12" Wolfman

This is the second in their 12" Universal Monsters series.  The first, Frankenstein's Monster, I reviewed earlier this year.  The Wolfman is certainly no disappointment, and bodes well for the upcoming Dracula, and several others.  I picked up this figure directly from Sideshow for $25.

Packaging - ***1/2
Here's a challenge for Sideshow - give us a package that doesn't require damage to remove the accessories.  You've got the great graphics, the easy open box, now just get those packaging engineers working on a design that allows us to remove the accessories without tearing the back of the insert.

Articulation - ***1/2
The body that Sideshow has designed is excellent.  There are all the usual points - neck, ball jointed shoulders, double jointed elbows and knees, hips, waist, chest, wrists, etc. etc.  This body also uses cut joints at the ankles and forearms, greatly increasing the number of poses possible.  The only real short fall is the neck joint - it doesn't have the range of motion, particularly forward and back, that would be ideal.

There are two problems with this body though.  First, it really is too thin.  I commented that even with Frank having padding, the overall figure was too thin.  With Wolfman, no padding was added, and it really doesn't look bulky enough.

The second problem is one I've noticed with several 12" figures lately - they have no butt!  Poor Lon Chaney looks like he's flat as a board, and in a costume like this it really is pretty obvious.  He needs something to help him hold his pants up.

Outfit - ***
This isn't a very complicated or detailed outfit.  There's a shirt, pants, and belt.  The shirt is excellent, with great buttons, real pockets, and quality stitching.  The pants are, well, pants.  They look right, but there needs to be a stitch or a snap on the fly - it has a tendency to fold open, and that could be extremely embarrassing.

The other major problem here is the belt - this thing is very weak.  Cheap material, poor excuse for a buckle, it requires effort to come up with a way to keep the thing closed.

Accessories - ***1/2
The accessories with this figure are not quite as nice as the Frankie accessories.  There are only two - the trap and a log/stand.

The log is nice, with great paint work and excellent detail.  It really is necessary too, since the feet are positioned in such a way that he can't stand without the extra support.

The trap is very nice, with some excellent detail, a real chain, and moveable jaws.  But, and this is a big but, what the hell is this trap intended to catch?  An elephant?  This baby is about three times bigger than it should be, and could cut poor fuzz face in half at the waist.

Sculpting - ****
This is another figure sculpted by the talented Oluf Hartvigson.  The head sculpt is excellent, and really captures the look of the original Wolfman.  Just place this figure next to that Chewbacca wannabee that Hasbro put out, and you can see what a difference talent can make.

Value - ***1/2
At $25 this isn't too bad, but regular retail should be $20 at places like Toys R Us.  At that price, your getting an extremely nice Universal Monster, certainly the finest 12" Wolfman ever produced.

Overall - ***1/2
Sideshow Toy is doing an excellent job moving from the 8" format of their basic Universal Monster assortment to this new 12" format.  The sculpting is fantastic, and I'm really looking forward to the Monty Python, Young Frankenstein, and western figures that we've been promised for 2001.