Review of Son of Frankenstein - Universal Monsters action figure

Introduction

Earlier this week I looked at the Mezco take on the monster from Son of Frankenstein - now let's look at another version from Diamond Select Toys.

As everyone knows, the monster is not Frankenstein, although that same everyone (including me) tends to call him that out of laziness. The movie's title is in reference to the doctor's son coming to take over the castle, and in doing so, he discovers the body of the creature from the original film, once again played by Boris Karloff. Hijinks ensue.

This figure is in an 7" scale, matching the rest of the long running DST line of Universal Monsters. You can pick him up at online retailers for around $22, and that's the version I'm reviewing tonight. There's a second version that lacks the diorama style base, but is available for a few bucks less at Toys R Us.

There are two more figures in this wave, including Creature from the Black Lagoon (yes, a new version), as well as their own take on the famous monster hunter Van Helsing. I'll be covering both of those figures very soon.

Packaging - ***
These collector market figures come in the traditional DST 'bookshelf' boxes. You slide them up on the shelf like a book, and they have splines that show off the name and have attractive graphics.

These look great, but I did have to snip my way through a forest of twisty ties.

Sculpting - ***1/2
This is the second time DST has done a Frankenstein Monster in their Universal series. The first time was about 3 years ago, and while it had its own issues, I have to say that I think the likeness was slightly better.

The face is a little long here, but I do see Karloff in there. The detailing is better this time, especially around the hair and eyes. 

You'll also notice that there appears to be a section of the vest on the upper left chest that they melted a bit. This is not by accident, or a mistake, as the costume had a section missing the 'fur' in the original film, and they were doing what they could to reproduce that look. Overall, this vest looks terrific, with lots of detail in the furry texture.

Another issue is with proportion - the arms are a bit skinny, an issue partly created by the very woolly vest. Add in a head that's a tad undersized overall, and he looks slightly off. It's not a deal breaker, but something that holds him back slightly.

Likewise, another minor issue is in the sculpt of the left hand. I'm not a big fan of the fist, although he does do a similar pose in the movie. I think a relaxed hand would have given you more posing potential.

This is an 7" scale line, and this guy comes in at about 8 1/4", allowing him to tower over the other figures.

In the end, the minor nits add up enough to bring the score down slightly, but this is still one of the better Frankenstein creatures we've gotten in this scale.

Paint - ***1/2
The paint is quite clean and neat overall, with just the right amount of wash to bring out the details. I particularly like the work around the eyes, and the skin tone has just the right sickly glow to it.

Articulation - ***
I think this is the first time in 20 years that I'm going to say this - but this figure is actually too articulated.

He comes with a nice ball jointed neck, which does have some tilt and lean action, although less than I expected. He also has ball shoulders, ball elbows, pin and cut wrists, cut waist, hinge hips, pin knees and ball ankles.

The joints all work well, and allow for flowing, natural poses. That's the exact problem - he tends to stand with too much of a natural appearance.  It was hard to get him to look stiff, especially with the excellent leg articulation. You can do it, but it's weird that this time more wasn't better. Trust me, I'll never say that again.

Accessories - ****
You can also find this figure at Toys R Us, but he'll lack the cool accessories you get with this online retailer edition.

Frankie comes with the severed arm of poor Inspector Krogh's right arm. Of course, what he ripped off in the Son of Frankenstein movie was already an artificial arm - Krogh had his original arm tore off by the monster when he was a child - so this one doesn't exhibit any blood or gore.

He also comes with a stony base and a piece of lab equipment that attaches to it. There's a foot peg on the base to attach the monster as well, although you really won't need it.

The lab equipment looks terrific, including some red color 'lamps', and various vacuum tubes. The antenna are a little bent out of the package, but I think I'll be able to straighten them over time.

Fun Factor - ****
Excellent articulation, some terrific accessories, and a great looking classic monster? Yep, that's pretty much a recipe for fun for kids and adult fans alike.

Value - **1/2
These guys cost around $20 - $25 a year ago, and they are still in the middle of that range at most retailers. Considering the cool bases that you get, and comparing to a lot of other current $20 figures on the market, I'd say these are a solid value.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing.

Overall - ***1/2
I'm a sucker for all things Universal Monsters, but this series from DST has had more hits than misses. This version of the Frankenstein monster is a great addition to the set, and picking up the version with the lab equipment diorama is the way to go.

Next up - Creature from the Black Lagoon redux!

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth comes in at $20.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I covered the last wave of Moleman, Hunchback and Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde, and previous DST Universal Monsters include Frankenstein, his Bride, and Dracula, and the Creature, Wolfman and Mummy.

Discussion:
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