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Packaging - ****
I love this packaging! The outer sleeve is decorated with artwork that
brings to mind the old EC horror comics, right down to the circles
with labels on the left. This was a very creative
concept, and well executed.
Once you remove the outer
sleeve, you'll see the collector friendly window box. You can easily
pop everything out, use it in your display, and return it to the box
later for storage or sale with no damage.
Sculpting - **** If you're looking for something gory,
realistic and gruesome for your monsters to play with, then this set is
absolutely perfect. The four weapons all sport extremely
realistic handles, some wrapped with sculpted bandages, others with
woodgrain texture and rivets, and all with blood. The blades
themselves are textured as well, rust pitted and old. Some have chipped
edges, where those swinging them met with something to hard to cut. Each
is also very much a traditional serial killer weapon. Jason popularized the
machete of course, and every killer since Lizzie Bordon (accused, not
convicted) has swung an ax. The woodsman version works well with just
about any serial killer, while the Medieval version is more in line with
an executioner. Finally, there's the meat cleaver, just the thing
for Leatherface and his ilk to carry. All four are also in scale for
most 12" figures, although I think the handle on the Medieval ax could
be a smidge bigger in diameter. Just for good measure (and good
display), you also get a severed head and severed hand. The hand is
lopped off just above the wrist but below the elbow. Both sculpts are
excellent, with tons of detail. The head sculpt is particularly well
done, and there's a deep slice in the forehead where you can easily fit
the blade of any of the weapons. How cool is that! There is an
odd seam line on the back of the hand, which makes it look more like
Frankensteins arm than I think it should, but other than that one small
quibble, the sculpting is top notch across the board.
Paint - ***1/2
The key effect here is blood - blood, blood and more blood. That's a
tricky effect to go for too, since it often looks like just
what it is - paint. The
blood on the weapons looks excellent, however, with just the right
color, consistency and application. There's some rust and metal damage
thrown in for good measure, and the aged look works perfectly. The
paint work on the head and hand is quite good as well. The eyes have a
washed out color to them, as though this person has been dead for
awhile now, and the bloody stumps have just the right amount of gore.
Even the skin tone is a slightly sickly green, adding to the impression
of death.
Fun Factor - ****
For kids into monster and horror movies, these would be a great
addition for their figures. I'm thinking that 12 - 13 age group that
loves the kind of movies that makes Mom cringe...that was me
back then. These
are also great for anyone who displays various horror sixth scale
figures. They'll work with a wide variety of monsters, killers and
zombies, adding a little punch to any setup.
Value - **1/2
It's a bit tricky getting a good feel for value here - there's not a
lot of other products like this to compare.
Here you're getting 6
accessories, one of which is a full head sculpt with paint. At about $4
each, it seems about right, especially with the addition of the full
head sculpt.
Things to Watch Out For -
As long as none of your sixth scale figures come to life in the middle
of the night and use these to butcher you, you should be good to go.
Overall - ****
I love this kind of stuff, because it allows you to personalize and
expand on your display. While this set is clearly themed around horror,
the weapons and body parts are generic enough to work with a tremendous
variety of characters. Sculpts are great, paints are great, and I have
to reiterate how cool the packaging is. You'll want to display the box
sleeve! I can't wait to see what else comes out of Shrunken Head Studios, and I'm waiting with anticipation for their next announcement.
Score Recap:
Packaging - ****
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ***1/2
Fun Factor - ****
Value - **1/2
Overall - ****
Where to Buy -
Online options include these site sponsors:
- Shrunken Head Studios
sells it for $25, but I believe they only ship domestically.
- Big Bad Toy Store
has them for $28, and ship internationally.
- or you can search
ebay for a deal.
Related
Links -
Check out the Shrunken Head Studios website
or Facebook
page for more info on upcoming products.
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