It’s always exciting for me to sit down and spend some time with a new statue from J. Scott Campbell’s fantastic Fairytale Fantasies series. I can’t quite say as I’m All-In on these, as I’m not double dipping on variants, and I missed out on The Evil Queen. But, so far I’ve checked out four of these here on FFZ, including: Tinkerbell, The Little Mermaid, Alice in Wonderland, and Red Riding Hood. Cinderella hasn’t had her time in the spotlight yet, but I still bumped Sultana to the front of the line. Sorry, Cindy, you’ll get your turn soon! As always, these are limited and numbered polystone statues based on the Great J. Scott Campbell’s artwork and featuring ladies from popular fairytale stories. In this case, we’re taking a magic carpet ride through The Arabian Nights!

This box is absolutely huge! They do seem to be getting bigger, but in this case the jump up in size is really extreme. A lot of that is because this particular piece invests quite a bit into the base, creating a really beautiful scene. The art box is quite stunning, so much so that I ordered a print of the character art that the figure is based on, as I do like to display them behind the different statues. In the past, Sideshow offered collectors editions, which included metal art cards, but I didn’t see an option for that here. Sultana was limited to 1500 pieces, and at 17-inches tall, she is about on par with the larger ladies in this collection. There’s a bit of assembly required, but all the pieces went together quite easily. Let’s get her set up and take a look!

Hot damn, is she gorgeous! As mentioned earlier, it definitely feels like this line has been slowly increasing the attention spent on the bases to give the ladies some context and boy is that ever the case here. Sultana is posed reclining on her magic carpet and holding up the Genie’s lamp, while a giant manifestation of the Genie’s hand holds her aloft amidst a swirling circlet of mystical fire. I absolutely adore the composition here! It’s pure dynamic cheesecake that suits JSC’s art perfectly. Plus, this is a large piece and really dominates the display, especially when set against the earlier release like Tink and Mermaid, but I’ll come back to that a bit more at the end with a group shot.

Sultana’s beautiful curves mixed with the magical curling of the carpet compliment each other so beautifully! And while I’m here first and foremost for the lovely ladies, I have to say that the figure and environment are so perfectly merged here, it’s hard to appreciate one without the other. Sideshow could have easily made the carpet be the base, but the Genie hand and magical effects elevate the whole presentation both literally and figuratively and I’m very happy they went for that extra wow factor here. There is clearly an intended sweet spot when displaying the statue, slightly angled with Sultana gazing at the beholder, but she looks great when viewed from all over!

As for Sultana herself, there’s a bit of seductive flavor to her position on the carpet, with her right leg in front of her, bent at the knee, and her left leg tucked under her. Lounging, she arches backward a bit, leaning on her right hand, while her left gently holds the lamp: The method of her mystical propulsion, spewing tendrils of blue magical energy from its spout. Her outfit consists of some shiny mauve leggings with cuts in the sides to expose her legs, a bikini-like top around her chest, and billowy sleeves, cuffed at her wrists, but open to expose her arms. She has gold slippers with curled toe fronts and a purple sash around her waist that drifts behind her, going nearly translucent at the end to show its delicate makeup. Meanwhile strings of gold coins adorn her outfit, like fringe. All of this detail is beautifully done and exquisitely painted. The gold leaf is bright and luxurious and the sheen of her outfit gives off an exotic flavor. The skin tone is warm and even with just the right amount of shadow to enhance the sculpt.

The portrait does a great job of capturing JSC’s singular art style. It’s a style that I doubt is very easy to convey in three dimensions, but Sideshow’s wizards seem to have mastered it going all the way back to their Abby Chase Premium Format. The almond eyes and sloped nose are practically JSC trademarks and her smirking lips are pitch-perfect right down to the red gloss. Another string of coins is sculpted across her forehead, as are clusters that make up earrings, and her voluminous raven black hair flows in the breeze with just enough detail to convey the effect while not stepping on the toony style. There’s a bit of glossy finish that comes off of her complexion under the studio lights, but not when displayed in normal lighting.

The carpet is practically a character unto itself, with every bit of the intricate pattern executed as part of the sculpt. The raised patterns around the border are painted in gold leaf as is a mystical circle in the center. The tassels on the front and back are incredible in the way they lick up at the edge and I have no idea how they are able to get the material to behave that way. It’s worth noting that the bottom of the rug includes every bit of detail as the top, even though it can barely be seen.

And that brings us to the base, which is so well designed on so many levels. The engineering and balance is impressive in and of itself, as the carpet and figure rests on one post with the rest secured by magnets in the fingers. I was so nervous when I was setting this thing up, but nothing budged at all as I carefully carried this heavy piece from the display shelf to the photo stage. The Genie hand has an ethereal quality to it with both iridescent blue and white coloring. He’s also got an emerald green bangle and gold rings, some with more mystic symbolism. The mystical flames that lick up from the black circular base are painted so vibrantly that under the right light it looks as if there’s a light up function, and that’s just so damn impressive. The limitation and hand number is on the bottom of the base, but I dare not try to flip her over to get a shot. I preordered the moment it dropped and got 325/1500. Not too shabby.

And here’s a quick shot of her with the other ladies on display in my office. She definitely gels better with the three more recent releases, while towering over The Little Mermaid. They are all roughly the same scale, but the poses and composition do make some look like some are scaled slightly bigger than others. I think Tink comes off as the slightest, but being a little fairy, that’s understandable.

These Fairytale Fantasy reviews always turn into me gushing on endlessly, and I’m fine with that because it’s impossible for me not to get all giddy and worked up over these pieces of art. I make it no secret that Campbell is among my top favorite comic artists and to get quality pieces like these based on his art is like a dream come true. And so far, this is a line that started strong and keeps on impressing me as it moves forward. I’d hate to have to choose a favorite, but right now this lady is pretty far up there. With Sultana being the sixth of these gals on my shelf, that just leaves The Evil Queen, which sold out a lot faster than I had anticipated. I’m on waitlist, so maybe I’ll wind up owning her, but if not that’s OK too. The newest reveal is The Cheshire Cat, and I’m not quite sure whether I will add that one. It’s a striking piece to be sure, but leans a little far into Furry territory for my liking. As for Sultana, she’s still available through Sideshow at the time I write this review at the not so trivial cost of $400.

I’ve been working on getting caught up on showcasing the Fairytale Fantasy statue collaboration between J. Scott Campbell and Sideshow, when a brand new release hit my doorstep and I decided to bump her to the head of the line. This time we’re checking out Red Riding Hood! If you’re not familiar with this series feel free to get caught up by checking out The Little Mermaid and Tinkerbell, but basically these are polystone statues based on J. Scott Campbell’s take on famous ladies from timeless fairy tales! And while Red Riding Hood here will be the third statue I’ve covered here, I still need to double back to check out both Alice from Wonderland and Cinderella!

Red comes in the biggest box yet. I mean, I was seriously not expecting a box this big. I imagine that’s because the scale has been a little varied here. The Little Mermaid is only partially showing above the surface of the water, making her a bit on the small side and Tinkerbell is a small subject to begin with. But Red here is a full Sixth-Scale statue, measuring about 19-inches if you include the base and branches. Needless to say, this box is plenty big. It feature some really classy designs, as well as the actual art that inspired the statue on the front panel. Red was available in a Standard Edition and a Sideshow Exclusive, which is the one we’ll be looking at today! This edition was limited to 2,000 pieces and hand numbered on the box and the bottom of the base. Mine is number 704! Assembling the statue is pretty simple. She pegs into the base, her arms are attached by magnets, and the tree components of the display attach to the base by magnets as well. Let’s have a look!

Well, this is not the little Red Riding Hood that I remember seeing illustrated in my storybooks when I was a kid. If it were, I might have hit puberty a little earlier. Here Red cuts quite the shapely figure wearing a black and white corset, skimpy skirt, high black boots, and indeed a red hood with a short cape. She also comes equipped with a trusty crossbow and a basket of special goodies. I do love the pose here, as it’s fairly neutral while still evoking a bit of a story. While tracking through the snowy woods to Grandma’s house, she suddenly stops in response to a twig breaking, or perhaps a distant wolfy growl, (or maybe spotting the giant wolf tracks in the snow!) and readies her weapon for the first sign of trouble. All the while, the sinister woods snake around her like spindly claws waiting to strike. Wow!

As always, JSC knows how to bring the sex appeal with his art and the wizards at Sideshow have done a beautiful job recreating it in polystone. Red’s outfit is not overly complex, but it does show some lovely flourishes, like the sculpted red laces in the corset, and the red bow that secures her cape around her neck. You get sculpted ruffled finery around the top edges of her bodice and a sense of simple elegance to the buccaneer style boots and gloves. The short cape and skirt are sculpted to lick up behind her, agitated perhaps by the wind, or from a sudden turn as she investigates a noise. Not only does it add a little energy to the pose, but it also gives you a little glimpse of Red Riding Hiney. The colors are great and have a soft matte finish, with some shading to the red garment and some soft, worm tones to Red’s skin.

Red’s portrait is JSC perfection, and boy I don’t say that lightly. His distinctive style is not easy to replicate in three-dimensions, and while Sideshow seems to have it nailed down, I can think of a few other producers who have missed the mark over the years. But here, it’s unmistakable in Red’s large almond-shaped blue eyes, her perfectly parted lips, and her shapely little nose. Her high cheeks have a warm rosy complexion, and the way her hair falls about her face is poetry in motion. I could stare at this beauty for hours!

The crossbow is a nice piece of kit, with a traditional wood-style stock and a metal crosspiece. The design has a few flourishes, but for the most part it emphasizes function over flair. The weapon is clocked with a bolt ready to fly. And I’m going to go ahead and assume that’s a silver tip.

Red’s left hand grips her basket of goodies, which has a beautifully sculpted weave pattern and a red cover to conceal its contents. Well, most of the contents. She does have a brace of bolts for her crossbow peeking out. What else could be in there? Caltrops? Holy Water? Crude sulfur grenades? I guess we’ll never know.

Moving down to the base, we get a simple disk pedestal holding a slice of snow-covered terrain, and dominated by two large wolf prints. Is the wolf hunting her, or is she the one hunting the wolf? The white-blue snow is disturbed by the claw-like tree branches, which sprout up as if to encompass her in their grasp. I absolutely love the way these are designed, with one low and reaching up, and the other snaking it’s way as if ready to grab her from behind. Perhaps they’re evil spirits of the forest come to life, but mostly I think they’re simply the artist’s license to add a further sense of danger and dread to the piece. The bottom of the base is fully illustrated and hand-numbered, and I hope you’ll forgive me for not photographing it, but this statue is heavy, and I don’t want to disassemble her to get the shot.

The Sideshow Exclusive release comes with a metal art card and stand. This is similar to what was issued with the Tinkerbell Exclusive, but that card was more concept art and this one looks more like a finished piece. I wasn’t able to get a metal card with The Little Mermaid, and as for Alice in Wonderland, I opted to get a signed statue over the card, so right now only two of my Fairytale Fantasies have the metal cards to display with them. I did, however, pick up this art as a signed print.

Red is still available through Sideshow at $340 for the regular edition, but with the Exclusive priced at only $10 more, why wouldn’t you? The prices on these have been creeping up since the initial two releases, but I didn’t mind so much with Red because she is absolutely huge compared to the other two releases I’ve showcased here. Besides, I can’t get enough of J. Scott Campbell’s art and I’m happy to see someone making premium statues that really do his unique style justice. And with Red finally under my belt, I’ll make an effort to take a look at Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland before the end of the year, so I can be all caught up. The newest release, The Evil Queen is already up for pre-order and expected to ship sometimes next year!