I
sure did take my sweet-ass time getting around to reviewing this guy,
huh?
I
swore that I wasn’t going to start collecting Funko’s ReAction
figures. I didn’t need to start another scale and style. I didn’t
want to pay ten bucks for minimally articulated, 3.75” scale action
figures. I didn’t want the sheer hassle of trying to hunt down a
new line that may or may not receive solid distribution to regular
brick and mortar retailers. Because then you’d have to add shipping
on top of the already exorbitant ten dollar price tag.
Side
Note: I also ordered the full set of Funko’s Big Trouble in Little
China ReAction and Pop! figures, but that’s a special case because
it’s my favorite movie of all time and I will buy any
licensed products that come out. And no – don’t send me a link to
that Pork Chop Express t-shirt that keeps showing up on Facebook.
It’s not licensed, so I’m not buying it. I’m starting to have
strong feelings about such things.
I
don’t know that I’ve ever experienced a feeling quite so weird as
the mixture of delight and confusion and disappointment that I felt
when I opened up that first box from Amazon. Obviously I was thrilled
to have somehow ended up with a presumably more limited variant (I
still have no idea what the numbers are, though I have yet to see the
GITD version at retail). But I also knew I was going to have to order
another one because I had to have a regular version.
So
I ordered another one and it, too was glow-in-the-dark.
That
blew my mind.
I
wondered if maybe there had been an error and the figure was only
being done as a GITD toy. But I looked it up and there were plenty of
pictures of regular deco versions online. Again – I didn’t mind
having another glowing version, but I needed a regular one.
So
I ordered another one and it, too was glow-in-the-dark.
WHAT
THE FOR REAL FUCK!?!?
I
wasn’t mad or anything – I was delighted. I knew at this point
that there were regular ones out there and had no doubt I’d be able
to get one, so this bizarre glut of variants was fine by me. I
supposed that I would just keep ordering them until I got a regular
one. There was no doubt in my mind that I’d be able to unload the
GITD ones. I had already given one to Jim Stacy
as a thank you for hooking me up with a mind-blowing collection of
Halloween songs.
The
next one was a regular version, so I stopped there.
Except
that I didn’t, actually, because shortly after that I found the
Universal Monsters ReAction figures on the pegs at Toys R Us and
decided I wanted a Gillman to open and review.
So
here you go:
First
Glance
I
give Funko all the credit in the world for their unabashed embrace of
old-school aesthetics. If I were working on this line I think that it
would be very difficult for me to stick to the simplistic style that
they have achieved here. I would be tempted to tweak and change until
the figures no longer resembled their 70s/80s predecessors.
This
is a truly old school figure. If you just handed it to somebody that
didn’t have a photographic toy memory and was unaware of the
ReAction line, they would almost certainly assume it was from the
70s.
Unfortunately
I can’t really compare this figure to the one Remco released in
1980. I don’t have one and a few minutes of searching online
doesn’t bring up a good picture of one. But I can tell that this
one has better paint and a little more of a technically clean sculpt.
That’s not to say that Funko’s is better, just that there are
noticeable differences.
I
can, however, compare this to Burger King’s excellent
Creature:
I’m
not gonna lie – I prefer the BK version. It’s translucent and it
squirts (I had a horrible adult film star joke to insert here, but it
went too far even for Needless Things). For nostalgia fans, though,
the Funko figure will be superior. The BK Gillman is posed and has a
much more detailed sculpt. It’s a tribute to the toys of the 70s,
but not an aesthetic recreation.
Packaging
Absolute
perfection.
The
cardback is thing, just like the figures of yesteryear. The blister
is clean and clear and slightly off-center. The graphics are lovely,
with a slightly faded lime green, an obnoxious yellow, and
appropriate black and white character images. I love the picture they
chose for the bottom – it’s like he’s saying, “Here – have
a tiny me!” That “ReAction” logo is fantastic.
So
the package is wonderful, but there’s actually a lot more to look
at besides the obvious.
First, this somewhat disappointing message:
What
the heck is that about? How does a 3.75” figure with five points of
articulation not qualify as a toy? What is it about this figure that
makes it unsuitable for children? If the plastic unusually fragile?
Is the paint toxic? I don’t understand. This is one of the more
bizarre things I have ever seen on a toy and I can’t figure out why
it’s there.
Unless,
of course – and this is where the cynical toy collector in me
starts talking – they put that on there in an attempt to justify
the price, which is twice that of comparable action figures. But that
can’t be it, right? RIGHT?
The
cardback reveals another interesting – and loaded – message:
“Start
your own collection” is just common sense marketing. Of
course
Funko wants you to start collecting these. What I find interesting is
“ready for adventure”. Toys
are ready for adventure, but collectibles are not. And the above
message quite clearly states that this is and “Adult Collectible”
and “Not a toy”.
Quit
flip-flopping, Funko. What are you, a political candidate?
In
all seriousness, though, this is wonderful packaging that I had to
have intact. It’s why I had to buy an additional figure to open. I
love the circles on the back with the rest of the collection
pictured. It does make a great case for starting my own collection.
Looks
I
think Super 7 is actually behind the designs and sculpts of the
ReAction line, but I am not positive. Just for the ease of the
article I’m going to refer to them for the production of the
figure.
I
was surprised that the figure was as firm as it is. It’s a very
solid, inflexible plastic. I was expecting the softer kind that
Kenner used for the old Star Wars figures. But this guy is hard. Not
brittle, though, which is good.
Super
7 really knew what they were doing. They clearly have toy fanatics on
the payroll, because they have produced a figure that is nearly
indistinguishable from the simple, 3.75” figures of my childhood.
It’s not just about the simple paint or the limited articulation.
It’s about the figure’s proportions and its shape. It’s about
the depth of the sculpted lines. It’s about the uniformity of the
profile – that it looks like the whole thing was carved out of a
single chunk of green plastic and the joints were just cut in.
The
only place where this aesthetic is betrayed is the shoulders. Don’t
get me wrong – they look really good. Too
good. Rather than having that little overlap on top they should just
be straight cuts. But that’s hardly a big deal and is absolutely me
being nitpicky. But it’s just because I so adore what Super 7 and
Funko are doing with these guys.
Side
Note: I’m sitting here looking at my reference pictures and wanting
a 12 or even 24” version of this figure very badly.
The
other thing that might be slightly too modern is the paint app on the
Gillman’s torso. I was surprised to see it. Like the shoulders, it
looks great. But maybe too great.
Okay
– I’ll stop criticizing this figure for being too awesome. As I
said above – these aren’t recreations of an aesthetic, they’re
tributes to an aesthetic.
The
head sculpt is the perfect size and shape. I love the skull-like
profile of the Creature’s face. The open mouth manages to look
slightly menacing in a way that these figures often don’t. I’ve
got a six inch scale Gillman that looks downright giddy. The paint is
simple but great – two yellow dots for eyes and red in the mouth.
The
scales and plating on the body have just enough depth. They are part
of the profile without looking overly worked. The shape of the figure
is so
good
and really what sells it. That thick torso with the narrow little
limbs is what evokes that old-school figure nostalgia more than
anything else.
The
feet are nice and big and keep the figure standing without support. I
love the curve of the hands – when the arms are posed forward he
really looks like he’s reaching for something as opposed to doing
the zombie walk that most figures of this style do.
The
fins on the back are quite nice and just shy of that “too nice”
thing that I won’t shut up about.
Fun
You’d
think a figure with five points of articulation and zero accessories
couldn’t be much fun, right?
Well,
maybe it’s just nostalgia or how much I love the Gillman, but I
played with this guy for a while. He only has a few joints, but they
all work quite well. He can sit down, his head turns all the way
around, and his arms go up about as high as you need them to.
Despite
his limitations, he stayed on my desk for a couple of months in my
“Things to mess with while podcasting” pile.
And
of course, the point is to have a collection of these guys to
interact with one another. And I can totally see the appeal of that
after opening the Creature and playing with him.
Overall
Is
this action figure worth the $9.99 price tag?
If
you’re talking purely about materials and play value, then no. Of
course not. You’d be much better off buying one of the Star Wars
2-packs of similarly articulate figures with much
better sculpt and paint for the same price.
But
let’s be honest – we’re not buying these for those reasons.
We’re buying them because of the characters and the aesthetic.
That’s what we’re paying for and that’s why Funko has labeled
them as “For adult collectors”. These aren’t toys, they’re
collectibles and that’s why they’re ten bucks.
That
is, of course, a load of bullshit, but Super 7 and Funko have done
such a good job of it that I can’t really complain. It’s a very
attractive and manageable price point – which is part of the reason
Funko’s Pop! line has done so well – and I think it’s the right
one for the marketplace.
Plus,
as I’ve mentioned before I don’t rate value here.
5
out of 5
This
is a great, fun figure that looks great on the card or on the shelf.
I highly recommend it; the glow-in-the-dark or regular version. Or
both.
I
highly recommend that you buy it here, as a matter of fact:
I love the Universal Monsters figures from Funko! I like the Aliens line but the Universal and Modern Horror lines are probably the best. I've also got all of the Big Trouble stuff preordered: It's definitely in my top 10 movies list and definitely deserves all of the toys that can be made for it.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the Universal Monsters seem to fit this aesthetic the best. No franchise from after the late 80s seems quite right to me in this line. I am STOKED about the forthcoming Star Trek ReAction line!
DeleteOoooooh, Glow In The Dark... *drools* I'm really hoping Funko makes figures based off "The Thing" since they're already doing Big Trouble In Little China and Escape From New York figures. I'd kill for a Macready and Childs!
ReplyDeleteI would buy ReAction figures from The Thing, but I'm not sure how they'd accomplish the creatures. And you have to have the creatures. Now that you've got me thinking about it I really want to see Funko give it a shot.
DeleteHey Phantom, just thought I would shed some light on the 'Adult Collectible'/'Not a Toy' thing. Basically if a toy company wants their product to be classified as a 'toy' they have to pay for testing for things such as sharp edges,chipping paint, or anything that would make it unsafe for children. When the company just outright states 'Adult Collectible' or 'For Ages 15 and Up', they don't have to pay for such testing. Hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteSo I was on the right track. I think that's even more insidious than what I suggested. Either way, thanks for the info!
Delete