|
These
are Premium Format statues, and the emphasis is on 'premium' when it
comes to pricing. The regular version of the Evil Queen is $285 at
Sideshow (although you can save $20 or $30 if you shop around with my
sponsors), and the exclusive version (with additional 'accessory') was
$299. Of course, both are sold out now at Sideshow, but you can still
get on the wait list for the exclusive, or buy the regular from one of
my sponsors listed in the Where to Buy section at the end of the review.
There
were just 300 produced of the exclusive version, with just another 600
of the regular. That's some VERY low numbers for a Disney collectible,
and the quantities on both the regular and exclusive versions of the
Rocketeer and Maleficent are in the same ball park. I suspect that once
folks start seeing the released version of the Evil Queen, they'll dry
up very, very fast.
Packaging - ****
This is one of the smallest, yet nicest, PF boxes we've seen in some
time. It has some great graphics and photos, and I really like the
story board art and gold trim.
Since the base for the Evil
Queen is about half as deep as usual, the box is much thinner. I'm all
for that too, since it makes it easier to store for the long term.
As usual, there's no COA, but
the edition number is printed on the bottom of the base and box.
Sculpting - ****
I don't specifically remember this exact pose from the film, but it
does seem that the Queen created the poisoned apple first, then turned
herself into the hag better known ad the 'witch'. That would fit with
this pose, where she holds the deadly apple aloft, confident in her
victory.
The
queen was beautiful, which led her to her extreme narcissism and
vanity. Makes sense, since there's nothing worse than an ugly
narcissist. Sideshow has captured that alluring beauty perfectly here,
and you have no trouble believing an old king would fall and fall hard
for this woman, evil or not. Homina, homina, howaa!
The
underlying body is rather unique, however. It's sculpted with a
'uni-leg', rather than with two separate realistic legs. This form
works better with the dress, and also makes the legs far more stable
and less likely to crack or break.
The base is smaller than
usual, but designed to look like the box the Queen gave to the soldier,
which he was to bring back with Snow White's heart inside. Ah, those
were the days!
Paint - ***1/2
The paint work on most recent PF's from Sideshow has been top notch,
and the Evil Queen upholds this trend.
As an animated character, the
colors are broader and there are fewer paint details, but the vibrancy
and consistency are excellent.
That's not to say there aren't
any small details, however. The finger nails, while a little sloppy,
have a nice gloss finish and a very realistic two tone effect. The eyes
are perfect, with the eye shadow above the eyes adding to
her menacing expression.
There's a little slop here and
there, and the edges between the black costume and skin tone are the
most obvious. But even these are minor when compared to the overall
effect.
Articulation - Bupkis
This won't be a negative toward my score, but I've included it as an
FYI. There's no posing you can do here - she's a solid statue.
Accessories - Regular Bupkis,
Exclusive ***1/2
Generally, statues don't have accessories, so if you pick up the
regular version you are unlikely to be bothered by the lack there of.
However, the exclusive does include the large book with human skull
bowl. There's a large, evil raven perched on the edge as well.
This extra piece
is much larger than I had expected, but truly in scale. The
thin bookmark is made from cloth as well, making it a mixed media
accessory for a mixed media statue.
The sculpting is much more
detailed and realistic than we usually see with an animated style,
especially on the wings of the bird and the skull itself.
While this isn't a must have addition, it does make the
exclusive worth the few extra bucks.
Outfit - ****
While the sculpt and paint are excellent, it's really the cloth costume
that sets this statue apart.
The
long, flowing cape is made from exceptionally beautiful material, very
thick and very soft. The stitching is just as high quality, and while I
might have liked a wire or two to give it a little more posability,
that's a very minor quibble.
The inner robes which hang off
the arms are also very nice, with a baby blue color that is offset
against the darker background.
The
dress fits the underlying uni-body perfectly, hugging every curve and
line. Ignoring just how evil she is, she's quite the animated babe.
The rope belt finishes off the
cloth aspects of the outfit, and is properly scaled and another great
fit.
If I had one quibble, and it's a
very, very small one, it's that they should have provided a way to keep
the cloak in her left hand. It's not necessary - she looks fine with
the hand without the cloak, due to the pose - but it would
have been a nice touch considering the high end nature of the statue.
Perhaps a little loop of string that could slide around the
fingers...something of that nature would have been appreciated.
Smaller
sculpted pieces put the finishing touches on the look of the costume,
like the solid collar and broach,
but it's really these cloth items that make this statue pop when you
first see it.
You may want to steam the robes
a bit to pull out
the few wrinkles that are there, but I found that just having her on
display allowed most of these to relax. Also, be sure that any steam
you use is as clean as possible - you wouldn't want to stain that
gorgeous outfit.
Value - **
At almost $300, these are anything but cheap. While the costuming here
is very, very nice, it doesn't have the intricacy of something like
Blackbeard or Doc Holliday. While I love the quality, the dear old girl
still feels about $50 overpriced. If you can pick up the regular
edition closer to $250, you'll probably be much happier.
Don't forget though - the
edition size here is quite small. I'm sure that has quite a bit to do
with the high cost.
Things to Watch Out For -
Just remember that the metal posts which slide into the bottom of her
uni-legs are much harder than the polystone, and can damage it if you
are too forceful or careless.
Overall - Exclusive
****; Regular ***1/2
Sideshow has had their ups and downs depending on your own personal
interest in their various scales. But their work on the Premium Format
statues has been exceptional over the six months, with a number of
outstanding entries. As I said at the offset of the review, I was
initially hesitant about cartoon style PF's, but I'm completely sold
now. I'd love for them to announce further Disney villains, especially
Hook, and if they can go outside animation to the 'real' world, I'd
love to put Davy Jones next to my Blackbeard PF. Make it so, Sideshow!
This is one of those rare cases
where I did like the extra accessory that was provided with the
exclusive enough to give it the slight edge in the Overall score. But
Disney fans are sure to be more than satisfied with either version.
Score Recap:
Packaging - ****
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ***1/2
Articulation - Bupkis
Accessories - Regular Bupkis; Exclusive ***1/2
Outfit - ****
Value - **
Overall - Regular ***1/2; Exclusive ****
Where to Buy -
Online options include these site sponsors:
- Sideshow was the place to pick
up the exclusive
($299), and they also had the regular
($285) at first. However, both are now on wait list. Don't give up hope
though - I've had 3 waitlists on other items convert to orders recently.
-
Alter Ego Comics
has the regular version at $256.49.
-
Big Bad Toy Store
has her listed at $265.
-
Urban Collector
has her listed on pre-order at $270.
- Forbidden
Planet has her listed at 215 GBP.
- or you can hit
ebay looking for that fabled deal.
|
Stumble It!
