Whenever a old show or movie is remade, updated, or ‘re-imagined’, nostalgic fans everywhere start the chorus of “they’ve raped my childhood!”. From Star Wars to Scooby Doo, touching the beloved characters of our youth tends to end badly.
So when someone does it, and manages to not just quiet the critics but win over the original fans, they must be doing something right. Such is the case with Battlestar Galactica, a much loved television show from the late 70’s, brought up to date in 2004. And this wasn’t just a straight rehash either, oh no – many major plot points were altered from the original, the kind of thing that usually drives fans nuts.
But the show has been so well written, so well acted, and so well directed, that all that criticism has melted away. Or at least most of it, since it’s simply not possible to make everyone happy. Majestic Studios originally had the license to do sixth scale figures based on the old show, and expanded that into the realm of the new. Their first release in this new series is the evil Cylon, in his basic form. Watchers of the new show know that these characters also come in humanoid versions, but here you have the full on robotic form.
If you have any questions or comments, drop me a line at mwc@mwctoys.com.
“Battlestar Galactica Cylon – regular and battle damaged”
Majestic actually did a battle damaged version of the Cylon for the San Diego Comic Con this last summer. This version was limited to just 400 figures, and has several new sculpted parts including the damaged head. The regular version will see a normal wider release. I’ve shot both for the review, with differences noted. In this first photo, you see the regular version.
Packaging – ***1/2
These are packed more like a statue or bust than action figure, and there’s a reason for that. The exterior box is attractive, but largely features photos of the figure itself rather than an actual Cylon for comparison. There’s minimal text, but enough for the average fan. Inside is a styrofoam insert, and the Cylon comes packaged without his hands or weapons. You place which ever set you prefer on him, once you have him out.
Sculpt – ***1/2
This figure is made from multiple materials, and one – poured polyresin – is somewhat unusual. Oh, there’s PVC and ABS as well, but we’re used to that. But the polyresin makes much of this figure feel more like a statue to the touch than a figure. It also makes him heavier, and is probably a reason for the decided lack of articulation.
Unlike the original Cylons, which looked suspicously like Stormtroopers, these guys harken back to a day when space travelers feared robotic monsters. While the designs are clearly up to date and modern, the concept of dangerous humanoid robots is so 50’s that it would make Gort jealous. The figure matches the show design exceptionally well, but the lack of articulation means you’re pretty much stuck with the pose he’s in. It might just be me, but if I’m going to get very little articulation, a little more dynamic sculpting goes a long way.
This is the regular sculpt:
And this would be the ‘battle damaged version’. Note the damage to the back of the head:
Of course, it’s not like these guys are goind Spongebob karate moves, and robots tend to be stand up straight kind of guys. You’ll be able to find some good arm poses, and the detailing and accuracy of the sculpt are all top notch.
Paint – ***1/2
The paint work on this figure is excellent, and while there’s a variety of materials used, you can’t tell it from the paint. Often different materials hold paint differently, creating different finishes and tones depending on how porous the material is or isn’t. Even worse is when all the pieces are painted a very obvious color, like the metallic silver here, that makes consistency even tougher.
There’s no problem here though, with a nice even color all around. It’s also consistent in thickness and coverage, and there’s great cuts between the handful of other colors. The battle damaged version has additional detail work, including some very realistic blast marks on the armored skin.
There’s a feature to these figures that I can’t quite figure out though, and I’m not sure where to mention it – so I’ll mention it here. The ‘eyes’ are supposedly lenticular, so that when light hits them from different angles they’ll appear to light up, and the light would move across the eye piece. That sounds like an interesting concept, and if it worked it would certainly save on batteries. Unfortunately, try as I might, I couldn’t get it to work under any lighting conditions. If you figure out a way, please let me know.
Articulation – **
If you’re looking for super-poseable, then you’re looking in the wrong spot. These figures have only the most basic articulation. There are cut joints at the shoulders and hips (yes, while they might look like ball joints, those hips are cut joints only), simple pin elbows and knees, and pin wrists. The wrists can also turn, since they pop on and off the arms with pegs, but the sculpt of the forearms makes this a lot less useful than you’d think.
The lack of articulation seems partly due to the materials used, which don’t appear to lend themselves well to articulation, and partly due to the design of the character himself. Still, this will be the one category that is the biggest disappointment for most fans, since the sculpted design lacks any dynamic feel.
Accessories – ***
Each figure comes with several accessories. These include an extra set of hands, and an extra set of weapons that attach to the forearms. Each figure also comes with a uniquely sculpted base. The exclusive version has the additional painted damage, along with some additionally sculpted ‘parts’ laying at his feet.
The hands swap easily enough IF, and only IF, you’re paying attention. The pegs are designed to go in one way, but the material is such that you could ‘strip’ the pegs if you forced it in the wrong way. It’s also a good idea to take care popping the weapons on and off, and again, these go on in only one way.
Both bases are attractive, especially the battle damaged version, but it did seem like the pegs were a little too short. It’s still quite possible for the figure to tip over even when standing on the pegs, and considering the materials used, that would be as disasterous as tipping a statue or bust. Both figures stand fine on their own though, so using the bases isn’t really required. Be forewarned though that having them on the base doesn’t mean they won’t tip as easily as simply standing on their own.
Fun Factor – *1/2
With a rather fragile body and hands, this is definitely not a figure for the kids. He’s much more statue than action figure, and is intended for basic posing and standing on the shelf. Even when you’re doing the basic posing part, be extremely careful!
Value – **
The going rate on the regular version seems to be around $60, or it will be once they come out. I don’t believe they’ve actually seen their release yet, as witnessed by a lack of ebay auctions. The battle damaged one is running around $130 on ebay, but that’s due to the low production run and exclusivity.
I’ll assume you can pick up the regular around $60. At that price he’s a tad expensive, but not so much that you’ll feel abused. This is largely due to the use of the polyresin, which will give you the impression of a statue, much more than an action figure. And let’s face it, statues in this scale are rarely in this price range.
Overall – ***
The sculpts are solid, and the paint is excellent. If you’re looking for a straight display piece for your BG collection, you’ll be quite pleased with the quality. However, sixth scale collectors who are looking for something a little more dynamic may find themselves left wanted with the limited articulation.
Majestic has plans for other sixth scale figures from the new show, starting with Apollo, who should be released soon.
Scoring Recap –
Packaging – ***1/2
Sculpt – ***1/2
Paint – ***1/2
Articulation – **
Accessories – ***
Fun Factor – *1/2
Value – **
Overall – ***
Where to Buy –
Online options are your best bet:
– Time and Space Toys is always a good option for BG related merchandise, including this figure. They have him listed at $60, but he’s currently on back order.
Related Links:
This isn’t the first Battlestar Galactica release from Majestic, and I reviewed the old style Cylon and Apollo awhile back. There’s also a guest review of the gold version of that Cylon, and Joyride did there own much smaller scale version as well.
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