Famous Covers Red Skull and Carnage
Posted 01/31/01
Overall score - ***1/2 out of ****

(originally posted at Comic Book Galaxy)

I picked up my set from New Force Comics (www.newforcecomics.com) for $24 for the pair.  Rick at New Force is tremendously helpful, and always fast - I highly recommend him for your on-line Previews purchases.

Packaging - ****
Once again, we are treated to terrific graphics, well written text, and a package that can be opened and closed without harm.  This packaging will go down as the finest any comic action figure has ever been afforded.

Sculpt - ****
Wow!  Both head sculpts stand out as some of the finest work Toybiz has done in this line.  A lot of attention and detail has gone into both of these, and both heads seem to be right in scale.

The body choices are a bit of a problem though.  Carnage is simply too big as an M2 - he really should have been an M1.  His bulk is more like Venom than the normally skinny Carnage.  Also, clawed hands would have been much more appropriate - more expensive as well, but a nice touch that this figure could have used.

Red Skull doesn't have quite the same problem.  Instead, the excellent looking figure simply shows off once again just how bad Captain America was.  Notice the picture at the bottom of the page - Cap is too short, due to the pleather boots he was given, and his pinhead is even more exaggerated when next to Red Skull.  

Value - ***1/2
We've become spoiled by the $10 and under most of the recent releases of FC figures have run.  But even at $12 each these are a terrific buy!

I've never been thrilled with the range of motion in the hips on these figures, and they could have benefited throughout the line with bicep cut joints, but they still are a head above what else is available.

Uniforms - ***1/2
Carnage's outfit is excellent, far better than I had thought it would be from the prototype pictures.  The tendrils can be easily removed if you don't like them, but they work well, and there's plenty of them.  If they had been a bit more bendy, there would have been some greater possibilities, but they are still pretty cool looking.

His black veining on the suit is even better, and he's one of the nicest characters they've done in quite some time.

Red Skull's costume is also very nice, with one minor problem.  It fits tightly, is well stitched, and even has real pockets, a first I believe for a FC.  He's got someplace to put his change!  But what the hell is up with that belt?  Pure garbage - easy to replace for the customizer though.

I've already seen plenty of new versions as well, using Dragon, 21st Century and Hasbro German outfits.  If you're still dissatisfied with the costume, pick up some of these extras and fix it up.

Accessories - Bupkis
I certainly do wish that more FC's came with accessories, but with a character like Carnage I can certainly forgive them.  But Red Skull could have had one of any dozen different items that would have been appropriate.

Overall - ***1/2
The news is that Diamond has cancelled the pre-orders for the next two figures, Dr. Strange and the Punisher.  Word on the street is that the last couple waves have sold very poorly, and Diamond isn't interested in any more.  Too bad, too, because these two prove that Toybiz does it great when they want to.

Ah, well, at least if you're going out, go out on a high note like this set!