Review of Rick Grimes - Walking Dead mini-bust

Introduction

Gentle Giant has the license for mini-busts for the terrific show, The Walking Dead. Their first release was Michonne, an SDCC exclusive, and while I thought the paint was great, the sculpt had that weird blade edge forehead that looks goofy in person. It wasn't a complete miss though, and I've been looking forward to the second release of Rick Grimes. 

Additional releases include Daryl, the Well Walker, the Governor (with another Gentle Giant Direct exclusive) and the Sophie Stalker zombie.

There are two versions of Rick. The version I'm reviewing here is the Gentle Giant Direct release, which you can only get (as you'd assume) directly from Gentle Giant at their website. What makes him unique is the included removable hat. As I said, there's one of these exclusives coming for the Governor as well.

This Rick is a limited edition of 1850, and will run you around $65 for the regular release, $75 for this one with the removable hat.

Packaging - ****
I really like the graphics they're using with these boxes, including the prison backdrop. The box doesn't just look good, but it keeps the bust (which is all one piece with the exception of the removable hat) safe within the Styrofoam trays.

As you'd expect, there's also the cool Gentle Giant baseball card styled Certificate of Authenticity.

Sculpting - **1/2
It's not the portrait that really bugs me here, although it's not as good as the previous Michonne.

They went for an expression that shows off his wry grin and raised eyebrow, but I think that might have been a mistake considering the pose. With the gun drawn, he should be in zombie killing mode, and I'm not sure the expression matches particularly well.

Ignoring that aesthetic issue, the likeness isn't 100%. It's not as bad as I've seen in some photos, where too much flash can wash out the paint and ruin the appearance entirely, and from some angles it's better than from others. But while you'll recognize him, you won't be awed.

The beard is my biggest problem with the head sculpt - the texture is overdone and extreme. Remember, these busts are about sixth scale, and if you saw this head on a figure from Hot Toys or Enterbay...or even Sideshow...the crappy work on the facial hair would be obvious.

From the neck down, he looks pretty good from a distance. Get up close, and the story is very different.

Again, remember that this is right about sixth scale, with the bust coming in at around 6 3/4" tall with the base. It's not tiny, and areas like the badge and patches should be sharply defined. They're not, and the badge is almost unrecognizable.

At least we're seeing more textures here, which is something that Gentle Giant has lacked in the past. Now they just have to be sure they're clean.

Paint - **1/2
Like the sculpt, the paint comes up short. The skin tone has that mannequin look that seems to plague their busts lately, and the coloration of the beard doesn't improve on the appearance either. This is one of those sculpts that might be better with the right paint job.

The soft sculpt on the costume details is highlighted by gloppy paint and poor definition in this category as well. The watch is an excellent example - the silver band has a very weak edge, and there's nothing on the face but the two hands. At this scale that's certainly not sufficient.

Accessories - ***
Any score in this category is a big surprise and a big plus. This is a bust after all, not an action figure.

He's getting the score because of the removable hat. It's a smidge oversized, but it does fit on the head nicely, and stays in place. Just be careful when you pick him up and remember that it's just sitting on his head. I personally like the bust better without it, but it's a nice addition that allows you to change things up.

Value - ***
It's nice to see the regular release is only around $65 or so, which is pretty much the same price we've seen for several years now. 

The exclusive is a bit more expensive, coming in at $75, but that's due to the exclusivity. Even for an exclusive, that's not bad.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing.

Overall - **1/2
While I'm a little disappointed in the sculpt and paint here, I still have pretty high hopes for this series overall. I do wish Rick, THE central character, had turned out better, but I also know that they'll kill with the zombies. I'm not worried about the Governor, not because I think it will look great (I don't) but because he's not a critical character for me. But with Daryl coming up, Gentle Giant really needs to pull out all the stops to make sure he's perfect. Fans and collectors will be watching, and when it comes to collecting these or not, that bust will be the deciding factor for many of them.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- the only place you can get this version with the hat is directly from Gentle Giant for $75.

- Entertainment Earth is at $75.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I've already covered Michonne, as well as the season 3 blu-ray case, the season 2 blu-ray case, McFarlane figures from the TV series 3, 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. And don't forget that NECA is doing busts, one for the 'biter', and one for this 'walker'.

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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