of cool little touches that make this feel more like a Hot Toys figure than a Mego, such as the hidden internal wires inside of the belt on the coat. Stuff like this just shows the though that Mezco puts into each release.

* To hold his various accessories (or to beat the tar out of various bad guys) Frank comes with 8 interchangeable hands that swap out easily. There are a pair pistol grips, a pair of grappling hands, a pair of fists, a left hand for cradling the forestock of a rifle, and a flat palmed right hand for bashing baddies in the face.

 * The Punisher includes a wicked looking assault rifle that was also included with the standard figure. It includes two removable magazines and is outfitted with a scope. The drybrushing effect to give this rifle a weathered appearance is also present here and it makes this thing look darn wonderful.

* Frank also includes two shotguns. The first shotgun is a smaller shotgun with a forward grip and a saddle of shotgun shells on the left side. This is an incredibly intricate weapon and the craftsmanship reminds me of the excellent 1/6th scale weapons 21st Century Toys used to put out in their Ultimate Soldier line but in the smaller 1/12th scale. The shotgun actually racks as the forward handle/pump can slide. Very, very cool.

* Frank's second shotgun is a bit smaller and seems more like a sawed off shotgun of some sort. Again, the pump actually works and the attention to detail is amazing. The Punisher looks so cool with this popping out of his trench coat.

 * To cause mayhem on a larger scale Frank Castle can use this massive shaped charge of some explosive compound. The sculpt is really nice, which is starting to sound redundant at this point and shows off the attention to detail that Mezco is putting into this line. He also has a sweet looking detonator to set the stuff off.

* The MP5 from the standard figure is included here as well. It also includes two magazines and features some light weathering to give it a more realistic appearance.

* A second submachine gun is included with this set and it's a MAC 10/11. I'll echo the previous sentiments that I've stated about all of the weapons above: Great sculpt, nice drybrushing effect, and two interchangeable magazines.

* When Frank needs to get close and dispose of some garbage quietly, he uses this effective little knife. This piece actually looks like it's made of metal with a rubberized grip, doesn't it? That's a very high quality accessory and it fits in the sheathe on the rear of any of the three included belts.

 * One of my favorite new accessories with this figure is the revolver. It's a Smith & Wesson magnum and it looks like it means business. It's so extremely detailed that the cylinder even rotates. How crazy is that?
* Frank's standard sidearm looks like a 45 caliber pistol with a barrel extension (a 1911-A1 perhaps?). It was also included with the standard version and it is not only a nice sculpt with some very intricate paintwork but also features a working slide. Yes, you can actually pose the pistol with the slide back. That's a cool feature that just seems incredible in this scale. Plus, it has a removable magazine. You actually get two magazines with this set, just in case Frank needs a backup.

* When Frank really needs to bring the pain to the bad guys, he ca whip out this Milkor grenade launcher. This is an incredible looking MGL (Multiple Grenade Launcher) that actually features a rotating and removable drum, six 40mm grenades, and a hinged stock. This also came with the standard version.

* Check out this anti-tank weapon the Punisher comes with! This thing is sweet and Frank can hold it really, really well. It just looks incredible! So many goodies with this line!

* Last, but not least, is a sniper rifle, complete with a functional bipod and two removable magazines. That's ten guns. 10 guns!!!

* Want to know what I think might be one of the coolest accessories included in this set? The firing effect shown to the left. Not only does it depict a muzzle flash from the barrel of a gun but it also features a small bullet at the end flying forward. This looks really impressive on display! It fits inside the barrel of the 45.  pistol, the MP5, the rifle, the MAC10, or the assault rifle.

 * To tote his gear around through whatever war zone he's in, the Punisher includes this handy dandy duffel bag. It has a functional zipper, a strap, and two carrying handles that can attach via a Velcro flap. Lots of space to sore the explosives, smaller firearms, shotguns, and other goodies in here.
 *  Like the other One:12 Collective figures, the Punisher features a round display base featuring his logo. The Fully Loaded variant has this more weathered looking skull rather than the neat and clean skull of the standard version. An off-centered peg helps to keep the figure nice and secure when standing up and an articulated display arm that can be inserted where the peg is (you just have to remove the peg) allows for some great, secure poses, as the joints are very nice and tight. 

 * Rather than come in a 5 panel cardboard box, the Fully Loaded variant of the Punisher comes in a metal tin. The top folds open and there are two layers with removable plastic trays that can hold each accessory. It' a very cool case. Of course, you also get the cool One:12 Collective branded bag. It's just a simple plastic bag with a Ziploc styled bag, but it's appreciated. It seems a bit larger than the standard bag, too.
 The Negatives:

* The little plastic tip that inserts into the gun barrels on the muzzle flash effect seems like it could easily bend or break. Be very, very careful with this piece!
 * The grenade launcher is an impressive accessory with lots of functional pieces such as the rotating cylinder, the hinged stock, and the opening body to allow inserting of the grenades. My complaint, though, is that the small peg that swivels open just really doesn't seem very sturdy. I haven't had any problems yet, but I certainly am a little nervous about the longevity of this feature.
This is an absolutely incredible figure. One:12 Collective is an absolutely amazing range of action figures and stuff like this Fully Loaded version of the Punisher just continues to build the reputation of the line. Mezco seems to have a juggernaut on their hands and a figure like this shows you why they do: There is just so much attention to detail and care put into the figure. If you have any desire to pick up this figure, do it now! Do it now before the price continues to go up and up on this piece, as it seems like it was made in fairly limited quantities. This is what Epic looks like, folks. Embrace it.

If you need more Punisher reviews, I've also looked at the standard One:12 Collective Punisher and the Marvel Legends Series Walgreen's exclusive The Punisher.

For more One:12 Collective figures, check out the following:

 One:12 Collective DC Universe (2015)
Armored Batman: Batman V. Superman (Convention Exclusive)
Batman: Batman V. Superman 
Batman and Mutant Leader (SDCC Exclusive)
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (PX Previews Exclusive)
The Flash
Green Arrow 
The Joker 

One:12 Collective Marvel Universe by Mezco (2016)
Captain America
The Punisher 


  1. Replies
    1. He always makes for a really fun figure. He's got a simple outfit which lends itself well to articulation and usually comes loaded with guns. My first Punisher was a Toy Biz Marvel Superheroes version that came with four guns and a talking backpack and I've kind of been picking up Punisher figures here and there ever since.


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