
|
 |
 |
Review of Kick-Ass - Kick-Ass 2 sixth scale figure
Medicom
Date Published: 2013-05-20
Written By: Michael Crawford
Overall Average Rating: 2.5 out of 4
Please share with your friends!



|
Introduction
The best films are the ones that come out of left field and surprise you with their originality, style
or theme. I hadn't read the Kick-Ass graphic novels, which allowed the movie to be my first
introduction, and a grand introduction it was. I loved the flick, and it remains a comic book
themed favorite to this day.
The same can't be said for the follow up, the appropriately named Kick-Ass 2. While it had a
few moments, overall it was a let down from the original. A big part of this was due to the exact
opposite of what I said in the first paragraph - there was no surprise, no unexpected situation or
outcome. It played out pretty much as you'd think, and what was fresh and cool the first time around
seemed played out.
That's why when Medicom announced they were producing a Hit-Girl from the second film, I waited.
While I love the character, I could wait for the version that was most iconic...and sure enough, the
wait paid off when they produced the younger incarnation.
When it came to her 'big brother' Kick-Ass, no wait was really necessary. While there were minor
changes from the first to the second movie, they weren't extreme enough for the figure to be that
differentiated. And so I jumped on the KA2 version, in all his gaudy glory.
This guy is currently shipping, and has a SRP of $225. However, if you shop around (and check my Where
to Buy section), you can pick him up for $190 or so.
Click on the image below for a Life Size version


|
Packaging - ***
The graphics are very attractive, going with the poster appearance on the front flap and figure shots
around. This is a pretty standard five panel box, and is completely collector friendly of course.
It is a bit weird to see the extreme difference in the suit colors on the front photo and on the figure
itself. More about that in the categories below.
|


|
Sculpting - ***
The detail work on the head sculpt is quite nice - don't get me wrong. I like how they've sculpted the
striping into the cowl, and even the small stitch work has been detailed in at the nose. The
eyebrows have a subtle texture, and the underlying expression is appropriately neutral.
I do have a few nits though, and some of these come down to style. I'm going to mention this
again in the Outfit section since the stripes matter there as well, but they are slightly too wide, even
on the cowl. Add in a weird shape to the head, more egg-like than it
should be with a narrow jaw, and the slight anime feel that I get with every Medicom sculpt, and
you end up with an average score. There's nothing here that leaps out at you, but he ends up more
cos-player than film accurate.
There are three sets of hands included, sculpted to work with basic poses and his sticks, and he stands
great on his own in the large boot feet. He's slightly smaller than most modern sixth scale figures,
coming in almost exactly 12 inches tall.
|


|
Paint - ***
As with the sculpt, there's nothing atrocious here, but it does miss the mark for a $200 figure.
My biggest issue is once again with the stripes on the head. There's actual slop here, yellow on green
along the edges, and that's pretty unheard of. It's consistent too, effecting most of the striping, and
was quite a surprise.
The eyes, lips and eyebrows are great, however, with sharp edges and clean definition. The eyes are
straight and tracking together, and having them look slightly upward, closer to the upper edge than the
lower, is a smart move.
The best paint work is actually on the boots, where the subtle differences in the sole, laces and shoe
itself really add a nice level of realism to the already excellent sculpt.
I mentioned the color of the outfit earlier, and the green and yellow of the cowl might appear too dark
if you simply compare to the box or poster photo. But that appears to be largely a matter of lighting,
as you can see in this photo during
a break on set.
|


|
Articulation - ***
The underlying RAH body has all the articulation you expect. Medicom is known for producing a
lightweight but highly poseable body, with exceptional neck and ankle joints. They have had some
breakage issues in the past, but nothing here felt fragile or floppy.
This isn't a costume you'd think of as 'restrictive', but it turns out it is. That's because they've
added padding to the torso, waist and legs to mimic the beefier look the character was sporting in the
second film.
I'm not sure this is a particularly good idea. It doesn't really get the figure to the look they
were going for, and it makes him more pudgy than beefy. It also does nothing to hide the obvious
ball jointed shoulders, and the padding restricts the waist, ab-crunch, hips and knees. This was cheaper
than producing a new body of course, but I can't help but think they could have come up with some
combination of other RAH bodies that would have worked better overall.
|


|
Accessories - *1/2
Here's one of two areas where this figure really takes a hit. Considering the number of
accessories that came with Hit-Girl (she even had two head sculpts!), and the overall expectation in the
current market, this guy is way light.
There are only three sets of hands - fists, relaxed pose, and gripping. They look great, swap easily
(thanks to each having it's own peg), and work well with the fighting sticks. But only three sets?
Speaking of his sticks, they look very realistic, with soft wrist wraps and a sculpted wrapped look to
the weapon itself. You can actually fit the wraps around his hands if you take a little care. The sticks
look great, and they fit neatly in the holder on his back.
The only other accessory is a very basic, clear plastic display stand. You won't really need it, but if
you use stands regularly, it's nice to have.
And that's it. Two identical sticks, 3 pairs of hands, and a basic stand. Considering the
price point, that's far below the expectation.
|


|

|
Outfit - ***
The suit is made from very good materials, with quality stitching and proper tailoring over the padding
underneath. I'm not completely sold on the padding, which not only restricts the articulation but
doesn't really convey the look they were going for, but it's not a deal breaker. The suit does have a
zipper in back, so you can remove or alter the padding as you feel appropriate.
In some lighting - particularly bright lighting - the suit can seem a bit too light colored, but it's
actually quite
accurate. The hard plastic holder attached to the back works great as well, and is fairly
unobtrusive.
I mentioned it earlier, but it applies here as well - the stripes are too wide. It's a minor nit, but
it's one of those situations where once you see it, you can't unsee it. You can see in
this still that they aren't quite as wide, even on the mask.
|


|
Fun Factor - ***
This figure isn't quite as much fun to pose and re-pose as something like the Heartbreaker
Iron Man or the smaller One:12 Collective Batman,
but you can still get some interesting looks out of him. He's better in combination with a Hit-Girl of
course, and I'm sad that we'll probably never get a Big Daddy to round things out.
|


|
Value - *1/2
Here's the second area where this guy really takes a major hit, due in part to the earlier low score in
the Accessories section. The original retail price on this guy was the same as Hit-Girl: $225. That's
absurd considering the difference in the costume and accessories. Several retailers were smart enough to
realize that, and have him priced in the $190 - $200 range, but that's still at least $20 or more above
where he should be. For comparison, I should be receiving the Ned Stark from ThreeZero any day, and that
figure cost $160. Even Hot Toys, a company pushing the envelope in every category including price,
provides a better value in the $225 range.
|


|
Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing.
|


|
Overall - **1/2
Across most categories, this is a solid B figure. Sculpting, paint, articulation, outfit - they aren't
exceptional, but it's solid work, and the figure will look great on the shelf next to your Hit-Girl.
But with an appalling lack of accessories there's no way to justify the high price. At $150, you can
bump this guy up that extra half star overall, but at current prices, you'll have to be a serious fan to
take the plunge.
Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ***
Paint - ***
Articulation - ***
Accessories - *1/2
Outfit - ***
Fun Factor - ***
Value - *1/2
Overall - **1/2
|


|
Where to Buy
Online options include these site sponsors:
-
has him for $190.
- Entertainment Earth has him at $190 as well.
- Sideshow
has him at the original retail of $225.
- or you can search ebay for a deal.
|
|


|
Please share with your friends!
 |

This product was purchased for the review by the reviewer. Photos and text by Michael Crawford.
|
|
 |
 |
|
|