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Sculpting - ***1/2
These are not done in realistic proportions, or in a realistic style.
They are 'cartoony' in style, with somewhat of a caricature look.
Considering how out there the killer designs are to start with, these
stylized versions are quite unique.
As
I mentioned, I'm not a big fan of the usual caricature style, but I
really like this guy. There's something goofy yet gruesome about the
design, creating an almost cute look but without losing the basic gory
concept.
There's excellent detail work in the hair and
stitching, and the mask is sculpted in such a way as to appear as a
separate piece from the underlying distorted face. It's not - don't try
pulling off the mask. But it looks great, and even with the sculpted
hair and long mask, it doesn't interfere with the neck articulation at
all.
The arms are sculpted with veining and skin texture, and
he's wearing a pair of sculpted boots, the sort of thing a fine Texan
would wear to Sunday service.
He stands great on his own, and
there's enough articulation (and it works well with the sculpt) to
allow you to pose him in a number of ways and still keep the center of
gravity lined up properly.
Paint - ***1/2
This one is going to be more aesthetic than quality based, so your
mileage could vary quite a bit.
The
quality is great all around. The cut lines are clean, the colors are
consistent and the coverage even. There's enough small detail work, but
the amount is in proportion to the caricature style.
For me,
there's a one aesthetic issues that pull the score down a bit. First,
there's the bloody hands. They are VERY bloody, so much so that it ends
up looking like paint to me, not blood. They tried to go with a glossy
look too, like the blood is wet, but I think that just ends up
accentuating the paint-like appearance.
Articulation - ***
This guy is surprisingly well articulated, especially for a rotocast
figure. The articulation is generally well hidden too, so it's
difficult to tell how well he poses til you get him out of the box.
The
best surprise is the double ball joint on the neck. There is a long
post that inserts into the neck, which has a ball on both the bottom
and top. It allows for a ton of movement in the neck, plenty of tilting
and leaning, and some very realistic head poses.
He also has ball
jointed shoulders that work great, along with cut elbows and cut
wrists. He has a pseudo ab-crunch, but because of the sculpt it really
only works as a cut joint. There's additional cut joints at the knees
and ankles, which allow you to keep him standing with the arms in just
about any pose.
Accessories - ***1/2
There are three weapons, along with a nasty bucket of parts and blood.
The
bucket is well scaled, with innards and bones sculpted on the surface,
but I would have liked a handle. He can sort of hold it, but had there
been a handle, the display potential would be a bit better.
The
weapons include his chainsaw...of course...as well as a hammer and
knife. The knife is described as having a bone handle, but it looks
more like a carved hunk of wood. The blade is bloody, as is the head of
the hammer. The hammer fits in either hand easily, but the knife is a
tough fit without some hot water to soften the hands.
The
chainsaw is the coolest of the accessories. The handles can be held in
both hands, or held in either hand by either handle. It looks great,
and is likely to be the display weapon of choice for most folks.
Outfit - ***
This figures has a cloth shirt, pants, apron, and tie. The apron is
easy to removed, since it is simply tied in back, but the shirt and
pants are removable too. They are sewn together as one piece, with a
Velcro closure up the back. The tie is attached to the shirt, so it all
comes off together. It's not easy, and a nekkid Leatherface is not
something you probably want to see, but for the sick and twisted it's a
possibility.
There's
blood stains of course, but they have the look of old, dried spots, not
fresh. That's a nice touch, since fresh marks would probably look too
much like paint, but these dried versions look like real stains.
It's
also worth noting that the clothing is all very much in scale. That's
not easy to do in a 1/8th scale, especially when it comes to the
thickness of the material. But Mezco has managed to do it consistently.
Fun Factor - ***
Oh, I'm not sure Leatherface is exactly the right figure to give your
eight year old, unless you want to send him down a long road of
therapy. But the articulation and accessories actually make for a fun
toy - ironic, eh?
Value - **
At $25 - $30, this guy is even more expensive the the previous SDCC
exclusive Jason. Things are getting tight for collectors, and it's not
going to be an easy year for the companies with prices on the rise.
Things To Watch Out For
-
I managed to snap the
blade on the knife trying to get it in to the right hand. It doesn't
fit well in either hand, although it does make it into the right with
some work. A little hot water would go a long way to make it easier.
Overall - ***1/2
Regular readers know I'm not generally a fan of the overt caricature
style, but there's something about this 9" rotocast line that really
does appeal to me. The Jason was great, and this Leatherface follows up
on that success. I'm looking forward to the Freddy release now, and we
need a Myers to finish off the quartet of mayhem.
Score Recap:
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ***1/2
Paint - ***1/2
Articulation - ***
Accessories - ***1/2
Outfit - ***
Fun Factor - **1/2
Value - **
Overall - ***1/2
Where to Buy -
Online options include:
- Entertainment
Earth has this version for $30.
- Cornerstore Comics
has this one for $24.
Related Links -
They did a 9" rotocast stylized
rotocast version of Jason.
Discussion:
Want to chat about this review? Try out one of these terrific forums where I'll be
discussing it!
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