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Introduction
Rick and Morty is one of my favorite animated shows. Not just now, but all time, easy top 10 stuff. Creative, witty, self referential, and always happy to make fun of their own fanbase, the show is far more complex than its sometimes simplistic humor.
There's been a few collectibles, but nothing really outstanding. The Funko figures were passable, but the translation to 3 dimensions wasn't great. There's all the usual flotsam and jetsam - mugs and t-shirts and Pops and pool floats and etc. etc. etc. - but nothing that has wowed me.
Mondo has stepped in with a set of figures of Rick and Morty, done in sixth scale. Yes, sixth scale. These are big action figures, similar to what they've done with BTAS and MOTU, with full sculpted clothes and limited articulation.
They produced a basic set for $100, with a deluxe set for $120. I'm reviewing the deluxe, which has more accessories, and I'll point out the
differences as we go. The deluxe just started shipping from Mondo, and the regular version should start shipping soon.
Packaging - ***1/2
The large box has some terrific graphics, and I'll admit that at first I thought that was a vat of acid on the cover, with the duo rising out of it.
On further thought, I assume it's a portal, but even so it looks great.
Inside there is a single plastic tray holding the figures and all the accessories. It's all collector friendly, but the cardboard is a little thin,
both on the box itself and the cardboard tray inside.
Sculpting - ****
Mondo has done the best so far capturing the weird art style from the show in a three dimensional figure. The portraits look great, and they have
the appropriate internal proportions.
And I say portraits, because there are multiple for both characters. The regular release has the scared Morty and screaming Morty, as well a the frowning Rick and thin smile Rick. The deluxe adds in one more head for both - Evil Morty and burping Rick.
These heads swap easily on the large ball joint, and the detail is quite good for a cartoon adaptation. Teeth are sharply defined, bulging eyes and lids are cut clean, and even the uni-brow on Rick is thick and gnarly. Some small details that could have been simply painted - like the pupils of the eyes - are sculpted to add depth and visual pop.
The bodies don't have much detail, as you'd expect. Rick could use another sculpted hand to work better with the Portal Gun, but overall the sculpting from the neck down is good. Scale is proper, and the simple design is well translated.
Rick stands about 12" tall, while Morty is just a smidge over 8". That might not sound big, but you'll be amazed how big they are in person.
Paint - ***1/2
There's even less detail with the paint work, again based very much on the style of the show.
Everything that's here is very clean, like the eyes, eyebrows, and hairlines. There's a sloppy edge here or there, and a little gloppiness in a couple of the colors, but the issues are extremely minor. Consistency in finish and coverage is great, and the colors match the on screen versions pretty well.
Articulation - **1/2
The one area where I found myself disappointed was with the articulation. Just a couple more cut joints and this would have been a killer set.
The ball jointed neck works great, easily the most useful joint on these figures. You can lean, tilt, and turn the heads to create personality and attitude with every pose.
Rick has cut wrists and cut ankles. Even with the cut ankles, I couldn't get him to stand reliably on his own. They provide a small black stand, and you'll need to use it.
Morty has cut ankles and a cut joint on each arm at the shirt sleeve. I had far less trouble getting Morty to stand on his own, although using his base to match with Rick is probably the final way to go.
I really wanted cut shoulders of some sort on Rick. To properly use some of the extras - especially both hands flipping the bird - you need to re-position the arms. With the limited articulation, you're going to find yourself a bit frustrated.
Accessories - ****
I'm grading the deluxe here, and the regular release doesn't have nearly as many extras.
Really, I've never seen a difference quite this big. And considering the deluxe was only $20 more than the regular, it was an absolute no brainer.
The regular and deluxe both come with one extra head for Rick and Morty, but the deluxe adds in one more on top of that. I've already discussed the various expressions, but suffice to say having two extra heads to go with the one they come wearing is a huge part of this perfect score.
Rick also has an extra set of hands. He comes wearing a gripping right and pointing left, and the extra set has both hands flipping the bird. The hands swap easily.
The gripping hand can work with the other three extras, but it doesn't work great with any one. He has a liquor bottle, a Portal Gun, and the deluxe adds in a Plumbus. Everyone needs one! In fact, the Plumbus fits inside the hand the best of the three.
Morty has an extra set of arms, which swap at the sleeves where the joint is. He has a straight right and gripping left (designed so the left reaches across his body and grips the upper arm of the right), and you can swap in a gripping right and posed left. Again, the swap is quite easy.
Both the regular and deluxe Morty also have the Mindblower helmet, which fits on any of the Morty heads. There are four different colored Mindblower tubes that can be attached to the front.
Both figures also come with the aforementioned round display base with one foot peg.
But that's not all for the deluxe! There's a small Pickle Rick and Rat Boss figure too! The sculpts and paint work is great, and while they are a little big, they'll look fantastic facing off against each other on the shelf.
Fun Factor - ****
With the extra heads, hands, and various accessories, you have a ton of options for displaying these guys. And swapping them around on a regular
basis is going to be part of your normal schedule!
Value - ***1/2
Mondo charges this much for one of their MOTU or BTAS figures - one. You're getting two figures for $100, and for another $20, you're getting a
plethora of extras on top of that. Seriously, the deluxe release is an amazing deal, and well worth the price tag.
Things to Watch Out For -
Not much. I did worry about rubbing the paint on Morty's hair with the Mindblower, but with a little care you should be good.
Overall - ***1/2
The articulation is really the only thing that held this figure back from a full four stars for me. I found myself a bit frustrated not being able
to get some really amazing poses that were just out of reach. My kingdom for a cut joint.
But this is also one of the coolest set of figures I've gotten in a long time, and I'm extremely happy I broke down and bought the deluxe months ago when it was offered. It's a bit of a worry sometimes with Mondo, because when you pre-order you have to pay. But this is one of those times when I'm very, very glad I did, and the deluxe set is going to be on my list of favorite figures in 2020.
Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ***1/2
Articulation - **1/2
Accessories - ****
Fun Factor - ****
Value - ***1/2
Overall - ***1/2
Where to Buy
The Mondo site still has the regular release available
for $100, but the deluxe is long sold out. Online options include these site sponsors:
- Entertainment Earth is $100 too.
- or you can search ebay for a deal.
Related Links -
Other Rick and Morty reviews include the McFarlane building sets and the Funko small action 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.
