Review of Lobo sixth scale action figure

Introduction

Sideshow has been doing a number of high end sixth scale figures for both DC and Marvel properties, but not based on any films or tv shows. Instead, these are attempts to capture classic comic book looks, with their own personal twists here and there. They had several new ones at SDCC this year, including Ghost Rider, Thor, and a 'classic' Batman, so it appears the line is doing well.

The current release is Lobo, a classic anti-hero in the DC Universe. First appearing in 1983, the alien is a mercenary and bounty hunter. He started out as more of a villain, but morphed into something in between by the nineties. There's been talk of a film for years now, and with the success of Deadpool, I can't help but think he's high on the development list...at least if they're smart.

The Sideshow Lobo has just started shipping. There are two versions, a regular and an exclusive to the Sideshow store. I'm reviewing the exclusive tonight, but there's only one additional accessory. Both versions originally cost $250.

Packaging - ***
Pretty basic stuff here, but the plastic trays inside the shoe box are very collector friendly, with no issues getting him or the accessories out, and the plastic wrap on the boots, hands, and elbows being relatively easy to remove.

The basic black of the outer box is a tad dull however, and does exhibit a lot of rub marks thanks to it's design and materials. There's a nice inner card covering the trays though, and they make up for the plain appearance of the outer box with some nice comic artwork here.

Sculpting - ***1/2
Lobo is a big character, and Sideshow has created a largely new body to convey his bulk and build. He stands about 13 1/2" tall, towering over most of the rest of the DC characters.

While this is a 'comic' themed figure, there's still plenty of realistic detail, particularly in the portrait. The hair has nice stranding, and is done up in a dynamic look. The skin has a nice texture, and the complex work around the teeth and gums is extremely realistic.

While he's got a pretty big head, the internal proportions are spot on. The large head is supported by a very large torso, with beefy arms and legs. While some of the musculature is a little wonky, the overall effect is one of power and strength.

The expression is one of snarling contempt, a cocky look for a cocky character who's about to beat your ass. I would have loved a second portrait with a different hair style and expression, (perhaps with the hair hanging straight) but that's a minor nit, and the portrait we got works great for me.

Paint - ***1/2
The grayish blue body color is consistent over the figure, from face to torso to arms. It's pretty critical since it's part of his signature look.

But it's really the work on the face and hair that sets him apart. Sideshow tends to do much better with 'creatures' than they do with actual humans, and the alien nature of this character gives them a chance to show off their stuff. The subtle transition at the hair line is excellent, and the black face 'tattoos' are sharp and clean. They also follow the wrinkles and folds of the expression properly, adding to the realism.

But it's really the teeth, lips, and gums that give the expression it's best paint qualities. If I had one nit to pick, it would be with the red eyes, and their slightly metallic look. Something about that color and finish reminded me more of a sports car than Lobo, but it's definitely a minor nit overall.

Articulation - ***
The large body is less mobile, as you'd expect. But you can still get some good poses, if you're not looking to get too extreme.

The ball jointed neck works particularly well, and of course the joint is below the chin. Anything at the torso would be too obvious. And no, there's no rubber skin here - the torso is a solid hunk of plastic. While that means less mobility, it also means no risk of a rubber skin breaking down over time.

The meaty arms have rotating hinge shoulders, elbows, and wrists, but because of the thick muscles, the elbow bend is relatively short. I would like to get the cigar closer to the face, but it's not going to happen.

The torso is a rocker joint, giving the body some tilt and lean movement, and the rotating hinge hips, pin knees, and rotating hinge ankles (I'm assuming on these based on movement) provide short to medium stances. You can get deeper leg stances, but the lack of much ankle movement (thanks to the thick one piece boots) makes them difficult to maintain.

The design of the costume also makes this one of the more attractive yet articulated figures showing this much skin. The ripped sleeves on the coat cover just enough of the shoulders, the elbow pads completely hide the joint there, and both wrists have some option for hiding the wrist with a wrap - chain on the right, leather on the left.

Accessories - ***
He's not mad accessorized, but he has some key extras that come in handy with most poses.

There's a few additional hands and every one has it's own wrist peg. He comes wearing a set of fists, and there's an additional set of gun gripping hands and a tight grip right that work well with the other accessories. The one additional item that is special to the exclusive is a cigar gripping right hand, with a permanently affixed cigar. The hands swap very easily, but thanks to the long pegs, remain in place while posing.

He has a nicely sculpted and painted gun that fits neatly in the holster on his hip. More about that holster in the outfit section, but let's just say here that it's an improvement on some of their recent attempts.

That's not it for his weapons - he also has a large hook which can be attached to a real metal chain. This chain can wrap around his right arm for a traditional look, or you could use it in all kinds of inventive ways around his body.

There's one paper addition in the Al's Diner menu. It looks great, but it's only printed on one side.

Finally, he has a hexogonal display stand with a crotch support.

Outfit - ****
This outfit is fairly complex, and the quality is well above the average.

Let's start with the most obvious - his 'vest' with the ripped sleeves. The quality of the faux leather material is excellent, and they came up with a way to create the ripped sleeve look without actually having ripped sleeves that could ray over time. On the back is the "Bite Me Fan Boy" patch, and there are several very high quality enamel buttons (Bigfoot, Parental Advisory, Dolphin, and Dawg) attached. The zipper is in scale, the buttons look amazing, and the overall effect is spot on.

He has elbow and knee pads, also properly size. The big boots do restrict ankle movement, but the sculpt and paint are terrific. It matches the skull buckle on the belt nicely, and both the belt and the holster are much better quality than we've seen on some other Sideshow releases (like Ash or Snake).

Last but not least - oh, no, certainly not least - are the jeans. They fit him like a real person!  While companies can usually get suits and similar clothing to fit properly, jeans still seem to be an issue. They are often too baggy, and the denim too thick.

But these jeans look amazing, and are tailored just about perfectly. They've also added some wear and aging, and it only adds to the realism of the overall look.

Fun Factor - ***
While the posability is a little limited, the accessories give you some excellent options for posing and re-posing over time. Add in some other DC (or even Marvel) characters to the mix, and you should have a great time working with him in your display.  Even kids could enjoy this one, since it's largely well made with little change of damage with normal handling, but with a $250 price point, I don't expect a lot of kids to get their hands on him.

Value - *1/2
The one area where I really have to ding him is on the price. $250 is about $30 more than he should be, and yes, I realize that there's a whole new torso and arms here. And yes, they did a terrific job on the accessories, paint, and sculpt. But considering the market, and what we are currently seeing from other companies in the $200 - $250 range, this guy is going to be a tough sell at the high end of that range.

Things to Watch Out For -
Everything here was very high quality, so I had no real issues. However, there is a potential tip on attaching the chain to the hook.

It seemed that the small metal hook on the butt of the large hook is screwed in, and I was able to turn it out a half turn. This meant I could more easily attach the loop to the hook, and when I turned it back tight, it held in place with less issue. Proceed with caution, however.

Overall - ***1/2
I suspect this guy is going to take his fair amount of criticism just because he's from Sideshow. It has become in fashion to bash any product they release, whether they deserve it (and sometimes they very much do) or not (as is the case here).

I really like this guy, even more in hand than in photos. He has a solid build quality, with tight joints and decent articulation for the new body. The paint and sculpt are great, and the costume is really one of their nicest overall in a long time.

My one big gripe? He's simply not a $250 figure, even with the new body parts. Had they included a second portrait I would have been more inclined to give them a break in that area, but as is, he's about $30 over priced in my book.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - **1/2
Sculpting - ***1/2
Paint - ***1/2
Articulation - ***
Accessories - ***
Outfit - ****
Fun Factor - ***
Value - **
Overall - ***1/2

Where to Buy 
If you're looking for the exclusive with the cigar hand, you can pick him up through Sideshow right now for $250. They also have the regular release at $250, but if you can get an extra accessory for the same money, why not? Online options for the regular release include these site sponsors:

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other Sideshow DC figures include Batman, Catwoman, Joker and Harley. They've done several comic style Marvel characters as well, including Deadpool.

If you're a Lobo fan, you should check out the cool little animated version from the Justice League cartoons.

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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