“Is
there a word for total screaming genius that sounds modest and a tiny
bit sexy? ”
I have to admit
a little something to you here – I am not a big fan of Stephen
Moffat’s Mary Sue character, Clara.
I liked her a
lot in Asylum of the Daleks. But then the very nature of her
character and her story arc regressed Clara to the point of being a
helpless and uninteresting companion. And then several sub-par
episodes later we find out that Moffat has insinuated his little doll
into the entirety of Doctor Who history.
Okay, I almost
went off on a rant there.
Okay, well – I
did. But I cut and pasted it for a later date because the
Whoniversary is for celebrating Doctor Who and I don’t want to
bring it down.
Well, not any
more than I am by reviewing a bunch of toys that are, quite frankly,
pretty bad.
So anyway, I
bought Clara because I bought the whole set of new scale figures. But
I probably would have picked up a 5” scale Clara if they had done
one, though I would have preferred Asylum of the Daleks Clara
to this Lilith Fair version.
First
Glance: The paint apps on this figure look a little more
complex than the rest of the series. But they sure have made Clara
look tubby.
Articulation:
Character Options have mostly preserved the articulation of the
larger line.
Head – swivel
Shoulders –
swivel
Biceps - swivel
Elbows – pivot
Wrists –
swivel
Waist - swivel
Hips –
swivel/pivot
Knees – pivot
That neck joint
is ugly. And essentially useless thanks to the figure’s
hair. I would have preferred the head be stationary since it can’t
move anyway.
Clara’s
shoulders do not have the pivot that most of the others in the line
do. They can only go forward and back.
This figure
features the traditional hip articulation for this line, but it is
somewhat restricted by the dress.
Sculpt:
Like all of the figures in this initial wave, Clara is an entirely
new sculpt.
Let’s start
with something good. Clara’s hair looks good. It’s long and full
and has sculpted detail so that it actually looks like hair and not
just a towel on her head or something. Her face, however, is wide.
The sculpt does look like her, but as though it were reflected in a
funhouse mirror.
Her arms are
really long like monkey arms. As far as detail and stuff they’re
good. The sleeves look good and the watch is nice. The hands aren’t
all giant or anything. The arms are just too darn long.
The legs are
fairly petite and dainty, which is accurate but looks weird under her
big,. poofy dress.
Coloring:
The paint on this figure is actually quite nice.
The hair and the
dace are well done. The hair has a wash to give it a little more
depth. The face has precisely placed eyebrows and lips. The eyes kind
of look like crazy eyes, but there are times when Jenna Louise
Coleman kind of has crazy eyes. They aren’t great, but this is a 3
¾” scale figure.
The arms are
well done. The sleeves match the jacket and there are no errors. I
like that the turned up ends are a lighter color. The watch, though
tiny, is colored nicely.
Clara’s legs
are painted plain black, though her shoes are slightly glossier.
Flair:
Clara has a big ol’ piece of plastic that is sculpted as her dress
and shirt and jacket. It’s a pretty terrible look that makes her
look like she’s been wandering around since 1993 looking for the
Lilith Fair, but this is what the character looks like. Maybe Stephen
Moffat is hung up on Natalie Merchant.
The piece itself
is a little too bulky and make poor Clara look like she’s had a few
too many Jelly Babies, but the sculpted detail is great. The
different layers are very well defined and have button holes and
thickness and textures. Well, not so much textures, but they look a
bit rumpled.
The paint on
this thing is nice. The dress has a very well done pattern on it and
the colors of the shirt and jacket stay within the lines. Well,
mostly. There are a couple of spots that are a little off, but it’s
not too bad.
Accessories:
Clara comes with her big red purse. It looks like a big red purse.
It can be worn over her shoulder or across her chest. It’s not the
best accessory ever, but Clara’s not the best companion ever.
Oh, she also
comes with a stand. Whatever.
Packaging:
A simple blister card. The packaging is exactly the same across this
line except for the insert in the bubble. It’s eye-catching and
easy to open.
Value:
I think these worked out to about twelve bucks apiece, which is
absurd. This is a seven dollar toy at best.
Overall:
Clara really isn’t too bad for this scale. If her head weren’t so
fat she’d be pretty darn good. She’s far from a must-have unless
you just have to have a figure of Clara (and I’m sure those folks
are out there).
3
out of 5
I really don’t
know if these will show up at brick and mortar retail or not. You can
buy them from pretty much all of the online toy stores, though.
-Phantom
The
next two weeks here on Needless Things will be dedicated to Doctor
Who. I have Guest Posts, Toy Reviews, and more on the way. The site
will be jam-packed – relatively – with content. Please share
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Also,
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I can’t say they’re selling fast, but once this style is gone,
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Remember
to check in every weekday between now and the 23rd for
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Finally,
be sure and come out to the HUGE 50th Anniversary Party
that TimeGate, Earth Station Who, the folks behind The Forgotten
Doctor, and (others) are throwing at the Holiday Inn Select; the
same location where TimeGate is held each and every year. There will
be panels, games, Whovian carousing, and a LIVE recording of Earth
Station Who immediately after “The Day of the Doctor” airs. You
will literally never have another opportunity to attend a party like
this!
Uggh.... I'm really not feeling this figure. Character Options has really went downhill with their handling of the newer Who stuff. Starting with odd character selection during the fifth series and going through the delays and lack of good product during the sixth series and now this change to a new scale at the end of seven and you've got a line that I haven't purchased anything from for quite a few years now.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. While I have bought the odd figure here and there, there hasn't been a full wave I've purchased since the Pandorica, and that was only so I could build the thing.
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