Review of Tank Walker - Walking Dead mini-bust

Introduction

Last week, fans of the terrific AMC show The Walking Dead were treated to the start of the much anticipated second season. While I heard some folks whining, I have to say I'm very happy with the start. As I write this, I'm getting ready to watch the second episode, and I can't wait. That tells me their doing their job.

While the McFarlane Toys action figures leave a lot to be desired, NECA is also doing a series of mini-busts, based on the show's zombies. I already reviewed the first, called the Deer Eating Zombie, and tonight I'll check out the second - Tank Zombie.

You can find this guy at comic shops or online retailers for less than $40. They've announced a third bust based on the 'bicycle girl' zombie.

Packaging - ***
The box is fairly standard, but there's no waste. There's no COA either, and no edition size printed anywhere on the box or base. That's a bummer, since the first bust (which was a SDCC exclusive) did have one.

I'm not a huge fan of the cheap, fluffy Styrofoam they used for the trays though - it tends to fall apart much too easily.

Sculpting - ***
The first bust was a bit iffy on the likeness, but I think they did a much better job with this one. It's not perfect...but it's fairly close to the on screen version.

I love the wounds and damage, especially the mummified appearance of the skin. There's a yearning in the tilt of the head and the stare of his eyes, making this a fairly expressive zombie - something they rarely are.

At 6 1/2" tall and 3 1/2" wide, it's a reasonably good size, but I held it back from another half star because they don't complete the sculpt around the back of the jacket. While that's somewhat traditional for busts, I prefer a full 360.

Paint - **1/2
This was another category that almost gained another half star, but for one issue.

Most of the paint work is quite good, especially around the eyes and damaged skin. There's the right amount of gore, and they've highlighted the damage and wounds nicely.

But the hair line is pretty wonky - what's skin and what's hair seems to vary pretty badly. At the price point, I suppose it's to be expected, but a slightly better hair line would have gotten him another half star.

Value - ***
Forty bucks for a mini-bust? That's a darn good price these days, and if you shop around you can snag these for even a few bucks less.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing - unless he takes a hunk out of your hand.

Overall - ***
I'm being a bit rough on this guy, but had the paint just been slightly better, and the sculpt wrapped around the jacket, then he would have pulled another half star here. As it is, these are certainly my favorite collectible based on the show so far, and you can't argue with the price point.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has him at $40.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I covered the first bust not too long ago, as well as the McFarlane action figures.

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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