Doctor Strange was released in 2016 as part of the Marvel Legends wave to coincide with the release of his MCU movie. The wave mixed three figures from the film along with comic book versions and a comic book BAF of the films "big bad", Dormammu
Packaging 3/5
Doctor Strange is packed in the standard black scooped side Legends box with an orange hue design used across the figure backing, the name plate and down each side with the image of Doctor Strange facing off against his enemies.
The box front uses the MCU movie logo at the base of the figure window, with the Legends logo at the top. The box was used on both the standard Doctor Strange and the Astral version and both figures are pictured on the reverse of the box with the briefest of text about the Sorcerer Supreme.
"The Sorcerer Supreme combats evil using many forms."
Paint & Sculpt 3/5
Doctor Strange from 2016 pre-dates the face print technology and therefore is not the exceptional likeness we now expect. It bears a good resemblance to Benedict Cumberbatch with a well proportioned face and a decent attempt at his facial expression. The eyes, eyebrows and beard are simply painted - but painted well with no obvious errors. The hair is sculpted perhaps a bit short at the sides and is then painted a solid grey first fading to brown at the back - a more subtle transition would have improved the look and looked closer to the onscreen hair colouring.
The costume is spectacular and starts with the blue robes that the Doctor wears with varying creases and folds around the torso, and shirt section with it all held in with a sash belt. These robes are cast in blue with the other colours added. Most of it is neatly applied, but we have some missing brown on the straps of the belt leaving the end of them the same colour as the robes.
The cloak is cast in deep red and can be removed if you wish to give two very different looks to the Doctor. The cape has painted detail around the clasp and again the colour has not fully covered the base plastic in places leaving exposed red where a black strap should be. There are patterns cast into the cloak around the front seams, and textures round the collar and back. With a darker red wash these would have stood out beautifully.
The figure is identical in sculpt to the Astral version released at the same time, with this alternative version cast in a pink hued white to create the ghostly appearance.
The body would also go on for some level of re-use for the 2018 Doctor Strange from the Infinity War 3-pack. The 2018 version has a slightly better looking Cumberbatch head, utilising the face print technology. The Cloak is completely altered.
Accessories 3/5
Doctor Strange arrives with two pairs of hands for use with the figure. The first are magic casting hands, sculpted in a palm open / fingers bent pose ready to unleash the mystical energy. There is then a second pair of gripping hands, designed to hold the magic shield piece also included.
Both hands slot in and out easily and of course can be interchanged so you have the configuration you require for your display.
The magic shield FX piece is cast in a translucent yellow and is cast with the mystical energy pattern on the front and with flaming effect sides. Round the back is a grip that can be held by either of the gripping hands so the shield is presented in front of the figure as though just cast.
You can see what the Hasbro team were trying to achieve, it just looks a bit too solid for an FX piece and should have been much more translucent and ideally not held on the back but presented so it looks to be coming out of the outstretched fingers via a shaped slot or something.
The Doctor also comes with the Eye of Agamotto. This is cast in a softer plastic with a dark strap, with sculpted wrapped twine, and a golden eye piece with visible carved design. It is well sculpted and painted considering the scale, but the issue is it does not sit naturally around his neck. The strap is too rounded and leaves the piec sitting proud from the figure - always sitting too high at the back of the neck.
The Astral piece does exactly the same, and it was not fully solved for the 2018 release although that one seems to have some re-shaping of the strap to allow it to hang a little better.
Articulation 4/5
Doctor Strange has a total of 20 points of articulation, two more than usual thanks to a swivel at the boot cut on the legs.
Head : ball joint neck with pivot
Body : ball joint waist
Arms : ball joint shoulder, bicep swivel, double joint elbows, wrist pivot
Legs : ball joint hip, thigh swivel, double joint knees, boot swivel, ankle rocker
Movement is pretty great on the upper body with a number of spell casting poses available - although the arms don't want to sit close to the body and more neutral stances are not agreeable with the joint configuration.
The legs are held back a little by te lower skirts of his robes. The Doctor stands perfectly well and can go to some wider stances, but not much else. He does look great on a flight stand to recreate some levitation spells. And in these poses the legs can bend and pose to match - even into a partial legs crossed pose.
All the joints are secure and many are ratcheted for added security. He has no loose joints or areas of concern and stands perfectly well.
Summary
The 2016 Doctor Strange figure is getting scarcer these days, and while its head sculpt and paint job is not of today's standard - the outfit, much of the painting and certainly the articulation hold their own.
There are paint errors to contend with, and some areas on the cloak in particular that would have benefitted from an extra paint application. But everything else looks and works pretty well.
Doctor Strange is welcome addition to my MCU collection, even if I do have the later 2018 version. It is however a puty only versions of the Doctor and Mordo made it into the Legends line from the movie, making it arguably the least represented in the MCU.
I score the Marvel Legends 2016 Doctor Strange MCU figure an above average 3 out of 5.
About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...
action figures, reviews, review, articulation, marvel, legends, hasbro, doctor strange