Paint - ***1/2
I gave Palisades a knock on the series 3 figures for weaker paint ops
than usual, but I didn't have any serious issues with my Mega Beaker.
Even in this scale, there's plenty of paint detail
work. From the shirt to the pens, there were places Palisades could
have had issues but didn't. The broad colors, like the green of the
lab coat or the orange/red of the hair are all consistent and even.
There were a few minor stray marks on the white of the shoes and socks, and
one small glop of paint on the sleeve, but overall the paint ops were more
consistent with the higher quality you expect from Palisades.
Articulation - ***1/2
This Beaker is actually more articulated than his smaller cousin, a nice
touch and something you'd expect in this scale.
He has neck, ball jointed shoulders, wrists, waist, elbows
feet and hips. The addition of the hips doesn't add a lot, since the
legs are restricted by the coat, but it is two more points than the smaller
figure had.
Accessories - Bupkis
The only serious issue with this figure is the utter lack of
accessories. Considering the sheer number of possibilities, and the
coolness factor that would have came along with any of the lab equipment
done in this scale, it's a shame that nothing was included.
Value - **1/2
Considering the lack of accessories - and the lack of new tooling - the $25
price point seems to be less of a value than the smaller scale figures.
Overall - ***
This figure is bordering on ***1/2 stars, and only the lack of any
accessories brings him down that half star. One of the real selling
points for the 9" Faces of Springfield have been the uber-cool
accessories, and I think this line would benefit from something similar.
Still, I'm thrilled to have a big honking Beaker!
What, uh, I mean...never mind.
If you're a huge Beaker fan, of a fan of huge Beakers (you
know, this sounds bad no matter how I say it), then this figure is a must
have.
Where to Buy:
I picked this up at a Media Play for $25. You should be able to
find it at other retailers for $20, a better value than I got. On-line:
- Beans Toys has them in stock and
ready to ship for $25 as well.
- Aisle Sniper has them in stock
and ready to ship for $25. They also have series 3 of the regular
Muppets.
- Big Bad Toy Store
has them for $25 as well - can you see a trend here?