When I decided to review the Predator 2 Trophy Wall from NECA yesterday, I thought it would be a quick n’ easy review. I would be getting home late and had to be at work early, it would be perfect! Or so I thought until I realized I was breaking two big toy blogging rules. First, never plan to review something you haven’t opened & inspected yet. And two, if you’re in a hurry, don’t review something that will make you picture crazy.
I’d been planning on picking up the Trophy Wall for awhile. As I’ve said previously, I’m not the biggest Alien/Predator fan in the world, but I enjoy the films and if a toy company is going to make really nice toys of a property I like… well, I’m generally screwed after that! This week, I happened to run across it in person at Hastings. I wasn’t really there to spend $60, but… I just couldn’t leave without it. I knew it was a cool piece; it was a good price, and damn was the box heavy. Perceived value, right there, friends.
I brought it home and had to set it aside before I could open it. No biggie. When I opened it for the review last night though, I encountered my first major setback. BUSTED. For a second, I was similarly broken up. It turns out the heft of the piece comes from being a resin or a polystone and a little more fragile than I was expecting. It was a good reminder that this is more display piece than toy and that I will need to keep the box for transport should the need arise.
The piece was well-packed in Styrofoam & cardboard. I’m not sure how it managed to break in there, but things tend to find a way. And, if you’ve ever been to a Hastings, you know they tend to have more product than shelf space.
Well, I’m not the type that gets bent of whack over this sorta thing. Usually, if something’s broken, I’ll just return it and get another. That wasn’t possible here as there wasn’t a replacement. Luckily though, the plastic bag inside the Styrofoam, inside the cardboard, was intact and the big chunk that had broken off as well as some smaller pieces were all still present. Somebody get some superglue! STAT!
Now that I was almost good as new (there is a visible seam on the backside, but it looks great from the front!) it was time to put things together. Out of the box, it’s mostly ready, but nine plastic “skull holders” have to be attached. It’s pretty straightforward, most of the posts are individually sized to specific ports, but you can refer to the packaging if you’re not sure. I did have a couple little oddities – two of the pegs had attachments on the ends that had to be removed so the pegs would fit. I think they were duplicates of the holders embedded in the wall, but I’m not sure why they were there. Once I figured out to pull them off, everything went pretty smoothly.
Once it’s all together, even before the skulls are added, the piece is stunning. The material used is able to capture a tremendous level of detail. Its nuts. Thing is, I can’t really compare it to the movie because we don’t get to see the wall up close or even for very long in the film, but this feels like a faithful adaptation. The sculpt verges on fantastic if I had to just use one word. Nearly everywhere you look, there is some slight detail. On top of that sculpt are some terrific paint applications. There’s not a level of intricacy so much as a as just a mix of the right hues and washes to give everything a very high-end, realistic feel.
The other impressive thing is the size. The wall is nearly 11” tall, 11.5” wide, and over 4” deep. If you pick up this piece, be prepared to give it some room. It seems silly to just break this thing down by measurements. It’s one of those rare pieces that are just difficult to describe. That’s probably why there are twenty pictures in the gallery on the next page. Continue to Page 2…
Okay, readers, my wife & I have a bet going. Which picture is funniest?
#19
I would say why, but… spoilers.
My money is on the Bill Paxton Memorial for funniest pic. Awesomely done!
Thanks, Sledgehamma!
Number 19 with Skeletor’s head on the wall is pretty good, but it gets a lot of energy from the two preceding photos.
As a stand alone, I’ll go with number 12. The goofy little skeleton and the big “what are you doing?” pantomime from the other Predator is a great single panel that doesn’t even need so much as a word balloon to get the point across.
Plus, what is that skeleton? It’s neat. 😛
That is Glo-Bones from 1988’s Pocket Power! It was a fun little line where all sorts of toys fit into these pocket sized containers. Glo-Bones was the only figure though.
Yeah, this one gets my vote. You can just imagine the Pred on the right grunting, “Really? Really?!”
The mask somehow had the perfect look on it’s… er, face. lol
akh, were does that version of she-hulk came from? damn you, Noisy!!
I got her in a comic 2pk with a Brown Wolverine I believe. It was either late last year of earlier this year. 🙂
ah, found it. seems like late summer/fall 2012. totally underwent my radars… maybe while i haven’t had any MU at that moment 😀
Great review and pics. “We should go”: pants-wettingly funny every time it’s used. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go change my pants.
Thanks, Beedo! Just be careful to not ruin the electronics!
Not a problem. I don’t have electronic pants.
You get 1000 points for that last comic! The fabled movie death trifecta!
I wonder what Bill Paxton wants to be remembered for? lol Though this is certainly better than bring interchangeable with Bill Pullman…
that gallery cracks me up!
esp the final gag and the mixed/Bizarro NG crew of Lt Picard, Tom Riker, and Cmdr. Data!
No Walking Dead figures, tho? 🙁
I’ve seen them at Walgreens for $13, but ordered several off Amazon at $15+.
I most likely won’t get or even SEE this, but it is some fine work in the sculpting.
You have a Hastings down there? only one I know of is in Jeff.
I don’t own any Walking Dead figs, nope. I might go to Walgreen’s to check ’em out, but I don’t think I’ll need ’em.
Our local Hastings closed a year or two back, but there is one not too far into Kansas. They stick to small towns for whatever reason.
The funniest: the one with the predator offering the Mexican day of the dead skeleton to his bud.
What toyline is the elephant-headed guy in the Hamlet scene from?
That’s Ramathorr, from the Seventh Kingdom line by the Four Horsemen.
Thanks, James!
Thanks, Tim!
i would have to say photo 15, the scale shot. reason being, the royal guardsman is the only minotaur i have out at the moment, so when i spotted him, i laughed.
for sheer joketitude? the next gen crew inspecting the wall. that’s the least violent tv show this side of the golden girls and they just walked into a trophy room full of skulls. if that doesn’t tickle your funny bone, you don’t have one.
I thought they were a good fit too! Took forever to find the alt costume ones though!
For some reason, with the Predator holding the Glo-Bones, I pictured him saying “My name’s Woody! Howdy howdy howdy!” I have no other explanation, other than wondering if the Predators play with their skulls…
And go Hastings! Eastern readers don’t recognize the chain, but I’ve cleaned out the local stores of a lot of comics and the occasional figure.
Our closed a bit ago, so I had forgotten how nice it was just to SEE some of the stuff they carry. I didn’t need much of it at, but it was cool to check it out.
Oh come on, you can’t just pick one. It’s hard for me to not take the “We Should Go” series as a set (though I’ll pick the Starfleet one if forced). That said, the tribute to the Paxton Anomaly is great fun. Also, I’m shocked at how a simple “dude, I don’t know” pose can make any figure hilarious (pic 12).
RAMATHORR! Good to see you again, Big Guy.
All good choices, Pax. The funny thing on the We Should Go set was that I almost screwed it up. Mek was going to say something else and it wasn’t til I thumbed through the gallery that I caught it. If you look closely at the thumbnail, you’ll see a much longer response from Mek. 🙂
I think the the pic with Skeletor’s head on the wall is the funniest. It’s one of those that takes you a second to catch, and when you do it makes it all the better.
Those kinds are always fun!
This diorama is one of those items up there on my list of things I fully intend to buy on that mythical, far-off day called “When I have more money.”
If I’d been there on a different day, I might not have been able to come home wiht it. It was good timing!
If NECA did the wall from Deadliest of the Species many would freak at the trophies. A Wolverine hand, Batman Skull, Nexus or Cyclops Skull, a Klingon skull (woulda been funny with the star trek guys) and some others. Have to hunt down a pic of it.
Here it is.
http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/easteregg2-7-1.jpg
That’s cool! Thanks for the pic!
That lil’ skeleton pic cracked me up. It was the funniest.
Man, those captions are funny..but..we should probaly go!