Review of Invisible Man - Universal Monsters action figure

Introduction

I've always loved the old Universal Monsters films, and with the recent release of the classics on blu-ray, it seemed appropriate to hit up another of the latest Diamond Select Toys figures. This time I'm checking out the Invisible Man.

Unlike the other two figures in this wave - the Metaluna Mutant and the Phantom of the Opera - it doesn't appear as though there's an online retailer exclusive. That means your only choice for this guy is at Toys R Us, where the less accessorized figure is available.

Expect to pay around $16 or $17, depending on your TRU.

Packaging - ***
I love the graphics, which use the now standard Universal Monsters logo and color scheme to maximum effect. There's also some basic text on the back covering all three figures in this wave.

Of course, it's not collector friendly - you'll have to tear it up to free him. And since he doesn't have much in the accessories department, it does feel like there's more waste here than with the other figures. Still, the overall look is solid.

Sculpting - ***1/2
Diamond Select knows that there's already an excellent Sideshow version of this character in this scale. So they have to do something different to get your purchase.

And they do - they give you him in his suit, rather than in the overcoat or the robe. You can put this guy right next to your Sideshow version, and have two looks.

The hair is a little iffy, since it looks more like a weird mossy growth than hair tufts. The nose should look weird - it's a fake nose - but the hair looks off as well.

The suit looks good, if fairly basic. The hands are both done in poses that could be used to hold accessories...but there are none to hold.

He stands great on his own, and comes in at just under 8" tall.

Paint - ***
Seems like the painters just aren't pulling their weight lately. Once again, we have a pretty solid sculpt let down by slightly inferior paint ops.

The face looks pretty good, although the wash on the bandages is a smidge heavy. The black hair looks off, but part of that is the difficulty in sculpting it realistically. Still, the paint can improve on a weak aspect of any sculpt, and that's not the case here.

The suit has a weird wash on it too, which is intended to give it a realistic, slightly worn look, but instead looks dirty to me. I would have preferred a cleaner look.

The gloves are the right color, and the tie is pretty good as well. The handkerchief in his pocket looks terrible though, with a really bad cut edge.

Articulation - *1/2
This guy is pretty basic - the pose you see is the pose you get. He's as close as you can get to a Nerd Hummel and still call it an 'action' figure.

There's a ball neck, but the sculpt restricts it to pretty much just a cut. The shoulders are NECA style, which gives them a reasonable amount of articulation without damaging the appearance of the suit. Then there's cut wrists and a cut waist - yep, that's it.

He does stand great on his own though, even with no leg articulation.

Accessories - **
There's only one - his basic display base. Sculpted on top is a book, part of the rug, and some more bandages. He's held in place by a plastic peg with fits into a hole on the bottom of his right foot.

This is a character who could have plenty of other extras, from lab equipment to a hat or a scarf, so the only reason there aren't more accessories is cost.

Fun Factor - **
A dude in a double breasted suit with no posability and no extras  is probably not going to illicit much interest from kids under 10. You have to be a pretty serious Universal Monsters fan to appreciate this one.

Value - **
It's not real surprising to see an action figure in this scale in that $15 - $17 range. However, with the lack of articulation, accessories, and weak paint, I can't say this one is an average value at the average price.

Things to Watch Out For -
Take a little care breaking free the wrists if your's are painted tight.

Overall - **1/2
While this guy is getting a weaker than average score overall, I am glad I picked it up. As a big Universal Monster fan, he'll make a nice addition to the display. His real issue is the high price for such limited articulation and almost no accessories.

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

Where to Buy 
This guy appears to be only at Toys R Us, since I don't believe there's a different online retailer exclusive. You'll pay about $16 for him there, or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Past Invisible Men include Sideshow's 12" version and their 8" version.

Diamond Select has done other monsters in this style and scale, including the Metaluna Mutant, the Munsters, the Mummy, Creature, and Wolfman, and Frankenstein, his bride, and Dracula.

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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