Review of White Walker - Game of Thrones figure

Introduction

Winter is coming, and so are more large scale Dark Horse figures/statues of the key characters on the hit HBO show Game of Thrones.

I say 'figures/statues', because while they tend to be sold as 'figures' (it says so right on the front of the box), these are really Nerd Hummels.  They differ from the Funko figures in two key ways - Funko are action figures with articulation (no articulation here), and these are much larger than the Funko figures, coming in around 8 - 9" for most characters.

The latest wave includes Cersei and Jamie Lannister, and the White Walker, who I'm reviewing tonight. Have no fear, I'll get to the other two very soon.

These will run around $23 at most retailers, and you can find them online and at local stores right now.

Packaging - ***
The large box is a bit flimsy - crushing it is not all that hard. It does have a solid graphic design, and I love the large window that allows you to see what you're getting before you purchase it. It's also relatively collector friendly, with only one twist tie between the Walker and freedom.

Sculpting - ***1/2
As I mentioned, these are fairly large, and this Walker comes in at right about 9" tall, including the base.

The skin texturing, with the sunken, rotting appearance, looks great, like old meat left out in the cold to freeze.  The few pieces of leather armor are nicely done, and the 'skirt' uses soft strips to get a more realistic flow.

The hair line is a bit weird, but it's not as clunky and obvious as it was on the Funko version. I think the reason it's so distinct is because of the heavy lining on the face, which runs opposite to the stranding of the hair. This abrupt change in direction from one area to another makes it all that much more apparent.

I really only have one problem with the sculpt, and I'm hoping that it's more of a manufacturing issue.  Mine has a weird backward lean, which you can see in some of the photos, depending on the angle. I tried pushing him forward a bit, but the crackling sounds I heard coming from the base scared me off. If this is just an assembly error, you are less likely to see the same problem with yours.

I suppose I could count the spear as an accessory, because it is a separate piece that you can remove from his hands. Without it, he looks pretty silly though, so I'm considering it part of the basic figure.

Paint - ***1/2
The heavy wash is necessary to get the darker base color in place and allow the texturing of the skin to show through. I'm usually not a fan of an extreme wash and wipe like this, but in this instance it works extremely well.

There's not a ton of small detail work, but what's here - including the eyes - is quite well done.

Articulation - Bupkis
This category is informational only - it won't effect my personal Overall, since I know going in that these are intended to be statues, and not 'action' figures'. But since this guy has some spots that look like joints (i.e. the shoulders) I just wanted to make it clear that he is not articulated in any way.

Value - ***
These are really statues, albeit plastic ones.  At 9" tall, they're quite large too, much bigger than most of the DC Collectibles statues (like Batman Black and White) that run $60 - $70. There's certainly less intrinsic value in a plastic statue when compared to a resin or polystone statue, but a $40 price difference still makes these an excellent deal.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing.

Overall - ***1/2
Fans of the show have a great assortment of collectibles to choose from these days, and with the potential release of sixth scale figures from ThreeZero, that's only going to get better.

These statues are a terrific option for people looking to spend a reasonable amount and get a quality product back. Because of that price point, it makes a possible to populate your own version of Westeros and not make your wallet cry.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has him at $23.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
The most recent GoT related review was the Funko versions of Drogo and Daenerys. 

Other Dark Horse figures include their Daenerys, as well as Drogo, Ned Stark, and Tyrion Lannister.

And Funko has also done the Walgreen's exclusive Tyrion, and I reviewed the first wave of figures in three sets, here, here and here.

Other Game of Thrones collectibles I've covered include the Daeny bust from Dark Horse, the Hand of the King pin, and the Catspaw Blade from Valyrian Steel.

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