Custom Figure (In-Progress): Dead Space Military Rig

Just wanted to apologize for my lack of updating this site with any figure reviews.  I promise you that I have a few lined up but needs extra time.

In the meantime, check out my "work-in-progress" of the Military RIG from Dead Space (video game).

I so badly wanted this figure, and none of the toy companies had any plans for this, hence this!

Recipe (so far):

- Dead Space Isaac Clarke figure

Tools used (so far):

- Apoxie Sculpt (A+B) 2 oz
- Stanley "Hobby Knife" (aka Xacto Knife)

Let me know if anyone has tips on customizing figures, etc.  Thanks!

Current "work-in-progress"

Reference photo pulled from the Internet

Finally covered most of Isaac's head

"Right-side" profile of Isaac's head

"Left-side" profile of Isaac's head

"Back" of Isaac's head

Isaac's "right-side" shoulder pad

Isaac's "left-side" shoulder pad

Overall look of WIP so far...

Dead Space: Isaac Tonal Tee - Black (T-Shirt) Review

If you signed up on Facebook and "friended" Dead Space, then you'd know that the Visceral Games Store is up and running.  Earlier on, they gave a preview of apparel that were going to be sold via their online store.  Unfortunately, I was late to the party (so to speak) and missed out on the "crowd favorite" Vintage Comic Tee.  Stung with bitter disappointment, I reluctantly purchased this t-shirt.

The Good: 

• This shirt was both packaged and shipped nicely from Treehouse Brand Stores, LLC.  The t-shirt was neatly folded and actually packaged in a separate plastic baggie.  There was no big [wasteful] cardboard box, but a thin but sturdy plastic wrap.  Now, that's great customer service!

• Isaac Clarke's [three-slit] visor is made with "glow in the dark" ink.

• The entire front of this t-shirt is a picture of Isaac Clarke from the amazing Dead Space video game.  This image is the same as the one used on the cover of the "limited edition" The Art of Dead Space: Designing a Nightmare art book, which was given out as a bonus at the time of the game's release. 

• T-shirt makers, take note: no tag t-shirts are the best.  Don't you always get annoyed by the "bump" on the back of your neck from the tag?

• Although the t-shirt itself is thin (enough to wear on a hot sunny day), the feel and quality of the shirt is pretty good.

The Bad:

• Isaac Clarke's [three-slit] visor is made with "glow in the dark" ink.  Although the concept is cool enough, aren't we pass the time and age where anything "glow in the dark" is used?  Just something about that "feature" that sounds really childish.

• The back of the shirt has "Visceral Games" near the top middle area (right under the back of your neck).  I think it would've been better if it just said "Dead Space" instead, just like on the cover the video game. 

• At first, I wasn't a big fan of the overall design; it seemed to "showy."  I would've preferred to see a smaller front print of Isaac at either the bottom left or right.  And on the back, have a Necromorph on the opposite bottom left or right lurking around to "ambush" Isaac.

The Ugly:

• If anything is ugly, it's the price of these shirts.  Luckily, this shirt isn't as ridiculously expensive as the Vintage Comic Tee (but it's still on the "pricey" side).  With the money being spent on this, you'd expect it to do more.

Additional Notes:

• This shirt comes in all sizes: small, medium, large, extra large, and extra extra large (just like pizza).

I looked everywhere on eBay before going through with my purchase in Visceral Games [online] Store.  I really didn't want to pay $24.00 (which doesn't include shipping and handling charges) for a shirt.  Can you blame me for that?  I had some reservations about the design of the shirt before (for instance, I wasn't convinced that the oversized front print of Isaac was a good idea; I figured it would've been better if the size of the print were a bit smaller and placed near the bottom left or right).  However, once I received this in the mail and got to view this shirt up close and personal, I was immediately won over.  I paid a total of $30.00 (which includes the shipping and handling fee of $6.00 for "domestic standard" which takes 3-5 days for delivery).


NOTE: I DO NOT REPRESENT eBAY OR THE VISCERAL GAMES STORE.  I HAVE NOT BEEN PAID TO MENTION THEIR NAMES.  I AM ONLY RECOMMENDING [OR NOT] SOLELY BASED UPON MY EXPERIENCES WITH THEM.

For a t-shirt, this is definitely on the pricey side.  However, if you're a big fan of Dead Space and want to show the world (without embarrassing yourself with your little or big action figure collection), then I'd recommend getting this shirt.  If you want to spend a little more cash for a shirt, I'd most definitely recommend on getting the Vintage Comic Tee instead (here's the link for the same-styled shirt for women).


Score (out of five):

Dead Space: Isaac Clarke Figure Review

As a Dead Space fan and being hungry for Dead Space figures, I snatched a set of regular versions of Isaac Clarke as soon as I saw them up on eBay. I have to tell you, these figures put the SDCC exclusive to shame by quite a lot. Just something about seeing Isaac Clarke in his regular RIG outfit that makes me excited. However, this figure isn't without any flaws.





Flavor Text:

"Briefing Data:

Isaac Clarke

Update from Recipient: Have arrived on board USG Ishimura. No survivors present, power running low. Cut off from security detail at onset of mission. Ishimura crew has been overrun by alien hostiles. Attempting to restore ship systems. Unsure if communications are working, if message received send military support.

Assignment: Investigate lost signal and repair all repair all necessary equipment in order to restore communications.

Mission Briefing Recipient: Isaac Clarke

Mission Location: USG Ishimura

Issue: Total communications blackout

Support Team: Standard Security Detail"



The Good:

• Isaac has 29 points of articulation: ball-jointed head, ball-jointed shoulders, swivel upper arms, ball-jointed/swivel/hinged elbows, swivel hands, quasi-ball-jointed/swivel hips, swivel/hinged legs, swivel thighs, ball-jointed/swivel/hinged knees, and quasi-ball-jointed ankles.

• Like his SDCC exclusive counterpart, "regular" Isaac sports LED lights too (on both his visor and spine)! Because of the blue plastic used, the LED brightness is considerably dimmed.

• This Isaac figure has a pretty good grip on the Ripper weapon. I (sheepishly) admit that it took me some time to figure out how Isaac would hold the weapon.

• Thankfully, the regular Isaac doesn't suffer from the LED lights bleeding through the paint on his spine like his SDCC exclusive counterpart.
  

• I can breathe an easy sigh of relief to see that Isaac doesn't suffer from the "male cameltoe" which was last seen prominently displayed on the Chris Redfield figure.

The Bad:

• The "bloody" variant Isaac comes with the Ripper weapon as the only accessory. The "standard" Isaac comes with the 211-V Plasma Cutter. As mentioned in my previous review of the SDCC exclusive, the figure is sorely lacking in the accessories department. Although the Ripper weapon is nice to have, it would've been better to have additional weapons such as the Flamethrower or even the IM-822 Handheld Ore Cutter Line Gun.

• It's not necessarily a bad thing, but the overall design of Isaac and the greenish-bluish tinge (when the LED is switched on) eerily remind me of Bioshock. As a side note, I really hope that NECA doesn't incorporate the LED "light feature" in their upcoming Bioshock figures. NECA, please don't do this to us.

• The color of Isaac's RIG suit is a bit too orange for my tastes. I'm pretty sure his suit is more of a gold color than anything else. **Actually I just checked to confirm my belief: http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/deadspace/images/1/11/Dead_Space_2009-05-26_22-56-43-51.png ** (It is gold).
  

• Again, this Isaac suffers the same problem from its predecessor of the three [slightly] deep yet visible holes with screws in the back of Isaac just look ugly as hell. Obviously, this was needed to allow collectors to remove the dead battery and replace it. I just had to point out that it's distracting.

• I really hoped to see Isaac sculpted in his Level 5 armor, where he is covered from head-to-toe in armor.

• The "shoulder armor" covering Isaac's right shoulder is glued in place which limits his arm movement (preventing him from doing any "high-five" poses). The SDCC exclusive doesn't suffer from this problem.
  

The Ugly:

• Obviously, the "bloody version" of Isaac would sport blood on his armor. But when you examine the "blood splatter" it's rather... disappointing. The red paint applications look more like ketchup stains than anything else (especially on the visor and Isaac's right leg). NOTE: The "regular" Isaac (supposedly "non-bloody") actually sports a little "blood deco" as well on his RIG helmet and right shoulder.

• Also what's up with the paint application here? Right on top and at the bottom of Isaac's spine, you see an unsightly splotch of orange paint. You bet your ass that's sloppy. Would someone please explain to me why the hell are white dots applied liberally all over Isaac's body? Space dust, perhaps?

• Starting from the fourth "row" of Isaac's chest armor, the lines of armor are [quite visibly] crooked and no longer are following the pattern (as seen in the above three "rows" of Isaac's chest armor). There's a noticeable gap betwen the third and fourth row, which is plain ugly as it is sloppy. I suspect the black "twisties" that are used to hold the figure are partly to blame (the other half of the blame goes right to the sculptor/Chinese factory).

• The "regular" version of Isaac sports a noticeably crooked HUD display (the little blue plastic sticking out on Isaac's chest). Examine these figures in person before buying them! It seems NECA still has quality control issues.
  

• As I mentioned in an earlier review [of the Isaac Clarke SDCC exclusive], if NECA was going all out to include LED lights for the spine and helmet, why not include that for the kinesis module as well? I understand that the engineering behind that could be quite complicated, but to have the LED spine "light up" next to a painted kinesis module, well.... it looks pretty bad.
  

I purchased this set online via eBay for a total of $34.90 (price includes S&H). I recommend searching through eBay for these. If you can't seem to find a reasonable price order from CornerStoreComics.com (last I checked, they charge $25.99 for both; $13.99 individually). They're really good about packaging and sending out items in a timely manner, and they seem to get their items a little earlier than most electronic retailers I've dealt with.

NOTE: I DO NOT REPRESENT eBAY OR CORNERSTORECOMICS. I HAVE NOT BEEN PAID TO MENTION THEIR NAMES. I AM ONLY RECOMMENDING THEIR SERVICES BASED UPON MY PAST EXPERIENCES WITH THEM.


Overall, NECA's Isaac Clarke is one AMAZING entry into the Dead Space franchise. Despite a lot of glaring negatives, I'm really glad to see NECA getting into the idea of heavily articulated action figures. I recommend examining these figures in person before purchasing, so you can avoid the crap that I've viewed as negative. It may be just me, but I think getting both (the "regular" version which isn't really regular and the "bloody" version) is a pretty stupid idea.

Dead Space: Isaac Clarke (SDCC 2009 Exclusive) Review

As a latecomer to the Dead Space franchise, I was indifferent to hearing the news that NECA was going to produce Dead Space figures. However, once I started playing the game, I was excited at the prospect of owning an Isaac Clarke figure. Having seen the preliminary sculpts of Isaac, I wasn't surprised at the high level of detail. All I was worried about was NECA screwing up an amazing sculpt with limited articulation. I'm really glad that NECA came through.



Flavor Text:

"Briefing Data:

Isaac Clarke

Update from Recipient: Have arrived on board USG Ishimura. No survivors present, power running low. Cut off from security detail at onset of mission. Ishimura crew has been overrun by alien hostiles. Attempting to restore ship systems. Unsure if communications are working, if message received send military support.

Assignment: Investigate lost signal and repair all repair all necessary equipment in order to restore communications.

Mission Briefing Recipient: Isaac Clarke

Mission Location: USG Ishimura

Issue: Total communications blackout

Support Team: Standard Security Detail"



The Good:

• Once again, NECA gives us an action figure with over 20 POINTS OF ARTICULATION! Last I checked, Issac has approximately 25 points of articulation.

• This SDCC NECA Exclusive sports LED lights as advertised on the front packaging! It can be seen through Isaac's visor and "spine" (found on the back of his RIG suit). When this baby is turned on in the dark, Isaac's LED lights are bright enough to be used as a flashlight during a blackout (no joke)!

• As seen in the previously released Chris Redfield figure (from NECA's Resident Evil 5 line), Isaac Clarke also sports the knee joint which is covered by his boots!

• Just had to point out the Unitology "scribbles" all over Isaac's body armor is done pretty well. It must've been really hard to paint those on. I wonder if those symbols translate into anything...

• The paint application on this figure is fairly consistent, which is a nice change from NECA's usual fare. I found only two pieces of dried paint: one piece of dried paint sticking out noticeably when I swiveled Isaac's right leg forward and back; the other sticking right behind of Isaac's kinesis module "meter" (found on his back right shoulder).
  

• I can breathe an easy sigh of relief to see that Isaac doesn't suffer from the "male cameltoe" which was last seen prominently displayed on the Chris Redfield figure.

The Bad:

• The lack of pack-in accessories is somewhat irksome. Isaac only comes with his standard 211-V Plasma Cutter tool with Unitology "scribble" all over it. In the video game DEAD SPACE, Isaac was able to carry four weapons of the seven found or purchased in the game. It would've been nice to see either the Flamethrower or even the Pulse Rifle as an extra weapon accessory.
  

• It would've really been nice to be able to swivel the Cutter tool horizontally as in the game (although I understand the difficulties that would come with such a feature).
  

• In the beginning, Isaac had a great grip on his Cutter tool. However, each time I slightly moved him from one position to another, the Cutter tool just slipped out of his right hand. Isaac can't even hold onto the Cutter just standing!

• The three [slightly] deep yet visible holes with screws in the back of Isaac just look ugly as hell. Obviously, this was needed to allow collectors to remove the dead battery and replace it. I just had to point out that it was... distracting.

• I really hoped to see Isaac sculpted in his Level 5 armor, where he is covered from head-to-toe in armor.

• NOTE: Isaac has 4 "slits" in his visor as seen in the pictures on the Dead Space clamshell packaging. Unfortunately, the figure only sports 3. I wish NECA paid more attention to that specific detail. In other words, I wish NECA added on another "slit" to his visor (it would've been nice to see the SDCC exclusive sport a slightly different sculpt when compared to the original DS figures).

The Ugly:

• When you turn on the LED lights (by pushing the "button" on the top of Isaac's spine), you see the light bleeding through the black paint with the Unitology "scribble". Also you can see very clearly, the glue scuff marks and black paint smears all over the "blue" colored plastic.

• As much as I love the idea of the LED lights incorporated into the NECA exclusive, I wish NECA made some changes to this. Don't get me wrong, the LED light shining through Isaac's visor is great. However, having the "spine" light up in blue cheapened an otherwise cool idea. When you turn on the LED light, you can see that the entire "spine" portion is made up of blue plastic (this is due to the blue plastic bleeding through the black paint application). It would've been better to keep the bright [white] LED light as is. As much as I understand the difficulty of coming up with incorporating LED into an action figure, NECA should've also done that with the kinesis module as well. By giving Isaac's visor and "spine" LED light, it unintentionally calls attention to the painted kinesis module. By leaving it out, it cheapens the overall look.
  

I purchased this NECA Exclusive online via Toyrocket for a total of $47.94. I recommend searching through eBay or Amazon for better deals. If you can't seem to find a reasonable price (the MSRP is $20.00), order from Bigbadtoystore.com (last I checked, they charge approx. $32.99). They're usually good about packaging and sending out items in a timely manner, but they seem to get their items later than most electronic retailers.

NOTE: I DO NOT REPRESENT TOYROCKET, eBAY, AMAZON, OR BIGBADTOYSTORE. I HAVE NOT BEEN PAID TO MENTION THEIR NAMES. I AM ONLY RECOMMENDING THEIR SERVICES BASED UPON MY PAST EXPERIENCES WITH THEM.



Overall, NECA's SDCC 2009 Exclusive Isaac Clarke is one AMAZING entry into the Dead Space franchise. I'm really glad to see NECA getting into the idea of heavily articulated action figures. During these harsh economic times, I'd recommend just getting one (unless you're a hardcore Dead Space fan AND have the money to purchase another for your MOC collection).