Kabuki Fever

Shocker Toys has just released their Indie Spotlight Comic Book Heroes Series 1 and I was lucky enough to get my hands on Kabuki!

Shocker Toys is focusing this new line of action figures based on independent comic book characters. Series 1 focuses on characters from the 1990s. I was an avid comic book reader and collector at that time, and while I am familiar with Kabuki in a general sense, I never followed any Kabuki comics. So for a character synopsis, I'll had you over to Wikipedia and I'll do what I do best - talk about the toy!

The packaging is designed with the collector in mind. You can easily un-tape the backer card and slide it off the plastic bubble, and re-attach it later for storage or display. This is a real nice collector-friendly touch, Shocker Toys!

In addition to showing the rest of series one's line-up, the back of the card has a nice file-card type bio on the character. Click for a larger image. Okay, now on to the figure itself!

Shocker Toys has designed Kabuki with all the articulation we have grown to expect in six inch comic book action figures. The figure is very similar to a Marvel Legends figure when it comes to articulation, although it does have it's own subtle engineering solutions - for instance, Marvel Legends' female figures tended to suffer from Pampers-Panties, and this problem has been well addressed by Shocker Toys with a good balance of aesthetics and function.

Another high note is that, instead of opened hands and removable weapons, Kabuki comes with two sets of hands. One set holding her weaponry, and one set of fists. Obviously they can be mixed and matched for cool results. The only downside to this is that no other figure could use her weapons, but that's a minor quibble.

The coolest thing about this Kabuki action figure, in my opinion, is her removable mask! Part of the reason I love superheroes is my obsession with masks, and I love that Kabuki has her own mask which can be easily attached and removed (instead of an alternate head or a permanent masked face.)

Kabuki is a well made and well painted figure. She moves easily but isn't too floppy, and holds many great poses.


Her mask stays put and comes off with ease as well.

Her hands are easily snapped on and off and the weapons don't outweigh her causing her to lose balance in action poses.

And because she's in the same 6-7" scale, Kabuki will fit right in to any Marvel Legends or DC Universe Classics collection.

Kabuki also has this cool dragon tattoo on her back! Groovy!

Her hip and torso swivels are really nice and allow for great contrapposto positioning.

With limited knowledge of Kabuki, I wouldn't have necessarily sought her out, but now that I have her I'm glad I do! I'm sold on the quality of this series and may need to get me some more of them soon! Future releases include Dick Tracy and an absolute must for me - The Phantom!

Apparently series one of Indie Spotlight is also known as the Maxx Series. If you collect all seven, you can mail away for a Mr. Gone! That's pretty cool. Each figure in the series also comes with an Isz from the Maxx universe:

Kabuki comes with a female Isz, natch!
If you're a big fan of Kabuki I would not pass this figure up. If you're a casual fan you can't go wrong with her either.