Like most 1960s collectors, I was interested in seeing the classic Marx action figures reissued! I hoped that the new sets would reflect the quality control advances of the last 35 years of toy manufacturing. But Marx reproduced everything, including the easily broken plastic snaps.
Packaging: This Marx Toys re-issue was $40.00 and the box is made out of something that is almost as soft as wrapping paper. The box folds unless you hold both ends at the same time. The inside plastic tray which holds the figure and accessories is very thin plastic also. This set
feels like one of those Hong-Kong Knock-Off toy sets that are usually sold at the Flea Market for about $5.00 or $10.00. The inside flap has some more colorful Medieval style art, and some information about the Marx Toy Company.
Headsculpt: Sir Stuart, the Silver Knight looks good, and the re-issue uses a nice rubber for the head which feels softer to the touch than the originals. It is a major improvement.
Articulation: This is Marx, so I guess if they had changed the body to use a modern style it would not have been kosher. Unfortunately, the same old body with the extremely limited articulation and the springs inside the arms gave me the willies after about five minutes of handling this toy. Who wants to take a big step back in toy evolution? I think the armor could probably fit a Marx action figure even if they made it more articulated. The current Marx action figure body is hardly more than a statue. The only good thing about it is that the plastic is harder than the originals. The body feels more "solid." The nostalgia factor on this action figure wore out very quickly for me when I considered that for about the same price I could have bought a Dragon collectible action figure. The Marx action figure body was crappy back in the 1960s, and now, in 2001; it does not hold up to comparison against anything else on the market.
Clothing: Molded on clothing, which is why the body is grey. This actually looks alright, and would not be a negative considering all of the armor the set brings.
Gear: The armor and weapons are the accessories. In the 1960s, the accessories were what made the Marx figures. Everyone knew the body was weird, but the Marx figures brought 24-30 accessory items! Unfortunately, this is where the Marx Knights re-issue set is most glaringly horrible. The weapons are soft plastic, so they are hardly convincing for display purposes. The armor is also soft plastic, and the snaps fell off of three pieces of armor as I was putting them on. This is the kind of armor that you would have to put on with tweezers if you wanted to avoid any damage. The original Marx armor was also somewhat fragile, but it definitely did not fall apart on the first use right out of the box. Once again, the fact that this is a $40.00 action figure made me wonder why it was so cheaply made. Had no one at Marx Toys sat down and put a few of these figures together and noticed that the snaps came off easily??
Price: I bought this for $29.99 at KBToys.com. The original price was $39.99. It would be a nice set if the body were more modern and/or the armor was built to last at least one wear! The armor does not look very nice when the snaps are loose. If you are a great fan of the Marx Toys, I would recommend an original set. Otherwise, if you buy this re-issue, try putting it together very carefully with tweezers and it is "Display Only." Hopefully the latest sets have improved.
Overall: This set is disappointing. I returned it, and unless someone tells me the quality improved on the later versions, I would avoid the Marx Toy re-issues. It is too bad that the new Marx Toys cut some important corners in manufacturing this set. The originals from 1960s are still around, and their quality speaks for itself. If you like Marx toys, get the originals!
Grade: D
