Mar 8 2016

Alien: Ellen Ripley in Compression Suit by NECA

I promised I’d be back this week with more NECA Alien love and so here I am with a look at the second version of Ripley in NECA’s tribute to the original film. And yes, it’s that version of Ripley from that unforgettable scene at the end of the flick that simply had to get a figure. You know the one I’m talking about…

No, dammit not that one you freaks. It’s right after that one. But, hey… NECA, if you want to do a variant, I’d be down with that.

Ah, that’s the one. This is Ripley in the escape shuttle when she finds that she’s got an unwelcome hitchhiker and slowly retreats to the storage closet to slip on a Compression Suit and shoot out the window and blow that Xeno’sum’bitch into space. The packaging is the same as what we saw last time, so you know the drill. Impenetrable clam shell. Razor Blade. Intoxicating plastic fumes high. In other words: Pure NECA Bliss.

Just look at this suit! I briefly mentioned last time how much I dig the designs in this film, whether it be the sets or the costumes. This is a movie that not only gets the whole “used future” thing down perfectly, but every element of the designs feel like it has a purpose. NECA brought out all the great details in this suit that make it look both futuristic and strangely ancient at the same time. All that padding and stitching and cross-lacing in the sculpt take a figure that by design has very few paint apps and could have been horribly boring, and makes it something remarkable. The subtle variants in the white also help to pick out the details. The insignia on her butt cheek, and the teeny tiny markings on the gloves’ fingers are wonderful little touches.

The backpack features some subtle texturing and silver paint apps along with the red knobs that look like something off the furnace in my old house. It all adds to the charm of these suit designs. They almost have a DIY nature about them.

The portrait is good, although I don’t think it’s quite as strong as the one on Jumpsuit Ripley. The hair has been tweaked a bit to work with the costume. I still think she looks great with the helmet off. The detail in the shoulder pads is exquisite and those are positioned on flaps so that they don’t hinder the arm articulation hardly at all.

The helmet is a clever design in that it splits apart at the middle. To put it on you pop the head, seat the helmet into the track running around the neck, pop the head back on, and now you can position the head the way you want it before putting the top of the helmet on. There are two hoses running off the backpack. One plugs into the lower half of the helmet and the other to the upper half. The whole ensemble is a thoughtful design that works quite well. The extra windows on the top back of the helmet do a nice job letting light in and granting a nice view of the head sculpt inside.

The articulation on the figure is very serviceable. The arms have rotating hinges in the shoulders, elbows, and wrists, and also include swivel cuts in the biceps. The legs are ball jointed at the hips and feature rotating hinges in the knees and ankles. There’s a ball joint in the waist and another in the neck. Obviously the suit would restrict the wearer’s movement and I think the figure reflects that pretty well. If anything, you probably get more movement in the hips than the suit probably allowed.

Accessories include another version of Jonesy the Cat! This one has him all wigged out with his back arched. Little extra like this is how we know NECA loves their fans.

Ripley also comes with the harpoon gun and two harpoons, one with the prongs closed and one with them open. Her right hand is sculpted to hold the gun. The harpoons socket right into the barrel of the gun.

The Compression Suit Ripley is another fantastic release in this line and it’s a tasty preview of the next two figures in the series that I’ll be opening. Yes, the wave also includes Dallas and Kane in their Compression Suits. And while it was a clever way for NECA to reuse the body and get their money’s worth out of the mold, I think the results are fantastic. But I’m getting ahead of myself, and I’ll save the rest of that talk for next week!

Mar 1 2016

Alien: Ellen Ripley (Jumpsuit) and Xenomorph by NECA

NECA has been buttering their bread with the Aliens and Predator license for a while now and doing a bang up job at it. And, yes, it’s taken me longer than I thought it would for me to finally buy in to NECA’s Alien line, but they’ve finally beaten me down and I could resist no longer. The Kenner-inspired Alien Vs Predator 2-pack was the ultimate gateway drug, but it’s the figures from the original film that I’ve been jonesing after the hardest. I’m most certainly in the minority when I say that the sequel Aliens hasn’t aged well for me, but the original film still has a place near and dear to my heart. It’s a near perfect blending of sci-fi and horror and there’s always been a copy of it on my media shelf, whether it be VHS, DVD and ultimately Blu-Ray. While I will no doubt pick up some of the other figures in this line (I’m definitely looking forward to getting the Alien: Isolation and Alien 3 figures) it’s the ones based on the first film that I’ll be focusing on first. And what better place to start than with Lt. Ripley and Big Chap himself.

The figures come in sealed clam shells that show off the goods splendidly but are about as non-collector-friendly as you can get. I suppose some deft work with a razor could get the figure out through the back and in again, but I tend to see this kind of package as a gift from on high. I don’t have to feel bad about discarding it. Plus… there’s nothing quite like the head rush I get from those glorious NECA plastic fumes! So, I’m gonna douse these babies with some Xenomorph blood to get them open and get at the figures inside. Let’s start with Ripley…

Without a doubt one of the great female protagonists of the genre, Lt. Ellen Ripley dons her blue Nostromo jumpsuit. This may not be the flashiest figure on the market, but it’s a damn iconic one to me. The jumpsuit is sculpted with all the little folds and pockets, and you can see the various layers of clothing peeking up from inside her collar. She’s got her personal computer-watch sculpted on her left hand and a highly detailed pair of space kicks, complete with sculpted laces. The shoulder patches with the ship insignia also look particularly good.

The back of the jumpsuit features a rather elaborate set of stitching that cinches around her waist and looks almost like a corset. The set and costume designs in Alien are so damn good they could even make something like a jumpsuit seem interesting. And leave it to NECA to pick up on all those little details and bring them out in the sculpt. The sleeves are sculpted to be rolled up just above her elbows, which is convenient for her articulation. In total, I count about 12 points of articulation. There are rotating hinges at the shoulders, elbows, and wrists. The legs are ball jointed at the hips and have rotating hinges in the knees and ankles. I think there are lateral rockers in the ankles, but mine appear to be fused. Ripley may be taking a dip in some boiling water at some point. There’s a ball joint in the torso and another in the neck.

The portrait here is certainly solid, and that’s saying something because Sigourney Weaver doesn’t seem to be the easiest likeness to sculpt. Just ask Mattel (and now Diamond Select) about how they’re Dana figures from Ghostbusters turned out. The paintwork on her face is solid and I’m happy to note that the copious amount of hair doesn’t impede the neck articulation too badly. From what I understand, Weaver doesn’t play fast and loose with licensing out her likeness, so it’s nice to see it landed in good hands here.

Accessories? Well, you get Jonesy the cat. How cool is that? He’s a fairly simple little piece with articulation in the neck and base of the tail. The wash on him makes it look like he’s been crawling through the Nostromo’s ventilation system watching the humans getting picked off one by one. Kitty needs a bath.

You also get the flamethrower that was used by the crew to try to flush the Xenomorph out of the vents to where they could blow it into space. How’d that plan work out for ya, guys? It’s a good sized accessory and looks great. The figure can hold it with one or both hands and it features a shoulder strap for carrying. Now, if only she had something to toast with that thing…

Oh yeah, we’ve got the Xenomorph! I can’t think of too many creature designs more iconic or terrifying than the Big Chap here and NECA did a phenomenal job bringing it to the 7-inch scale. This is basically the same mold as the one from the Alien Vs. Predator 2-pack and yet I find myself falling in love with it all over again. Giger’s design had to be a challenge to recreate and the folks at NECA spared no expense in the detail here. From the serrated edges of the segmented tail to the exo-skeleton ribcage, everything here is just beautifully done. The glossy finish gives him a nice, icky wet look and the silver paint on the finger and toe nails is a great little touch.

The big difference that separates the sculpt here from their other Aliens is the translucent dome, through which you can see his skull and it makes for an extra chilling effect. The jaw is still hinged and the secondary mouth can be extended. The articulation remains the same as the other releases and he still has that same great bendy tail, complete with wire so it stays where you decide to put it.

I don’t know if it’s because I waited so long to get these, but it’s hard to remember a time that I was this delighted by a pair of figures that are outside my usual area of collecting. I’ve been getting so bogged down with DC and Marvel and Transformers and Star Wars that I’m glad to have a company like NECA producing such quality figures from other franchises that I’ve enjoyed all my life. They may not feature the superb packaging and presentation of NECA’s “Ultimate” line, but the figures themselves are no less spectacular. Indeed, it’s impossible for me to pick up the Xenomorph and not be impressed each time I handle it. Next week I’ll swing back and take a look at a couple more from the Alien Series.

Feb 23 2016

Heroes of the Storm: Illidan Stormrage (Warcraft) by NECA

Last week, I started looking at NECA’s new Heroes of the Storm line with Nova Terra, a great looking figure that unfortunately suffered from fragile hip syndrome. Today, I’m opening up my second figure in the series and hoping he’s made of tougher stuff. Let’s check out Illidan Stormrage, aka. The Betrayer!

Here he is in package, which gives you a great look at the figure you’re getting. Heroes of the Storm eschews collector friendliness and goes for a sealed clam shell. I’m not going to complain because it gives me a perfectly good excuse to not keep the packaging. Also… plastic fumes. Gotta love the plastic fumes when you cut into one of these babies. I can’t tell you how long I’ve been hoping to get proper Warcraft action figures. So much so, that I nearly went for some of those DC Direct statues back when they were out. Needless to say, I’m damn excited to get this guy out…

And he does not disappoint! Illidan dons his blindfold to cover the vacancy left behind by having his eyes seared out. Or, if you prefer, it’s because he’s a Demon Hunter and they cover their eyes because the eyes cannot be trusted when hunting disguised demons and instead they hunt auras. Ooooor, if you prefer, it’s so they aren’t tempted by the evil they hunt. Maybe it can be all of those things. Or none of them. Warcraft lore is deep and complex. And to think I spent most of my 10,000 hours of playtime just trying to not get ganked. Where was I? Oh yeah… he wears a blindfold and it makes him look like a badass. And just to please the lady Blood Elves, he doesn’t wear much of anything else. Just a pair of brown fur-lined pants and a loin piece that screams out the familiar aesthetic of the World of Warcraft universe.

NECA invested just enough detail on this guy to keep the ‘toony look of the game while still delivering on their rep for quality sculpts. The fringe on the pants looks great, as does the stitching up the sides. I really dig the shade of purple plastic used for his skin and the sculpted muscles are a little on the chunky side to further mimic that great WoW style. The green tats on his upper body are sharp and crisp and look great and they are not only painted on, but also part of the figure’s sculpt.

The portrait here is damn solid. I’ve already mentioned his blindfold. He sports a crazy mane of sculpted hair, a massive pony tail that has to be pegged into the back of his head, and a glorious scowl on his pus. If I had to nitpick something, I’d say the teeth could have been a bit better realized, but I’d have to be really looking for something to complain about.

I might have started this Feature off with articulation, since it’s the first thing I checked when I got the figure out. Thankfully I found no stuck joints and no breakages. I can tell the hips are the same design as on Nova because when I move one leg, the other moves a little with it. It’s that same pin design and seeing as it’s perfectly fine on this figure, that gives me hope for trying my luck on another Nova. Anyway, Illidan’s arms feature rotating hinges in the shoulders and wrists, swivels in the biceps, and hinges in the elbows. The hips and ankles are rotating hinges and the knees are double hinged. There’s a ball joint in the torso and another in the neck. All in all, he’s a fun figure to mess around with.

In addition to his plug-in ponytail, Illidan comes with the Twin Blades of Azzinoth. AND OH, MY HELL YES!!! These are beautiful, big, and chunky weapons that come sealed in individual baggies to protect the paint. And what fabulous paint it is! The blades feature a sumptuous metallic green with black lines etched into the blades. The hilts are gold and red and have sculpted wrapped handles inside the guards. Once again, NECA has just done a beautiful job of translating that familiar WoW aesthetic to plastic form. These blades look magnifcent in Illidan’s hands.

Every now and then a figure comes along that doesn’t seem like it’s going to be a stand out piece, but it winds up just hitting that sweet spot. Illidan here is exactly that kind of figure for me. If Nova didn’t already capture my heart for Heroes of the Storm, well Illidan certainly would have done the job. Everything about this guy from the sculpt to the quality and colors of the paint, right down to the fun articulation makes him a treat. And, of course the fact that he didn’t come with any joint issues is a huge win too. Illidan The Betrayer indeed… Betrayer of my wallet! I’ve already got orders in for the next three figures available in this line, including the beefy Deluxe figure Stitches, which constitute a couple more Warcraft figures and my first from Diablo. And thankfully, NECA teased the roster for more Heroes of the Storm figures releasing later this year and you can bet that I’m on board.

Feb 16 2016

Heroes of the Storm: Nova Terra (Starcraft) by NECA

Blizzard! It’s one of those video game companies that has made a huge impact on my life… just not so much lately. Warcraft, Starcraft, World of Warcraft, Diablo... if I were to add up all the hours (or days, even) that I spent playing these franchises, I would probably die of shock. And while I’m still down for a little Starcraft or Diablo now and again, I’ve mostly been able to kick the Blizzard monkey off my back. I relapsed twice before finally quitting WoW for good! That having been said, when NECA announced their Heroes of the Storm figures I was on board. Not because I’ve ever played the game, but because the game draws characters from all of these properties that I know and love. I’m kicking off my look at this line with Nova Terra from Starcraft.

I’ve been enjoying the collector friendly presentation of NECA’s “Ultimate” line, but lest we forget, NECA is also the king of hermetically sealed clam shells and that’s exactly what you get with Heroes of the Storm. I had to razor my way into this package and was instantly rewarded with a heady dose of lovely plastic fumes. Ahhh… contact high! The packaging is nothing much to write home about. The bubble shows off the figure, and you get a bubble insert with a rather nice character portrait. It’s serviceable and at least it doesn’t make me feel guilty about pitching it.

Here she is and she is absolutely gorgeous! But, before getting in too deep… We got breakage! Yeah, Nova’s right leg snapped off at the hip almost immediately after taking her out of the package. At first I thought it was just a ball joint popped out of the socket. That’s how easy and quickly it happened. Then I realized that there’s nothing holding that leg on but a tiny pin and some quick Internet research told me that the snapping right hip is a common occurrence on this figure. I write a lot of favorable reviews of NECA product, but paying $22 for a figure that breaks so easily and so commonly is really disappointing, especially when it’s this wide spread.

Aaaaand especially when the piece is as beautiful as this one. NECA did a wonderful job capturing the look of her Ghost Suit. From the smooth form-fitting midriff and thighs to the slightly bulkier armored pieces on her forearms, lower legs, chest and shoulders, everything about the hostile environment suit is recreated here in beautiful detail. The paint is also very well done. The metallic blue used for the armor pieces is brilliant and the panel lines are colored in black or light blue. There are a few smudges here and there, which are certainly not intended as weathering, but they’re less bothersome because they do make the suit look used.

The portrait here looks particularly good. It’s funny, but at the right angles I could swear I see a little Billie Piper in the likeness. Maybe it’s because I always have Doctor Who on the brain. Either way, the paint on the lips and eyes is sharp and the large ponytail (which comes separate from the figure has to be pegged in to the head) is certainly impressive.

And that brings us to articulation, which is where this figure runs into problems. Yes, obviously, I did some hip surgery. After two attempts to save the right hip articulation, I realized that my only hope was to fuse the leg in place with an ample dose of glue. Even now, because of the weird way the hip joints are constructed, the fused leg wants to move when I move the left hip and so I have to be extra careful when posing even her good leg. Beyond that, the legs include double hinged knees and ball joints in the ankles. The arms have rotating hinges in the shoulders, elbows, and wrists. There are generous ball joints in the neck and just under the chest. The rest of the jointing on the figure feels great, so it’s a real shame about the bum hip.

Nova comes with two accessories. First, you get an extra left hand that allows her to point with two fingers. I’ll likely go with this hand permanently since the articulation isn’t quite there to let her hold the huge gun across her chest and cradle it in the left hand. Besides, this hand works just as well for holding the gun in firing poses.

And speaking of huge guns… You also get her trusty AGR-14 rifle, which is almost as tall as she is. It’s a relatively simple sculpt, but looks good and does include some panel lines and a few paint apps. The grip includes a peg that pegs into Nova’s right hand to help her hold it. Guess what? That snapped off too. Ugh… today just hasn’t been my day. Fortunately, she’s capable of holding it without the peg assist.

Poor Nova… first your PS2 game gets cancelled (yes, I’m still bitter about that) and now this. This is an otherwise excellent figure taken down by either poor quality control, poor joint design, or maybe a little of both. Either way, I know NECA has a reputation for some delicate joints, but firsthand, I’ve had very few problems with their figures and I do own a lot of them. That having been said, this is one that I can join fellow collectors and have a cry over. I absolutely love the figure, and as much as I hate to do it, I’m seriously tempted to buy another and try again. But then with so many other reports of the same thing happening, I may be better off just sticking with my repaired figure rather than risk having another snap on me. If and when I do get another I’ll do a follow up feature. Either way, she still looks mighty nice standing on my shelf. Hopefully things will look up from here, and next week, I’ll revisit this line of figures again with a look at Illidan Stormage.

Jan 19 2016

Terminator 2 Judgement Day: Ultimate Sarah Connor by NECA

Boy, I sure am digging NECA’s Ultimate Series! But, if you’ve been reading FFZ for the last year or so, you already knew that. While the half-dozen or so figures in this line have hit on several different and classic points of action and horror cinema, this newest offerings are going back to T2: Judgement Day, the greatest sci-fi action flick ever produced (IMNSHO) with the most quintessential bad-ass mom of them all, Sarah Connor!

Sarah joins the first T2 figure in the line, the T-800, with beautifully matched packaging. It’s the same chunky box with a front flap and I dig the way it like an oversized VHS tape sleeve. The flap opens up to allow a look at the figure and all her accessories and there’s a little blurb about the character on the back. Everything is collector friendly, and that’s great because there’s a lot of stuff here to store in it.

Sarah is sculpted wearing the tactical gear she donned after hooking up with her merc friends and getting ready to go after Dyson. The outfit features high laced combat boots, pocketed pants, a sleeveless t-shirt, and a tactical rig. Everything here is reproduced with NECA’s usual uncanny attention to detail, which includes stitching on the pants, textures on the shirt, individual pouches and straps on the rig, individually painted fixtures on the belt, and a combat knife sheath with removable knife.

Not to be outdone by the T-800 figure, Sarah also comes with three different portraits. The figure is packaged with the ponytail, military cap, and sunglasses. This one is a great look for the character and a nice likeness even with the glasses on. The glasses appear to be a separate sculpt and are permanently attached. My only point of contention here is that I wish the paint used for the silver rims of the glasses was a little sharper. There’s a lot of slop when you get up close with the lens, but it’s clearly not as bad with the naked eye. Want to take the hat and glasses off? Just pop on the next head…

This one is the same ponytail, sans hat and glasses, with her bangs down in her eyes. Another great likeness, and I really dig the way they sculpted the bangs as a separate piece. You can actually pull them back and see her eyes under there. Neat!

Finally, you get a portrait with her hair down and another pretty solid likeness. I think they got a little heavy handed with the eyebrow paint, but I’ve got no other complaints. And even with all that hair, NECA was still able to salvage the neck articulation thanks to the use of soft plastic and the cuts on each side where the hair falls in front of and behind her shoulders.

Speaking of articulation, the articulation here is pretty solid. You get rotating hinges at the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees. There are ball joints in the waist and neck. The wrists have swivels and the ankles have both hinges and lateral rockers. Some extra points could have been justified, but I suspect some, like bicep cuts, were left out so as not to compromise the sculpt. If I could have one improvement here it would have been a better range of motion in the elbows. The sculpt stops them about halfway, which makes it more difficult than it should be to achieve certain poses with her guns.

Naturally, Sarah comes with a nice selection of weaponry, in addition to the combat knife included in the sheath, she has three guns. Starting off with the pistol, she has the Colt-Detonics M1911 Hybrid, which the T-800 acquired at the bikier bar and Sarah picked up in the escape from the mental hospital. There’s some beautiful detailing on this, particularly in the distinctive grip.

Next up, you get the Remington 870 police shotgun. This is a great looking accessory, which includes a hinged stock with the extra cartridges sculpted on top.

And finally, you get a really great recreation of the Colt Commando. This one includes the laser site she used to target Dyson outside his home. Owning this figure and the T-800 results in a damn fine collection of iconic weapons in the 7-inch scale.

Once again the term “Ultimate” is aptly used to describe this line. Sarah is a fantastic figure and with a bevy of weapons and extra likeness options, you get a lot more here then one is inclined to expect from a mass market figure in this scale and all for the ridiculously reasonable price of $21. Needless to say I’m continuing to be on board with every figure NECA puts out in this line, and the next one will keep the T2 love alive with the Ultimate T-1000.

Jan 5 2016

Friday the 13th (Part VI, Jason Lives): Ultimate Jason Voorhees by NECA

Ever since I was a teenager, Jason Voorhees and I have been late night buds. I had a slew of Friday the 13th films on VHS and I used to watch them fairly often. One of the first jobs I ever wanted was to be a special effects wizard, which started with a desire to build model spaceships for sci-fi flicks and quickly escalated to wanting to learn how to do gore effects for horror movies. Unfortunately, it’s a lot more about computers than latex and squibs these days and my childish dreams of doing the craft have evaporated, but my love for gore cinema never diminished. Needless to say, when NECA added Jason to their “Ultimate” series, I was a happy little Camp Crystal Lake camper.

Damn, this franchise had some great movie posters! In keeping with the previous Ultimate releases, Jason comes in a seemingly enclosed box with a front flap secured by velcro. It opens to reveal a window that shows off the figure and all the accessories. All of the boxes in this series have a sweet bloated VHS sleeve feel to them, which fits the scope of the line beautifully. Did I mention that the illustrated backdrop of the tray is Jason’s open grave? Marvelous! This figure is based off of the franchise’s 6th outing, Jason Lives, which is among my favorites in the series (although it still resides firmly under its successor, Part VII: The New Blood). Jason isn’t f’cking around in this one and kicks things off by punching right through someone’s chest. Classic! Let’s get Jason out of the box and check him out… Ch Ch Ch Ch, Ha Ha Ha Ha.

Hot damn, this is love at first sight! Jason’s outfit is totally faithful to the sixth chapter of his saga and comes all kitted out with his murderin’ tools. The outfit consists of a sculpted button-down shirt, filthy trousers, and a pair of boots for all that stalking. The detail in the sculpted cloth is fantastic with all the appropriate little wrinkles and stitching. The same holds true for the work gloves, which include the sculpted cinch, tailored seams, and texturing that makes them look like unfinished hide. There are some lovely blood stains on his clothes, and I particularly appreciate the ones in places where they’re hard to make out without scrutinizing the figure under the light.

The sculpted belt includes functional sheathes for both his bowie knife and his machete, and his UMSC ammo pouch with the throwing darts sculpted peeking out of the top. Everything looks great here, but I really have to call out the incredible work NECA did on the sheath for the hunting knife, right down to the separate pouch and strap for the sharpening stone. Simply beautiful! Naturally each of the buttons on the belt and ammo pouch are individually painted. I really love this level of craftsmanship.

Moving on to the portrait. Jason actually comes packaged with his mask off, but I started with it on, for obvious reasons. It’s a great recreation of the hockey mask worn in the film and it’s not only removable, but it’s designed to be worn just like the real thing, with soft plastic straps that fit over the head. My only real nitpick with the figure is wondering how it would have looked if the the eye holes were actual holes and not painted in. I think I might have looked neat that way, but what we got is still plenty good.

Under the mask, we can see that spending some time in the dirt, hasn’t done Jason any favors. Man, this is grody. The rotting skin and exposed muscle look like strips of beef jerkey and the portions of the skull peeking through are awesome. I actually own two of this guy, and I plan on displaying him masked and unmasked.

Articulation here is solid, but there aren’t quite as many points as on some of the other figures in this series. Jason has rotating hinges in the shoulders and elbows, and ball joints in the wrists. The legs are ball jointed in the hips and have rotating hinges in the knees and ankles. There’s a ball joint hidden under the shirt, just above the waist, and another in the neck. Some swivels in the thighs and biceps would have been nice, but truth be told, Jason wasn’t the most agile of dudes, and I can get this figure to do most everything I want him to.

Accessories! You get some nice pieces with this figure, but before going on I’ll point out that there is a swappable right hand, designed to hold his cutlery, and mine was a bitch to get on because the peg seems more willing to pull out with the hand. Getting it out was a pain in the ass. In the end, I was able to get the hand on, but I doubt I’ll be swapping them again. The one I removed is designed to hold the fence post, and the swappable hand works just fine for that anyway.

The fence post comes from the beginning of the movie when Tommy and his chum dig up Jason’s corpse. Tommy goes apeshit and rips this post off the fence and stabs Jason with it. Of course, lightning hits it and we all know what a little electricity will do to a corpse, right? Soon Jason is up and at ’em and using the fence post in a particularly great kill. That whole opening sequence really is superb. Some of the best this franchise has to offer. The post that comes with the figure pegs together to make it easier to slide it into the tight grasp of his hands.

Next up you get both the bowie knife and machete. These are nicely sculpted and painted and they fit snugly into their respective sheathes.

I dig the knife a lot, but I can’t imagine not displaying Jason with his machete.

Lastly, you get Jason’s grave marker. A lovely little bonus accessory that will look great displayed in front of the figure.

Jason is another great addition to what is quickly on its way to becoming one of my favorite action figure lines. The sculpt is outrageous, the accessories are on point, and he’s got just the right amount of articulation to make him fun to pose. And with a price tag of about $21, the value vs craftsmanship of this line continues to astonish me. Most importantly, I can finally add Jason to my shelf with Ultimate Leatherface and Freddy figures! Word is that NECA doesn’t have a Michael Myers in the works, but that can’t stop me from dreaming.

Dec 23 2015

Aliens Vs Predator by NECA

We’re just a few days out from Christmas and this time of year always reminds me of my favorite seasonal TV program as a kid: The Aliens Vs Predator Christmas Special! Getting to see the Aliens and Predators team up to save Santa Claus, while learning the important life lessons of peace and harmony was always a treat. Alright, you got me. I made it up. But hey, as long as we’re on the subject, let’s look at NECA’s Aliens Vs Predator two-pack!

To the casual eye, this may seem like just an awesome two-pack featuring those two great extraterrestrial adversaries, but it’s actually an homage to a similar pack released back in Kenner’s old toy line. NECA’s been doing some amazing things with both the Predator and Aliens licenses, and I’ve been able to show restraint, mainly because I’m so late to the game. This set, however, has had me drooling for a while now, and it seemed like a good jumping on point. Anyway, the packaging is simple, but impressive as all hell. It’s a giant slab of a clam shell that prominently shows off the two gorgeous figures. The front of the window features a silver “Toys R Us” Exclusive sticker and another sticker that calls out the Dark Horse comic reprint that’s bundled inside.

Flip the package over and you can see why I’ve been reluctant to get in on these. Look at all those figures! I’ve already decided that I’m on board for the Alien Isolation figures, as I really do dig that game a lot. As for the rest… maybe I’ll try to hunt down some of them there Predators as well. The only downside to this gorgeous package? It’s a sealed clam shell and therefore not collector friendly. It’s more or less typical for NECA over the ages, but they have been breaking into more collector friendly window boxes lately, so it’s a shame they didn’t do it here. Either way, I’ve got to get out my razor blade and do some cutting as I wipe away tears. At least I’ve probably got a glorious whiff of intoxicating plastic coming my way when I unseal it. Mmmmm… delicious plastic fumes! <cough> That’s potent stuff!

The Xenomorph is an absolutely amazing figure. He’s appropriately large for a 7-inch scale beastie and the sculpt here is just mind-blowing. All the little details of his exo-skeleton are reproduced here and I had a great time just turning him over in my hand and checking out every last Geiger-fied inch of him. The lanky proportions, the insect-like elements, and the giant, bulbous head make this one of the creepiest sci-fi designs ever as far as I’m concerned and every bit of it has been reproduced in this figure. He also stands surprisingly well. Sure, the tail helps, but I’ve been able to pose him with the tail off the ground as well.

The head is just as amazing as the rest of the body. The super glossy finish on the dome looks spectacular and all that great detail in the body carries over to the head as well. Just look at all the sinewy bits stretching from the mouth and those sharp, silver painted teeth. God, the paintwork overall is just so striking on this guy. And yes, the jaw is articulated and the secondary extending mouth is present. Incredible!

The Xenomorph is loaded with useful articulation, so let’s break it all down. The arms feature rotating hinges at the shoulders, elbows, and wrists, and there are swivels at the biceps. The legs have rotating hinges at the hips, double hinges in the knees, and hinges in the ankles and toes. There’s a ball joint in the torso and again in the neck. As mentioned, the jaw is hinged and the secondary mouth slides out. The tail is a fashioned from a nice bendy material. Moving on to the Predator…

With so many different varieties of Predators inhabiting NECA’s line up, I suppose you could consider this one just a straight vanilla Pred and damn is he gorgeous. He features some amazing texture and paintwork on the skin and the armor bits show some sculpted pitting and wear. All the little controls and instruments on his arm bracers are present, he’s got his two serrated blades on his right arm, and he has some little hoses connecting to the armor pieces in his left arm.

But it’s clearly in the head sculpt where this guy truly shines. One thing worth noting is that the upper right tusk on mine is broken off. It was like that in the package and there wasn’t a piece of it rattling around in there. I’m not sure if it’s just a factory defect or all of them were like that. Frankly, I think it gives him some character. Anyway, the disgusting mandibles look fantastic as do his beady, deep set eyes. Oh yeah, each and every one of his dreads are individually sculpted. Incredible!

The Pred also comes with a swap-out masked head. Again, every one of his dreads are sculpted separately.

The shoulder cannon is a removable piece that tabs into the shoulder and again at the back. It’s articulated in two places so it can be positioned in an inactive state or activated and targeted.

You also get two weapons with The Predator. He’s got a blade and a gun. The sculpt and paintwork on these accessories are great. I particularly like the crazy design of the gun. Unfortunately, the blade weapon snapped in half while I was taking it out of the package. I’m going to put this mishap on me, as I didn’t even realize they were one piece and the other half was still secured. He can still wield the larger piece as a good looking weapon.

The Pred also sports some solid articulation. The arms feature rotating hinges in the shoulders, elbows, and wrists. The legs are ball jointed at the hips and double hinged at the knees. The ankles are hinged and swivel. There’s a swivel in the waist, but it’s really tight on my figure and I didn’t want to over stress it. Lastly, there’s a ball joint in the neck. I’ll confess, I was a little nervous moving the right arm a lot, as those two cables look rather frail, but they seem to have been designed with enough slack to allow for a fair range of motion and to pull out rather than snap.

I picked up this set from TRU’s website when they were doing a free shipping deal and it ended up costing around $42. I absolutely adore these figures, and I have to admit that having them in hand is making it really hard for me not to go after any of the other Aliens and Predator figures in the series. And let’s face it, with my willpower as poor as it is, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more from this line turning up on FFZ in the year ahead.

Dec 2 2015

Commando: Ultimate John Matrix by NECA

The good folks at NECA have been gracing us collectors with a new line of “Utlimate” figures based on various movie properties, mostly from the 80’s. I’ve already got a number of these releases under my belt, including Freddy Krueger, Leatherface, and the T-800 from T2: Judgement Day. Now it’s John Matrix’s turn!

One of the most distinctive features of this line has been the lovely packaging. You get a box with a front flap, secured with velcro, that opens to reveal a window to see the figure inside. The box features great art on the front, titles on the side panels, and a blurb on the back along with various shots of the figure in action. The box really reminds me of an oversized VHS tape sleeve, and considering the 80’s film property, it fits like a glove. Everything is collector friendly, and thank god for that, because I already have a shelf devoted to line these up on. I remember loving this film as a teenager and has remained a go-to pleasure ever since.

The figure represents Schwartzenegger in his most primal form. No science fiction tropes, just a Delta Force operative out for revenge in full combat gear. I have to admit, I was at first uneasy about the decision to use the type of unpainted plastic they did for the flesh areas, as it tends to look rather waxy. In execution, I think it was actually a great choice. Matrix goes through most of the movie either sweating like an animal or greased up for effect and the skin tone on the figure reflects that. Just comparing it to the art on the box tells me it was the right way to go.

The bulk of the attention to detail here lies in his vest, which is an entirely separate sculpt that is permanent layered onto the figure’s buck. He’s got enough pouches to make Deadpool jealous, with other details including shotgun shells, grenades, and a pair of non-removable combat knives hanging down off the back. The whole rig is “secured” with straps running down between his legs. The paint quality on the vest is off the charts. The pouches have camo patterns, each individual shotgun shell is painted, the tiny buttons and snaps are neatly painted, there’s some mix of matte and gloss black paint. That’s not to take away from the trouser fatigues as they also feature intricately sculpted stitching and various folds and wrinkles. Obviously, NECA is no stranger to Arnold’s likeness and that’s reflected here in a brilliant head sculpt right down to the individual bristles of hair. The face, chest, and arms are also adorned with grease paint.

Articulation has been a high point on these Ultimate figures and that continues to be the case here. The arms feature rotating hinges in the shoulders, elbows, and wrists. The legs are ball jointed at the hips and have rotating hinges in the knees and ankles. I don’t think there’s anything buried in the torso, but with the bulky vest, there isn’t a lot NECA could have done with it. The neck does feature a generous ball joint.

And then there’s the accessories! Arnold comes all kitted out as a one-man vengeance machine. For starters, he has his Desert Eagle that tucks neatly into the holster on his right leg. I have a little nit to pick here as I’m pretty sure the entire weapon should be stainless, whereas this one has some black accents. No biggie, though.

He also comes with a combat knife that slides into the sculpted sheath on the front of his vest.

Next up the firearms food chain is the Valmet M78/83. There’s some really nice detailing on this piece, right down to the collapsed bi-pod on the front.

You also get the M60E3 machine gun, complete with shoulder strap. Again, a wonderfully reproduced weapon for this scale, although the top grip is pretty fragile.

Finally, we get to the big mama, the M202A1 FLASH rocket launcher. I love this thing, as it’s just a big box that shoots rockets. The markings are all there and it even has the flip down grip and the shoulder strap. You get two rockets and a blast effect piece, so you can display it with a missile just about to leave the tube or with one having just left with the smoke trail behind it. Nice!

NECA’s Ultimates series has become one of my favorite lines of 2015 and continues to be one of the best values on the action figure pegs today. At around $21, you get iconic characters, collector grade packaging, phenomenal craftsmanship, and a bevy of accessories. And while this line has seen some great releases in the horror genre, it feels like it caters to Schwartzenegger’s films the best. Matrix doesn’t supplant the T-800 as my favorite Ultimate release so far, but he is certainly a very strong addition to this wonderfully eclectic collection of figures. Keep these coming, NECA, and I’ll keep on buying them!

Oct 31 2015

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Ultimate 40th Anniversary Leatherface by NECA

It’s Halloween and while I don’t usually get around to doing any special content on this holiday, I have been saving just the thing for today. NECA has been producing some truly amazing figures under their new “Ultimate” line and while they run the gamut of movie licenses, several have been pulled from the horror greats. Last year they did a killer job with Ultimate Freddy Krueger and this year, it’s Leatherface!

The packaging on this line has been fantastic and this release may even up the ante a little based solely on the box art. It comes in what appears to be an enclosed box, although the front is actually a velcro secured flap revealing a window and the figure within. Both side panels are lettered and that makes it perfect for sliding onto a bookshelf along with the other Ultimate releases, while the back and inside the front flap feature shots of the figure itself. The front flap has a great piece of promotional artwork from the movie poster, and what a freaking creepy ass movie it is.

Where do I even begin with this movie? I started as quite the horror hound early in life, gorging on Friday the 13ths and Nightmares on Elm Street, but the Texas Chainsaw movies always pressed the line of fun horror and ventured into damn disturbing territory. It felt like a found footage movie before they became trendy and almost ruined the horror film genre, and I mean that in every complimentary way. It’s hard to believe it’s been 40 years since this flick first haunted theater goers. Yes, in the current climate of torture porn, it’s rather tame by today’s standards, as a lot of the gore is implied, and yet it’s still one of the most powerful horror films I can remember. I still consider the scene where Leatherface bursts out of the house and grabs Pam to be one of the most effective horror scenes of all time. And while Jason and Freddy have both taken on a familiar and comfy identity for me, Leatherface has still remained a seriously scary muthaf’cker. Let’s bust this demented sicko out and have a look!

Yeah… Wow! First thing’s first, yes he is wearing a soft goods apron and that just kicks all kinds of ass. It’s made of some kind of very pliable leather-like material. It’s beautifully stitched and ties around his waist in a neat bow. It’s also splattered with blood, which looks wonderfully surreal against it’s light khaki color. The rest of the figure features a great sculpt of his dirty striped shirt, loose necktie, blue trousers and cowboy boots. The dangling bracelet on his right wrist rounds out the package nicely. Fantastic!

And there’s a face only a mother could love. The haphazard skin mask looks deliciously grotesque and with the exposed areas of the face appropriately sunken to make it look like he’s really wearing a mask, even though it’s all part of the same head sculpt. The paint here is excellent, particularly on his gnarly teeth and lips.

You also get the alternate old lady portrait, which is a very nice bonus and every bit as wonderfully executed as the regular stock head. Alas, this look just isn’t iconic enough for me to warrant displaying it, but I still really appreciate the craftsmanship that went into it and the fact that NECA bundled it with the figure, especially at this price point.

The articulation here is really solid. The arms feature rotating hinges in the shoulders, elbows, and wrists. The legs are ball jointed at the hips and he has rotating hinges in the knees. The ankles appear to also have rotating hinges, although there isn’t a whole lot of movement there other than in the lateral rockers. He has a ball joint in the waist and another in the neck. Not bad!

You want accessories? Leatherface comes with a wide variety of butchering implements. You get a meat clever, a skinning knife, a meat hook, and a hammer for breaking up them pesky bones, or just bonking dinner on the head when it’s trying to run out the front door. All these items are well done, but I think the little skinning knife is my favorite because of the attention to detail on the antler handle, despite it being such a tiny piece. Very nice! Oh, wait… Did I forget something?

Oh yeah, it’s the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and it wouldn’t be Leatherface without his trusty saw. I have to be honest, there are few things more terrifying to me than getting attacked with a chainsaw. I don’t even like being around them. NECA’s tribute to this horrific tool is a lovely piece of work, right down to the tiniest detail and the blood-splattered blade. And thanks to the hand grips and the figure’s articulation, he can hold it in any number of fantastic poses… not least of which is over the head for the Chainsaw Dance! I love it!

In fact, it would perhaps be more accurate to say that I love everything about this figure. After coming off of the sheer masterpiece that was their Ultimate T-800, Leatherface here just goes to show that care and craftsmanship is the order of the day for this line. And at the ridiculously low price of $22, NECA is not only producing a top notch collector grade product, but they’re offering some of the best value in the action figure market. The 40th Anniversary of a film franchise is no small potatoes and it’s nice to see that Leatherface was given his due. This is every bit a figure that is worthy of celebrating those four decades of horror tradition and it really makes me think they should have gone with the name Masterpiece over Ultimate to accurately describe this line. Jason Vorhees is the next horror icon to get the Ultimate treatment, and man, I can’t wait.

Oct 13 2015

Terminator 2 Judgement Day: Ultimate T-800 by NECA

I still consider T2 to be the greatest sci-fi action flick ever made. It’s one of those handful of older movies that I can still remember seeing in the theater because it had such a big impact on me. It’s also a prime example of a franchise that should have been laid to rest after the second installment, not just because most of the subsequent movies have been sub par, but because T2 is almost an impossible act to follow. So, it’s nice to see after all this time, the movie is still getting action figure love, and after a bumpy ride with McFarlane, it’s also nice to see T2 in the far more capable hands of NECA Toys, a company that is proving to be masters at their craft.

NECA’s relatively new”Ultimate” line of action figures spans many movies and genres and features some damn snazzy packaging. We last saw it when I looked at their Ultimate Freddy Kruger figure and you’ll be seeing it again here many times, possibly as soon as next week. The T-800 comes in a great looking box with an opening front flap that reveals a window, allowing for a good look at the figure and all his accessories. And man, does he come with a lot! With three different head sculpts and a mini arsenal of weapons, it’s no wonder NECA calls this the “Ultimate” T-800! The box features some stills from the movie, and some shots of the figure that practically look like stills from the movie. Everything is collector friendly and that’s a good thing because this box is definitely a keeper.

The T-800 comes in his bad-ass biker outfit looking like he just stepped right off the screen. The attention to detail on this guy is staggering. From the stitching and wrinkles in the pants, stitching on the gloves, to a jacket that uses every modicum of surface space to pack in more detail. The use of matte black for the pants, boots, and gloves and gloss black for the jacket is a welcome sight and the various silver zippers are all neatly painted on the jacket. This is one of those figures that clearly represents a labor of love on the part of everyone involved in its production.

I think this is one of the best examples of a figure using the old “vest with sculpted sleeves” trick to mimic an actual jacket. The area around the shoulders where the jacket and sleeves meet just looks like part of the jointing. The back of the jacket features all the individual bullet holes sustained in battle, and the figure comes out of the box wearing the bandoleer strap of M-79 grenade rounds with one round missing.

As mentioned, you get three different head sculpts with the figure and doing the pop and swap is super easy. The stock head is regular old Arnold featuring a solid likeness and some pretty clean paint. You really need to get in close to see any degree of uneven lines. Also, the neck joint is set deep enough into the shirt collar that you can’t even really see it when the head is attached.

Next up, we have Arnold with shades. This is my favorite of all three of the portraits. I think the likeness is even better than the stock head and I like the more determined expression on his lips. The creasing between his eyebrows is more pronounced and the muscle definition in his chin is particularly good. This is likely the head that this figure will wear the most on my shelf, although I have been entertaining getting one more of these guys for a couple different display options, because…

…ripped up cyborg head!!! This thing is a mess and I mean that in every positive way. The meat from half of the T-800’s head is blown off revealing the cyborg parts. The sculpt is fantastic, but what really sells this head is the paint, which is spectacular for a figure in this price range. Yup, if I buy a second one of these guys, this is the other head that will always be on display.

Articulation is this figure is very solid, which has been one of my biggest gripes with Terminator figures in the past. The arms feature rotating hinges in the shoulders, elbows, and wrists, while the legs feature the same in the hips, knees, and ankles. The neck is ball jointed and the torso can swivel at the waist. The only odd thing worth mentioning is that the left leg has swivels in the thigh and boot, while the right leg has only the one swivel at the boot. I found that odd, but it really doesn’t affect the poseability of the figure much. All the joints are nice and strong.

Moving on to accessories, let’s start small and work our way up. The automatic pistol is pretty standard stuff. It’s a nice sculpt with a detailed paint job. The trigger guard is very soft plastic so you can theoretically get his trigger finger in there, but I’ve avoided it because I don’t want it to tear. That’s happened before on at least one of my DC Collectibles figures.

Next up is the M1887 lever-action shotgun. Man, I loved the way Arnold worked this thing while on the motorcycle. When I first got the film on DVD I must have watched that scene a dozen times. The sculpt and paint on this piece is great, right down to the wood grain on the stock. It also fits beautifully into his left hand, which of course was the hand Arnold used in the film to show off his flip-cocking prowess.

Next up is the M79 Grenade Launcher. Just like the shotgun, this little piece is expertly sculpted with great paintwork to pick out the detail between the metal and wooden components. This piece also includes a carry strap. I think this one is designed for his right hand, but I rather like the way he holds it in his left hand too. And you know that one round missing from his bandoleer is in that pipe and ready to go! I’m sure it’s just teargas. Afterall, he did swear not to kill anybody.

Lastly, we have the grand daddy of all his arsenal… the minigun, which comes complete with the shoulder satchel full of ammo and the belt running from the satchel to the gun. Holy hell, is this a cool ensemble! The satchel wears well on the figure’s shoulder and he can hold the minigun perfectly. I was a little dubious on how well all these weapons would work with the figure only having two hands, but I’m really impressed to find that they all do. There’s a crazy amount of detail in the minigun and I love the silver paint they used on it.

Honestly, I’m happy with most figures that I buy (and obviously I buy a lot of action figures}, but I honestly can’t remember the last time I was a) blown away by a finished product this much, and b) amazed by the value of a piece. I bought this figure for $22 (regular price, not on sale) and I’m floored that NECA can produce something this good and with so many accessories for that kind of price. I mean, that’s right around the price I’m paying for Hasbro’s 6-inch Black, Marvel Legends and DC Collectibles these days and in terms of craftsmanship, accessories, and even overall packaging and presentation, NECA is blowing those other companies out of the water. Not to mention that producing figures off a 25-year old movie is what some might call a niche-market. When it comes time to start doing my Favorites of 2015 Feature, this figure is going to be damn hard to beat.

FigureFan Zero

Action Figure Reviews, Toys & Collectibles…

Tag Archives: neca

Alien: Ellen Ripley in Compression Suit by NECA

Alien: Ellen Ripley (Jumpsuit) and Xenomorph by NECA

Heroes of the Storm: Illidan Stormrage (Warcraft) by NECA

Heroes of the Storm: Nova Terra (Starcraft) by NECA

Terminator 2 Judgement Day: Ultimate Sarah Connor by NECA

Friday the 13th (Part VI, Jason Lives): Ultimate Jason Voorhees by NECA

Aliens Vs Predator by NECA

Commando: Ultimate John Matrix by NECA

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Ultimate 40th Anniversary Leatherface by NECA

Terminator 2 Judgement Day: Ultimate T-800 by NECA

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