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Packaging - ***
I'm not a huge fan of the combo box/peg hanger style of packaging, largely
because it tends to get damaged easily. I'd prefer a straight box for
something like this, but then, nobody asked me.
That being said, they did a nice job with the format. The figures
are actually very collector friendly, with the exception of just a couple
twisties. You can cut a couple pieces of tape, remove the plastic
tray, take out the figures, and not damage a thing. These also store
pretty well, although the do take up a bit more space than they really need
to.
Sculpting - Zoidberg ***1/2; Fry ***
If you think Fry looks a bit familiar, you're not crazy. From the neck
down, he has the same sculpt as the old Moore version. Toynami felt
that the body wasn't going to get any better than MAC had done it, so why
mess with perfection.
The head sculpt is slightly new however. It's not a massive change,
but it's a bit thinner. Even with the changes, it still doesn't
quite pull of the translation of Fry into three dimensions. It's not
bad, but he's definitely a tricky character.
Zoidberg turned out quite a bit better. He's a fairly basic
character - like the Simpsons, the style isn't particularly complex - but
they have managed to add that extra dimension to the character and get it
close to the 2 D version. His internal proportions are good (head to torso,
arm length, etc), and he's a nice bulky size next to Fry. His posture
is slumped, and his claw hands are sculpted in a closed position. With
all the hollow rotocast figures out there, it's nice to get one with some
heft to it.
Fry stands about 5 1/2 inches tall, but his hair sticks up slightly
higher, while Zoidberg is at the 5 1/2 inch mark. Both stand great
on their own, and Fry's sculpted hands can hold most of the accessories
well.
Paint - ***
One of the biggest issues I had with the old MAC figures was the paint work.
There was plenty of gloppy spots and poor cuts, and what were otherwise
great looking figures were hurt by the paint application.
Things are quite a bit better here, if not yet perfect. There's
still some poor cut lines and bleed, particularly around the eyes, but the
majority of the paint ops are above average. If these were mass market
figures, they'd be impressive, but as specialty market figures they're just
a bit above average in this category.
Articulation - Zoidberg **; Fry ***
Fry has good articulation, but nothing new if you have the previous version.
There's the cut neck, cut shoulders, cut wrists, cut waist, pin elbows and
knees, and cut biceps and thighs. Oh, and a V crotch.
While some of the joints can be rather unattractive when turned at an
angle (like the cut thighs), the articulation does mean that he can take
quite a few poses, including some very good ones with the accessories.
The articulation and sculpt work well together, and I almost gave him
another half star here. If that neck joint had been a ball, it would
have been an easy call.
Zoidberg isn't nearly as articulated, but considering his bulky design,
it's not a huge surprise. He has the cut neck, shoulders, wrists, and
cut ankles (at the pant legs). He's designed to look good
standing up straight (or in his case, hunched), with a claw positioned this
way or that.
Accessories - Fry ***1/2; Zoidberg **1/2
Okay, so 90% of Fry's accessories are re-used from the MAC version - that only
matters if you have that version. And let's face it, it's always nice
to get a whole pile of stuff!
Fry comes with the blaster (yep, re-used) which fits well in his hands
and has some great paint detail work. He also has a can of anchovies,
the can of Slurm, and the one new accessory, his holophoner. Since
that episode came after the MAC figures, it makes sense that it's new.
That's a great assortment of very character specific goodies, and even if
there is a lot of re-use from 6 years ago, I can't really fault them too
much. He also comes with the torso of the Robot Devil, which I'll talk
more about in a minute.
Zoidberg has the head of the Robot Devil (I'm getting to that in a
minute, just keep your panties on), and his stethescope. The
stethoscope fits around his neck nicely, although it does seem a smidge
large. The paint ops are quite basic, but not terrible.
Ah, the Robot Devil. Toynami is trying out the BAF (Build A Figure)
concept with this line. Buy all of the first six figures (three waves
of two) and you can build your very own Robot Devil. The first two
pieces look good, but I'm not sure this is the best way to implement the
concept. I know I'm concerned that if they don't make it to the thrid
wave, I can finish my figure, and even if they do, it will be months before
I get that gratification. In a world of instant happiness, that might
be too much to ask from the fans of the line.
Fun Factor - ***
These are actually pretty fun toys if you know any kids who are into the show.
Okay, so there's really no conflict on the show to make action figures a
viable toy, but they're still fun to pose and play with. So there.
Value - **1/2
You can expect to see these run around $13 at most retailers. Suncoast
and FYE will probably charge more like $15, and at that price you can knock
off another half star. If you hit some of the sponsors I have listed
below, you can get the pair for just over ten bucks each though!
Things to Watch Out For -
Zippo. The joints are strong and solid, and I didn't have any issues
with sticking or breakage.
Overall - ***
This is a good first wave, even though one of the figures is largely a
re-release. Fry was originally produced by MAC over 6 years ago, so
there are plenty of collectors and fans out there who missed him the first
time around. Adding in the extra accessory is a nice touch, and he's a
critical part of the show.
And even for those of us that still have the original figures
(somewhere!), Zoidberg is a most welcome addition. With Zap Brannigan
and Leela coming next (Oct-Nov time frame), followed closely by Bender and
Kif before the end of the year, my Futurama display could get beefed up
before 2008! More importantly, I might have my Robot Devil built in
time for Christmas...
Score Recap:
Packaging - ***
Sculpt - Zoidberg ***1/2; Fry ***
Paint - ***
Articulation - Fry ***; Zoidberg **
Accessories - Fry ***1/2; Zoidberg **1/2
Fun Factor - ***
Value - **1/2
Overall - ***
Where to Buy -
Finding these might actually be a little tough:
- Circle Red is the best bet from
my sponsors right now, with the pair on sale (pre-order) for $22.
- Cornerstorecomics had
them at $11 - $13 each, but they are already pre-sold out with pre-orders!
- for the UK readers,
Forbidden Planet has them for 10 GBP each.
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