“I see your taste in friends remains consistent”
Hasbro’s Indiana Jones Adventure Series line was heavily made up of Indiana Jones variations from across the franchise, although the initial releases for Raiders of the Lost Ark both focused on the earlier sequences of the film with Indy in his iconic jacket. It was later in 2023 when a release was announced based on the Cairo scenes and therefore providing us with the jacketless look Indy sported once he arrived in Cairo and pretty much through to the end of the movie. The figure was an exclusive, and despite being a single figure with a similar level of accessories as the other general releases, it was priced by Amazon and Hasbro Pulse at a higher RRP of $33.99 / £34.99.
The Cairo Market Indy uses the same closed box packaging as the other Indy figures with a sandy desert colouring to the main box overlaid with the iconic map markings we see during Indy’s adventures. There is no specific film logo used, instead the box is headed with a general Indiana Jones Adventure Series logo and an image of the figure in a pose with its accessories. One side of the box then features artwork of Indy and is overlaid at the bottom with a further illustration depicting part of the Cairo Market fist fight. The other side of the box features a checklist of other releases. As an exclusive and not part of a wave, this checklist is a little bit more random than usual with figures pictured including those from both the Temple of Doom and Dial of Destiny, yet oddly nothing from Raiders that would complement this figure. The rear of the box has no background or details relating to the figure, just another posed image and a smaller checklist of contents. Inside the figure and accessories are wrapped into the Indiana Jones wax paper and held in check by an inner brown cardboard tray.
This Cairo version of Indy borrows the legs from the original Raiders release with a brown cast plastic and weathered paintwork over the top, particularly around the base of each leg to create a worn effect. Despite having access to the Temple of Doom shirted torso, the Cairo version is a features a new and accurate shirt piece in beige and with further weathering. The torso underneath is undoubtedly shared with the two Temple of Doom figures, while the arms are also new featuring shirt sleeves to the elbows and exposed forearms and hands. The costume if finished off with Indy’s two belts - the holster belt being an individual piece with the holster on one side and a clip on the other for his whip. Indy also comes with his saddle bag across his chest and shaped to sit at his hip - this is removable if needed.
The head for this figure is not the original Raiders release, but is taken from the Temple of Doom Indy and features a slightly more concerned look with a partly open mouth. The likeness to Harrison Ford is there, but few of the Adventure Series figures have truly nailed the look to the extent we know Hasbro can and have achieved on soem figures from other lines. The facial printing positions the eyes, mouth and the stubble and while the latter looks off close up it helps the overall likeness when viewed from a distance when Indy is on your display.
The hat is fixed in place and sadly is missing the tilting function we did see on the Last Crusade Indy. It is cast in a base brown softer plastic, the rim, in particular, being flexible, with a painted darker brown band and some weathering to lighten the folds and edges to add wear and tear.
We have the standard - for Indy - 19 points of pinless articulation with a solid range of movement in both the legs and the upper body. Indy has plenty of display options including action stances with or without the accessories and he is able to kneel or sit as well as be posed in more dynamic positions with the help of a stand.
The Adventure Series has always been generous with Indy and his accessories, and the Cairo set continues this providing Indy with three individual sets of hands. The clenched fists allow Indy to replicate the fist fights - although we have no Cairo henchmen in the line to pose him with. The other hands have specific roles as detailed below. Unlike other Hasbro lines that use a wrist peg, the Indy figures have a socket on the hand leaving the peg as part of the wrist. That removes any visible peg joint other than the gap itself between wrist and hand - but also makes swapping over more delicate and the hands themselves a little less mobile with no direct pivot leaving them with a marginally level of movement around the base of the wrist.
The smaller gripping hands are to be used with the two included whip accessories. Like most of the releases to date, the whips are a coiled version to hold or hang on his belt, and an unfurled in-motion version. Both are detailed with a pattern in the whip itself and at the base - but they lack any paintwork and are cast in a plastic that is a bit too bright. The extended whip is temperamental for posing and requires some patience to get the whip in a suitable position. It is also susceptible to gravity and won't hold its position for extended periods from certain positions. The coiled whip does sit well in the belt strap, and this has certainly been improved upon for its holding power compared to the initial Raiders of the Lost Ark figures.
The handgun feels small as an accessory but is probably scaled well enough. It features no paintwork and no real detail overall coming shaped to fit in Indy’s right hand or into the holster. The holster still features the annoying flexible strap that should plug into a hole on the top section to secure the gun into place. Actually getting the strap into position and having it stay there is much more difficult than it needs to be.
The final hand is an outstretched left hand that I feel is best employed with the final accessory - the monkey that originally came with Marion. The monkey itself considering the size is very well-detailed inclusive of sculpted fur, a waistcoat and painted features. It is articulated too at the tail, arms, and head and this articulation is critical in getting the Monkey into a display pose with Indy. You can have him sat on the floor with him, but you can also replicate the scenes when he faces down Belloq and have the monkey sat on his arm or shoulder. In these poses the arms and in particular the tail are used to have our monkey sit still and secure.
The Cairo Indiana Jones Adventure Series exclusive fills in a particularly crucial look for Indy worn during much of Raiders of the Lost Ark and it does so in a way that both re-uses parts, but also retains accuracy to the onscreen costume by having new parts exclusive to this figure such as the shirt and arms. The accessories are all relevant to the scenes in Cairo - although none of them are really new, and the whips and gun carry with them the same lack of detail and poor paint work as the originals. There are also flaws carried forward with the holster, although the whip strap has definitely been tweaked. The main downside of the figure is the exclusivity and price with no perceived added value in the box vs a standard Indy release. There is also a lack of complementary figures to have Indy face down in Cairo, and while he can be displayed with Sallah and Marion - the lack of any Cairo henchmen or indeed the swordsman so the iconic face off from the Cairo Market can be recreated.
Keep Track of all the Indiana Jones Adventure Series from Hasbro at our comprehensive
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About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...
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