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Gunslinger Spawn 12"
by McFarlane Toys
There’s a level of suspension of disbelief involved
when reviewing any action figure. Unless a figure is created using a real life
actor as the source material (like James Bond) action figures lean toward the
fantastic. But even taking this into account, I
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have real issues with Gunslinger Spawn’s absolutely
ridiculous hat.
There’s no doubt that his towering presence over other action figure is
impressive as is the great sculpt and paintjob but that hat… with all the other
styles available, why choose that one? It gets the low, close-to-the-eyes brim
right but the rounded stovepipe remainder was a poor choice. The hat is a take
on the old “undertakers”
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style, which old time funeral directors have been
known to wear. But this is Gunslinger Spawn not Undertaker Spawn.
The sculpt here does justice to the comic book art on which it is based (and the
6” figure that came before this 12” monster) but McFarlane should have packed
Gunslinger Spawn with a second hat or even a third that could be swapped in.
It’s definitely a missed opportunity.
Possibly the most impressive features of Gunslinger Spawn is the fact he can
stand on his own. He’s surprisingly balanced but the stabilizing factor is the
long coat, which hangs so low that it acts as a third point of contact. He’s not
very poseable so there’s no real worry of manipulating him into an unstable
pose.
All the articulation is of the seam joint variety (8 points), which allows
relatively light poseability. Fortunately the sculpt is so impressive that
there’s nothing lost in the way of “freshness” because the figure is so
detailed. Because the figure is so big, McFarlane has been able to crank up the
detail a notch or two above the 6” original. I particularly like the inlay on
the boots, the insignia on the back of the coat, and the creases in the pants.
Combined, it makes Spawn look gaunt, which is a contrast to his usual
muscle-bound bulkiness.
For whatever reason, he features rubber hands along the lines of McFarlane’s NHL
figures. They could have easily been made from hardened plastic because nothing
can actually be put in his hands – the holstered pistols are for show since
they’re glued in place.
Playability is the old clichéd and proverbial mixed bag. While he’s compatible
with other 12” figures to a large extent (particularly past 12” Spawn figures)
his lack of useful articulation is a big hit to the playability department.
There’s also the danger of his belt accoutrements being snapped or ripped off –
most at risk is the collection of bones on the rope hanging from his belt. The
securing hoop on the on belt is entirely too thin to offer any kind of
durability. Rough play is out, but diorama possibilities are a-okay.
I’m beginning to think that all Spawn figures should ship in this 12” size
because it allows more detail and the possibility of more articulation. Compared
to it’s 6” original, Gunslinger Spawn kicks ass. The price tag could be ruled
excessive by all but the biggest collectors and Spawn fans but it would still be
cool to have figures this big all the time.
- Omni
(November 13, 2005)
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