Just The Redeemer...

... towers high over Rio, Rio De Janeir-

-Oh! Hi, didn't notice you there. Which is good because it suggests I'm not watching from outside your window. Bonus.

If you read my previous post, (why would you? honestly) I mentioned packing stuff into boxes, which is why I opened an action-figure, which is why I mentioned I don't often do that and probably wouldn't again for a long time.
I lied. Apparently.

Da. A good percentage o' my figures stay in their packets. Variety of reasons. Value. Nostalgia. Aesthetics. Space.
Having figures on the wall in pack means more shelf space, and it keeps them organized/complete with lil' care.
In the words of the White Rabbit, and Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon,
"I'm late! I'm late!", and, "I'm getting too old for this shit."

I'll buy that for a dollar. Which is good because I did.
$1.00 NZD = $0.79 US. Sweet.

This would be it. The only Spawn related thing I actually own.
Okay, I have a Conan 'Xaltotun' figure in it's pack with Spawn.com scrawled on it, but that doesn't count. It actually blows I think, because it detracts from the Conaniness of it. Conannyness? Co-uh... whatever.

I learnt everything I know about Th' Redeemer right here.

So basically this gets opened purely because I forgot to pack it 'til the last minute. It was originally purchased purely because it was one buck. I did grow up with a little Todd McFarlane comic material, s'pose. Namely, Boof, Spiderman and Scorpio Rose.
Friends owned Spawn comics. So the basic knowledge is dere - the soldier Al Simmons, Overtkill, Violator, Batman crossovers, Angelic/Apocalyptic characters. Bums. Stitches. Chains. Hell... Leguizamo clown.
Generally I didn't get inta' Image Comics. (let's be serious I'll read any comic if I'm starved). Just found them a tad oversaturated, some brilliant concepts, but talking too loud with their mouths full.

Neat. I like reading something when I've opened a figure. An explanation for the styling is pretty cool, with a concise little tale to make ya feel clued-in. If there's one thing our M'sieur McFarlane ain't, it's dumb.

The 1st page actually could have been re-written as 5 words:
Spawn-done-like-Bruce-Timm.
However, blatant honesty isn't gonna' get McF paid as much. Neither is actually hiring Bruce Timm to redesign your characters in his distinctive animation/comic style.

Standing 7 inches tall, and weighing in at 200 grams...

Holee crap. No, I ain't marvellin' at his anorexic waist and steroidal chest, I'm fine with that. Whooo!
That's rich, dude! Way ta keep the kidsh buying ya shtuff...
At this point myself and anyone else that opened one o' these is whacked.
Like sniffing glue / huffing paint whacked! That is some petroleum miasma, dear Redeemer.

Now before we go any further, I better point out something about Todd McFarlane toys. There doesn't seem to be much middleground, most people either love his stufff or they hate it. Like some sorta' Trent Reznor of Action Figures.
Me? I like to think I can see both sides. Sometimes the attention to detail is plain brilliant. Sometimes the craftsmanship doesn't deserve the price. Sometimes the dark nature and gothic horror genre is highly original. Sometimes the licensed characters aren't done justice. It goes on and on...

Two major negatives that can't be ignored, for which these figures have a reputation;
a) McFarlane figures are often easily damaged before they're even opened.
b) The poseability can be so minimal the title of 'action-figure' shouldn't truly apply.

Blah.

...forged in the heat of a forgotten star...
<insert Charlie Sheen joke here>

...default head...
deaf lip reading villains beware!

...alternate head...
kinda' grumpy looking geezer isn't he?

That sword was intriguing me in-packet. Looked forward to seeing it held. The handle pops apart at the top then squeezes through the hand-hole, where you pop it closed again. Different I guess.

There's a bit of poppin' an' squeezin' to be done with this figure to get the most outta' it.

De base,... er.

The base is... aw, heck it's a base stand who cares? Use your imagination...

Angels with dirty bases.

Well. There's our first muckabout with The Redeemer fresh outta' pack. Probably a good time to point out that any pose he strikes from here on will be completely random, not choreographed for an accentuating composition. I figure it's more honest for better or worse if I just plonk him and start shooting.
Any figure can appear super rad with a touch of photoshop and planned angles, but that'd just be misleading.

"I'll have to walk faster if i want to keep up with my arm here."

Prefer the unmasked head, personally. Adds something to the overall piece n' it has some nice detail to it. So far so good, it's one solid attention grabbing chunk o' plastic. The age recommendation is 8+ with this toy, be rather entertaining to see your average 8yr old trying to swap the 'eads and get that sword held right. Pretty firm snug fit. Truth be told this is only goin' down well with a sausage fingered, somewhat reserved 8 year old that knows which figures are primarily for display purposes and which ones to slam dance with.

If little Jimmy wants to test the wings and fly this one from a treetop, someones losing an eye or three.
Whole lot of sharp angles on our Redeemer.

Wing it on!

Our dashing fellow The Redeemer definitely looks quite goody-two-shoes with all the blue and gold dere. Have to wonder if those aren't bibles strapped to his right thigh for leg armour tho'. Or perhaps they're just quick handouts.
While the back pose is a-go-go, I'll add that I really dig those budgie-green wings. Sincere. I find that paint work and colour choice rather refreshing in some sense. White would've been too obvious, black not appropriate for the character, even light blue - unoriginal. Who'd a thunk it? (Mad Todd, that's who).
Blue, gold and budgerigar green. Works.

Hmm, cocks his head like a budgie too. The Budgerideemer!

Aah, that's better.
Clearly our man still has a lot to learn from Michaelangelo about being a party dude.

All in all, not bad. First McFarlane I've ever opened.
Leatherface and 'That Witch From Sleepy Hollow' I have packed away loose somewhere, and Conan's Xaltotun gets to sleep another thousand years (I mean it this time).
Yeah, I enjoy the simple Bruce-ahem-Timm-ahem- design, with the detail still poured on where it needs it.
Nothing went horribly wrong like the McFarlane haters rave about, but I'm not writing to the man to request he become my adoptive father anytime soon either.

I wonder. If McFarlane had titled his toylines with something faceless, like 'Tamco' or 'Formac', instead of using his own name (associated with an individual) maybe criticism for mistakes, and bitterness towards a quick rise to success might've been avoided.

I'm sure he's not losing sleep over it.
Hell, the man appeared on The Terminator 3 special features disc with a T-800 doll he'd produced. With no attempt to disguise the fact it looked utterly crap to play with.
He ain't losing $leep.

"If you don't make any plans you can't screw them up, right?" - Rihia2k.