My current toy collection is a testament to the incredible sculpting, paint, and articulation made possible by the innovations of today’s toy companies; BUT, I’m still a child of the 80’s and my plastic addiction began out in the backyard, slamming the likes of Luke Skywalker, Skeletor, Soundwave, and Leonardo into one another and utilizing all of their limited articulation to its fullest! Maybe that’s why seeing Funko & Super7’s ReAction figure line hanging on the pegs broke through my tough and crusty exterior, pulled on my nostalgia bone (the third rib down on the left), and forcibly tore the ill-gotten cash from my clutches. Today, I’m taking a closer look at the Alien action figures of Dallas and The Alien – based on the classic rom-com by Ridley Scott. Am I happy to have a Tom Skerritt figure? You better believe it!
The packaging (which I normally never bring up in my reviews because, who gives a crap?) is a big part of the overall presence and nostalgic pull that make these things so friggin’ hard to resist. From the rectangular bubble, to the gloss of the cardback, the packaging practically screams “Kenner”! As you’ll notice, the ReAction logo even shares the same font as the classic Kenner design. The back of the card shows all of the figures in the first series and also features two photos which explain the Alien’s action features. The flavor text for the toyline reads:
Relive the exciting action of ALIEN with authentically detailed ReAction figures! Start your own collection of sturdy, plastic, posable figures – each measures 3 1/2 to 4 inches tall! All have movable parts and are ready for space adventures!
By “space adventures” they mean “dying horrible, horrible deaths”.
When it comes to the sculpt, these cats fit right in with other toys from the time they harken back to. Y’know, that time in our rich history when accurate facial features didn’t really matter as long as the basic recognizable clothing was there, and when static standing poses were the only type of poses– and if you thought differently then you were a Commie! Dallas sports his luscious locks and beard, worthy of the USCSS Nostromos’ Captain. His shirt, jacket, pants, and sweet tennis shoes are all present and accounted for. As for the Alien, it keeps the simplistic, rounded, styling but adds a ton of sculpted detailing throughout the body. This simplified version of H.R. Giger’s masterpiece has the elongated head, protuberances along its back, and the long, vertebrae-like tail curling just above the ground. All of this, added with the translucent dome make the alien appear to be a little more complicated than the Star Wars aliens and other Kenner figures of yore, but not so much that he’s completely out of place.
Paint on these two is minimal. Yet another area that I’d normally hate, but works so well here. Dallas has that odd, pale skintone used on most caucasian Kenner figures, with gloss black for his hair, beard, and eyes. His eyes have actually been stamped just above where they need to be and I honestly don’t know if this was intentional or Funko & Super7 being clever. Tricky bastards! A different shade of tan has been used for his shirt, and the patches on his shoulders are basic red. His sneakers are gloss white as well– cause even in space, ballers like Tom Skerritt keep their shoes clean!
Dallas has five points of articulation, and the Alien sports 6 (7 if you count the action feature). That’s almost unheard of by today’s standards for adult collectibles, but a couple decades ago, that’s all you got– and all you needed! Kids had to use their imagination, dammit! Simple swivels make up the joints and they hold their positions well. That’s about it really. Moving on…
The Alien figure manages to have not one, but TWO action features! First up is the inner-mouth. Simply remove the semi-translucent dome on the head, and use your finger to slide the white switch. This causes the inner-mouth to jut out in the vintage Xenomorph fashion. The dome naps back on easily and manages to stay without too much trouble, although throwing the Alien figure at someone across the room WILL dislodge the dome. (Don’t concern yourself with why I know that.) the second action feature is glow-in-the-dark awesomeness. Put the figure’s head up to a light and then toss him into a dark closet. The little spots running down the length of his skull will slightly illuminate the frightened eyes of the drifter you have tied up in there! Win!
Accessories are light with this bunch. The alien comes with nada, and Dallas sports a flamethrower. It’s a single piece, is painted light blue, and fits snugly in Dallas’ hand, and he can point it while still being captured and turned into a human-incubator just like in the film!
At the end of the day, I like these guys a lot. In fact, I’m pretty stoked to see the tons of other upcoming offerings from Funko & Super7– especially the Back to the Future figures! If you want to keep an eye out on upcoming news about the entire ReAction line be sure to check out the upcoming ReActionFigures.com and the Super7Store!