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Packaging - ***1/2
I've said it a lot lately, but I like the clam shell packaging. Sturdy,
compact, and attractive, good for MOC'ers and openers alike. I'd just like
a little more text on the insert concerning the particular figure, and the
particular series - not so much devoted to trying to sell me the other lines by
McToys.
Sculpting - ****
The Predators were nice - the Aliens are
excellent. Every gory little detail is present, and this figure
doesn't suffer from the seam running through the center of his head.
It's nice and smooth, and the mouth is open, with a spring loaded internal
mouth. Unlike my two pack Alien, this spring loaded mechanism works
great. The button is on the back of the head though, and some folks
may find this detracts from the sculpt.
I prefer his look without the internal mouth
jutting out, but it's nice to see that it works fine either way. The
sculpting on the rest of the head and body is perfect, and this figure has
leaped to the foreground as my favorite Alien action figure produced to date.
Paint - ****
The paint application is clean and neat all
around, and the stand out is the work on the dome of the head. The colors
and shading are fantastic, and the shiny finish complements the darker, more
subdued appearance of the rest of the figure.
Again, McToys uses a paint wash like no one else
can, and highlights all the excellent detailing of the sculpt.
Articulation - ****
The Dog Alien sports a ball jointed neck, waist, shoulders and hips, with good
wrist and ankle joints as well. There's also the bendy tail, and the
articulated inner mouth.
All the articulation works great, and the best
part is that this figure works great in two distinct poses - standing at full
height, and crouched down in his 'dog' pose. All the ball joints work
well, but the ball jointed neck and waist are crucial to making both poses work
well.
The bendy tail is great, and there's plenty you
can do with it. The bendy quality runs almost the entire length, and can
also be used to support him in various poses.
Accessories - *
Unfortunately, the Dog Alien suffers
from the same problem as the Warrior Alien - no real accessories. He
comes with his poster and poster base, but these are really weak. The
base is just a re-used accessory across the line, and the posters are so
thin, it's getting ridiculous. At this price point, they needed something to
go with the Aliens.
Value - **
Do yourself a favor and find these for around $10-$11 each. You won't
feel too bad at that price point, but if you pay the $12 or $13 that some
specialty shops are charging, you'll definitely feel the pinch.
Quality - ***1/2
I had some quality problems with the Predator figures, so I wanted to
mention here that this wasn't an issue for me with either Alien. The
construction of both figures is solid, and I was happy to see the inner mouth
mechanism work much better with this version than with the two pack version.
Overall - ***1/2
The Dog Alien is my favorite Alien action
figure produced to date. I had originally not planned on picking up this
version - the film isn't one of my favorites, and in the package it didn't look
that exciting - but I'm thrilled that I did. He looks great on the shelf
with the rest of the line, and I can't wait to see the deluxe version.
If this figure had an accessory or two, or a
slightly lower price point, he would have been an easy four stars.
Where to Buy -
I picked these up at a local Meijers, but as a Mid-West only store, you may not be so lucky. Since then, I've also seen them at Gamestop
and Kaybee, but at higher prices of course. On-line:
- Aisle Sniper has a great price at $40 for a set of the four, but you'll pay shipping as well. That's
only slightly more than paying ten bucks each plus sales tax in many areas though.
- Beans Toys, a great small on-line store with excellent customer service, also has them.
They've sold through on the sets for $40 though, but should have singles available soon. They also have an excellent pre-sell price on the deluxe
Queen Alien set, just $23.
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