04.06
Marvel’s Netflix shows ran for only four years but gained strong followings and a mixed bag of criticisms, however, the widely accepted crown jewel of the pantheon was Daredevil, the series that started it all that focused on the titular Matt Murdock attempting to take down the powerful crime boss Wilson Fisk. Daredevil tied with Jessica Jones for having the most seasons and aptly had the most Minimate releases for any one of the shows with two box sets and an SDCC exclusive two-pack. Here, we will examine a very rudimentary set that focuses on the civilian aspects of the series rather than any showy costumes.
The Packaging
Marvel’s Daredevil follows Matt Murdock, attorney by day and vigilante by night. Blinded in an accident as a child, Murdock uses his heightened senses as Daredevil, fighting crime on the streets of New York after the sun goes down. His efforts are not welcomed by powerful businessman Wilson Fisk — a.k.a. Kingpin — and others whose interests collide with those of Daredevil. Though Murdock’s day job portrays a man who believes in the criminal justice system, his alter ego suggests otherwise, as he takes the law into his own hands to protect his Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood and the surrounding communities.
The packaging is garnished similarly to most Marvel four-packs but features a dark red color to it. There is also a picture of Daredevil in his red costume looking back over his shoulder. Both the image and coloring are reminiscent of the series’ opening sequence which is an amazing callback in terms of design. The Marvel’s Daredevil logo brandishes the front and the back which is a nice addition. The back showcases the figures as well as Matt Murdock’s alternate looks. For a better look at the box, check it out on the database here.
The Figures
Matt Murdock
The man without fear himself starts this set off with a bang. The majority of the show has Matt in his civilian clothes so this look comes very warranted. His suit and pants are relatively generic but the face detailing and the hairpiece make it known that this is Matt Murdock with his iconic red lens glasses. His suitcase and cane add to his lawyer aesthetic and give his hands something to do while going on a stroll or fighting crime on the right side of the law. It initially seems that not much can be said about Matt in this release, however, that’s far from the truth.
Matt comes fully equipped with an alternate head without his glasses that shares a remarkable resemblance to him in the series. His suitcase, despite it’s professional appearance, actually houses his two wooden fighting batons. With a quick change of the torso and an addition of the leg holster, Matt is ready for action as the Man in Black (not Johnny Cash). One of my favorite parts of this figure is that it’s just named “Matt Murdock” since, while he wore this suit, he had yet to take on the proper mantle of Daredevil.
All these added pieces bulk up the figure impressively but also give the opportunity for this quick change to occur. As usual with figures with multiple looks, I suggest purchasing two in order to display them in both forms, but that’s just me. I really enjoy the smooth transition from lawyer to vigilante in this figure and appreciate the dual uses of the arms, legs and waist piece. The hands, torso and head all change out, but it’s well worth it. The mask piece may be the highlight of this figure. The coloring is great and the mold is beautiful with the loose, flowing bands on the back and the hint of a fold on the bottom of the face section. The protruding hair on the back adds to it and makes it look more like a mask rather than a helmet like some other figures. The batons are muted just as much as the mostly black figure which keeps the color scheme consistent. The slight red highlights on his suit always seemed to hint at what’s to come for Matt.
Overall, this is a fantastic Daredevil/Matt Murdock figure that has been missing from the Minimates line since very early on. Whether you are a fan of the show or the comics (in which the suit design borrows from Frank Miller’s “The Man Without Fear” storyline), this figure is for you.
MMC Score — 10 out of 10
Wilson Fisk
The ominous presence that seems set on upending Matt Murdock’s life as much as Matt is set on upending his, Wilson Fisk is a force to be reckoned with. Cunning, powerful and downright cruel, few Marvel villains carry a fear in just his name on the same level as Fisk. The figure is a great representation of Fisk despite it’s somewhat plain appearance. The black suit matches what he wears for the majority of Season One and looks sleek while still being oppressive. Fisk has a hip cap piece which gives him a bit of height over the other figures in this set, something pivotal to his look.
The head printing looks accurate and menacing, showing off a bit of a scowl towards his enemies. Outside of accuracy, however, Fisk isn’t a very exciting figure. He features no accessories and has little detail outside of the slight highlight on his collar. Overall, Fisk gets the job done and done very well but has little to offer outside of that. I suppose doing much more with him wouldn’t make sense so I can’t really complain all that much but I would have liked to see something alongside him, like perhaps a plate of omelets or a large table to flip over.
MMC Score — 7 out of 10
Foggy Nelson
Foggy has been Matt’s best friend and teammate since law school and persisted to help him in his future endeavors despite his feelings against the idea of Daredevil. Foggy is a classic character both from the series and the Marvel comics that is great to have depicted for the first time as a Minimate. Foggy is a relatively simple figure that sports a grey suit with matching pants and a brightly colored pink undershirt that’s possibly the most unique aspect of this figure. His facial printing and hairpiece are reminiscent of his look in the series but could pass as a comic accurate representation as well.
Foggy comes with a shoulder bag assumedly for some important “avocados at law” paperwork. Outside of that, Foggy is a pretty standard civilian figure. These suit and tie molds are relatively commonplace these days and, outside of his unique face printing, he is otherwise very standard. I was surprised to see that he was included in this set despite the lack of action he performs in being a figure. Other characters from Season One such as Nobu or Melvin could have offered some more interesting aspects to this set and are large holes missing in the Daredevil Minimate collection. Nevertheless, hardcore fans of the Daredevil series or comics will be glad to see Foggy as a figure but I still can’t help but think more could be done with him or his slot in this set.
MMC Score — 6 out of 10
Claire Temple
Claire Temple is an important character throughout the entirety of Daredevil and even appears in some of the other Marvel series so her presence in this set is very warranted. Claire is also another civilian figure but has some more unique aspects. Claire’s hair mold is fitting and lines up with her figure well but limits some mobility. Her sweatshirt is a great look that she wears multiple times in the series. The set also includes a hood and “mask” head to resemble her short lived vigilante look from Season One. Claire’s white shoes could be seen as her sneakers but lack any detail confirming this. She also has a second pair of hands that serve as surgical gloves that she wears while bandaging up Matt after his fights.
What was done with her figure was great in that there was addition to her simple civilian look which made her much more interesting and unique. She has various looks and even an accessory that adds to the figure as a whole. Overall, she works both as a civilian the same as Foggy but she offers up a more unique look that fits with the quasi-real vigilante filled nightmare world of the Marvel Netflix shows and I believe that is an important aspect to include in your characters for these sets.
MMC Score — 7 out of 10
Conclusion
For the first outing based on any of the Netflix Marvel adaptations, I believe this is an overall success. The focus on civilian characters continues throughout the sets but are warranted in some places. I still believe some more action oriented characters could have been used for better effect in this box set but I’m not unhappy that we have any of these four characters. I would suggest picking up two of this set (as I usually do with characters with multiple looks) so you can have both versions of Matt and Claire. You could make a version of Fisk in his white or orange suits and even just have a nice civilian from the second Foggy, but I digress. Overall, I really like this set and can’t wait to explore the rest of the Daredevil line.
Agree? Disagree? Why not vote for yourself below, or comment further over at the Minimate Multiverse MMC Review Forum.
Review and pictures by Dash Hauenstein.
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