jedibear
01-24-2009, 06:36 PM
The second figure depicting a key opening moment from the original Star Wars film is here...the ill-fated rebel soldier, Captain Antilles.
I think he's a pretty decent figure...good sculpt, the paint apps are neat and the uniform well-tailored. High points are those boots...like his Imperial counterpart, Commander Praji, they feature a softer, more pliable material, molded in a rich brown and given a shiny finish that that does look sharp. The thin material used for the uniform does look good, but it does have the issue of not laying flat (especially around the shoulders)and while the uniform is done well, the stitching has a lot of minor fraying (which can be carefully cut away)...so he'll require some careful futzing to complete an appropriate appearance. Also, the box text does indicate a holster, but that "detailed" belt is nothing more than a strap around the waist...no holster in sight. And finally, the helmet's chin strap was glued awkwardly so that the chin strap will not run evenly across the sides of his face...as long as he is displayed with one profile or another, it's not noticeable, but a straight-on view does look a little awkward.
Again, with a little futzing, he can end up looking pretty good. The Buck body works okay with this character, which means the head is a completely painted sculpt, opposed to the flesh-molded and detailed ones featured on some more recent figures. Either works for me as long is it is executed well, and in the case of Antilles, it looks just fine. On to the helmet...it is the same well-crafted version that came with the recently released Rebel Trooper...very thin shell of plastic pieces featuring a real metal antennae...but it has no lining or padding of any kind, so care should be used in taking the helmet on and off to avoid scratching the hair. Speaking of which...
A sidenote: I've noticed that whenever a character features a full head of hair, the back of the head ends up scuffed and has some shiny spots from the packing tray. Since the figure is rarely displayed from the back, it's not a deal breaker, but considering the price for these figures, it would be good to see Sideshow make a better effort to insure that the figures reach the collector in as pristine condition as possible. Just an observation...
Captain Antilles and the Rebel Trooper are our first glimpse of people inhabiting that faraway galaxy...their distinctive uniforms and unique helmets instantly recall the opening moments of the original film as much as a certain hairdo or breathing mask...Sideshow has done a good job in presenting these Rebels in the sixth-scale format...
Here's some shots of the brave Captain of the Tantive IV and his stalwart Trooper...
I think he's a pretty decent figure...good sculpt, the paint apps are neat and the uniform well-tailored. High points are those boots...like his Imperial counterpart, Commander Praji, they feature a softer, more pliable material, molded in a rich brown and given a shiny finish that that does look sharp. The thin material used for the uniform does look good, but it does have the issue of not laying flat (especially around the shoulders)and while the uniform is done well, the stitching has a lot of minor fraying (which can be carefully cut away)...so he'll require some careful futzing to complete an appropriate appearance. Also, the box text does indicate a holster, but that "detailed" belt is nothing more than a strap around the waist...no holster in sight. And finally, the helmet's chin strap was glued awkwardly so that the chin strap will not run evenly across the sides of his face...as long as he is displayed with one profile or another, it's not noticeable, but a straight-on view does look a little awkward.
Again, with a little futzing, he can end up looking pretty good. The Buck body works okay with this character, which means the head is a completely painted sculpt, opposed to the flesh-molded and detailed ones featured on some more recent figures. Either works for me as long is it is executed well, and in the case of Antilles, it looks just fine. On to the helmet...it is the same well-crafted version that came with the recently released Rebel Trooper...very thin shell of plastic pieces featuring a real metal antennae...but it has no lining or padding of any kind, so care should be used in taking the helmet on and off to avoid scratching the hair. Speaking of which...
A sidenote: I've noticed that whenever a character features a full head of hair, the back of the head ends up scuffed and has some shiny spots from the packing tray. Since the figure is rarely displayed from the back, it's not a deal breaker, but considering the price for these figures, it would be good to see Sideshow make a better effort to insure that the figures reach the collector in as pristine condition as possible. Just an observation...
Captain Antilles and the Rebel Trooper are our first glimpse of people inhabiting that faraway galaxy...their distinctive uniforms and unique helmets instantly recall the opening moments of the original film as much as a certain hairdo or breathing mask...Sideshow has done a good job in presenting these Rebels in the sixth-scale format...
Here's some shots of the brave Captain of the Tantive IV and his stalwart Trooper...