Review of Mole Man - Universal Monsters action figure

Introduction

I've already covered two of the three figures in the latest release from Diamond Select Toys in their Universal Monsters line - Dr. Jekyll and the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Tonight I'll wrap up the third and final figure, the Mole Man. And no, he is no relation to Hans Moleman.

This guy is one of the later Universal Monsters, based on the 1956 film "The Mole People". In the film, a race of albino humans lives in the hollow center of the Earth, and have enslaved the 'mole men' to harvest mushrooms and perform other menial tasks. Once we discover their existence, things go badly as is the norm.

I'm looking at the Toys R Us version of this guy tonight, who retails for just $13. He's been shipping to stores for the last few weeks, so odds are good you can find him locally.

Packaging - ***
Unlike the specialty market releases, the Toys R Us versions come in a smaller and more standard card back/bubble package. They have the same cool Universal Monster logo, but aren't quite as nice for the MOCer. And for the opener, there's just too damn many twist ties.

Sculpting - ***1/2
This isn't the first time the Mole Man has made it into action figure form, and it's not the first time even for the 8" scale. Sideshow produced a nice one more than a decade ago.

However, this is one where I think DST has upped the ante on the sculpt, giving us a more detailed portrait. They've got a ton of texture on the head and on the hands, and it really looks terrific.

He also has his unique hump on the back, right behind the head and between the shoulder blades.

The scale is good too, and he fits in nicely with the rest of the DST line (and Sideshow line, as well). The articulation and sculpt work well together, and the bulky jacket doesn't get in the way quite as much as I expected.

Paint - ***
I'm not digging on the paint quite as much, largely due to the thick, clumpy application.

The colors are good, and most of the cut lines are fairly sharp. There some dry brushing on the clothing to give the impression of dirt and wear, and it works pretty well.

But some of the paint on the eyes and skin is thick, hurting the otherwise terrific sculpt.

Articulation - ***1/2
I was pretty impressed with the articulation here, although a couple of the joints could use a bit greater range of movement.

The ball neck is pretty good, as are the ball shoulders and hips. There's cut biceps, waist and thighs, as well as ball elbows, cut wrists, and pin knees.

The ankles look like they might be ball too, but they really only operate as cut joints due to the pant sculpt. A little more mobility here would have gone a long way to increasing the number of leg poses.

Accessories - ***
There's only one accessory here, but considering the price point that's not bad.

He comes with a small diorama style base, complete with sculpted mushrooms. There's a foot peg as well, although you can have him stand on it pretty easily without using the peg.

Fun Factor - ***1/2
I love creepy monsters like this. Nothing beats a dude in a rubber mask with big claw hands. The articulation makes for great play, and any kid who's a fan of classic monsters will love him.

Value - ***1/2
With most 6" figures - and some 5" figures - selling for $18 or more, getting this big 8" figure with solid sculpting paint and articulation for just $13 is nothing short of a miracle.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing.

Overall - ***1/2
Even if you have the Sideshow version, you might want to give this guy a second look. I really like the detailing in the sculpt, and there's nothing wrong with having multiple Mole Men. Even better when they aren't identical!

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

Where to Buy 
This is the Toys R Us version, with a simple base. He'll run you around $13. If you're looking for the specialty market versions of this wave, try these sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth is at just $20.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I just covered the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde from this wave, as well as the Hunchback.  Previous DST Universal Monsters include Frankenstein, his Bride, and Dracula, and the Creature, Wolfman and Mummy.

If you're a fan of the Mole Man, Sideshow did an 8" version as well as a 12" version.

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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