The Scarecrow (McFarlane's Monsters) - Action Figure Reviews

Series: McFarlane’s Monsters 2, Twisted Land of Oz

Craftsmanship: 8.5 / 10

- Oodles of accessories but where do they all go

- Looks a shambles

- Limited poseability

- Good detail

Playability: 0.0 / 10

- Gruesome

- Small and spindly parts snap off under any kind of play

- Accessories very easily lost

- Action Figure: The Lion (McFarlane's Monsters)

- Action Figure: Sea Creature (McFarlane's Monsters)

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The Scarecrow (McFarlane' Monsters) by McFarlane Toys

Scarecrow really conveys his “made of straw” composition. He’s a friggin’ shambles, with sticks and straw poking out everywhere – never mind his metal

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prosthetic right leg (which is explained in the last instalment of the story).

In this instalment of the story, the trio of the Lion, the Tin Man and the Scarecrow meet Dorothy and Toto on their way to see the Wizard. Uhm… other than that there’s not much to report about the card back.

McFarlane has lavished

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the usual amount of high detail and stellar paint that everyone has come to know and love – even if it’s a figure that would give the average six-year old nightmares for months and possibly therapy later in life. Scarecrow is also loaded with accessories, a list that includes: several demonic crows (with exposed skeletons and entrails), a trio of pumpkins, a big scythe, a couple of sticks, and, of course, a severed head (choking on a corn cob). Assembling all this into a cohesive whole is a little time consuming since there are no directions as to where everything can and should be installed. Some points are obvious, but most are left to your imagination.

The remaining accessory, the piece of yellow brick road used as a stabilizer, wasn’t necessary. Scarecrow has three points of contact and he lacks any substantial articulation, so he’s stable enough as it is.

On the topic of articulation, there are four points as much as I can tell: the neck, left shoulder, left wrist, and left knee. All are seam joints and the knee and neck points are mostly useless. The sculpted angles don’t allow much movement, and if you twist the knee joint, Scarecrow won’t stay standing.

Playability is ranked right down there at the bottom of the barrel. First, it’s gruesome, particularly the severed head. On top of that is the risk of breaking Scarecrow to pieces even under regular play. He was made to resemble sticks and straw, and does a good job emulating sticks and straw, too. Breakable? Yes. And on top of everything else, Scarecrow has so many small accessories that you’re bound to lose some (possibly on purpose). He is compatible with the other Twisted OZ figures, in as much as posing them together makes sense but it’s not likely you’ll be playing with them.

At the end of the day, Scarecrow succeeds in being scary with his “barely together” presence. But he sure isn’t playable (or recommended for anyone under 17).

- Omni
(November 2, 2003)