Review of Mummy Accessory Set
Universal Monsters Action Figure

Introduction

The Universal Monsters license remains strong almost a century later, one of the longest running licenses in collectibles today. NECA currently is producing some terrific figures in their 7" Ultimates line, including a Karloff Mummy. They've followed that up with an Accessory Pack, which they'll also be doing with a couple of their other monster releases.

This set is available at some Targets, and of course at various online retailers, for around $40.

And yes, the photo below is one of the funniest I've taken in awhile.

Packaging - ***
The box is very attractive, using movie style graphics to highlight the enclosed goodies. It's all collector friendly of course, and sadly isn't plastic free although it could be. Hopefully, other companies will take a note from Hasbro in cases like this, where you can't see the contents anyway and could skip using a plastic tray inside.

Sculpting - ***1/2
There are three items in this set - the cardboard backdrop, the sarcophagus, and the stone chest.

Obviously there's no 'sculpting' with the backdrop, but it's worth noting here that it is made with a very thick cardboard, very sturdy and less likely to rip or get damaged over time.

The 'stone' chest looks good, made from plastic of course, and it is sized to allow you to fit the smaller chest that came with the figure itself inside. That's a nice touch, but I did find the lid a bit difficult to get in place. It does snap on and stay there, but the fit is a little wonky. While the top of the lid is a bit plain, the sides of the chest have some excellent sculpted decorative detail.

The sculpt on the sarcophagus, easily the most important item, is terrific. Deep cuts, sharp details, and a nice texture make it very realistic looking. The interior is a bit plain, with some painted hieroglyphics, but no real texture or sculpt detail. The lid fits tightly, and it can stand up or lay down in your display.

Also critical - it is properly sized for the Mummy figure to fit inside. While that seems like a no-brainer, you'd be surprised how often companies screw up something so basic.

Paint - ***
The colors are good, with a brassy gold look, and various brighter colors for detail. It matches the film look pretty well, although you have to make some assumptions about the color of course. Details are clean, and as I mentioned earlier, there's some cool hieroglyphics in the sarcophagus.

They've added lots of painted texture and some wear as well, trying to age the appearance. However, on mine there's some rub marks on the front, particularly on a couple of the fingers and on the chest, that do not look like aging or wear, but simply manufacturing damage.

Articulation - N/A
While a couple things open up, there's no actual articulation.

Accessories - N/A
I'm not really counting anything as an accessory, since it's ALL accessories.

Fun Factor - ***
While you won't do a lot of re-posing over time, you will be able to really improve the look of your Mummy diorama/display with this set. While I usually am not much of a fan of cardboard or paper extras, I have to admit I really like the backdrop this time, and will have to include it in my display.

Value - *1/2
The big problem here is the price. You're getting three things for $40, more than you are paying for the articulated figure with accessories. While the sarcophagus is really nice, it might be a tough sell for all but the most dedicated Universal Monster fans.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing.

Overall - ***
I'm all for diorama/display types of accessories. Now that I have a place to display this stuff, the more I can get to improve the set up, the more I like it. While the price is a little high, I'm really happy with the overall look of this set, and I'm definitely on board for the other sets coming up.

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

Where to Buy 
These are starting to hit some Target stores. Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has it at $40, but with free shipping too.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
The ultimate Mummy is the Premium Format statue from Sideshow. Mezco did a unique stylized version. And DST did a couple great versions.

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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