Toy Review: Marvel Select Hawkeye (And Pizza Dog)

Bro, do you like surprises, bro? Then you'll love the just-released Hawkguy figure from Diamond's Marvel Select line. Partly because of the David Aja-inspired interpretation, but mostly because of the inclusion of Lucky, aka Pizza Dog.

Based on the version of Hawkeye found in Matt Fraction's and David Aja's soon-to-be-finished series (with Javier Pulido, Matt Hollingsworth, Francesco Francavilla, Annie Wu, Steve Lieber) , the latest addition to the Marvel Select line was dropped earlier this week with little hint of Clint's arrival. This isn't the first Hawkeye figure from the Marvel Select line, nor is it even the first Hawkeye figure of 2015, which is certainly something 15-year-old me would never have expected to be saying nearly twenty years later. We live in a world where multiple Hawkeye action figures are released in a calendar year.

Deal with it.

Over the years, Diamond's Marvel Select line has moved from lightly articulated figures with elaborate sculpts and accessories to highly-articulated figures with loads of accessories. This Hawkeye features about two dozen points of articulation, and includes two different heads (one with shades, one with bandages) and a third hand for posing with the bow. He's got a really great range of poses, though you won't really be able to stand him in any kind of stance that looks like he's pulling the bow string. His arms and chest just aren't flexible enough to create the wide reach necessary for such a pose.

Hawkeye's sculpt does a solid job bringing the Aja design to life, and despite being in relatively plain clothes, there's plenty of detail to observe. The motorcycle boots have some nice wrinkling and buckles; his pants are weathered and worn in; the crossbow holster and belt quiver have nice, tiny embellishments that bring them to life. His physique is muscular, but not overly so, and you believe that this is a guy who can fire an arrow with an advanced compound bow with little effort.

The two head sculpts are different enough that you will be able to set completely different moods with the figure. The version wearing glasses is a bit more serious, and looks ready to head out on a mission with Kate or Natasha. The bandaged face has a bit more personality though, and perfectly captures the essence of the Marvel Now Hawkeye. He's got a slight smirk and furrowed brow, which really nails the "This looks bad" attitude Clint so frequently wore in Fraction run.

As for Lucky, while he doesn't have any articulation at all, he looks just like he should. The fan-favorite canine is a nice companion piece for the figure, and actually makes this Clint a bit more personable. Even without knowing the backstory of how Clint and Lucky came to be friendly, you can appreciate a man who needs nothing more than his bow, a few arrows and his trusty mutt, to be a hero.

Even though the overall package is rather nice, the Hawkeye isn't without its issues. The paint app is fairly sloppy in multiple spots, with some flaking already occurring on his elbows. There's some bleed on both the cuffs of his sleeves and the collar, and the flesh-tone paint on both of his right hands doesn't match up with the rest of his body. Additionally, the quivers are merely cosmetic, and you can't actually put any of the bonus arrows included in them for storage. It wouldn't be a big deal, but there are six different arrows as part of the package that serve no real purpose other than to have been included in the package. Clint can't really pose with them, so their inclusion is a bit wasted.

Being the Hawkguy fan that I am, it's hard not to appreciate this figure. Though there are some quality issues with the one I picked up, the figure is still a really great representation of the character. That said, you do have your pick of different versions of Hawkeye to choose from at retail, be it Diamond Select, Hasbro's Marvel Legends or the Avengers: Age of Ultron line. For $25, this is a really nice piece. Now we just have to hope for a Kate Bishop to accompany Clint and Lucky on their next adventure.

The DST Marvel Select Hawkeye is available exclusively at Disney Stores and Marvel.com for $24.95. This figure was purchased for review.