THE STORY BEHIND "THE ALIEN KING"

The video of how the Alien King came into being. You'll learn about the close relationship of Sideshow Team with one of the leader artists behind "Aliens" movie to create this piece. You can also see the video and detailed pictures of the figures on Sideshow Collectibles site.

FACE TO FACE: NEWER VERSION NOT ALWAYS MEANS BETTER VERSION

I realized that Hot Toys in an effort I admire to keep things fresh, redoes the heroes (actors?) faces for every new iteration of their characters. In my opinion, not always for the better. I don’t know if you’ll agree with me but let me show you some examples, after all an image worth a thousand words and two side by side should value even more. I really would like to hear some comments about this post. Oh, and I couldn’t left out the two versions of Hermione from Star Ace, so this not become a Hot Toys only issue.

Obs.: All of these figures (except the first Black Widow that is sold out) can be found on Sideshow Collectibles site. There's a search engine at the top so you can find the one you want to know better.

I LIKE FRIDAY THE 13TH AND I LIKE MINIMALISM

Sideshow celebrated this Friday 13^th with two launches. One I really don’t care about because I don’t like action figures and they launched a Jason action figure. On the other hand the other is a magnificent poster of Jason which is minimalist (I like that) and yet detailed where it needs to be. It’s a basically a three color close-up of my favorite serial killer, the one that frightened me as hell as child and cheered me at my teens. To me this is the best poster since the first Spider-Woman one (the only Sideshow premium print that I have). If you like all things Jason check Sideshow today. Besides the poster and the action figure, there’s also a premium format figure with one of the most coolest and funny bases yet: it rounded by frames of Jason’s most famous murders. It’s awesome as it’s cheesy. Just like Jason!   

Jason can't get cooler than that. 

The base of Jason PF! Sadistic murders! Lots of fun!

I’VE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY FOR NOT BEING AN ALIEN SUPERFAN

Sideshow recently opened pre-order for a stunning Alien piece entitled the Alien King. They have help from the guy who work on the effects of the Aliens movie to imagine how would be if in the aliens hierarchy besides a queen there was a king. The result is nothing short of awesome. The menacing figure has a more pointy and sharp design than your normal alien and is posed on a complex diorama where several smaller aliens soldiers come to aid crumbling out of their holes is fantastic. A dream came true to every Aliens franchise fan out there. I’m glad I’m not one of them (even though I think the Aliens series is one of the best there are, I like all the movies very much, being the first two obviously at the top) I say that because the figure, which is not that huge, is pricey: a thousand dollars!

Looking at the sculpture with the gigantic main character and the several perfected modelled soldier aliens you can say the price is fair. Aliens is an expensive brand and the design, modelling, casting and painting of this image are extremely complex and requires a lot of work. This is no ordinary piece. Is a tour de force of what Sideshow can produce. A serious contender to Skeletor as the best statue to come this year. (but my heart is still with Eternia’s main villain!). If only I have a deeper wallet and there was not a Deadpool on my way I would certainly pick one of those kings to me. Not so much because I like the series but for the craftsmanship of the piece. Epic. Worth every penny to whom have all these pennies to spent. Take a look at some pics.

I’M NOT A STAR WARS FAN BUT...

I’m not a Star Wars fan (even though I have seen all the seven movies) but it doesn’t mean that all Star Wars products go undetected by me. I think something strange happens because what grabs my attention are things that fans may dislike. If I were to have something Star Wars it would be Ralph McQuarrie’s Exclusive BobaFett (oh, the white T helmet is so cool) because it is the opposite of the original one in the sense that it is clean and sleek, predominately white with lighter tones of the other colors. The normal helmet also caught my attention because it looks like those 1950’s sci-fi illustrations and this retro feel is quite nice to me. I’ve pre-ordered this statue but had to give up because Dark Phoenix appeared and stole my heart. It’s not out of my plans to buy this figure if I can make money selling my brand new Tweeterhead 66 Batman & Robin and Zombee Toys Cat figure.

The best to the end: exclusive T helmet. White! Lovely.

The other Star Wars figure that caught my attention was the black and golden “imperal” version of R2-D2, called R2-Q5. I found it so darn cool and cute. Again clean and sleek compared to the original, that I think I’ll use my orders reward points to get him with a discount if it’s still available until then.

For some reason I believe the hardcore fans of Star Wars don’t like this alternate versions very much, preferring the “real deal” versions of their beloved characters. I may be completely wrong because I don’t know any Star Wars fan myself. But I certainly hope so, so I earn the extra time I need to gather the money to grab these two pieces before they go sold out.

To be completely honest, I’m only daydreaming here because now I only have eyes to one figure: the new Deadpool Premium Format Figure. And if I have to choose where to put my money (if I earn it) in Bobba Fett sleek version or the new PF Deadpool the latter would be a no brainer for me. It seems to be one of the coolest poses in Sideshow’s history. I’m only afraid of the part they didn’t show yet. I hope I don’t get another disappointment as with the PVC fire on Dark Phoenix legs and base. I’m on my toes, eagerly waiting to see the whole piece when it goes pre-order. I’m also afraid of the price. I hope very much it stays under $450. $500 at max, even though I think is a bit too much for such a niche character. His license can’t be that expensive, besides all the hype from the movie (which turn out to be very cool at the end, if you can live with some American Pie level jokes that is. At least I enjoyed every minute of it and plan to watch it again!).   

On a sad side note, I’ve cancelled the pre-order I did for the new F4F ¼ Samus in Varia Suit. Will need the money to buy Deadpool in case I don’t sell none of the figures I’m planning. I’m sorry First4Figures you nail it and surparss yourselves with the new Samus, but Sideshow also surpassed itself on Deadpool. And there’s a difference on that.

THE BEST STATUE OF 2016 IMHO...

The best of 2016. Hands down.

SDCC has come and gone and now all the cards are on the table what makes this post all the more valid today. I'll go direct to the point: for me the best statue this year by a far margin is Sideshow Collectibles rendition of Skeletor to the reimagined Masters of The Universe line-up. I can’t imagine how much effort and creativity went into modelling it and design the new meaner and realistic skull not to mention the ultra cool yellow skull head of Sideshow’s Exclusive version (to me the best Exclusive item to date, beating even Deadpool’s dead chicken arm and the graceful Jean Grey head of Dark Phoenix). I can’t decide which head to choose since both are so well modeled and painted. I guess I’ll keep on changing them every week just for the sake of perpetually renewed coolness.

But, beyond the heads, the armor and sword are what really set this figure apart any other this year. Even though Skeletor is a 1/5 scale figure its armor is more detailed than Doctor Doom Legendary Scale one (also from Sideshow) which says a lot, since, Doctor Doom is an extremely intricate detailed and huge sculpture. I really hope the final version can deliver all the little tiny details in every part of the armor, a true labor of love from the artists involved (Nathan Mansfield and Matt Black in the sculpting and Adam Smith and Chadwick Anderson in mold and cast).

Pointy skeleton-like fingers. Awesome staff,

I even love the cape with its weary black layers on the back and purple velvet on the inside. The thin and pointy fingers, thinner yet strong arms, everything was modeled to perfection here. Everything in proportion, no anatomy anomalies, simply put: there are no flaws in this statue. If I were to mention one is that the base is not as detailed as the rest of the piece causing a bit of dissonance in the whole, but nothing that pales this astonishing work. I don’t mind Skeletor have nipples or a belly button. I mind it to be on my collection this November. And that he arrives intact and well finished (because after this...).

Layered weary cape. The thing of a darkness being.

Although not as detailed as the rest, a cool base nonetheless.

To me, Skeletor is the best statue in Sideshow’s history and one that will be hard to beat. I know this is a bold statement to do but I’m pretty convinced of it. And yes I look at Sideshow Archives every now and then. But they only get better at every new launch so much so that the past efforts look like sketches of things nowadays.

The statue in its full glory.

Is that the enemy of She-Ra on the belt?

Such a nice "couple".

I would be glad to hear your thoughts about the Skeletor figure and which figure you would choose as the best of the year so far.

You can read an interview with Skeletor's sculptor Matt Black here, where he speaks about the figure among other things. There's a second part of the interview that is as interesting as the first here. Don't miss the reading is totally worthwhile.

OTHER COOL EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS FROM CCF:

- Erick Sosa

- Sideshow Collectibles Alfred Paredes

- XM Studios Bryan Tan

- Randy Bowen

- Iron Studios Gabriel Ebehardt

- Prime 1 Studios Alvaro Ribeiro

THE BEST STATUE OF 2016 …ALREADY?!

The best of 2016. Hands down.

I know is a little too early for this with so many awesome figures yet to come, but for me the best statue this year by a far margin is Sideshow Collectibles rendition of Skeletor to the reimagined Masters of The Universe line-up. I can’t imagine how much effort and creativity went into modelling it and design the new meaner and realistic skull not to mention the ultra cool yellow skull head of Sideshow’s Exclusive version (to me the best Exclusive item to date, beating even Deadpool’s dead chicken arm and the graceful Jean Grey head of Dark Phoenix). I can’t decide which head to choose since both are so well modeled and painted. I guess I’ll keep on changing them every week just for the sake of perpetually renewed coolness.

But, beyond the heads, the armor and sword are what really set this figure apart any other this year. Even though Skeletor is a 1/5 scale figure its armor is more detailed than Doctor Doom Legendary Scale one (also from Sideshow) which says a lot, since, Doctor Doom is an extremely intricate detailed and huge sculpture. I really hope the final version can deliver all the little tiny details in every part of the armor, a true labor of love from the artists involved (Nathan Mansfield and Matt Black in the sculpting and Adam Smith and Chadwick Anderson in mold and cast).

Pointy skeleton-like fingers. Awesome staff,

I even love the cape with its weary black layers on the back and purple velvet on the inside. The thin and pointy fingers, thinner yet strong arms, everything was modeled to perfection here. Everything in proportion, no anatomy anomalies, simply put: there are no flaws in this statue. If I were to mention one is that the base is not as detailed as the rest of the piece causing a bit of dissonance in the whole, but nothing that pales this astonishing work. I don’t mind Skeletor have nipples or a belly button. I mind it to be on my collection this November. And that he arrives intact and well finished (because after this...).

Layered weary cape. The thing of a darkness being.

Although not as detailed as the rest, a cool base nonetheless.

To me, Skeletor is the best statue in Sideshow’s history and one that will be hard to beat. I know this is a bold statement to do but I’m pretty convinced of it. And yes I look at Sideshow Archives every now and then. But they only get better at every new launch so much so that the past efforts look like sketches of things nowadays.

The statue in its full glory.

Is that the enemy of She-Ra on the belt?

Such a nice "couple".

I would be glad to hear your thoughts about the Skeletor figure and which figure you would choose as the best of the year so far.

You can read an interview with Skeletor's sculptor Matt Black here, where he speaks about the figure among other things. There's a second part of the interview that is as interesting as the first here. Don't miss the reading is totally worthwhile.