The other half of that visual is the paintwork, of course, and the figure excels again here. The helmet looks fantastic as do the various straps and buttons. There’s very little slop overall – I think I have a little black speck on the chin that bugs me. The clothes have the right amount of wash to accentuate their look without feeling overdone. Even the little pink drop off paint on the back is spot on to the sculpted gum!
Articulation is almost another bright spot for the figure. Some of the areas are limited to preserve the look, but most still have good range. There are ball-joints at the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, and ankles; swivels at the thighs; double-hinges at the knees; and the ab crunch. All the joints were a little sticky out of the both and I still haven’t quite got the right thigh swivel opened up. I’ve been able to get some great poses out of the figure with one big exception. The neck peg isn’t seated in the optimal place on the head and the Rocketeer can’t look forward in a flying pose.
So, are you starting to feel like there’s a big, but coming? Well, there’s not. My figure hasn’t broken yet. I do sometimes have the neck peg come out of the neck instead of letting the head go, that’s an annoyance, but I have pliers. Unfortunately, we’ve seen that Michael Crawford’s broke and I’ve been privy to more than a few Rocketeers having issues in my collecting circle. I’m never one to jump on the “Bad QC” bandwagon, but I’m seeing more broken pics than I want to see on a toy I really like. The problem, though some claim it’s merely perceived, appears to again be the clear plastic used in the joints. Since the engineers have stuck with these clear joints through multiple releases, I’m guessing they’re just going to stick with it? By a longshot, if that’s true and one of them happens to read this, here’s the deal: we don’t care what the specific problem is. Their figures (GoT, Firefly, & Rocketeer at least) are breaking enough to get a bad reputation. They should be looking at anything they can do to change the narrative. Maybe it’s not the clear plastic in the joints, but the perception is that’s the problem, so sticking to those guns will just strangle the potential straight out of this line. Fix the problem, drop the clear joints too, sell more units.
If you count the extra head, Rocketeer included two accessories, the other being his classic pistol. It looks great and he holds it well. I wish we could’ve afforded a few more hands, fists maybe? I’m glad we have the pistol and that his right hand is a snug fit. The splayed left hand is also useful for posing, but I’m a greedy collector. I always want more for my money.
Overall, I love this figure! But I’m deathly afraid of breaking it. And, again, whether that’s perception or reality, it’s time for Funko to deal with it. They have done such an amazing job. The sculpt. The paint. The articulation. Everything about this figure screams fun! And then more of your friends break theirs than not and suddenly it’s just not so much fun anymore. Granted, I’m a testament to the fact they don’t all break, but I would like more peace of mind when collecting Funko Legacy. I assume we all would.
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Funko seems to have really bad QC issues. I haven’t picked one up since my two Magic the Gathering figures broke the moment I pulled them out of the box. Which honestly really sucks because their toys look fantastic, but I’m just too worried about breaking them to pick up another.
Excellent review. Sweet-looking figure. That said: Oh dear.
The Rocketeer is one of my favourite movies, mainly because of the abundance of Art Deco design. This figure looks amazing (apart from the lack of proper looking-up articulation). I’ve just ordered one from BBTS. But the news of these things breaking like twigs? Not heartening. I’m not planning on rough-and-tumble play with the thing, but if it’s likely to break just from falling over or off a shelf, maybe I should cancel . . . ?
Mine too! “What’s your favourite movie?” “The Rocketeer!” “I beg your pardon…?”
I’m very much looking forward to getting this figure, but it’s just not out in Canada yet.
I was thinking of getting two, one for an extra helmet to try customizing the AIM soldier, but that was because I wasn’t sure I’d love the sculpt or the joints of the funko figure. If they’re prone to breakage, however… hmmm… how many does one fan need? 3? 5?
I came across two today. I brought one home.
I had my choice of “young Steve Buscemi” with a few minor/barely noticeable paint issues or the one missing paint on his forelock and had a *gold* streak of paint on the inside of his plastic window. nowhere near the head. I bought Buscemi.
(and Firefly’s Wash and Zoe and Kaylee! tempted to grab Brienne and “Mhysa” Dany….)
I thought it odd his hand was shaped for a gun, but neither had one that I could see. It wasn’t until I read Crawford’s review earlier that I shook the box and it came tumbling out from the bottom where it had fallen. huzzah?
Only other issue with mine is what appears to be two right feet? I only pulled the tray out to give him a closer look and try to fit the gun back into the hand. (which lasted all of three seconds.) That’s when I noticed the feet. not a biggie, but….
Being a “one off” figure, I’ll probably leave him in the box for now.
or at least until I run across another one and double check the feet.
I do like the details like the gold painted glove rivets(?) and pink gum on the rocket.
I hope we get a Jennifer Connelly, Eddie Jones (L&C’s Jonathan Kent!), and/or a 6″ Tim Dalton, Bond/Rassilon/Remington Steele/whatever. heck, we already have DS9’s Rom (Grodenchik) and Terry O’Quinn from Lost! not sure about Polito, Sanderson, and an Adult Clint Howard? (his TOS character got one, but he was a boy.)
of course,I remember Billy more from 4400….
(Maher Ali was on House of Cards, any chance of those figures??)
I really, really want this figure but the numerous QC issues definitely have caused me to play the wait and see game. I actually had that bendable Rocketeer figure as a kid and loved it! Not sure where I got it as I never saw the movie when I was younger (I watched it for the first time last year and LOVED IT!) but the figure just resonated with me. After a month or so if I see more positive reviewed with no breakage versus negative reviews with breakage, I’l pick him up.
Glad to have him…even if I’m handling him pretty gingerly.
I was interested in him. However, I do not like brittle toys. It is the reason I quit buying NECA. I have a graveyard NECA figures with missing limbs. I have not had that problem with FUNKO. Although, most of my Magic figures are still in the box from where I recently bought them on clearance. I guess I will be extra careful when I extract them.
It’s cool Funko are taking a chance making figures from movies and TV shows that didn’t get proper figures. I just wish they could release figures from a movie or TV show I was really interested in. Avatar comes to mind.
My Rocketeer has become little more than a statue with upper body articulation. I mentioned in the comments of the Ultron review that I tore off his legs while trying to turn the thigh swivel, and now his hips have become horribly loose. I have him propped up on a Tamashii stand, and that’s probably where he’ll spend the rest of his days.
If I come across a second one I’ll probably pick it up, but I’ll be opening that sucker in the parking lot and testing all the joints before I drive off.
I ordered one off eBay and it arrived this past Monday. I love it! I’ve been waiting since 1991 when I was 12 years old for a decent Rocketeer figure, and this one doesn’t disappoint. And I also had that bendy figure. I remember they had candy that came in the Rocketeer helmet, too.
And I guess I got lucky with mine. It seems durable enough, the gun fits perfectly in his hand, none of the joints were frozen and it doesn’t seem like it would break to me just by posing it or anything. That being said, I still don’t want him to take a header off the bookshelf.
I still haven’t found The Rocketeer, but I have purchased 5 of the 6 Firefly figures (including the Previews exclusive Jayne), and I’ve had no issues with mine. They remind me of the type and quality of figures that Diamond Select was releasing in the mid to late 00’s. Mine had to be handled delicately, especially when freeing frozen joints, and while I certainly would prefer more durable figures, I’ve found them to be perfectly adequate. Granted, I realize that I’m one of the lucky few, but like Noisy, I too can attest that not all Funko Legacy figures break :p
I’m still intent on buying The Rocketeer, and I like the idea of Funko producing one-offs from cult franchises, compared to full waves. I don’t trust Funko’s QC enough to commit to a full wave again, like I did with Firefly. Hell, I love Firefly enough that I still would have purchased the figures even if someone like Jazwares had made them, lol !
Grabbed 1 Firefly no issues, Rocketeer is in the pile of loot, really hoping they do a Legacy Big Trouble Little China wave or 2…thats the dream for me.