Packaging - ***
It's a nice sturdy box, with a solid styrofoam pack inside. None of
that wimpy styrofoam that ends up all over the room. The box has photos
of the actual bust rather than a window, and you know that bugs me, since you
won't be able to pick the best paint job. Still, keeping the bust in one
piece is job #1, and it does that job just fine.
DST also includes a very cool COA with every bust, and this one was no
exception.
Sculpting - **1/2
In general, the sculpt is solid. It captures the general appearance
of the figure well, and there's the right amount of small detail work.
I'm giving it a fairly average score for two reasons. First, the
design is simply not dynamic enough for me. Trapped someplace between
static maquette style and graceful movement, this bust just doesn't visually
leap off the shelf at you.
My other problem is one of scale, particularly in the arms. They are
in an elongated state, but the arms simply don't work for me. First,
they seem far too thin for the amount of elongation, particularly the
right. Second, the size of the arm drops to a set thickness just
slightly below the shoulder, and seems to stay that thickness all the way to
the wrist. I think that is throwing me off visually, with my brain
trying to tell me that there should be a gradual taper all the way from the
shoulder to the hand.
Now, there might be some comic book physics that refute that, but the
problem is that when they look this way in 3-D, they appear to much like silly
bendy arms on a toy, rather than dynamic stretchy arms of justice.
Maybe the problem isn't so much that the arms don't taper, but that both
arms appear to be the same thickness and size, although the left appears much
more elongated.
The original prototype sported a black base as well, but that was dropped
for the production version. I'm torn as to whether that was a wise idea
or not.
Paint - ***
The paint work is good, if not exceptional. The lines are clean, with
very little slop, and a nice consistency to the predominant colors.
Design/Quality - **1/2
I've already done some complaining about the design, and the lack of optical
stimulation.
The bust is nice and sturdy though, and they didn't cheap out on the
materials. The design also takes possible breakage or weak points into
consideration.
Value - **
At $50, this bust is about $10 too much. The standard seems to be
closer to $40 these days, and to push above that requires going well out of
the ordinary.
I do have some suggestions below though where you can pick him up for
around $40, which is much more appropriate.
Overall - **1/2
This isn't the best work I've seen from Diamond Select on their
mini-busts, but it's not the worst I've seen from any company either. It
falls in that average range, where the real market is the big fans of this
particular character in this particular incarnation.
I think that the designs for both the Thing and Johnny Storm are much
better, but the large '4' base that is consistent between those two should
have been reflected here as well.
Things to Watch Out For -
Nothing to report here.
SCORE RECAP:
Packaging - ***
Sculpt - **1/2
Paint - ***
Design - **1/2
Value - **1/2
Overall - **1/2
Where to Buy -
There are several online options with site sponsors:
- Alter Ego Comics has him for
just $40, and he's currently in stock.
- Southern Island doesn't have
this one, but they have the Ultimate Torch on clearance for just $32!
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