Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Action Figure Review: Adam Strange (Strange Adventures) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   I haven't read Tom King's 2021 Strange Adventures book that this figure is based on, but that's not a huge deal: This is legitimately just a pretty good classic take on Adam Strange. Sure, there might be a couple minor differences between this costume and Adam Strange's classic look, but I think they're pretty minimal. I really do love the unusual DC characters that seem to exist outside of the heroes and allies of the mainstream Justice League members and I think McFarlane Toys really has done a pretty incredible job of adding characters like to the DC Multiverse line. I'm also just a fan of the retro space aesthetic, so I'd dig this guy just on his own. Put him with your NECA Defenders of the Earth/ Flash Gordon figures or have him hang out with the Four Horsemen's Cosmic Legions. He's just an all around excellent space man! Adam Strange is one of the McFarlane Collector Edition figures, so he's a bit more expensive but comes with more extras than your average DC Multiverse figure. Let's check out Adam Strange after the break...






The Facts:

Height: 7inches

Articulation: Toe hinges, double swivel hinged ankles, double hinged knees, thigh swivels, swivel/hinge hips, balljointed waist, balljointed mid-torso, swivel/hinge shoulders w/ ballsockets, bicep swivels, double hinged elbows, double swivel/ hinge wrists, and a barbell jointed head.
 
Accessories: 4 swappable hands, 4 swappable faceplates, laser gun, collector card, and display stand.
 
Non-Scalper Price: $30 dollars






The Positives:

* This really is an excellent classic look for Adam Strange. A red outfit (with two different shades of red), yellow boots and gloves, and white accessories. It's eye-catching and noticeable! Adam's body itself is pretty plain with nothing too unique about it, making it seem just like a classic red jumpsuit, but the addition of the white pistol belt and the jetpack straps definitely peps things up a bit. The boots are molded in yellow plastic while the hands and forearms are painted. They're slightly different shades, but since they're not next to each other, it's not too noticeable. The yellow looks pretty clean here, something that's not always the case with yellow paint. There's a Platinum variant that seems pretty easy to find which is wearing grey and black if that's more your thing.





* Adam Strange comes with four different faceplates that fit very snugly into his helmet. It's one of the best uses of faceplates I've ever seen. There's just some fantastic design here to make everything work brilliantly. The helmet is excellent with a cool little fin on top and ear protectors while the faceplate looks very classically heroic. This is the basic plate, giving Adam a fairly neutral, heroic expression. 







* I really like this smiling portrait, too. Sometimes very expressive portraits, especially happy or smiling expressions, just come off a bit wrong, but this one is great. Adam Strange really does look like how you'd expect a sci-fi hero created in 1958 to expect. He's a Silver Age character but there's something about him that really feels like a throwback to the Golden Age.





* Sometimes Adam Strange does have to use his jetpack and ray gun to fight evil, so he also comes with a yelling expression. It looks much better in hand when you're seeing all of the sculpt at once as you move it around. The mouth is actually open as the tongue and such are attached to the back of the head. Check out the straight up picture of Adam Strange above to see what he looks like without a face. The mouth is always present there, a cool way to handle this.






* Last up is a faceplate with a mask. I do wish Adam came with a clear globe-like space helmet, but I presume this is what he uses instead. How does he not get his eyeballs sucked out in space? Technology and science, that's how!












* The jetpack is a separate piece but it's permanently attached to the straps and doesn't come off unless you start cutting stuff. It's white, which is accurate for the character, and has that cool retro design, kind of like the Rocketeer's jetpack. 








* Adam Strange has pretty standard McFarlane articulation, so you shouldn't be too surprised. He's a solid and sturdy toy, like most McFarlane figures these days, and he's pretty fun to mess around, especially when you mix up the face plates. There's not much to interfere with his movement, either, so you can go wild posing him. He doesn't have a flight stand or anything, but if you have one he'd look cool hovering around.







* Four swappable hands are included and I didn't have much trouble at all changing them out. There's a pair of pistol grips for holding his ray gun and a pair of fists for punching out troublemakers. 




* Adam's ray gun is simple and very sleek. It looks like something from Naboo, though not covered in chrome. He holds it well in either pistol grip hand. What space man isn't improved by a ray gun?











* The holster for the ray gun is functional (and a bit flexible) so you can put the blaster inside for safekeeping.













* Of course, you also get a really nice collectible card and a disc stand with the silver DC logo. 

The Negatives:


* The thigh strap of the holster isn't an actual strap; it's just painted on and you can see the red through it. Also, the holster is a bit oversized and doesn't hold the ray gun snugly. It wobbles around in there a bit.







   I really like this version of Adam Strange and he feels like he could be pretty versatile in your collection. Who doesn't love a retro sci-fi space man? Put him with your Justice League or with other random DC heroes from across time like Jonah Hex, Sgt. Rock, and Captain Carrot. The figure is just a fun toy with bold colors, excellent faceplates, and the nifty little ray gun. A fishbowl styled helmet would have been nice, but I'm happy with the four swappable faceplates. He's a Great and a 1/2 figure and one of the most exciting figures from the McFarlane Collector Edition offerings of the DC Multiverse line. 



This is the first figure of Adam Strange that I've reviewed. For more DC Multiverse reviews check out the following:
Harley Quinn (The Suicide Squad)
Hugo Strange (Batman: Transference)
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