Review of Sophia's Stalker - Walking Dead mini-bust

Introduction

I don't know how the Walking Dead can possibly top last week, but I bet they try over the last few episodes of the fourth season.

Last week wasn't the only episode to make my jaw drop - while I saw the situation coming, the revelation of Sophia's fate in season two was still a tremendously powerful moment, thanks to some terrific acting and writing. Perhaps it was all the more unsettling because we don't really know what happened - we can only assume.

Gentle Giant has just released their latest mini-bust based on the popular series, and it's called Sophia's Stalker. Was this the walker that sealed her fate? We'll never know for sure, but he makes a cool addition to the shelf.

He's a limited edition of course, with just 1320 produced. Expect to pay around $65, depending on the retailer.

Packaging - ***1/2
There's nothing special about the box, but I like the prison graphics they've bee n using. I also love the baseball card Certificate of Authenticity, and they make sure the edition size and specific number are on the bust (bottom), the box, the COA, and the styrofoam!

Sculpting - ****
I really like the sculpt here, from the pose to the physical damage on the walker. We never actually see this walker attack Sophia, so we have to take their word that this was the dude. The marketing for this bust claimed we saw this particular walker stalking her, but I don't recall him specifically. I do remember a zombie in the woods that we saw more than once, but it's been a couple years since the episodes in question. 

Either way, he doesn't quite have the panache or screen time of someone like the Well Walker, so they really had to do an outstanding job to make him stand out.

The detail work looks fantastic, especially on the hair and skin. He sports the sort of texturing that has been absent with some past Gentle Giant work, and with the dead, decaying flesh it's inclusion is critical.

I also really, really like the determination and intent in the expression. Too often, they give zombies that dead stare - not feeling, not really seeming to even see. That's not the case here. This guy is looking at you, and he plans on eating you with extreme prejudice.

These busts are approximately sixth scale, at least from the waist up. That makes them stand about 6 3/4" tall, including the base.

Paint - ***1/2
I also really like the paint job overall. There's some nice work on the glossy, bloody wounds, as well as the dirt and blood on the shirt.

The decaying skin has just the right coloration, and the pale blue eyes really look fantastic. This is one of the more realistic busts we've seen in quite some time, which is ironic considering the character is dead meat.

My only real complaint is the large blood mark over the mouth. The perfect edges on this almost oval spot make it look manufactured, not random. Thankfully, this is the only spot that really stands out as just paint, and the rest of the bloody mess looks great.

Value - ***
Gentle Giant has been doing busts for many years, and the price on them has risen only slightly. You can pick this guy up for as little as $60, and that's getting close to a steal, especially when you consider the low edition size.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing.

Overall - ***1/2
While we've seen some really good Walking Dead collectibles from other companies - like Michonne's pets from Threezero, or the Merle action figure from McFarlane - the busts have really been the most consistent overall. Not every one is a home run, but overall the style and quality make them better in whole than independently.

I really like this walker, and unlike the Well Walker, they got the scale right. The eyes are really the one feature that makes this guy stand out, and I hope we see this sort of realism continue with other busts in the series.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***1/2
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ***1/2
Value - ***
Overall - ***1/2

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has him for $75

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I just hit up Daryl recently, and prior to that there was Michonne, Rick and the Well Walker.  Mcfarlane also did a cool blu-ray case, as well as the third season blu-ray case.

And if you're looking for something in the sixth scale market, check out Threezero's zombies, Michonne's Pets.

Also from McFarlane is the smaller action figures: Carl and SWAT Zombie, the Governor and Andrea, Merle and Michonne, the RV and Well Zombies, Shane and the Bicycle Girl, Walking Dead figures series 1, the two humans in series 2, as well as the first series of comic based figures.

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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