Beyond Peter Parker, MJ, and Ned, Doctor Strange is the next biggest player in Spider-Man: No Way Home and was therefore chosen for release in the Marvel Legends No Way Home wave ahead of the release of the movie. He sits alongside two Spider-Man suits from the movie, and J. Jonah Jameson in the wave - which is then rounded out by comic & Gamerverse characters and the comic-book Armadillo build-a-figure.
This review will include spoilers if you have not yet seen the movie.
Like the two Spider-Man MCU figures in the wave, Strange's box includes a golden card back and trim around the two illustrated side panels. The rear of the box is entirely golden yellow with another image of Strange sitting above the checklist for the Armadillo BAF. There is a short piece of background text to the side of this art - and it makes very little sense in terms of No Way Home, fitting more comfortably with Avengers: Endgame or Infinity War. Still there are no spoilers within the wording!
"Possessing vast magical knowledge and skills to call upon. Earth's Master of the Mystic Arts steps onto the battlefield "
Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange has had three figures to date in the Marvel Legends line. The first pre-dated the photo-real deco and one of these was the white Astral Projection version. Come Infinity War, this figure was tweaked and updated and packed into one of the First Ten Years sets alongside Iron-Man and Thanos. That figure was much improved but had an odd slightly 'squashed' head sculpt.
This 2021 version is now the definitive Doctor Strange - pending the figure from the upcoming 2022 movie - and while it is designed around Strange's No Way Home look it will fit in perfectly with any of the other movies in which the Doctor has appeared in the MCU.
The costume, while similar to both previous releases, is pretty much new throughout. Only the legs appear to have carried over from the earlier figure. The detailing on the robes and belt is impressive and the colours - while cast in their base plastic - are bright and clear. The cape, also a carry-over from the 2018 release, is cast in a much brighter plastic this time around and connects via a socket in Doctor Strange's back. The fit and security of the cape is good, but of course the peg will stop you having Peter Parker suspended with the cape or even Ned if he ever makes it to figure form.
The likeness to Cumberbatch on the head is the best so far and I would not be upset if this head and face-print deco is carried straight into the Multiverse of Madness figure. The greying at each side of the temple on the hair is subtle but visible and the beard is well executed.
The eye of Agamotto pendant, albeit missing the Infinity Stone now, is an individual piece and is also carried forward from the earlier figures. I don't know if it has been tweaked, but it sits more naturally on Strange's chest now. Hasbro have also not used any green to show the Stone is no longer present, and there are some colour variations on the string too.
While the Spider-Man figures in this wave have been a little lacking in accessories, Strange gets a decent amount to vary his look including the removable eye pendant I've just mentioned. We have two standard pairs of hands each giving a varying option for posing and particularly spell casting.
While not obvious in our images, the hands even carry the very slight scars from Stephen's surgery from the first movie.
We then have a pair of magical shield effects. Rather than try and design something to go onto one of the hands, these are presented with a hand actually attached so it swaps out at the wrist like the two standard pairs. The magical effect is cast in translucent orange with the right-handed one larger than the one on the left.
Doctor Strange, with his robes and cloak, is not as articulate as some figures but does still feature 20 points of articulation, all across a pinless body. The legs are restrained somewhat behind the robes but are secure for standing poses with a robust set of ankle rockers with an internal ratchet and added boot cut swivel over and above the usual configuration.
The arms are more expansive in their movement, although the left is held back at the shoulder when the cloak is being worn.
2022 looks to be a very good year for Doctor Strange, and Hasbro has kicked things off with a very good Marvel Legends version of the character that fits in with his No Way Home appearance, but also works for Infinity War and Endgame if you can overlook minor costume variances. The figure boasts updated robes, brighter and clearer colours on the costume and robes, a fantastic head sculpt with face-print tech, a decent level of accessories, and good articulation. It is difficult to see how the figure could have been executed any better save including the spell cube from No Way Home.
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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...