Hot Toys Jack Sparrow

The latest from the DX series of figures created by Hot TOys, Jack Sparrow could possibly be the best figure produced by the company in 2011. The Captain is from the movie franchise, the Pirates of the Caribbean, already in its 4th installation. While I don't really like all the plots of the movie (Curse of the Black Pearl being my fav), I do enjoy watching Johnny Depp play the enigmatic adventurer, the very escence of which has been captured in the smirk on his face.

Now, the picture above is actually the prototype that was shown amongst HT's promotional preview of the figure. Between the dopey looking grin in the proto and the smirk of the final product, I can't really decide which I prefer. I do like the gold tooth showing, but the smirk is more often seen in the movie. And, a third interchangeable face is too much to ask... Yes it is. Is it...?

The PERS mechanism still impresses me, like how it did when I rolled the eyes of Heath Ledger Joker couple of years back. It is an innovation in toy design like no other, that really brings life to a figure. Another thing I noticed is that HT uses magnets quite often, from the box to the face, and even the scarf has a magnet to keep it secured as a loop... perhaps an indication of their obsession to keep visible joints and pegs to a minimum. The accessories? Tonnes. Interchangeable hands? 9 of them. The Black Pearl in the bottle is my favourite one, and I was plenty glad when they announced a crooked telescope to be the Sideshow exclusive. Phew! The hair is also sculpted to perfection, probably from all the experience HT's gained from Predator figures.

No details were overlooked when it comes to his costume. Twin belts, one for each gun, and a leather sling for the sword (blade made of chromed metal, unbelievable). Sculpted rings, furry animal skin, lucky voodoo charms and dolls, even the lace that reveals itself through the left sleeve. It is crazy that nothing is spared; some of items that I don't vividly recall seeing in the movies!

Captain Jack Sparrow also comes with the ship's wheel as a display base. Unlike Christopher Reeves Supes, this base is very well designed, sculpted and painted. Take a close look at it, and be convinved that the wheel is part of a ship that has seen the rain, the sun, the Kraken. The timber floorboard only has two holes, which allows the strings on the wheel to go through and secure the wheel to the base (also a nice way to terminate the coil of ropes). Apart from that, HT gives you the option whether or not to display the Pirates of the Caribbean movie logo. Fret not, if you don't like it, for it is secured using magnets (again!), so you won't see any pegs or holes even if you don't display the logo. The figure also comes with a flag pole and ship's flag, which I didn't assemble cause it doesn't really facinate me. Bottom seams of the brown overcoat conceals a wire to add more poseability to the figure.

I'm happy to own this DX, the 2nd from the series in my collection. Even if you are not a huge fan of the movie, I'm sure you'll be blown away by all the tiny details that made the toy an incredible figure that it is. I have Jack displayed standing in front of the wheel, bottled Pearl in the right hand, leaning his weight on his left leg, while his right foot is about to step on the rum bottle lying on the deck. The face? Smirking, of course.

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Sideshow Darth Vader

The Star Wars I know was first introduced to me when I was slightly younger than 10 years of age, in the late 80s. I remember watching my father's old VHS tapes of Star Wars recorded from the local english tv channel on an old VCR, repeatedly over lunch after returning home from school. I loved the effects, the costumes, light saber battles, magic lighting from the Emperor, cool looking bots and vehicles and creatures. At that time, I didn't really understand the conflicts and struggles and relationships. Then, like other things, Star Wars became a memory that I eventually phased out of... It wasn't until '01 that I picked up the Trilogy novel (yes, first published in '76 to '83) that it dawned upon me that those scenes I've chucked to the back of my mind, yet vividly remember, were what they were: Epic.

2001 was also the year when I started to collect toys again, having a bit of income and spare time from wearing green. I started with Generation 1 Transformers (which was also a phase I have passed), and by 2009 I bought my first 1/6th, the Hot Toys Iron Man Mark 3. Even though I knew Star Wars figs were around (be it 3.75" or 12"), I never got around to buy them, mainly because I thought they were quite poorly sculpted / designed and never really appealed to me. Recently though, after Episode 3, Sideshow's Vader caught my attention. I've done my bit of research online and was totally convinced that SS's Vader really is the best representation of the iconic villian to be made. Thing is, I've decided to come into the scene too late. By this time, a MIB Sideshow Vader already commands around S$300 in local eBay (and much more on international). It was not a sum that I like to pay, and to be honest I was happy to give it a miss, knowing that its purchase might trigger a chain of buying frenzy that was 12" Star Wars figures.

So... how did I eventually land a Sideshow Vader...? I'll disclose it at the end of this review. But now, the pics and some thoughts about the figure...

Vader's my first and only Star Wars figure, but I've seen enough photographs online to know that he is slightly oversized, towering over the other 12" figures. Some might argue that it is rightly so, but I think he is really too tall... Nonetheless, standing alone with no other Star Wars figures around him, the size gives it a majestic and menacing presence. I loved all the materials that SS used on him, from the high gloss plastics of the helmet and armours, to the double layered cape, and finally the seamlessly (or seam-ful, rather) sewn black astronaut space suit that he is wearing. The buttons were also painted metallic green and red to simulate light effects, a nice touch to the overall black, dark looking figure. There's really nothing to say about this figure that is sculpted to perfection. I'll let the photographs do the talking.

You'll probably noticed by now that I haven't swapped out the interchangeable hands with the others that came with the box, nor do you see the unlit saber hanging from his belt hook. Truth is, I don't have them...! I bought Vader loose as it is.

Vader and I met in a chance encounter at a local retail store called "The Toy Outpost". The retail concept isn't new: If you have something you like to sell, you can rent a display locker from this store, located in prime local shopping centres with high consumer traffic (Vivo-city, in this instance). If your item gets sold, the Outpost gets a cut (something like eBay). I like to pop by the Outpost whenever I'm in Vivo-city, just to check things out... Of the 20 or 30 times that I've been there, I've always been disappointed. Most of the time, the prices are exorbitant, to say the least. It's as though the sellers want to tempt uninformed tourists into buying on impulse.

However, I lucked out last Sunday when I was there. Standing behind rows of other Star Wars 12" figures (lousy ones, such as Windu, Quigon and Asajj, etc) and in the bottom most display locker was Vader. I couldn't see the price tag on him, so I asked the sales assistant to open the locker to investigate. When she told me the price, I almost didn't believe my ears. Was there a cheap Hasbro figure of Vader that was so well made...? Is this really the Sideshow version? Then, all my online research came to good use. Checkered paint-ap on the face, check. Silver and black knobs at the corners of the triangle mouthpiece, check. "Sideshow Collectibles" engraved on the bottom of the display stand, check. Of course, there was a catch. It only comes with the hands it has on, a light saber, and display stand. I can only imagine what has happened to its original owner: Took figure out from box, equipped him with light saber and displayed him. The box, with the unlit saber and 3 interchangeable hands still in it, was thrown away by Mom or Maria, ignorant of the precious items still in it.

This purchase really made me a happy man, which lasted all of two weeks. I still smile whenever I look at it, standing there in my display cabinet. Do I need those extra accessories that it should have? Well, they are probably good to have. However, this here is the bare minimum that makes the figure still collectible, and I paid a good price for it.

Will this figure kick-start a Star Wars 12" figure collection? Hmmm... I do have my eyes set on Boba... maybe an old Storm Trooper or two...

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ThreeA 1/6 JEA Boss

Recently scored an original 1/6 ThreeA JEA Boss, which is actually a repaint of a vinyl figure by the company. Though the Bambaboss doesn't belong to any series / universes introduced by 3A, the JEA is a colourway from the World War Robot series. As with the other members of the JEA (which means Joint Earth Alliance, I think... not too sure), the figure sports the usual insignias "JEA 80" and "Yumiko DIV" on him.

The JEA Bambaboss was released as a secret drop in limited quantities on Christmas of 2010, the whole sale period lasting a little under 20 minutes... I wasn't there, having started collecting 3A much later... but I could read all the excitement, love and loss from the old forum thread. The JEA Boss became one of my grails to be hunted down since I started with 3A, especially since I really like the JEA colour scheme. This Bambaboss easily became one of my favourites, amongst the three that I currently own (other 2 being 2nd and 3rd Anniversary releases).

The Bambaboss figure really belongs to the designer toy / vinyl figure genre, with very limited (yet essential) articulation and interchangeable faces. I would describe it as a stylized humanoid figure with chubby proportions. The figure seems to be wearing loose basketball shorts matched with a hoodie that terminates into an almost perfect circle, within which sits the face of the figure. It is so simplified and stylized, that the figure's side profile looks almost like the top part of a submarine's periscope that emerges from the water. A cloud of smoke rises from the back of the figure, another prominent feature of these Bambaboss figures.

Three interchangeable face plates come with the figure: the human, the twin-canister gas mask, and the cyclop. If you invert the gas mask, the outcome is a stump-horned creature, somewhat like the famous Hellboy himself. Of course, it is probably not intended to be fitted on this way... When I purchased this 1/6th figure, the Action Portable (AP) version was already released. In a short span of a couple of months, 3A released the AP versions of all existing Bambaboss designs as resident sales at Bambaland. Of the 9, I bought only 1, which is the JEA. However, I haven't taken it out from its brown carton box yet, reason being the human face plate. Now, among the 3 face plates, my personal fav is the human one. From in-hand pictures of AP Bosses I see online, I can already tell that the 1/12 human face plate is not as circular as I want it to be, and certainly not as round as its 1/6 counterpart. It is very telling from any of the photographs featured here, that at the 4-to-5 and 7-to-8 o'clock positions of the circular face, the roundness is somehow "shaved off", for some reason... and that irks me alot. Also, the faceplate of the AP version does not sit deep enough within the hoodie, another thing that I find rather irritating. While the AP version is representative of their 1/6 counterparts in general proportions, there are small details that reveals their inadequacies, which kinda puts me off...

The simple, clean colour scheme and the chubby proportions for this range of figures is a major, major appeal for me. Articulation-wise, the ball jointed ankles and waist cut, complimented by the interchangeable face plates, gives the figure an reasonable amount of poseability, not to mention the rotatable smoke cloud and wrist cuts. Overall, the design of this figure is quite pleasingly eccentric: rectilinear robot feet, round human attire, rectilinear gloved hands with a larger right palm (yes... pay attention to the two palms and you'll notice the left one is somewhat smaller). It being JEA is really the icing on the cake. Something unique about the JEA Boss that I like alot is the olive coloured ring around its eye (consistent for all 3 face plates)... In short, a timely reminder (for me) of the potential ThreeA has in delivering high quality, interesting figures. Having said that... AK Rehel? Easy pass!

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Hot Toys New Goblin

So... James Franco turned out to be a pretty cool Harry Osborne in Sam Raimi's Spider-man trilogy huh...? Back in 2002 when the movie was released, I thought Franco's looks were pretty far from how the comics portrayed Harry Osborne to be... Then again, they would've casted Tommy Lee Jones instead of Willem Dafoe if they really wanted to stick to the comics, wouldn't they...?

I'm not really a fan of the armoured Goblin look for Normon Osborne in the movie, cause I thought it wouldn't be too difficult to create a realistic looking Goblin that pays more tribute to the comics. Even that purple glider was a flop... The New Goblin in Spider-man 3, much like his predecessor, wasn't like anything seen in the comics either. This time however, the costume designers just cladded James Franco in what seems like customized snowboarding gear. Hell, even the glider has become a hovering snowboard. Between the two, I do prefer the modern snowboarder look than the cheesy armoured Goblin. The green, black and silver makes a pretty interesting colour combination, and all the elbow pads, buckles, straps and claws come together pretty nicely.

The snowboard comes with an electronic light up feature, which I couldn't care less for... Truth be told, I don't have much faith in Hot Toy's electronics stuff. My Iron Man Mark IV loves to turn its chest repulsor light on by itself, while the same light on my War Machine suddenly became dim even when I seldom turn it on during the brief 3 months that it stands on my shelf. Not a big fan of lights (and sounds), especially when they don't work very well. Furthermore, I don't really think it is an incentive here to have the snowboard glider's twin fans light up. As it is, the board already looks super detailed. What I like most about it is the ball-ended pegs that came with the figure which is removable, but when fitted, allows you to attach the board to the soles of New Goblin's feet! We have seen magnets and permanent pegs being used in 6" action figures like the Silver Surfer, and neither looks very well. Of course, unlike the surf board which is a clean smooth surface, the glider with its twin fans gives Hot Toys an opportunity to conceal the peg holes for the detachable ball-ended pegs... an opportunity I'm glad they seized.

The alternate unmasked head sports the likeness of James Franco, though not really identical. If the Christopher Reeves Superman head is 95% accurate, I would say this is only 80%. I wouldn't mind a 3rd head with his battle-damaged disfigured unmasked head, but perhaps that would be asking too much...

The figure comes with three blades with varying lengths (short, medium, long). With the long blade in hand, the other two can be fitted snugly into the sheaths that are strapped to the figure's right thigh and back. The claws on his right arm are also nicely detailed to slide off and be replaced by blank plates. He also comes with the infamous goblin bombs; one that explodes (much like the one that disfigured the Harry Osborne in the movie) and one with extended wings (with homing function and cuts instead of exploding). The winged bomb is an interesting addition, but it looks silly if you let the figure hold it, since it was not supposed to be tossed like a boomerang (the wings are supposed to extend themselves in mid-air after being tossed in its spherical form). Still, I've seen pretty wild photos taken with these winged bombs in some photoshopped action.

The figure also comes with a display base (square) with an acrylic pole and C clamps at its top so that the figure can be held up as though it is hovering. However, the figure is quite heavy and the acrylic pole tends to bend over time. This isn't really an issue for me... just make sure you remember to rotate the pole by 180-degrees every fortnight or so and it shouldn't bend too drastically / permanently deform.

Even though the story has been told a million times (friend kills evil dad, attempts revenge, fails, helps friend kill bad guys, ends up dead), I still love the part when New Goblin showed up to kick Sandman's ass. This New Goblin figure is really well done, and I'm glad Hot Toys brought an obscure character like this to life. I'm really looking forward to the Sandman diorama that is coming with the Symbiote Spidey, which I'm glad to say I've pre-ordered. Reminds me of a photograph that I did with the 6" versions of these characters' action figures. In my opinion, the Symbiote Spidey beats the original red one (which I've decided to give a miss) in terms of value-for-money. I'll remind myself to dig out my Marvel Legends Icons red / blue spidey for some epic shots!

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