Sponsored by
Review : Quittin' Time Ray Ghostbusters Select (Diamond Select Toys) Wave/Series : Series 3 Released : October 2016
£22.99
Pros : Earlier issues like the proton pack clip and proton stream clips are fixed Cons : Remains very difficult to stand and keep standing
Our first Ray figure in the Ghostbusters Select line was in the first wave. Come wave 3 and we are getting an almost identical release, this time titled "Quittin' Time Ray".
This new Ray comes in the standard green ectoplasmic themed packaging with card side art that wraps round the oversized blister. The image of Dan Ackroyd is a revised image - not a repeat of the series 1 card, so that is a good move when trying to make this feel like a new figure.
Around the back of the card we get a Ghostbusters logo against a backdrop of crossed proton streams. Under this is the figure title "Quittin' Time Ray" and a paragraph of text about Rey Stanz and his role in the 1984 movie. While slightly realigned, this is the same identical text as the Series 1 release.
Under this we get the Also Available box with the other figures in Series 3 - Slimer and Janine. There is then the usual small inset image of the rooftop diorama and the confirmation of collecting all 15 figures to complete the rooftop scene.
The face sculpt is the same as Series 1 and is a half decent likeness for Ray. The forehead is a little large, especially when viewed from the side. The paint is a basic flesh tone and the hair a basic brown. The eyes are neat enough and there is some dirtying wash applied to cheeks and neck - a new addition from the first release.
The main costume is also essentially the same as the first release, with the exception of the torso. This has been sculpted with the jumpsuit open and Ray's black T-Shirt underneath. You can still see the STANZ name plate to the side of this. The whole uniform has patches of dirty paint applied, this is all to capture the "Quittin' Time" scene where Ray returns from hunting Ghosts in a dishevelled state while Winston is being interviewed. This brown goo ranges from pretty realistic on the front of the legs and left shoulder, to a touch "blobby" and lazy on the back of the legs
All of the other main details are still there like the Ghostbusters logo on the shoulder and the accessories around the belt area including staps and buckles that match the onscreen costume.
Like Series 1, the figure is ram packed with accessories including swap out hands - both flesh coloured and gloved. The gloved ones can also be amended even further by including the rubber sleeve or leaving it off.
The Proton Pack is attached to the body by the strapping, but isn't attached and therefore it moves with the figure. The various decals on the Proton Pack are all there as are the coloured wiring and tubing. The proton pack decals are sloppy in a couple of places and have not been applied straight. You can also see the white residue of the glue.
One thing that has been fixed finally on this figure is the v-shaped bracket on the pack into which you can hook the Proton Beam thrower. On the previous figures this hasn't worked too well, but now this slots in perfectly.
Also fixed is the ability to attach the proton stream to the emitter using a clear plastic clip. While not a clear, translucent material, the stream is half decent and waves and weaves through the air like we see on the movie
Articulation is the basic 16 points of articulation. This means the head can rotate on the head peg. There is a ball joint at the shoulder with a single jointed elbow. With the suit being a touch puffy the elbow won't bend to a full right angle, but enough so the Proton Thrower can be held in two hands. The wrist joint helps with this as these rotate and bend.
There is a chest joint half way down the torso, and this is neatly hidden behind a strap of the Proton Pack. The only issue with this joint is how the torso costume becomes skewed if the joint is engaged.
The hips are the older T-shape that Diamond employ on most Select figures. While you don't need Ray to sit down or kneel, he can do that albeit awkwardly. The knees are double jointed and the ankles on rockers. These ankle rockers are quite stiff and ratcheted but where they are ratcheted it doesn't quite meet up with where the feet need to be to have the figure stand securely. Ray is therefore prone to falling over.
Accessory number one is plain black Walkie-Talkie. This was included with all the Ghostbusters figures. It doesn't carry any real detail other than being the shape of a Walkie-Talkie. It fits neatly into Ray's had and when not in use it sides into a holster on the belt.
Ray also includes the night vision goggles. These are awesome and fit over the head really well thanks to the flexible strap. You can pose them with Ray wearing them or prop them on his forehead. These have much better paint than the Walkie-Talkie, with the main body in green - the visors in black and silver lens.
As you can see from the comparison images, the Quittin Time Ray is dirtier than the first version. The only difference then is the open shirt on the torso.
When you do compare side by side, the dirty wash on the Quittin Time Ray's face does enhance the sculpt a little.
The figure comes with another piece of the 15 piece Rooftop Diorama. This is one of the side segments and comes with a gargoyle section to slot in place. This is cast in a hard plastic and painted grey with a dark wash to represent concrete. We will be reviewing the full rooftop when we have all 15 parts together,
I can't help but feel a little like I've bought the same figure twice here for the sake of completing the rooftop scene. It would have been nice for Diamond to enhance this release further with a new head. Even though it might be frowned upon nowadays, seeing a Ray head sculpt with a cigarette hanging out of it's mouth would have been a cool variant.
When you get over that, there are some good points to this figure. Firstly, it lets anyone new to the line get their hands on a Ray at retail at a time the original figures of Ray, Peter, Winston and Egon are increasing in price. It also gives collectors a variant Ghostbuster to pose outside of the diorama, When the rooftop is built, not everything is going to fit and therefore I for one will have some side displays using this figure and some of the ghosts from Series 5.
I am going to score Quittin Time Ray a 3 out of 5.
Checkout the Diamond Select figures available at Toys in the Attic