Dante's Inferno: Dante Alighieri Figure Review

When I first heard "Dante's Inferno" was going to be made into a video-game based upon something that I barely recall reading sometime in either high-school or college, I was highly skeptical.  Once those teaser trailers and movie clips of the game-play and story came out, I was partially won over (damn you Visceral!).  I've viewed upcoming video game releases with a "wait-and-see" approach to save myself loads of money.  However, when I heard that NECA would be releasing a "pre-order bonus/exclusive" of a Dante action figure (that would never be sold in the U.S.) with the game, I willingly opened my wallet...


Flavor Text*:

"Dante returns home from the wars to find that his beloved Beatrice has been murdered, and her soul pulled down into Hell by a dark force.  He gives chase, and vows to get her back.  he wields Death's soul-reaping scythe, and commands holy powers of the cross, given to him by Beatrice."


The Good:

• Dante is loaded with articulation (17 points of articulation to be exact): ball-jointed neck, ball-jointed shoulders, ball-hinged elbows, ball-hinged wrists, ab-crunch joint, swivel hips, ball-jointed thighs, swivel upper thighs, ball-hinged knees, and ball-hinged ankles.

• Dante also comes with several accessories: 1x additional (tighter-grip) right-hand, 1x holy cross, 1x detachable scythe, and 1x "spine" of scythe.

• You can tell how much love and labor went into this figure.  The details of Dante's armor, bloody stitch-work, and even the inclusion of the "shredded" cloth (sculpt) wrapped all over his arms and wrists (actual cloth material) make this an exceptionally video-game accurate figure.

• The "holster" which houses the holy cross accessory is attached to Dante's right hip, and it actually works pretty well.  It takes a little bit of patience to pull the straps out.  But once you get it out, it's very easy to insert and remove the cross accessory.

• I'm glad that NECA removed their licensing information from the soles of Dante's feet and instead placed them on the "inside" of his torn "skirt".  You can see the continuation of the leather straps wrapped over the chain mail around his feet without any interruption.

• I really like the inclusion of Dante's "holster" on his naked back which can hold his deadly scythe without trouble (you'll need to remove the top portion that has the blade from the "stem" portion in order to fit the entire scythe in the "holster").

• While the material used for the top bladed portion of Dante's scythe feels like cheap plastic, the design mechanic (being able to move the blade itself) is pretty impressive.  I had a slightly hard time moving the blade so it would stick out a little further, but it works.

The Bad:

• The "ab-crunch" joint doesn't really work.  If I try to have him bend forward, the ab-crunch literally springs him back to his upright standing position.  And the "ab-crunch" joint is designed in such a way that Dante can't even bend backwards.  Can someone remind me why Dante even has an "ab-crunch" joint?  EDIT: I finally got the "ab-crunch" joint to partially work, and it stays in place.  However, I'm still disappointed that it only moves a tiny bit.

• Although the paint application is MUCH improved from all of NECA's previous figures, there are paint splatters (and dots) here and there.  But the ever-so-slightly annoying part are the joints.  For example, if you look at Dante's elbow, you'll notice that the front part of the joint is applied with flesh-colored paint.  However, if you look in the back, the joint is colored bright orange.  Whoops!

• If you examine Dante's "armpits" (where the joints are), you'll notice under the left arm that flesh-color paint has been applied with a little red smeared on it (most likely from Dante's bloody stitching job).  However, something horrifying awaits you under Dante's right arm.  Apparently, Dante forgot to shave under his right armpit, because the black or brown smears all over the joint look kind of "hairy".

• Due to the shape of the scythe's handle (the "spine" portion), I had a hard time placing it (aka shoving it) into Dante's pre-posed grip.  I really don't like shoving accessories into a figure's hand(s) because it may warp the grip over time, making the pre-posed grip pretty much useless.

• While Dante's left knee joint is given slightly more leeway, his right knee joint lacks that mobility.  You can do better than that, NECA.

The Ugly:

• There's absolutely nothing ugly here, folks.

Additional Notes:

• This figure is a "pre-order exclusive" which you can receive by ordering through Blockbuster and Gamestop (this is the only way to get this limited item for those of you living in the U.S.).  Rather than coming packaged in your typical clamshell, Dante comes poly-bagged.  But don't worry, the accessories will more than likely arrive unmolested due to an additional piece of plastic molded to fit the "detachable" scythe and additional right-hand accessories.

• Although I don't have a problem with Dante's facial sculpt, it would've been nice if he were given an "angry/battle-cry" face.  When you think about it, the calm but slightly grim face looks a bit ridiculous when he's about to brutalize some demons in the heat of battle.

• I would've loved to seen an alternative Dante figure sculpted in his "Crusades" uniform and armor prior to his descent into Hell.

• The "spine" portion of the scythe is actually made of bendable material.

As I mentioned earlier, this only came as a "pre-order exclusive" from either Blockbuster or Gamestop, so there isn't a price for this figure.  If I had to guess, I would say this type of figure would go around for at least $19.99 or so.  If you live in the United States, the only version of Dante you'll get is the poly-bagged one.  The ones in clamshell packaging* can be found overseas.

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

I've got to hand it to NECA.  They've really done an amazing job with this figure.  The level of detail, the character-appropriate accessories, and fairly large amount of articulation make this figure a MUST-HAVE.  As expected, there are relatively few minor paint applications, but nothing too serious enough to detract the overall value of the figure.  These babies are being sold on eBay like hotcakes.  Better get yours before they're all sold out! 

Score (out of five):

Masters of the Universe Classics: Skeletor: Evil Lord of Destruction Figure Review

Being a late comer to the "Masters of the Universe Classics" line, I had the misfortune of missing out on Skeletor when he was first released earlier last year.  When I heard that Mattel was going to re-release an "improved-version" of Skeletor as a "bonus" figure, I was given a second chance.  I used to own the old-school Skeletor, but had the bad luck of losing him (twice)!  I lost one while playing with him with the car window down (for some reason), and suddenly (due to a bump or my own clumsiness) dropped Skeletor on the road.  Man, that was really heartbreaking.

Although I missed out on He-Man, at least I would be able to finally get my hands on one of my most beloved villains.  When it was noon, I wasted no time and ordered myself Skeletor.  Surprisingly, my order went through very smoothly.  Even more surprising, Skeletor was still available a couple of days after his re-release.  He was made available for sale via MattyCollector.com on January 27, 2010.




Flavor Text:

"Skeletor, Evil Lord of Destruction

Real Name: Keldor

Mortally wounded in a battle with his half-brother, Captain Randor, Keldor turned to his dark-arts master Hordak to save his life.  Merging Keldor with the extra-dimensional being Demo-Man from Despondos, Keldor was forever changed into Skeletor, Overlord of Evil!  He gathered together many of Eternia's greatest outcasts and evil warriors in his quest to gain entry into Castle Grayskull and to obtain what he believes is the universe's ultimate power source."



The Good:

• Skeletor has 20 points of articulation: ball-jointed neck, jointed shoulders, swivel upper biceps, hinged elbows, swivel wrists, ab-crunch joint, swivel waist, swivel/hinged legs, hinged knees, swivel "boots", hinged ankles, and hinged "side" (left) ankle.

• He comes with four accessories: removable chest armor, sword, half-sword, and Havoc Staff.

• This is yet another definite "nostalgia-inducing" figure from the MOTUC line (yeah, I'm aware it's called "Masters of the Universe Classics" for a reason).  The Four Horsemen have "modernized" Skeletor: his body is proportional (no more "neanderthal-looking" Skeletor!); his "loin-cloth" is wider and less "pointer-looking"; Skeletor no longer wears boots by showing off his beautiful three-toed clawed feet; and his armor is no longer plain purple, instead it has different shades of purple in certain spots.

• Although I'm quite pleased that the Four Horsemen retained most of Skeletor's old-school appearance, I'm especially glad that Skeletor retains his "hyper-masculine" appearance (the impossibly bulging musculature).

• You can see how much thought and detail went into sculpting Skeletor's face: the space between Skeletor's ghoulish face and his hood gives off the illusion that all there really is under that hood is a skull.

• As advertised, Skeletor has a tight grip on both his right and left hand, which can hold the sword and staff in each hand.

• Skeletor's Havoc Staff is extremely well-sculpted (the skull of the ram creature), and the staff itself is made of slightly thick, sturdy plastic.

The Bad:

• The paint application on Skeletor has gone completely awry: purple-colored dots scattered all over Skeletor's body; a white dot on Skeletor's back (right above the ab-crunch joint); a visible streak of red paint on his face; "dirt" marks all over Skeletor's arms and legs; and "scuff" marks on Skeletor's sword.

• Streaks of left-over dried glue can be seen on Skeletor's elbow joints and on one-side of his sword.
  

• Due to the horrible weapon-packing design, Skeletor's "half-power" sword arrived curved inward.

• I'm starting to notice a pattern here of weak ankle joints in the MOTUC line.  Skeletor has a really loose right ankle joint which on occasion decides to give-in, sabotaging Skeletor's pose.
  

The Ugly:

• You can see the letter "R" and "L" on Skeletor's respective hinged knee-joint area.

Additional Notes:

• Skeletor came packaged with a small plastic "rubber-band" wrapped around the ball-jointed neck for some reason.  I had to remove his head in order to get rid of the plastic.

• This re-release (the second) of Skeletor has several running changes: his biography mentions "Demo-Man from Despondos"; there are slight changes in paint application for Skeletor's face; and his hands are sculpted to have a "tighter" grip on his weapons.

I purchased this figure online via MattyCollector for approximately $28.00 (price includes S&H and tax).  Due to the popularity of this "bonus" figure, it is no longer available for purchase on MattyCollector's website. Your only recourse is eBay or other online retailers such as BigBadToyStore who will (once again) price-gouge you, because they can.  Don't go shopping for this on Amazon; the last time I checked, these unscrupulous sellers were pricing him at the $55.00 and up range.

NOTE: I DO NOT REPRESENT MATTEL, eBAY, BIGBADTOYSTORE, OR AMAZON.  I HAVE NOT BEEN PAID TO MENTION THEIR NAMES.

I feel bad for those on the MOTUC subscription (I believe the costs run over $100.00) because it seems Mattel has a habit of re-releasing their "limited run" supply of figures.  At the same time, I'm grateful because it allows collectors like me to get in on the MOTUC action.  Despite the paint application flaws, curved "half-sword" and weak ankle joint, I really love this figure.  Blame it on nostalgia and my love of skeletons.  This figure is one classic that you shouldn't pass on.

Score: (out of five)

Bioshock 2: Big Sister & Little Sister Figure(s) Review

Although I don't own many video games, I've got to say that Bioshock is one of those first-person shooters that have a really catchy storyline (Halo and Half-Life included).  It's one of those games that I can't stop playing over and over again.  With the upcoming release of the sequel to the original Bioshock, I proudly present a review of NECA's "Big Sister & Little Sister" action figures.



Flavor Text: 

"Big Sisters are Rapture's fiercest predators.  Despite being covered in armor they possess deadly agility and can strike from anywhere.  Charged with protecting Little Sisters, Big Sisters keep an eye on all of the ADAM in Rapture and punish anyone that disrupts the balance.  Able to throw objects telekinetically, leap off walls for powerful melee blows, throw fireballs, execute devastating charge attacks and even extract ADAM directly from living Splicers, Big Sisters are the worst nightmare of anyone unlucky enough to draw their ire.

Little Sisters are young girls who have had ADAM producing slugs implanted into their bodies, enabling them to drink the blood of dead Splicers and extract usable ADAM from it.  This makes them incredibly valuable in Rapture, where Splicers crave ADAM enough to kill for it.  Because of this they are accompanied at all times by Big Daddies, hulking protectors in diving suits who will defend Little Sisters to the death.  Little Sisters are driven mad by their constant exposure to substance ADAM but are not beyond redemption, in the right hands they can find salvation and be turned back into the innocent little girls they once were."



The Good:

• The Big Sister (BS) has an impressive 16 POINTS OF ARTICULATION: swivel head, ball-hinged shoulders, ball-hinged elbows, quasi ball-hinged wrists, ab-crunch joint, swivel legs, ball-jointed thighs, hinged knees, and ball-jointed ankles.

• We finally get a Little Sister (LS)!  She has an amazing 10 POINTS OF ARTICULATION: ball-jointed neck, ball-jointed shoulders, hinged elbows, ab-crunch joint, swivel legs, and hinged knees.

• Accessory-wise, the Big Sister comes with a removable canister with "Little Sister cage".  The Little Sister comes with her trademark "ADAM harvesting tool".

• The package design by NECA is similar to the previously released Big Daddy "Sneak Preview" figure but with slight differences.  The "Bioshock 2" logo is displayed prominently on the front, off-center.  There's also a silver-colored sticker labeled "Toysrus Exclusive" near the upper right corner.  The backdrop of the figures portray a watery background, most likely the seas of Rapture.  The right-side of the package grandly displays the "deep sea diving" Big Sister's face and the eerily-cute Little Sister's face as well.  Although the size of the clamshell packaging is wider than usual (to accommodate both figures), it's surprisingly a lot thinner and compact.

• If you look carefully examine the BS's canister, you'll notice several different pictures: several different types of fish and one BS holding the hands of two LS.

• NECA is well-known for their great attention to detail, and their sculpt of the BS is no exception.  The minute details on the "diver suit" areas of BS are just phenomenal.  The leather straps with the metal belt buckles wrapped all around BS's slender feminine body and her legs are also sculpted with an overload of details.  Her right arm sports a "harpoon"-type weapon whereas her left arm has an over-sized "ADAM" harvesting tool.

• This time around, I had a far easier time inserting the BS's slender canister into her back.  Due to the large "Little Sister cage" with the ribbons decorated all around it, I worried that it would snap in two.  Just becareful when you shove in the canister.  You've been warned.

• The paint application is a lot better than NECA's usual fare.  I only noticed a few out of place: the red holes bleeding out onto the BS's diving suit mask, and a splotch of conspicuous white paint on her right backside (right next to the canister indentation).

The Bad:

• It really is unfortunate that NECA decided to go with the "swivel head" articulation.  It would've been better if they went with the "ball-jointed neck" route.  This would've given the BS a lot more potential poses.

• Although the BS has an ab-crunch joint (which most definitely enhances the overall figure), I wish NECA also included a "swivel waist" joint.  It just makes sense, at least to me to include the most basic articulation.

• The lack of depth in the BS's "eye-hole" bothers me quite a bit.  The applied red paint further cheapens the overall look of an otherwise excellent figure.  If NECA's sculptors hollowed out (scooped out) the "eye-hole" area a little bit and placed a translucent piece of red plastic (look at NECA's previously-released excellent Dead Space figure) inside, I think it would've made their BS even greater.
  

• Probably because of the thinly sculpted arms, the BS couldn't bend them completely at a 90 degree angle.  It's a little irritating for collectors like me, especially since I like to pose them a lot.  However, I understand the issues NECA would've had to face.

• There were more than a few problems regarding the LS.  Paint application was a problem: even before I removed the figure from its packaging, I noticed a big white dot on the LS's right side of her head.  If you examine both sides of her head, you'll notice the hair sculpt continues until it reaches the back of her ears.  Unfortunately, the paint application stops a bit too early.  There's also a little "creative" paint application near the LS's forehead on the left side.  The LS's pre-posed hands have a really hard time holding onto her "ADAM harvesting tool".  I don't understand how this could've happened.  

• It would've been nice if the LS was given "swivel wrists" and perhaps "hinged ankles" articulation.

• There's a glaring inaccuracy regarding the paint application for the LS's "ADAM harvesting tool".  For some reason the tube is colored brown, when it should be glowing pinkish-red.

The Ugly:

• Nothing ugly here, folks.

Since these figures are a "Toysrus Exclusive," you will only find these at Toysrus for $19.99 (price doesn't include S&H and tax).  Although their shipping took a day or two longer than was expected, it arrived without any other problems.  The box it was shipped in is approximately the same size as the clamshell packaging, so there were no packing materials inside the box.  The clamshell was intact (just a few minor scratches) and the figures weren't broken.  I haven't seen these online elsewhere, so Toysrus is your best bet to snag one of these.

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

Although there are problems with these figures, NECA has continued to impress me with their Bioshock 2 line.  The level of quality and care is apparent and will have the most appeal with adult collectors.  I eagerly look forward to the rest of NECA's Bioshock 2 lineup. 

Score:

NEWS: Star Wars - Vintage Collection

I normally don't do this, but I was excited to find out that JediNews.co.uk have posted OFFICIAL images from the first wave of action figures in Hasbro's Star Wars: "Vintage Collection"!  There were rumors and then news of this for some time, and finally the long wait is over (partially)!  Apparently, these "vintage" figures will be packaged with the old "classic" Kenner cardback design.  This "vintage" collection will include the prequel trilogy and the expanded universe.  JediNews.co.uk has separate thumbnails which reveal the figure in closer detail.  The first wave is based on "Star Wars: Episode IV: The Empire Strikes Back" which include: Luke Skywalker (in Bespin gear), Princess Leia (in Hoth gear), Dengar (the badly scarred bounty hunter who is briefly seen on the Super Star Destroyer, who also has beef with Han Solo), and the AT-AT Commander General Veers!

I've got to say that the worst of the bunch by far is General Veers.  The previously-released Veers figure is more accurately sculpted than the current not-yet-released one.  How strange...