Toy Review: Marvel Retro Cloth Daredevil Action Figure Gift Set (Diamond Select)

The devil finally gets his Mego due!

I grew up on Mego, and for it’s time, we got a lot of characters that I never thought would be possible. Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Hulk, and even Falcon. Yes! Falcon! Almost unheard of for the mid-1970’s. Unofrnatually as always  in an assortment of figures, there were some Marvel characters that were left out.  But now thanks to Diamond Select with EMCE, we are seeing this problem rectified with the Marvel Retro Cloth Action Figure Gift Set collection.

This time around we get the Man Without Fear. Old Hornhead. Look out, here comes Daredevil!

Let start off by saying I love this set. This has the old nostalgia meter all the way up to 11. I feel like I’m 8 years old again.

Each one of these sets comes with one figure, three outfits, three heads, multiple hands, and various other accessories. The outfits are one probably would have been made by Mego, one that’s updated with today’s material, and a secret identity. In Daredevil’s case, the one that should have been made is the iconic red costume that was designed by Wally Wood. The “modern” outfit is actually DD’s first appearance yellow costume, designed by Bill Everett. And finally Matt Murdock, dressed for court.

There have been several of these sets, but this is the first one I got. I immediately noticed the body. Such a huge improvement from the old Megos, and other will not be named companies. It’s a really solid re-design here. Nothing loose like I’m used to. And then there are the heads. When I was a kid, I used to swap heads on my Megos, but after a while, they would break at the neck. Again, another incredible redesign. Each of the heads are easy to remove and yet stay on firmly when on the body. The hands are also well constructed and very easy to swap out.

So let’s get into each of the outfits.

First off is the iconic red suit. It truly does look like one of the Megos I grew up with. Strong spandex with a single button by the neck to hold the costume in place. The only complaint I have here is the DD logo on his chest is pretty much the same shade of red, so it’s really hard to see it. I don’t know if they should have gone with a deeper shade, but it doesn’t ruin the entire thing for me. Red underwear that goes over the spandex (of course). Plastic boots are well crafted. Simple and plain, but they do work. I especially love the billy club holder that attaches to the belt and the leg. The club itself splits in half easily. And DD has a grasping fist that can hold the billy club. Just perfect.

Next up is the first appearance yellow costume. I really love the way it looks. There are some DD origin stories that say this first costume was made from his father’s boxing robe and the punching bags from the gym. This is where it shines. The yellow is nice and bright. And the tunic is made from a fake leather material, but it really works here. The boots have laces molded into them. And again the billy club and holster. Really a nice touch.

Finally, there’s the alter ego costume, or in this case, a suit. Matthew Murdock in a two piece suit. Ready for court. He comes with his trademark sunglasses and cane. Also included with this outfit is a briefcase. There’s enough room in it to fit his DD costume in.

I almost forgot, but this set also comes with a booklet that talks about Daredevil in action figure form, a brief history of the character, and finally making a Mego of Dardevil.

All in all, this is a wonderful throwback toy for any Mego collector. Hell, this is a great figure for anyone one who loves Daredevil, Marvel, or just great looking action figures for their collectors.

Me, personally I’m hooked and can wait for the next set from Diamond Select!

Marvel Retro Cloth Daredevil Action Figure Gift Set is available now at your local comic shop or online.