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Packaging - ***
The box goes with the usually dull gray and black 30th Anniversary theme,
but we do get a couple shots of the bust on the outside along with a nice
window to see what you're getting. There's also the usual baseball card
style COA, which is popular with collectors.
I have heard issues with people getting quite a few damaged Fetts in the
mail though, so the interior foam must not be doing its job.
Sculpting - Helmet version ****; Jango head version ***1/2;
This version of Jango is such an improvement over the original that it's
amazing. Set this guy next to the old one and you'll realize just how
far Gentle Giant has come over the last few years.
The body sculpt is excellent all around. There's lots of wonderful
detail work in the clothing, blasters and rocket pack. The tubes that
run up into the uniform are made from a hard material, so there's no chance of
crimping, and there are even different textures on the clothing, armor and
weapons.
When it comes to the two heads, the helmeted version is the winner.
There's the required dent in the top, along with some nice small detail work
all around. It's scaled a little small for the body (no way his actual
head would fit inside), but it's not too far off, and people tend to prefer
helmets that are scaled down a bit. The range finder is not moveable,
but that's not a surprise with a resin piece.
The Jango head is definitely him, but it does tend to define the difference
between craft and art for me. There's a point where a sculpt becomes so
lifelike, so accurate and so real, that it passes over from mere craft into
true art. This one doesn't quite make it that far. It's definitely
recognizable, but there's a bit too much of the mannequin or zombie look going
on here, with a slack feel to the appearance. Again, it's not terrible
by any means, and only garners a slightly lower score than the exceptional
helmet/body combo, but I'm betting the majority of folks will be displaying
this guy with the helmet head.
Paint - ***
The paint doesn't quite hold up to the high standard set by the overall
sculpt. While there's plenty of bright color and some nice chrome
effects, there's also a fair share of slop.
The face looks good with the exception of one wonky eye, but it's only
offset from center slighlty. The skin tone and hair are well done, and
there's no slop around the hairline or lips.
The chrome looks good at first glance, but tends to have that rough surface
look of cheap plastic chrome paint. In photos this texture doesn't come
through, but when you're handling it, it becomes obvious. Think chrome
parts on a Aurora model.
There's a fair share of sloppy work on the uniform, but the majority is on
the rocket pack, where there's poorly cut edges and bleed in quite a few
spots.
Design - ****
Jango has both blasters drawn, crossing his chest, with his head tilted toward
the lower shoulder. It was an excellent choice of pose, and gave them
both arms on the bust in a tight, compact way, yet gave the overall impression
of danger and power.
Value - ***
Jango runs about the same price as the other busts in the line, and he's not
just well done, but comes with something most of them don't - an extra
head. While it might not be a perfect extra head, it still elevates him
a bit above the average value.
Things to Watch Out For -
I noticed as I was pulling him out of the foam that you could snap off the
back rocket if you didn't take some care. There's also a ton of twisties
here, which can damage the paint if not handled carefully. Finally,
while the magnets holding the head on are a good idea, you can still drop one
of them if you turn him upside down or move him a bit too vigorously, and you
won't be happy if you do.
Overall - ***1/2
After the awful Qui-Gon, Gentle Giant has been hitting on all cylinders. They
haven't done a bad Star Wars, Harry Potter or LOTR bust since (although I
haven't seen the Celebration IV stuff in person yet), and one has to wonder
how long they can keep it up. Now if we could just convince them that
flooding the market with 'exclusives' isn't the best way to impress your long
time customers.
Score Recap:
Packaging - ***
Sculpt - Helmet ****; Jango ***1/2
Paint - ***
Design - ****
Value - **1/2
Overall - ***1/2
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