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Introduction
There are lots of companies and lines that come and go every year. It's sad to see some go, but let's not forget that they are often replaced by some terrific new companies and lines. For the final review of 2022 - or the first of 2023, depending on your point of view - I'm going to check out one of those new lines that was everything it was hoped to be and more.
The company is Fresh Monkey Fiction, and the line is Naughty or Nice. Working with Big Bad Toy Store, they brought out their first series of holiday themed figures this year, including a bunch of different Santas (including a Pirate!), several Krampus', a bunch of elves, and even a few nutcrackers. They've been extremely successful, and a new wave with more versions (including a terrific Mall Santa) are coming in 2023. I'm reviewing two of them tonight - the basic Santa, and the Krampus in Santa disguise.
The larger figures run around $37, while the smaller characters are usually $20.
Packaging - ***1/2
When considering these packages, think older Marvel Legends. The
hanging boxes are designed to show off the figure and accessories
through the large window, while it's all collector friendly. You can
remove the figure and parts without seriously damaging the box or
trays. It's attractive, but fairly simple in design.
Sculpting - ****
I'm looking at two of the figures, Santa and Krampus. They both use
the same body, since Krampus is in the Santa disguise.
Santa actually comes with two portraits, one regular and one winking. I'm going with the regular for my display, but the winking works great for a lot of poses as well. Both have a very Clement Moore/Thomas Nast look, with the cherubic cheeks and 19th century facial hair. The detail work on the faces is excellent, and he's the most classic looking Santa I know have in my collection.
The Krampus might share the same rolly polly body, but the head and hands are very different. The horned head has a tongue Gene Simmons would envy, with an expression that would spook any kid on the naughty list. The clawed hands are sculpted in a grasping pose, as if he's reaching for you to pop you in his sack and take you away.
As I said, they both share the Santa body, which is re-used across the line as you'd expect. The thick legs, tall boots, round belly, and sculpted fur edges all make this a truly classic looking Santa. Both figures stand about ??? inches tall.
Paint - ***1/2
Of course, there's a lot of red and white, and the broad colors are
consistent and even. The smaller details on the face are extremely
good, especially the eyes, but some of the costume details, like the
belt buckle and end, are a little sloppy.
The Krampus face is my favorite paint area, with great eyes, that wild tongue, and a very realistic looking wash on the horns. The teeth are a little off, but it's a minor nit.
Overall the paint work is solid, but is the one area that could use a little improvement.
Articulation - ***
The chunky body doesn't lent itself to extreme articulation, but
they did a nice job with what they had.
The ball neck is a little restricted by the beards, but you can get a little lean and tilt. The rotating hinge shoulders, elbows, and wrists won't get you extreme arm poses, but you can use them pretty effectively with the included accessories. However, swapping hands was more difficult than I expected.
The cut waist can turn, and the hips, knees, and ankles can manage natural stances, but nothing too deep or ninja-like. He can't really sit, but it's not the fault of the leg articulation, but rather the long coat.
Krampus has one more area of articulation - the tail connects to the body with a ball joint, allowing you to pose it in various ways.
Accessories - Krampus ***; Santa ***1/2
Santa is better outfitted than Krampus, and of course there's lots
of re-use across the entire series.
As I mentioned, the Santa has that extra portrait, a big plus. He also comes with three extra hands to go with the pair of gripping hands he comes wearing - a pointing right, and a splayed right and left.
He comes with a small white plate, two chocolate chip cookies (I assume they aren't raisin oatmeal, because you wouldn't want to piss off Santa), and a glass of milk. The milk itself is actually separate from the glass and can be removed.
Santa also has a red present, his red hat, and a list of names. The hat fits great on either head.
Finally, he has a small white display stand. Krampus has this stand as well.
Krampus also has a present, but his is decorated in black paper instead of red. He has the same list of names, but he adds in a Xmas stocking, as well as a lump of coal.
Krampus' tail also comes as a separate piece, but I'm not counting it as an 'accessory', since you'll pop it on and leave it.
Fun Factor - ****
What sets these figures apart is this category - they are just so
damn much fun. While I won't be picking them all up, I can certainly
understand the desire to do so, and I'll be grabbing new ones each
year that I find irresistible.
Value - ***
Whit NECA figures running $30 - $40 now, and even Star Wars The
Black Series creeping up there, these area solid value at $37.
This is a small company selling through a limited outlet, and you
know the production numbers aren't high.
Things to Watch Out For -
Swapping hands was trickier than I expected. Take some care to avoid
damaging the posts.
Overall - ****
Okay, I know what you're going to say - how can this be a four star
figure when the individual categories were generally below that?
Easy - as I've said many times, the Overall result takes into account more than just the categories. There's intrinsic details, a feeling that you can get, especially with a really fun toy like this. The complete picture is more than the sum of the parts, with more qualitative aspects adding to my final score.
And this is a line with a ton of those emotional aspects, making them a big hit for me, and a line that will be high on my 'favoriates of 2022' list.
Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***1/2
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ***1/2
Articulation - ***
Accessories - ***1/2
Fun Factor - ****
Value - ***
Overall - ****
Where to Buy
There's one place to get these:
- or if you miss out, you can search ebay for a deal.
Related Links -
I just covered the Father Christmas figure from the Four
Horsemen, and other great Xmas figures include the McFarlane Twisted Xmas, the NECA Xmas Gremlins, the McFarlane Grinch figures, and any of the great Playing Mantis figures.
You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.
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This product was purchased for the review by the reviewer. Photos and
text by Michael Crawford.
