Review of IT Pennywise 2017
Toony Terrors Action Figure

Introduction

In preparation for IT Chapter 2, coming out one week from today, I rewatched the first film again last night. And yes, I still enjoy it quite a bit. While the kids are surprisingly good actors - so few kids are - it's the performance of Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise that seals the deal. I don't know if they'll be able to develop the same level of fear with the adult counterparts, but I'll be there opening day to find out.

NECA has recently released their first series of Toony Terrors, action figures of iconic horror characters done in a Saturday Morning Cartoon style.  I checked out the old school Pennywise last week, and tonight I'm looking at the tooned up 2017 character.

As I said, these just started shipping, and you should be able to find them for around $13 each. Jason and Freddy fill out this first wave, and a second wave with Leatherface, Pinhead, and Michael Myers has already been announced.

Packaging - ***
The basic backer/bubble package has a 'Hollywood lights' style that works pretty well. It's not collector friendly of course, and you'll have to destroy the package to get the figure and accessories out. However, you can snip out part of the backer to have a small background for the figure. For this Pennywise it's a sewer scene.

Sculpting - ***1/2
Two things to remember - these figures are done in a 1/12 scale, with Pennywise coming in at just about 6" tall with slightly bent knees, and they are supposed to look like animated characters.

That second bit is important here - there's less detail on purpose because of it. While large details are present, small subtle things like textures and contours that would exist on more realistic figures are not.

Still, they've done an excellent job melding the most important features with the style. While there's plenty of smooth, cartoon-like surfaces, there's still enough surface detail to add the crackling of the forehead, and itty bitty fang-like front teeth.

There's a couple minor annoyances, like mold lines in bad places, but overall I really, really like this sculpt, and find that the style fits a little better with this clown design than it did with the Curry Pennywise.

Paint - ***1/2
This guy is just a $13 mass market figure, but the clean edges and sharp lines imply a more expensive price point.

The face paint looks excellent, as does the eyes. Large details like the pom poms and hair are crisp and consistent, and the broad colors overall are quite neat and clean. There's no smudges or rub marks, and only a few blips along a couple cut lines. While the paint work overall isn't super complex, the quality is very high.

Articulation - **1/2
This guy is a tad more articulated than his older cousin, thanks to the different body design.

He also has a cut neck, cut wrists, and cut shoulders, and adds both cut ankles and pin hip joints. All of these really have one axis of movement, but they allow for some minor adjustments to the overall pose. You can also find his center of gravity pretty easily, allowing him to stand long term.

It's also worth noting that the balloon 'string' is actually a wire, which can be adjusted as you see fit.

Accessories - ***
He does slightly better than the Curry Pennywise in this category as well. While that clown only had one balloon, this clown adds in Georgie's boat.

I had to open up the hole between the fingers of his right hand a bit again, but the balloon string slipped through easily once I did.

Fun Factor - ***
As you add more of these style characters to the shelf, they get more fun. You have more possibilities with posing, and the designs work off each other to create an interesting atmosphere.

Value - ***
I can't complain - you're getting solid sculpting and great paint work at a normal mass market price. I wish every figure in this scale cost $13. Considering the $18 - $20 price point on Star Wars Black or Marvel Legends, I bumped this release (with the two accessories) slightly above average.

Things to Watch Out For -
As mentioned, I opened up the small hole between the first finger and thumb to allow the balloon wire to slip through without damage. Otherwise you should be good to go.

Overall - ***1/2
The 1990 Pennywise has a jaunty, fun loving stance...this version looks far more malevolent, even in an animated style. I wasn't completely sold on this new series, but after opening this one up I think I'll be picking up the rest of the series.

And don't worry. If you thought this was my last Pennywise review before the movie hits, you'd be wrong - I'll have another NECA product to review next week!

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has the set of four for $52 as well.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I just checked out the Toony Terror Pennywise from the original mini-series last week. Other Pennywise items include the new 2018 versions: Well House, the exclusive, as well as the first regular release. There's also the 1990 Tim Curry version also from NECA.

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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