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Hellboy Sammael

   

"The following is a guest review.  The review and photos do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Michael Crawford or Michael's Review of the Week, and are the opinion and work of the guest author."

The guest review team of Steve and Evan Jones steps in tonight to review an oldie but a goodie - Sammael from the Mezco line based on the first Hellboy movie!  Since I was covering the new 3 3/4" Hellboy for the Hellboy 2 film, I thought it made some sense to look back on some of the older figures as well.  Evan will be writing things up tonight, with Steve filling in the photos - take it away, guys!

Mezco’s movie Hellboy line was truly one of the best lines of 2004, not to mention one of the most successful. Featuring amazing detail, paint apps, and accessories, it really helped to put Mezco on the map. With the new movie right around the corner, I’m sure you’re all quite anxious for some new products. But until then, I’m here to tide you over with an old favorite -- Sammael.



Packaging: ***
I’ve never cared much for clamshells. They’re usually a pain to work with, be it opening or just storing the things. This was no exception, so why the high score? The packaging art for one. It really is quite refreshing, with a simple montage of all of the characters in the line, and a short movie summary on the back of the card. But be warned, even after four years, the fumes will knock you on your butt. Ah! Love that new toy smell!

Sculpt: ****
WOW!!! Dave Cortes has really outdone himself this time! The sculpt work on the hound of resurrection (as with the rest of the movie and comic lines) matches up extremely well if not perfectly with the source material. Tiny details, like the missing eye, or the runes and wrinkles covering his body have been captured perfectly. His dreads flow in such a way that they appear lifelike without restricting articulation of the neck. Also, I’d like to point out that this is a true 7” line, which means ole’ Sammy clocks in at around 9” tall when standing upright.

Paint: ***1/2
I would really have liked to have given this guy a ****. Don’t get me wrong, the paintwork is fantastic, really bringing out all of the detail in the sculpt. There’s just one thing that bugs me. The eyes. It’s not that they’re badly painted. Far from it. They just seem to lean a little more to the “insane” side than to the more sinister look in the movie.

Articulation - ****
Sammy features the standard legend articulation. Head, jaw, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, thighs, knees, and ankles are all there. He’s even got a little bonus -- his weird mace/axe finger (insert your own joke here) is actually articulated. Sweet!

Accessories: Bupkis
Yep, that’s right. Nadda. Sammael comes with nothing. There’s not really much you could have given a character like this, but I would have liked to have seen the addition of a couple of the Sammael hatchlings included with the Abe, and maybe even a few transparent, burning mounds of eggs. Oops! I’ve said too much!

Value: ***
At this point, it really depends on where you pick him up. A friend of mine picked up mine for me from a local comic shop for $16. But let’s face it, this is a bit of an old figure. If your local shops have nothing to offer, Ebay will be your best bet. Depending on how much you pay there, you can add or subtract a few half stars accordingly.

Things to Watch Out For - 
Not much really. If you actually end up having a choice in the matter, make sure to choose the best paint apps!

Overall: ***1/2
Sammael has quickly become one of my favorite figures. He’s a great monster, on the big screen and in toy form. He’ll fit in with just about any monster collection, and makes for a great army builder. Combine that with great sculpt work, paint, and articulation, and you’ve got a winner.

Score Recap:
Packaging- ***12
Sculpt- ****
Paint- ***1/2
Articulation- ****
Accessories- Bupkis
Value- ***
Overall- ***1/2

Where to Buy -
From what I can tell, this was a Previews exclusive. I’m not sure of the store at which this was purchased, so I don’t know. Ebay is still probably your best bet.

You can use the sponsor MyAuctionLinks.com to search as well.


Figure from the collection of Steve and Evan Jones.

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