Play Arts Kai Deluxe Watchmen Action Figure: Rorschach
If you have never read Watchmen, stop reading this column right now, go to your local comic book shop (or download the digital version) and read it. It’s worth your time, and I’m not going anywhere.
For those that just need a quick recap, Watchmen tells the story of a handful of all-too-human superheros and a scientist who attains the power of a god, all wrapped in the bounds of a murder-mystery, as anti-hero Rorshach searches for the murderer of ultra-right wing war veteran The Comedian.
This deluxe figure comes with two alternate heads with different mask patterns, three alternate sets of hands, a grappling gun and two grapnels, spray can and fire accessory and Rorscach’s journal, from which I will quote now;
‘The city is afraid of me. I have seen it’s true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over all the vermin will drown.’
Play Arts do not make cheap action figures. Instead, they aim for the highest level of detail, costume accuracy and figure customisation. If you don’t mind paying over a hundred bucks for an action figure, Play Arts is the toymaker for you. As an aside, I do not generally fit into this category, but hey, it’s Rorschach, right?
McFarlane Toys Deluxe 10-inch Rick Grimes
For the last five years, Deputy Sheriff Rick Grimes has led a plucky band of survivors through a post apocalyptic wasteland in the AMC series The Walking Dead. Accompanied by his son Carl and infant daughter, Rick has made some of the worst leadership decisions in history, but for some reason his companions keep listening to his orders.
McFarlane toys has been releasing Walking Dead action figures for the last few years, but the 5 inch scale makes them look like children amongst the rest of my 6 inch figures, so I’ve never really collected them. In series 5 they released an oversized Daryl Dixon on his chopper, but I didn’t see it on the shelves so never got around to checking it out.
Unlike some of the smaller figures, this 10-inch representation of Andrew Lincoln actually looks like the actor. His face bears the signature look of weary resignation that Rick has worn over the past few seasons, and his clothes are dirty and worn. McFarlane has always been good at fine detail, often at the expense of posability. And that’s where some collectors might have a problem…
By my understanding of the term, this is not really an action figure. While it is undoubtedly cool, the almost complete lack of articulation define this as less an action figure and more a statue or model kit. With the ability to swap the figure’s right arm, you’ve got the choice of exactly two poses; Rick with rifle slung awkwardly over his shoulder, and Rick pointing his revolver at a horde of approaching walkers. The latter pose is far cooler, particularly if you find a nemesis to point him at…
If you’re the sort of person who leaves their collectible action figures in their boxes, then this figure will be fine for you. If you’re the sort of person who likes setting up amusing dioramas using unboxed figures (ie actually playing with your toys), your options may be somewhat limited.
