Mcfarlane toys has done plenty of music figures, but one of their more popular series has been Elvis. WIth about a half dozen versions of the world renowned singer under their belt, they’ve managed to capture quite a few of his classic looks.
The latest in the series is called Gospel Elvis. Now, this name is a bit of a lie, as it’s not based on him singing any actual gospel music. He sang the inspirational song If I Can Dream in a very gospel-like style…or so says the packaging insert. I don’t know, it seems a bit of a stretch to me, but I suppose they needed to come up with a name, and ‘white suit Elvis’ wasn’t as catchy.
“Gospel Elvis”
Elvis is shipping soon to retailers, although online options are probably your best bet. Some stores like Hot Topic or FYE mght get him in, but I have some online suggestions at the end of the review. Expect to pay around $15, depending on the retailer.
Packaging – ***
The clamshells do their job, but I wish the look of the insert was a little more interesting. Still, the basic black with the lighted Elvis name does show off the white suit pretty well, and the give you the personalized description on the back.
Sculpt – **1/2
Most of the McToys Elvis figures have been extremely well done. One disappointed me, but that was a fluke. Until now.
The Gospel Elvis has a reasonably dynamic and interesting pose, with the body and hands lending themselves to his emotional performance. The left hand is holding the microphone, which has a cord that runs down slightly longer than the ground. That means you can hide the enf of the cord conveinently.
Of course, like most Nerd Hummels, you better like this pose because it’s the only one you’ll be getting. And while it’s acceptable, it just doesn’t have the visual impact of the Jailhose Rock set or the 68 Comeback figure.
The head sculpt is where it really falls off, however. Part of this is an issue with the sculpt itself, but I suspect part of it is due to the manufacturing process, where it appears that the figures are being pulled out of the mold too soon, allowing some deformation to occur.
And deformed he is. The right side of the face is smooshed a bit, looking a bit like Mild Stroke Elvis. The face also looks bloated, as though he’s retaining an awful lot of water. I don’t think this version is *quite* as off as the Blue Hawaii version, but they’re neck and neck down the stretch.
Elvis is in what McToys calls a six inch scale, and he will fit in fine size-wise with the other Elvis’.
Paint – **1/2
Unlike one of the McToys monsters, there’s not a lot of detailed paint work here. Some of it is extremely good, including the jewelry and the work around the mouth. Other areas though are a bit lacking, and they include the large sections like his suit. Mcfarlane often uses a slight wash or a dry brushing to give figures a gritty appearance. While i don’t think they actually used either technique on Elvis’ suit, the white has that dingy look to it, like old socks. I brightened the suit a little in the photo below to see if there was a big difference, and I think there is.
My Elvis also has a weird lump on the right side of his face. I think it’s a clump of dirt or plastic in the paint, which is why I’m complaining…uh, mentioning it here.
Articulation – *1/2
There’s a cut neck, cut shoulders, cut wrists and a cut waist. But these joints are only there to make very minor adjustments to get him in his one true intended pose, not to get creative. If you know this is just a plastic statue going in, then you probably won’t mind, but I wouldn’t want the uninformed to be surprised. And if you don’t like the sculpted pose, I don’t want you to think there’s much you’re going to be able to do about it.
Accessories – *1/2
The only true accessory is the small black display stand. It works fine, but it was a bit disappointing to see that there was no cardboard backdrop for it. The thin paper insert in the package has the red lit Elvis on the black background, but this is too thin for you to use with any success.
You can get him to stand without the base if you really work at it, but I wouldn’t suggest it. The others all have similar bases anyway, so using it when displaying them together makes the most sense.
Value – **
At what seems to be an average price of $15, these guys have gone up much like everything else. Unfortunately, what you’re getting isn’t really worth the increase. Ten bucks would be great…even twelve would get you another half star here. Grab it at $13, which some stores have it at, and you’ll be a lot happier then at the average price.
Fun Factor – *1/2
Elvis figures aren’t intended to be toys – they’re Nerd Hummels. And I don’t think Hummels, old fart version or nerd version, are all that much ‘fun’. They should look nice on the shelf if they are to fulfill their purpose. Since I know this is a Nerd Hummel going in, I won’t be docking the figure overall any for a low score here, but it’s still worth talking about.
Things to Watch Out For –
Clearly, you’ll want to watch the paint to avoid getting an Elvis like mine, with the lump on his face. Otherwise, you’re probably going to get just about what you see.
Overall – **1/2
Of the 7 Elvis figures in this scale so far, I think this one is tied for last with the pitiful Blue Hawaii version. If you’re a completist, by all means, pick this one up. But if you’re on a limited budget looking for the best version, stick with either the Jailhouse Rock or Comeback figures.
Where to Buy –
There are a number of online options I recommend:
– Clark Toys has a great price at $13.
– Amazing Toyz matches that great price of $13.
– Things from Another World has him at just $13.50.
– Urban Collector has him listed at just under $15.
– YouBuyNow has him at $17.
– for the UK fans, you can pick him up at Forbidden Planet for about 10 GBP.
Related Links –
I’ve covered a couple of the other Elvis’ versions, of of which I liked better than this guy. There’s the 60’s Comeback, the boxed set, and the excellent Jailhouse Rock.
Comments: 4 Comments
4 Responses to “Toy Box: Elvis is in da church!”Leave a Reply |
May 15th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
someone needs to make an avenger elvis.
May 17th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
What is that elephant figure in the final shot?
May 19th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
That’s the Four Horseman FANtastic exclusive figure from last year…or one of the 9 different ones they did.
May 19th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
The likeness is way off, very disappointed. with todays tech it seems like a better likeness could be created. At least use refer.