Cordelia (Angel)

With action figures based on television characters I always have this tendency to immediately recall the limited run of A-Team figures. BA Barracus still holds a place on my Official Armchair Empire Action Figure Shelf. While he doesn’t really

compare with current figures in terms of paint, articulation, and detail, he has a certain nostalgia factor. To see whether or not Cordelia (from Angel, a spin-off of Buffy the Vampire Slayer) achieves this same factor we'll have to wait ten years. In the here and now though, she’s a good figure definitely worth a look from fans and hardcore

collectors.

She stands about 6” (installed on her base) and is sculpted provocatively. If she weren’t an action figure, I’d even say she was sexy.

Don’t leap to conclusions – I do not sit around fantasizing about female action figures. I have a fair number of them on the Official Shelf but I’ve never thought, “I wonder what Abbey Chase is really like? Would I have a chance with Vampirella?” I’m about as far from the Simpsons Comic Book guy as you can get. Now that I’ve made my point, I’ll continue.

The sculpt and paint are very good, right down to the base. Articulation is the standard arrangement from MAC – reminiscent of Astro Boy – but I’ve become used to it. The seam and hinge joints allow for good poseability, even though the leg articulation is rendered mostly academic when she is installed on the base. Due to the sculpt of her hair there’s no neck articulation – but the points on the arms and at the waist make up for it. The facial features are relatively close to the real-world actress – the main problem, I think, is that the eyes are too big. But that’s a minor quibble. Accessories fit well in her hands; she comes packed with a flashlight, small battle axe, vampire impaling stick, and a handbag. The only flaw is with the handbag – nothing can be stored in it.

The main culprit in bringing down the playability are the fragile joints. Obviously not everyone is going to play with their action figures the way I do – the testing phase is fairly rigorous depending on the figure. If I know it’s going to fall apart, I do go easy on it. This goes for Cordelia. The articulation and sculpt make her susceptible to breakage, but if you’re into display this isn’t a problem. The small accessories can be lost quite easily – which brings me back to the handbag. It should have been hollowed out so the pieces not in use could be stored. (I know there was probably a cost/benefit ratio to consider but it would have been nice.) She’s in proportion to the other figures in the series – always a bonus when setting up dioramas or enacting deleted scenes from the show. (Actually she’s very compatible with the other Buffy figures as well.)

While Cordelia’s definitely a fan item and may not achieve the nostalgia rating I hold for BA Barracus, she’s a safe buy. Solid MAC quality.

- Omni