Since it launched, I've made no effort to hide my enthusiasm for Mezco's One:12 Collective. Mezco's been doing a fantastic job bringing characters from all reaches of fandom to collectors in a format we haven't seen done this well in the past. Though it could be argued the One:12 Collective line expanded way too fast from its start, that hasn't stopped collectors from snapping up new releases. Based on what we saw from Mezco at Toy Fair this year, that's unlikely to stop anytime soon heading into 2018.

Mezco actually offered an early peek at the Toy Fair announcements before the full event took place, but like many products, you really have to see the One:12 Collective pieces up close to get the best perspective. There are loads of details in each and every figure, from tailoring to the sculpts to the accessories that make each one stand out from the rest of the pack. It's easiest to observe in characters that have gotten figures elsewhere in the past, like Doctor Strange, Wolverine or even Batman.

Case in point, Mezco's new Ascending Knight Batman. This is the company's take on the first appearance of Batman, not quite "Year One," but certainly an inexperienced hero in both combat and costume design. The large ears set the portrait apart, but even the minimalist suit harkens to a time when Bruce would just have been learning how to best protect Gotham. Conceptually, this is planned to be the first of three Mezco original Batmen, with each one showing a different era of Batman's career.

Both the Netflix Daredevil and the DC Cinematic Universe Wonder Woman were nice surprises, as they not only showed that Mezco can do real characters well, but also that live action is now possible on all fronts in the One:12 Collective space. I'll admit I'm a little concerned about the sculpted long hair on Wonder Woman, but the figure itself will have slightly softer plastic in that area to allow for easy posing. We'll see when the final product arrives, but it does otherwise look like another strong addition.

And seriously, how about that Popeye though? Of all the characters in the world to choose from, I'm certainly glad Mezco chose the spinach-loving sailor. We don't have very many good Popeye collectibles in this world. Despite being on the more realistic side, this Popeye is a winner to me. I only hope it's successful enough that Mezco continues taking chances on offbeat characters in the One:12 line.

 

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