I have written before about librarian action figures, including about the ones based on real-life librarian icon Nancy Pearl, who wrote the “Book Lust” reading guides like here in this post, and I’ve written at length about the Lego Librarian, even dressing up as the Lego Librarian for Halloween this past year. But my husband is the one in our family who is really into collecting action figures; he has created entire dioramas of action figures (mostly Star Wars-related).
So Sam was super excited when I recently asked if there was a Wong action figure and if so, that I wanted one. Sam researched it, and indeed, Marvel has recently issued a Wong 6-inch action figure (is this the first Wong action figure? leave a comment if you know) to tie in with the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness movie, which premieres in early May.
Note: This trailer begins with Wong’s voice!
The next thing I knew, I was opening up a delivered package to find my very own Wong action figure! (Yes, it came in this box that had no padding or anything.)
Wong’s action figure “features multiple points of articulation and movie-inspired accessories, including alternate hands and sword accessory!” As you can see in the photo above, there is also a green arm and hand included. I first wondered if these were representing the Abomination’s arm, like a clever way to reference his cage fight with Wong in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), a scene I highlighted in this post about that film’s trailer and this analysis post of the film itself. But no, these green arms are parts of another action figure for Rintrah, who’s like a green-skinned minotaur, as part of Marvel’s Build-A-Figure marketing ploy.
Here’s a look at the back of the action figure box.
The text reads:
Wong takes over for The Ancient One as Sorcerer Supreme and leader of Kamar-Taj, teaching a new era of sorcerers to protect our reality from mystical threats.
As seen in this new action figure, Wong is sporting a more colorful costume. As this article points out:
The new outfit bears varying shades of violet with touches of gold fabric. The cummerbund exhibits some reddish highlights wrapped with a copper-esque fabric belt […] evocative of a traditional Samurai outfit, replete with sword for possible physical battle.
Jim Johnson, “Doctor Strange 2 Promo Art Spotlights Wong’s New, More Vibrant Outfit,” CBR.com, 8 Jan. 2022
I love having an action figure of Wong, who is definitely one of my favorite reel librarians! I think they got the face right, as the figure definitely looks like British-Chinese actor Benedict Wong, and I like the defensive shield accessories that come with the figure. (By the way, I plan to keep the Wong action figure in its box for now, as I don’t want to misplace any of the accessories.) Sam and I both commented that we wish Wong’s action figure had also come with one of the forbidden books from the Kamar-Taj library, like seen here from the original Doctor Strange (2016) movie:
I’m excited for the new Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness movie, and I hope that we can see it at our favorite drive-in movie theater when it comes out (we are still not comfortable with the idea of sitting in an indoor movie theater, especially not with all the mask mandates being lifted!). After all, Wong is one of my favorite reel librarian characters, and Wong is definitely my favorite character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Or, as it’s known in our household, the WONG-verse!
Are you looking forward to seeing more Wong in the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness movie? Do you like Wong’s new action figure? Have you gotten your own Wong action figure? Please leave a comment and share!
Sources used
- Johnson, Jim. “Doctor Strange 2 Promo Art Spotlights Wong’s New, More Vibrant Outfit.” CBR.com, 8 Jan. 2022.
- “Marvel’s Wong [action figure].” Legends series. Marvel Studios and Hasbro, 2022.
- “Nancy Pearl.” Wikipedia, 13 Feb. 2022. CC BY SA 3.0 license.
- “Rintrah (Earth-616).” Marvel Database, accessed 20 Feb. 2022. CC BY SA license.
REEL LIBRARIANS 
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