Review of The Mummy
Universal Monsters Black/White exclusive action figure

Introduction

Mezco has done a nice variety of Universal Monster themed collectibles over the years, always with their own unique spin. One of my personal favorites has been their large, 9" scale series. It hasn't been prolific, with only a couple versions of the Frankenstein Monster, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and now the Mummy released. But the quality has been top notch, and the slightly caricaturish look works for me.

This Mummy was released in both a regular version and a convention exclusive.  The regular version can be found right now at Toys R Us, where it will run around $30, and at various online retailers for $25 - $26. I'm looking at the black and white convention exclusive tonight, which is a limited edition of just 250 worldwide. This guy was initially available at NYCC, but you can now get him at their site for $50.  They also have a special deal at the site where you can get him and the Son of Frankenstein exclusive for $90, saving $10.

Packaging - ***
He comes in the usual window box, which allows you to clearly see his nifty 50 Shades of Gray look. There's also a label on the front proclaiming this toy's exclusivity, but there's no COA or other form of numbering. The box is easy to store, holds up pretty well to shelf wear, and is relatively collector friendly. There's a half dozen twisties to snip, but once you've done that it's easy peasy to remove him from his plastic prison with no additional damage.

Sculpting - ***1/2
There's a slightly cartoony look to these guys, but it's a matter of style. It's not overt or extreme, and there's no doubt that it's Boris Karloff, but it's not an attempt at an exact on-screen duplicate.

The texturing of the bandages is particularly well done, as is the dried, sunken skin on the face. They've posed him with the right arm tucked up, as it generally was in the original film, and even included a rough version of the scarab beetle ring on his right hand.

This is a large sized line, and the Mummy is a full 9" tall. He'll fit in nicely with the other Mezco figures in this scale, but tower over most other modern action figures.

He stands great on his own, thanks to the very large feet, and ball ankle joints. It's easy to find his center of gravity, and keep him upright without a stand or base.

Paint - ***1/2
This exclusive is done in a black and white paint scheme, which means a lot of gray.

They've done a terrific job with shading, particularly on the face and cheeks. And while it might look like the eyes are all white with no pupil, there is one in there if you look very closely. 

The wash used on the wrappings looks good, and brings out the detail in the sculpt. The various shades of gray on the face do as well, and there's almost no slop.

However, the use of a gray scale does mean that the hair and face tend to blend together, something not as obvious on the color version.

Articulation - ***
While the bandaged body reduces the number of joints, Mezco has made up for it a bit with the use of lots of ball articulation.

There's a ball jointed neck, with good tilt and lean action. There's ball shoulders and wrists, along with a great ball/rocker torso and ball ankles. To finish him off, there's cut elbows and a cut waist.

The range of movement on these, especially the wrists, ankles and torso, really help you get some good old fashioned Mummy poses.

Accessories - Bupkis
Nope, nada, zero, bupkis. Nothing here to see. Not really a surprise though, since Frankenstein and the Creature were accessory-less too.

Fun Factor - ***1/2
While the articulation is a bit limiting, these are still really fun toys.  Sure, they're collector figures, but if a kid got his hands on one they'd have a great time.  The Universal Monsters represent some classic creatures, and these large format versions have a ton of play value.

Value - ***
I'm reviewing the exclusive, so I'm grading at the $50 price point. Of course, the limited nature causes some of that price increase.

If I were reviewing the regular version, which you can pick up for $25 with a little effort, I'd add another half star here, maybe even a full star. Considering the price of many 6" 'collector' figures right now, this guy, with his big size and high quality, is well worth another five bucks.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing.

Overall - ***1/2
I'm a huge Monsters fan, and I tend to pick up just about every version of the classics that hit. While I love the stark accuracy of the DST series, I have to admit to a soft spot for this slightly more artistic take on the creatures of my youthful Saturday afternoons.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth comes in at just $25, and still has some in stock.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I just covered three other DST figures - Creature from the Black Lagoon, Son of Frankenstein, and Van Helsing. DST did their own Mummy as well.

Mezco just released their own Son of Frankenstein to go with this Mummy, their Frankenstein, their Mega Scale Frankenstein, and their Creature.

Other cool Mummy figures include the Sideshow Premium Format figure, the Sideshow sixth scale version, and the McFarlane Monsters version. 

Discussion:
Want to chat about this review?  Try out one of these terrific forums where I'll be discussing it!

Enjoyed this review? Be sure to head back to the main page to find thousands more just like it!