Review of Mystique Premium Format Statue

Introduction

I don't know about you, but generally when I see a 100 year old woman, my first thought isn't "homina, hominay, howwah!" In fact, none of my thoughts are. I think the odds are pretty good that even when I'm a 100 myself, I won't have that thought.

Ah, but there's one shining exception - Mystique. We aren't exactly sure how old this babe is, although she's claimed to have passed the century mark some time ago. And geriatric she ain't.

Sideshow has just released a Premium Format version of the super villainess, done up in her modern black leather look.

As is often the case, there's a regular (limited to 1250), and an exclusive version (limited to 800) that includes the leather belt with skull buckle. That's the version I'll be reviewing tonight. Both cost the same - $250 - but while the regular is on wait list, you can actually get the exclusive right now on Second Chance.

Packaging - ***
It's a big box! Bet you're surprised. I skipped the package photo this time, since you pretty much know the drill. There's only shots of the product, but there's always at least some background text. The inner foam trays are sturdy and protect the statue extremely well, and it's entirely collector friendly, of course. There's also very little wasted space or materials, something to be mindful of in these environmentally aware days.

Sculpting - ***1/2
While I don't love everything about this PF, I certainly do love the sculpt.

Mystique is done in comic book style beautiful, but it's not impossible beautiful. She's realistic enough in proportions and musculature to be a an actual person, and she has a beautiful face sculpt. Natch, she has a beautiful body to go along with it.

The pose is seductive yet dangerous, equal parts pole dancer and assassin. I have some issues I'll discuss later with the fit of the leather pants, but that's not the flaw or fault of the gorgeous sculpt.

The hair is nicely detailed for this scale, and the features are sharp yet feminine. Yep, she's hot.

Her base is done in a odd black and white ceramic tile design, sort of like a bathroom floor. I suspect I should be recognizing it, but I don't. Still, it makes a nice contrast to the outfit and skin color, and stands out on the shelf.

Remember, this is a Premium Format figure, so she's intended to be about quarter scale. In total she stands about 20", with the base.

Paint - ***
There's a couple aspects of the paint that unfortunately let me down from the great sculpt.

My first issue is with the eyes. Mystique has yellow eyes, and it's part of her unique appeal. In photos, you can see that she's looking off to the side, but in person, it's almost impossible to discern the yellowed whites from the yellowed iris', making it look like one big yellow eye.

My other problem is with the lips. It's hard to place exactly what's gong on there, but from certain angles it almost looks like her tongue is showing slightly between her lips. The problem is that the paint doesn't make it clear one way or the other - it's not making the intention of the sculpt clear.  So either the sculptor intended the lips to be slightly parted and the tongue slightly visible and the paint is hiding it too much, or the lips are completely closed and the paint is creating some sort of funky look. Either way, it's a paint issue.

I have a third much more minor issue as well. The gloves, which should be black leather just like the clothing, is a painted a matte black. This makes the fact that they are sculpted versus actual leather much more obvious.

The rest of the paint ops are excellent, however. The gun metal contrasts perfectly against the soft blue skin, and the red hair is very even and consistent. Even the small silver skull has sharp cut lines and clean edges. There's a subtle shading to the skin too, giving her interesting shadows and highlights even in direct light.

Articulation - Bupkis
As you'd expect with the modern Premium Format figure, she's just a statue. Some past PF's have actually included articulation, so this is worth noting, but it won't effect my overall score.

Accessories - Bupkis
Unlike the recent Leia PF, Mystique has no accessories or unattached extras. I wasn't expecting any, so it won't effect my score, but it was worth mentioning anyway.

Outfit - ***
The costume is leather, of course, and is made from a high quality material. The stitching is great, and I particularly love the look of the halter top.

The pants are a bit of a weirder fit for me. I like the hip hugger look, but the shorter pant legs don't do it for me, and there's something about the tailoring around the thighs that leaves the pants looking off. Or maybe I'd just prefer them off.

Speaking of which, some folks have had success removing the clothes, but they are glued in certain spots, so you may end up damaging things you don't want damaged.

The exclusive adds one more piece to her outfit - her wide black leather belt, complete with skull buckle.

This belt is not intended to be removed. Of course it can be, but once you do, reattaching it is going to take some effort. Therefore, this might be a situation where you want to NOT buy the exclusive, if you don't like the belt.

I mess around with it a bit, posing it higher and lower on the hips, and I have to say that it really doesn't do a lot for me. You can get it to look decent, but it doesn't add much to the overall appeal of the statue, and in some poses detracts from it.

Value - **
At $250, this PF is slightly overpriced. Considering the character, and the level of detail in the costume compared to other PF's in this price range, I think she really needs to be closer to $200 for an average value.

Things to Watch Out For -
I like to always remind folks that the metal post on the bottom of her foot is much harder than the poly-resin base - insert carefully to avoid damage!

You might be tempted to remove her clothes, and some folks have had success. But the clothing is glued to the body in key spots, so you might not end up with what you're hoping for. Leave the poor girl some dignity, you big pervert.

Overall - ***
I love the sculpt on this Premium Format statue, but there's a few items that keep her from getting the full marks overall. None of them are major, but there's enough of the minor ones to cool my enthusiasm slightly.

She's probably not a must have for most Marvel fans, but if you're a aficionado of the character, she's well worth picking up.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ***1/2
Paint - ***
Articulation - Bupkis
Accessories - Bupkis
Value - **
Overall - ***

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- the regular and exclusive versions were originally available at Sideshow, and the exclusive is currently available through the second chance opportunity offer.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other Star Wars Premium Format figures include Boba Fett, Darth Vader, ANH Leia, ANH Obi-Wan, and Han Solo.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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