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Sculpt - ***1/2
I decided to use the same two reference photos that I used with the
previous 1:1 helmet - this one,
and this one.
While there are still some
issues, this is so much closer to correct than the previous 1:1 helmet
that it's not even funny.
The
shape of the head is the most noticeable improvement, but they still
don't quite have the rounded nature at the top correct. It's very, very
close, and certainly they've done an excellent job with the proportions
and layout (all the rivets and cuts are in the right places, and the
length of various sections matches up fairly close to the screen
version), but there is still something slightly off with the overall
shape. Close, but not quite perfect.
From the neck down, the work
is surprisingly accurate. Even the slight 'humps' to the shoulders near
the neck are present. The sculpting detail on the rivets and
screw heads is excellent, and these look far superior to the real
screws used by Museum Replicas.
The base is done in a metallic
texture, designed to look like wrought iron or hammered steel. The
effect works extremely well, and you won't realize until you pick it up
that the base is hollow.
In fact, that hollow nature is
likely to be an issue for some folks, but more on that in the
Design/Quality section.
This
is a big bust, standing 24" tall, 19" wide and 13" deep. Unfortunately,
that's only about 90% of what I think it should be to be truly life
size. This is my biggest issue with the sculpt itself.
I've
included a photo with the 1:1 mask at the end of the review to show the
difference in size and shape. And of course, if you look close, you can
see a smashingly attractive reflection in the polished brass.
Paint - ***
The paint work on mine is generally solid, with a few minor issues here
and there. However, for this kind of money, there can be NO issues.
The
brassy colored paint used on the face plate is so much more film
accurate and so much more attractive than the actual brass used by
Museum Replicas on their mask, that it's not even a fair comparison.
Can you tell I like this one a whole lot more?
There are a few little smudges
on the paint though, and tiny as they might be, in this scale they're
visible to the human eye.
The
red is close enough in color to me (remember, I'm the seriously color
blind dude), but there's a bit more variation in tone than I'd like.
It's not glaring, and in fact it might be on purpose, as the variation
kind of adds to the look of painted metal. But for me, it doesn't quite
work.
The metallic-like base has an
excellent paint job that
really gets the feel of steel and iron across, and even has the
appearance of rust and dirt around the bolts. Again though, there's a
smudge here and there that shouldn't be.
Still, the problems are fairly
minor, and are really only exacerbated because of the price tag.
I
do wish they'd numbered these, like they do the Premium Format statues.
Yea, it's a minor quibble...but for this kind of green it seems like a
no brainer. I have heard horror stories from other folks though that
have had chipping and cracking paint, poor coverage, and lots of
problems with this category, so be forewarned.
Design/Quality - ***
I waffled around a bit on this category, and it was a tough call
between three and three and a half stars.
I
do really like the pose, with the head slightly turned to one side.
That means that when he's looking straight at you, his shoulders are
turned slightly, which is a much better look than having the entire
body squared up.
I also really like the choice of
the base, at
least in terms of appearance. The rough metal look really works, and
blends in perfectly with the theme.
However, I am disappointed by
the slight undersized nature of the bust, and by the hollow light
weight feel of the lower two thirds. For this price point, we really
needed a little more wow factor.
Light Up Feature - ****
The coolest feature of this bust is the light up eyes. The design
doesn't go low enough to include the chest, so it's only the eyes that
get the treatment. Still, they look terrific.
The
eyes can be powered with either batteries (included) or with a plug
(also included. That's an extremely nice feature which we've seen
Sideshow use in some past light up PF's. If you have a handy socket,
you'll save on batteries. If you don't, you can still take advantage of
the feature.
The switch is on the back of the
base, in a very
easy to reach location. It's also very sturdy, and should give years of
use without failure.
The eyes are extremely bright,
and light up evenly. You'll see these eyes even in a fully lit
room, but
drop a few overhead lights and he really pops.
Value - *1/2
After you peeled off those seven bills, you might feel some momentary
chest pain. That's normal.
There's
no doubt this guy is cool. He's huge (although still a little smaller
than I expected), his eyes light up perfectly, and everyone that sees
him will ooo and aaah. But $700 is still stretching it.
Whatever
you do, don't tell anyone how much it cost. Unless of course you're
looking for a) a divorce, b) to further lower your image in the eyes of
your in-laws or c) you like getting the same look Uncle Bob gets when
he tells people he wears a tin foil hat to keep the government from
reading his thoughts.
Things To Watch Out For
-
When you're moving him, always remind yourself that he's top heavy
before you pick him up. It goes against intuition, since the head is
smaller than the shoulders and base, and the base looks to the nekkid
eye like iron. But the head is where all the weight is, so picking him
up from the shoulders down could result in him tipping awkwardly in
your hands.
As
I said earlier, I've also heard some pretty awful stories of serious
issues with the paint on this guy from some owners. When you receive
yours, do yourself a favor and immediately go over it with a fine tooth
comb to ensure you're happy with the paint job. There's no excuse for
any sort of serious issue with a bust this large and this expensive,
and if yours is one of the bad ones, you'll want to send it back asap.
Overall - ***
If this bust were $400 - $500, he would have easily garnered another
half star in this category. But at $700, the expectation for perfection
is pretty much a given.
It
also seems like a bit of a crap shoot with this bust as to whether
you're going to get one like this, or one with truly awful paint
issues. I know that if I'd opened mine up to find cracked or peeling
paint, only the sculpt and light up feature would have saved it from
the bupkis basement.Still, even mine has enough minor paint issues to
hold it back from a really high overall score at this price point.
If
you're a huge Iron Man fan, this kind of bust can be the ultimate
centerpiece of your collection. The one I received is nice enough that
I'm seriously considering going back and altering my review of the
Museum Replicas mask, and not in a good way - that's how much better
this one looks. But be forewarned that quality control on these seems
to be an issue, and getting one that looks as good as I did might
require sacrificing a small animal or two to the God of your choice.
Score Recap:
Packaging - **1/2
Sculpting - ***1/2
Paint - ***
Design/Quality - ***
Light Up Feature - ****
Value - *1/2
Overall - ***
Where to Buy -
You have a couple of online options:
- Sideshow was the original
place to get it, but amazingly, even at $700, they are sold out. You
can always get on the wait list, however.
HOWEVER, Sideshow has just put out info on a Battle
Damaged version of this bust! Pre-orders will start next
Thursday, the 25th.
- Urban
Collector has it still
on pre-order for $664.
- or there's always ebay.
Related
Links -
I've covered a fair share of Iron Man collectibles:
- most recent was the
disappointing Museum Replicas Mark
III helmet.
- much nicer is the Hot Toys
products, including the Mark
III figure, Mark II
figure, and additional Tony
Stark men's suit.
- if you're looking for
something on the cheaper and smaller side, check out the 3 3/4" Marvel Universe Iron Man,
the 6" movie figures,
or the 12" Repulsor Iron Man.
- Marvel Legends has had it's
share of Iron Man version, including the Silver Centurion in
series 7, vs. Mandarin
in the Face Offs, the classic
version in series 1 (Toybiz), and the series 1 (Hasbro) Ultimate Iron Man.
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