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Checkout the fantastic packaging for the upcoming Hasbro Power Rangers two pack of Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd. The set includes a repack of Lord Zedd and a brand new Rita Repulsa figure and is based on their marriage in the 1995 episode. Accessories include the villains appropriate staffs as well as alternative hands, FX pieces, flowers, perfume and a wedding cake. The set is exclusive to Gamestop in the US and is available via the usual specialists in the UK via the fan channel. It is scheduled for a July 2020 release. Checkout our blog page for more action figure news, reviews and store reports About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys... action figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors,

Hasbro have released details of a brand new 2 pack in their Power Rangers Lightning Collection line of 6 inch action figures. The set includes a repack of Lord Zedd and a brand new Rita Repulsa figure and is based on their marriage in the 1995 episode. Accessories include the villains appropriate staffs as well as alternative hands, FX pieces, flowers, perfume and a wedding cake. The set is exclusive to Gamestop in the US and is available via the usual specialists in the UK via the fan channel. It is scheduled for a July 2020 release. The horror of your presence is absolutely required! The wedding of Lord Zedd, Master of Evil, to Rita Repulsa was the event of 1995, featuring Putties dancing, an inconsolable Goldar (seriously, why was he so sad?), and the merging of the two most evil villains the Power Rangers had faced! IT’S MORPHIN TIME! From the Beast Morphers back to the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the Power Rangers have brought teamwork, action, and adventure to generations of fans. The legacy continues with figures, vehicles, collectibles, and roleplay toys from Hasbro, celebrating ranger teams from Mighty Morphin to the Beast Morphers. Imagine all the action of Power Rangers with toys from Hasbro! (Power Rangers toys sold separately. Subject to availability.)

Mezco have opened up pre-orders for a brand new exclusive version of their One:12 Blade figure. The MDX Blade will only be available from Mezco directly - with Worldwide shipping available. If you place a pre-order now, the figure is due to ship after the 25th May with delivery in very late May or into June. The MDX Blade features an updated body on the previous Blade releases, with a black tactical vest and black combat trousers. There are two heads included, both with the bald head look. The first is a neutral expression, the second with an angry expression. Both heads can be further amended with removable sunglasses - of which you get four pairs. Blade is armed to the teeth with submachine gun and shoulder strap, as well as a shotgun and handgun both with removable magazines. There are two blast FX pieces to clip to these weapons. Bladed weapons come in the form of two boomerang blades, and Blade's sword - with working sheath. The figure will set you back $85 in the US. Expect the final bill for UK including shipping and tax to be around £114 in total (as per currency exchange rate at time of posting). Undetectable in all black, the One:12 Collective Blade is outfitted in a tactical armor vest with a sleeveless t-shirt underneath and a removable duty belt that holds both of his boomerang blades. He comes with two head portraits, capturing his vengeful nature. Creatures of the night do not stand a chance. The Daywalker comes well-equipped for a manhunt with accessories including a customized submachine gun with removable magazines, a pump action shotgun with shoulder strap, a handgun with removable magazines, his signature sword with removable sheath, boomerang blades, striking stakes, and of course, sunglasses. Infused with all of a vampire’s powers but few of their weaknesses and determined to avenge his mother’s death, Eric Brooks arms himself with weapons that are fatal to the undead and fashioned himself into the vampire hunter known as Blade. Checkout our blog page for more action figure news, reviews and store reports About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys... action figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors, mezco, one 12, collective, marvel, blade

Review : Aliens USCM Arsenal Accessory Set NECA, Aliens Wave/Series : 30th Anniversary Special Release Released : October 2017 £34.99 Pros : Sentry Guns are fantastic, with real attention to detail on the associated laptops Cons : Shotgun and Handgun are a little plain. In 2016 and 2017 NECA have somewhat reshaped the Action Figure collecting scene with their innovative accessory packs. These boxed sets don't give collectors any new figures, but instead accessories and diorama parts to enhance their collections and displays. While NECA had done diorama sets before like the Predator Skull Wall and Freddy's basement this new phase of packs began to take shape in 2015 with the Alien Egg 6-pack and they went on to expand the principle in 2016 with the Aliens Creature pack and those brilliant Facehugger stasis tubes. They then moved over to Predator with that horrific "skinned" body. NECA returned to the Alien series in late 2017 with the USCM Arsenal Accessory Set and it is that set we are taking a close look at here. The Arsenal pack arrives in a shaped window box which has a central cut in carrying the Aliens 30th Anniversary circular logo. Under this is a simple white text to confirm the name of the set. Round the two sides the brushed blue tinted steel colouring has some decor added to look like grilled lockers used by the Marines on the USS Sulaco. These are overlaid at the top with a repeat of the 30th Anniversary logo and at the bottom with the Aliens logo and the name of the set. The window shows off the full entirety of the set against a dark backdrop. The bulk of the front is taken up with the two Sentry Guns with the other weapons and FX parts arranged above them in the cut back section. The rear of the box is split into three images, each shaped somewhat like a hexagon. Each image shows the accessories in use alongside existing figures in the range. The bottom image has a number of accessories laid across a desk - the desk appears to be the one made by Diamond Select and packed in their Gotham release of Ed Nygma - I wonder what DST think about that? The text in the top left of the box confirms the contents along with some bullet points around "celebrate the 30th anniversary of Aliens" and how to "enhance your dioramas and displays". As always the development team is listed on the base of the box. The contents are slid out from either of the side flaps and come out packed into a clear tray which itself sits in the cardboard tray which has been acting as the backing art while in the box. As you take the plastic tray way you can now see this is a still shot from Aliens of the Sulaco hanger complete with dropship in the background. All the parts are slotted into segments of the tray. Only the Sentry guns are tied in with twisty-ties, the rest are held in with clear tape which you will need to remove carefully as it can pull away the paint if it has adhered to one of the parts in the box. Pretty much everything bar the Sentry Guns in this set have been included with a NECA figure release in the past few years. The first of these is the ammo bag that is cast in a plain grey plastic with shaped looped handle to hook over a figures shoulder. This was packed with Frost back in 2016. The version in the 2017 set is pretty much identical in paint. Also pretty much identical to its counterpart is the knife. This is a crisp piece with quite a sharp point and is painted in grey with brushed steel blade and pommel. The knife came with the 2017 Vasquez and is designed to fit in her leg holster. A number of people will be buying this set to get hold of the MArine helmet. This is because of its significance to the SDCC Newt release, the first figure to use the helmet sculpt. The Newt SDCC 2016 release came with this helmet so as to replicate the scene in the command centre. The later release of Newt in the Rescuing Newt 2-pack dropped the helmet as an accessory. While the helmet would go on to be released with Frost, the camouflage design was dramatically changed. Anyone who missed out on Newt from SDCC 2016 and that wanted to replicate that scene can now do so as the helmet included in this pack is a closer match in paint apps to the Newt SDCC version. It also fits Newt well, as well as being able to be worn by Frost. It is not able to go on other figures like Hicks and Hudson without looking "off" or sitting too high". The helmet comes complete with unfastened straps and the microphone piece, these are a softer plastic and can be warped out of the box. Next in the arsenal is the Flamethrower Unit. We have had this weapon for sometime now having first been packed with Windrix in 2013 and again with Frost in 2016. The sculpt is unchanged to these releases. The sculpt is crisp and detailed in that you can see the various parts - supported by that green and black paint job. One item that Frost and Windrix didn't get, but that was included in the 2017 Rescuing Newt pack and is re-used here is the flame FX for the Flame Unit. This was designed for the combined weapon that Ripley carries in that 2-pack and the same principle with the flame piece is applied here so it not only fits the FLame Unit in the pack, but can also be employed on those carried by Frost and Windrix - you may need a bit of patience to get it inserted into the older flame throwers. The flame piece is a good example of firing FX done well and my only criticism is the fact it is perhaps a little short. Would have loved to see a giant version that reaches down to torch the floor. And what marine is complete without the standard issue Pulse Rifle? The Pulse Rifle sculpt has been around as long as the Alien series, arriving first back in 2013 with both Hicks and Hudson. Again, nothing wrong with this as a sculpt and the paint is excellent and comparable with its recent appearance in the Series 12 Vasquez and Ripley figures. This is the version with the strap, and the strap itself is a flexible rubber which can be used to sling the weapon over the shoulder - it does however get in the way a little when the weapon is in firing position. The positive around a new Pulse Rifle for your marines is to give Frost or Windrix a new weapon for display. And like the Flamethrower you can enhance the Pulse Rifle with an FX firing piece. This is retro engineered once again to fit any Pulse Rifle to date and slots into the barrel. While I do like the Smart Gun (2016 Vasquez) and Flamethrower pieces, this one doesn't look quite right to me. It is too fluffy and dull and the paint too matt and covers up the translucency. This is the same issue I had when this was included in the Series 12 Vasquez and Ripley figures, and there has been no tweak or improvement for this set. In the 1986 movie, only Hicks was carrying a shotgun - so if you have lost the one originally packed with Hicks, or want to give your Marines a different weapon ten the 2013 shotgun is packed again in this set. The sculpt is not as crisp here as the Pulse Rifle with some quite plain areas and warping on the barrell. The paint job is a bit flat too with the gunmetal only broken with the brown of the sliding fore-end. The final weapon is the handgun which we got in the Frost release. This is the plainest sculpt and paint job of the set and is simply cast in black with very little detailing on the sculpt and zero paint apps. The other accessory from that top section of the pack is the torch. This is a circular grey piece with a translucent blue hued centre and carrying strap. It was first included with Bishop in 2014 and was also included in the Newt SDCC pack. Outside of Bishops scenes in the ventilation, it didn't play a huge part in the movie - but is a piece you might want to gear one of your figures up with. After the entree of smaller guns and accessories, it is the two Auto Sentry Guns that are what makes this pack. These are from a deleted scene in the original movie, and were later added back into the James Cameron Special Edidition. You get two of these in the set, and they are identical in every way - even down to the markings and identification numbers. They are cast in what feels to be a very brittle plastic and I suspect if you drop them they won't last too long. This plastic does however allow for very crisp and clean details in items that are mechanical so the gun is incredibly realistic for the scale. Each Sentry Gun is made up of a thin tripod stand which then goes upward to circular platform on to which the gun section is mounted. In the movie this circular piece rotates to allow the gun to adjust to its target, it seems this is something NECA have not added with the tripod glued to the gun. The gun has a large back section, on top of which is essentially a 1980's style video camera. We then have a central section and a barrel that ends with a machine gun type muzzle. A flexible pipe is attached from the gun and loops down and back to the stand. A thinner version then comes out of the side of the weapon and is attached to the ammo box. This is free standing with two base sections that appear to have been folded out - don't try and fold these back in as they are again not designed to move. The paint is the army green we've seen on the Marine uniforms and smaller weaponry to date. There are very well executed patches of silver added in various locations to make the gun looked weathered and scraped. There are lots of decal use on both gun and ammo box. With numbering and text on both as well as some hazard striping on the ammo box. I guess there was part of me that wanted NECA to have gone way up and beyond and used differing decals on each gun, but they haven't and that makes sense considering the price point. The guns scale perfectly to the marines, even though they are not techicall manned for firing. The guns also have two accessories of their own, and in the box they simply look like dark grey pads of some kind. Once you've found the hinge these actually open up to the laptop computers that come with the Sentry Guns to operate them remotely. These are sculpted with a keyboard and a sticker is then used to replicate the green 80's display screen. Each screen is different, with one displaying clearly legible gauges for the gun including ammo, temperature and rounds per minute. The second screen is not as clear, but s the menu setup you see in the film as they activate the gun. Thankfully neither computer is showing "Critical" so for now you have plenty of ammo to keep the Xenomorphs at bay. The timing of these weapons by NECA at the same time we've got the battle damaged Aliens doesn't feel coincidental by NECA and allows for some creative dioramas to be setup. Ours is very basic in the images above, but you get the idea of what could be achieved with the use of some grilled flooring and wall decor. When I lay out everything I get with the USCM Arsenal Pack, you begin to see where the £35 RRP is coming from in the UK. My question is however why would a collector need the various weapons and accessories unless they have lost the originals packed with their figures. Everything from my set will go in a spares box aside from the Sentry Guns and that spare helmet which can now use with Newt. It does then beg the question could NECA have done just the Sentry Guns as a pack and reduced the cost, and if so how much? That being said, every item in the set is well executed with only the shotgun and pistol feeling mediocre when you compare them to other weapons. The stars are of course the Sentry Guns and that extra detail of the remote computers just makes this something a bt special for Aliens collector - regardless of whether you want or will use any of the additional parts. This is a set it pays to shop around for (while it remains on sale in stores) as I have seen it as low as £27 and as high as £45 (at a convention). It will be a set sought after in the future by collectors, although as with anything NECA does (and as this set proves) nothing is ever "off the market for long" and I think we may see these Sentry Guns again in some guise or other in the future. I score the Aliens USCM Arsenal Accessory Set 5 out of 5.

Review : Sewer Mutation Warrior Alien NECA, Aliens Wave/Series : SDCC 2017 Exclusive / UK Alien X Club Exclusive Released : July 2017 £25.00 Pros : another Xeno for the shelf and a nod of the head to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Sewer Monster Cons : exclusive and limited in numbers NECA always do something special with their San Diego Comic Con exclusives - even if it frustrates a lot of their fans when they keep them as limited as they do (think Newt 2016). For 2017 they have taken inspiration from their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle exclusives and given us this "Sewer Mutation" Alien - a nod to the Pizza Sewer Monster from the 1987 animated series. The packaging remains the same as the main Alien line, with a clamshell package that sandwiches a thin paper sheet that then acts as both card back and figure backdrop. The backdrop is a brick wall sewer scene complete with pipework. A further front insert quotes the figure as the Sewer Mutation Warrior Alien and to the side of this is an illustrated image of the Mutation. Round the back and the card is headed with the electric blue 1986 Aliens logo. Under this is an atmospheric shot of the actual figure in one of NECA's many impressive figure dioramas. There is then some invented backstory for the figure being an experiment on a Weyland Yutani outpost - well done NECA for using a bit of artistry to give the figure a backstory. The "Also Available" segment at the bottom of the cardback focuses on the Series 11 figures with head images of Lambert, Defiance Xeno and the Blue Kenner Warrior. The Sewer Mutation is essentially an Alien vs Predator warrior in terms of sculpt and therefore comes with the upgraded articulation including articulated head & neck. Ball jointed shoulders, jointed elbows, wrists and fingers. Ab crunch and ball jointed hips - followed by articulated double jointed knees and ankle rockers. The head is not a direct use of the AvP model released in Series 7 (2016) and looks to be based on the Alien vs Predator : Requiem drone. This is potentially from the original AvP:R 2008 release (see below). This bodes well for Alien/Predator collectors in that a film accurate Requiem Xeno could be due in 2018. The figure is coloured really nicely with a variating sand colouration which is one of the best colours I've seen in terms of showing off the sculpt of that Xeno body. Being a limited release, our Sewer Alien is staying boxed - hence this new "mini Review" format. Assuming you got this at the SDCC price or via the Alien X Club then this is a very impressive figure, even with it's niche background and not essentially being part of the Alien universe - either comic book, movie or Kenner. I score the Sewer Mutation a 4 out of 5.

Review : Kenner Vasquez NECA, Aliens Wave/Series : Alien Day 2017 & Alien Club X Exclusive Released : July 2017 £25.00 Pros : complements the other Kenner figures like Ripley and the Series 10 Aliens Cons : exclusive and limited in numbers Alien Day (26th April) 2017 and NECA confirmed another Kenner inspired exclusive with this release of Space Marine Vasquez. Vasquez joins last year's exclusive, Ripley, to face off against the various Kenner Aliens released to date in Series 10 and as special releases. The packaging for Vasquez is consistent with the rest of the range with a large Aliens header and a front insert with a cartoon illustration of Vasquez and the character name in a militaristic silver and red badge. While the 2016 Ripley figure was a "Lieutenant" there is no rank attached to Vasquez. Unlike most of the Aliens releases, there are no side art panels for the blister. Round the back we get a big change in design as NECA recreate the card back of the original 1990's Kenner Aliens figures. The checklist type card back summarises most of their Kenner inspired releases to date from both Aliens and Predator. It also shows off the larger deluxe releases such as the Blade Fighter, Alien Queen and Power Loader. Like a lot of these cards recently, the thickness of the paper used between the blister is quite thin and that leaves to creasing and warping in the packaging - a pretty poor show for those wanting to display this packaged. Vasquez herself is a re-use of the 2016 Vasquez figure - but now without her Smart Gun armour. The chest piece has likely had some retooling and she keeps her crucifix as well as a now revealed set of dog tags. The bicep bandage/strip remains in place on her left arm. Paint work is more "animated" in style, something that is quite deliberate and Vasquez (like Ripley) will stand out against her movie based counterparts. That being said its not a flat style of painting and the colours are vibrant with washes and dry brushing to bring out the detail. You can see the style change particularly in the face with the exaggerated eyes. Vasquez carries the same articulation as her series 9 counterpart and has a decent range of movement. She comes with a single Pulse Rifle accessory. This is again a re-use of the Pulse Rifle sculpt from the main range - but with a repaint to a camo green against grey/silver parts. If you are a fan of Kenner and are collecting the Kenner Aliens, then Vasquez is one you will want to hunt down and add to your display. I suspect she won't be the last "Space Marine" and this could be a theme for future Alien Days. For packaged collectors, be mindful you will find it difficult to find one without the paper insert being warped or creased. I score Vasquez a 4 out of 5

Review : "Rescuing Newt" Ripley & Newt NECA, Aliens Wave/Series : 30th Anniversary Release Released : February 2017 £44.99 - £49.99 The NECA Alien collecting world exploded on Alien Day 2016 (26th April) when NECA announced, via actress Carrie Henn, that they will be making a Newt figure for their 7" Aliens range. Excitement soon turned to anger as NECA confirmed that Newt would exclusively be available to attendees of San Diego Comic Con 2016 and not released generally. While many questioned the decision to licence and sculpt a figure for such a limited market, NECA did promise they would explore an avenue to get Newt into general release - the issue for them being to make the figure financial viable. SDCC 2016 came and went and the odd SDCC Newt figure popped up on the secondary market at inflated prices. And then just as things were calming down NECA fulfilled their promises of a Newt release by announcing the Rescuing Newt box set for release in late 2016 / early 2017. This two pack would take their existing Aliens Ripley figure and give her some revised decor and a new head sculpt to match that iconic scene - and iconic movie poster. Newt would be packed in, but would loose all the accessories she came with at SDCC - namely the Marine Helmet, School Award and the Casey doll head (the Marine helmet looks to be getting a release via the 2017 Marine Armoury Set). The Rescuing Newt box set has now hit UK shores, so let's unpack this highly anticipated release and see what's what. Packaging wise, the set dispenses with the usual Aliens clam-shells and switches to a design akin to that of the NECA Ultimate figures. The front of the box recreates that famous 1986 Aliens movie poster, with Sigourney Weaver carrying the young Carrie Henn while brandishing her combined Pulse Rifle and Flame Unit - surrounded on all sides by Alien eggs. The Aliens logo sits top centre under which is the sub heading for the sequel "this time it's war". The only other addition to the front is an oversticker for the 30th Anniversary, using the same stylised Xeno head that we saw on other releases from 2016 like the Frost and Vasquez figures, and that Stasis chamber creature pack. I can only assume the choice of this being a sticker is so purists can peel it off to keep the front of the box identical to the movie poster. The clever part now is that this front is a flap which once unfastened from it's Velcro clasp opens up to recreate the movie poster, but this time in figure form. Underneath this front cover is a window into the packaging and Ripley and Newt are packed, pre-posed, in the same position (pretty much) as the movie poster. There are no eggs in the set, and perhaps for the price throwing in a couple might have been nice, but NECA have got round this with some cut out eggs that cover the feet of the Ripley figure. The reverse of the flap shows off the amazing theatrical photography NECA use so often to promote their figure - with Ripley and Newt once again surrounded by Alien eggs and facing off against the 2015 deluxe release of the Alien Queen. Just so fans aren't confused, there is text at the base of this flap to confirm neither eggs nor the queen are sold seperately. The two spines of the box are a deep blue design depicting more Alien eggs. The sides carry the 30th Anniversary circular logo, now printed and not a sticker, and under this the Aliens logo and in the same font the "Rescuing Newt Deluxe Box Set" text. The spine finishes with the NECA and Reel Toys logo. Round the back of the box you will find three images of the two figures in varying poses. Under this is a text box that briefly confirms the plot of Aliens and how the two characters from the box-set meet in the movie. Under this text is the content details - Ripley, Newt, Ripleys Pulse Rifle/Flame Unit and the new Flame Effect. For those who don't turn the box over to the base other than for opening it up - take a look across from the credits at the the Reebok logo for the Alien Stomper trainers that Ripley wears in the movie, and that are replicated in this set - there's dedication to detail. The figures are accessed via the top or bottom flap and they then slide out in their internal tray. The box here reveals it's first surprise in a small baggie that is sellotaped under the inner tray. In here is the Casey dolls head accessory that originally came in the SDCC version. There is no mention of this being included, so a nice surprise addition by NECA for the fans. The two figures are strapped in place by the usual black ties, and some additional plastic clear parts that help with the posed position and I also suspect are to try and protect paint rub between the two figures. The pose holds firm well enough once unpacked and looks pretty natural considering this is two articulated action figures and not a statue. Let's look at Ripley first, and she stands 7" high and is essentially the same figure we saw back in 2015 in Series 5. The head however is a brand new sculpt, and while it is less than flattering on a lot of images - it is really nice from most angles in hand. The issue is the open mouth, and that doesn't work face on. Face her head either side though and you can see the likeness to Weaver. The other win is to cast the head in the glossy flesh plastic which makes her look sufficiently sweaty. The hair is also high gloss, yet looks like wet sweaty hair and not glossy plastic. The paint application to the head is good too with intense eyes, thin lips, the teeth picked out in white and a bruise on her right cheek. Once you passed the head, and everything now is identical in sculpt to the original 2015 figure. However, the paint is massively improved. The vest captures every crease and fold and has gone from an off white in the original figure to include some yellow staining - a perfect progression to the state of Ripley at the end of the movie. The 2015 figure tried to capture some staining on the shoulders but these looked more like grey globs. Here they are muddy and dirty and very natural. Each arms is also a glossy plastic and look sweaty and grimy. The vest is sculpted with a strap across the chest area and clipped into a belt. and a further ammunition strip is slung loose over this. The ammo strap can be removed if you wish as it is a separate item. The trousers have the look, like the Series 5 version, of being a little too high in the waist. They are also a slightly variant colour in the waist section vs the legs which exaggerates the problem. These have been dirtied up further with dry-bushed dirt on the lower legs. The figure ends in the Reebok Alien Stomper trainers. These are a little less defined than the earlier version. The colours are all there but there is a rushed look to them with some of the cream still showing the grey colour underneath. Ripley comes with her Pulse Rifle / Flame Unit combination. Due to the way she is packed you will likely find the weapon to be warped and may need to heat this with some hot water or a hair dryer to straighten out. Again, this is the same as the 2015 version but looks nicer as there are some very deliberate paint app improvements in the way of bright silver scratches to represent the green paint being scratched off in the encounters with the Aliens. These scratches are there on the 2015 version, but are not as bright and aren't instantly visible. The weapon has a flexible strap and this fits over Ripley's head and allows her to carry the weapon slung or in her hands. Articulation on Ripley starts with a ball jointed head which you will need to play with on display to capture the best angle to see the Weaver sculpt from its best side. The arms are ball jointed and the elbows then are jointed with a swivel. These two arm joints allow the right arm to hold the weapon with the elbow bent and the left arm then can come out straight to cup the barrell. The wrists remain a weak spot as they have a very small and fragile pin. The hands therefore will rotate but don't force them to swivel by much or you will have a broken hand. You will also need to watch out for paint rub round the shoulder joints - the white on my shoulder joint flaked off on both sides on first movement of the joint. Thank fully it is hidden when the arms are put back down. The waist is jointed but will not move without some force and I would recommend you leave it alone. Ripley then comes with ball jointed hips under this flexible groin area. These won't let her sit or kneel, but allow you to widen the stance - useful when she is carrying Newt. The knees are single jointed and hidden really well under the leg sculpt. The ankles are on rockers to help spread the feet for extra stability. The other accessory that comes with Ripley, and is brand new to the set, is the flame effect for the Flame Unit. In the past I have not been a fan of these clip on effects, but I was swayed by the Smart Gun effect that came with Vasquez - and this flame stream is just as good. It is cast in a see through orange flows really well from what initial looks like liquid, thought to jagged flame at the end. It has been engineered to slot into the Flame Unit without any obvious plugs or clips - preserving the look of the weapon for anyone who doesn't wish to use the flame part. The Flame Unit has obviously been ever so slightly tweaked to accept the flame as you cannot retrospectively fit it onto the 2015 version or the unit that comes with Windrix or Frost. You will also need to be mindful that the fit is not secure and you may find your flame effect easily dislodged and could fall of on its own. Now over to Newt, the figure that caused so much ruckus on Alien Day 2016 through to SDCC. She stands 5" high with a stunning sculpt and likeness to Carrie Henn as she was in 1986. There is no neutral sculpt here either, and NECA have captured that scared look that she carried through a lot of the film with pursed lips and nervous eyes. She is painted to look dirty, which is no mean feat as quite often it comes out looking like brown paint on a figure. Here, you truly believe Newt's face is dirty and if you took a wet cloth to her face you could clean her up. Her hair is shoulder length and cast as an individual piece, so the lower section hangs loose and is flexible enough to move with the head. The hair is dirty too with some blonde highlights to show the natural colour through the grime. She comes in her damaged dungarees, complete with ripped knees through which you can see her dirty and scuffed skin. The whole ensemble is weathered and dirty, and beautifully sculpted with plenty of creases, folds and buttons. Newt's skin is painted, and that means there is some flaking round the hands and these do also look a little chalky. Newt is designed and articulated to both stand on her own, but also to grip from Ripley's neck with her legs either side. The head is ball jointed and can move to either side, and as we mentioned the hair works in any position thanks to the flexible plastic. The arms are ball jointed at the shoulder, with a rotating elbow and wrist rotation. There is a torso joint in the chest which helps the carrying pose by bending the body slightly into the side of Ripley. The hips are ball jointed and the knees single jointed. These aren't to let Newt knee or sit down, but rather grip the waist of Ripley when she is being carried. She will however stand on her own and the rocker ankles help her do this. The dolls head accessory is tiny, but easily recognisable. It also carries two different paint tones - one for skin and one for hair -as well as black eyes. It doesn't fit perfectly into Newt's hand, but she can hold it in a fashion. So there we have it, a set of 2 figures. One that was originally a limited SDCC exclusive. Another that was released 2 years ago and that has gone up in price on the secondary market. The Ripley figure also has enough improvements to warrant double dipping even if you aren't bothered by Newt. The weathering and sweaty skin really ramps up the realism, and for me this is now the better figure for an Aliens display and she would also look brilliant in your Power Loader. The rating for me is all around value for money. This is a two pack, that comes in just a touch higher than two new single releases. You can shop around for a better price, but for me at the UK RRP of £45 I would have loved for NECA to squeeze in a couple of Alien eggs. That all being said, there is no doubt this is a very nice release and the only flaw really is the few patches of paint rub and those fragile wrists. I am going to score this two pack a 5 out of 5. Buy from Amazon UK Buy from Amazon US Buy from Toys In The Attic

Review : Brown Xenomorph Warrior (Battle Damaged) NECA, Aliens Wave/Series : Series 12 Released : December 2017 £24.99 Pros : Brilliant sculpt of the iconic Alien Xenomorph Cons : Damaged parts are not removable, they make the figure very specific in terms of display We know that the initial plan for Series 12 of NECA's Alien range was that it would be either Kenner or Alien Resurrection based. There seemed to have been a late turnaround so NECA could finish their 30th Anniversary releases by giving us four figures from the 1986 Aliens movie. The new Series 12 wave was made up of tweaked or repainted figures and included Ripley and Vasquez with variant outfits. The other two figures were Xenomorphs and to give some variety these were repacked versions of the battle damaged Aliens as originally released in 2013. In this review we are taking a look at the Brown version of the Damaged Xenomorph Warrior. Series 12 uses the standard clamshell packaging and it carries the 30th Anniversary circular logo on the front card insert. This "may" be one of the last times we see the clamshell as NECA have alluded to moving to boxed packaging for the Alien line in 2018? As a movie release the figures comes with both backing card and the two side inserts, and these side inserts carry very impressive shots of the figure itself. The rear of the packaging shows a further shot of the figure in a diorama background alongside Hicks & Hudson. The text talks about the plot of Aliens (1986) and is the same text as used on Series 12 Ripley - and on previous Aliens releases. The bottom section of the card back shows the also available figures from the series - Vasquez, Ripley and Blue Damaged Xenomorph. As the packaging design uses a slim magazine type paper as the inserts, sandwiched by the plastic packaging, there are issues with warping and creasing - particularly if the packaging gets warm. You have to cut the packaging to access the figure, and the Xeno slides out strapped into a second inner tray. We still have twisty ties in use which does take some time to remove carefully to then free the figure. Out of the box, and the Xeno is just as impressive and gruesome as any of the previous Xeno releases. The skull starts with the silvery teeth and then the head flows back with the ridged skull,piping and musculature tendons. The damaged parts on this figure are around the trunk of the figure and are made up of two translucent dirty green "explosions" which are glued onto the figure. These are pretty realistic in that it looks as though the figure has been frozen at the point of impact from a pulse rifle or the auto-cannons. I had hoped these pieces were removable so I could amend this release to a standard brown Xeno - a figure that hasn't been too easy to obtain in recent years. Sadly they are well and truly glued in place - am sure you could remove but I don't know what would be left underneath that would need repairing. With NECA's ability to retrofit items to figures/accessories like their current firing FX pieces it would have been nice on this version of the Alien to have the parts snap on and off giving collectors an option for display. The figure is a complete re-use from 2013 and with damage it was originally packed with Hicks, an undamaged version was released in Series 2 in the same year. If you compare this side-by-side with either of these 2013 versions and other than some slightly different paint application there is no significant difference in sculpt but we do get upgraded articulation on the fingers. The whole piece is coloured in a glossy black colour and the brown is then added as a dry brush to bring out all the exposed details such as the ridges on the skull and the piping and tendons. The first element of articulation we will look at is the jaw which remains articulated so the lower jaw can be pulled down to open the mouth. Inside we have the inner jaw and this can be pulled out to expose it. The head is ball jointed and can rotate to the side and look up and down within the constraints of the extended shoulder blades. There is a further ball joint in the trunk of the figure and this is much more wide ranging in movement allowing the Xeno to be twisted and leaned and therefore it does support crouching poses. The thin arms are really maneuverable with ball jointed shoulders and a rotating double jointed elbow which can bend back almost on itself. The arms end with a pivot wrist which rotates and can bend to 90 degrees. The NECA team have transposed finger articulation onto this version which means the two fingers on each hand will bend on a pivot. Legs on these earlier Xeno's are a touch restrictive at the hips but there is a ball joint here that can get the hips up to a crouching position and they can also swing out sideways. From the hips you then have double jointed knees and an ankle rocker and an articulated toe piece. Standing the Xeno is very dependent on the tail, and this is a rubber piece over a metal armature so it can be posed and holds in position. The tail then becomes the third point of contact for standing and creates the balance needed for full upright stance. You can also bend the legs into a crawling position - as seen in the scene when the Aliens are crawling in the roof space. I have a feeling both versions of the damaged Xeno's will hang around a lot longer than the Ripley & Vasquez figure. They are very specific in terms of their look and would fit only into a "mid-action" diorama with someone firing at them. While I appreciate the innovation to do something different, these are figures that are 5 years old and still easily available on the market via the 2-packs. Had NECA managed to work out how to do removable damage - then I think these would have flown off shelves. This is a brilliant looking figure, he is just too specific in term of the damaged parts. The execution of paint and sculpting is brilliant, even considering the sculpt is 5 years old. The articulation was ahead of its time, and the only reason we can downplay it now is because we've seen even better joints on figures like the AvP Xeno's and the recent Covenant figure. I award the brown battle damaged Xenomorph a 3 out of 5.

Review : Blue Xenomorph Warrior (Battle Damaged) NECA, Aliens Wave/Series : Series 12 Released : December 2017 £24.99 Pros : The mid-explosion head is fantastically realised Cons : The figure is very specific in looks and will have some limit to shelf appeal We know that the initial plan for Series 12 of NECA's Alien range was that it would be either Kenner or Alien Resurrection based. There seemed to have been a late turnaround so NECA could finish their 30th Anniversary releases by giving us four figures from the 1986 Aliens movie. The new Series 12 wave was made up of tweaked or repainted figures and included Ripley and Vasquez with variant outfits. The other two figures were Xenomorphs and to give some variety these were repacked versions of the battle damaged Aliens as originally released in 2013. In this review we are taking a look at the Blue version of the Damaged Xenomorph Warrior. Series 12 uses the standard clamshell packaging and it carries the 30th Anniversary circular logo on the front card insert. This "may" be one of the last times we see the clamshell as NECA have alluded to moving to boxed packaging for the Alien line in 2018? As a movie release the figures comes with both backing card and the two side inserts, and these side inserts carry very impressive shots of the figure itself. The rear of the packaging shows a further shot of the figure in a diorama background alongside Hicks & Hudson. The text talks about the plot of Aliens (1986) and is the same text as used on Series 12 Ripley - and on previous Aliens releases. The bottom section of the card back shows the also available figures from the series - Vasquez, Ripley and Blue Damaged Xenomorph. As the packaging design uses a slim magazine type paper as the inserts, sandwiched by the plastic packaging, there are issues with warping and creasing - particularly if the packaging gets warm. You have to cut the packaging to access the figure, and the Xeno slides out strapped into a second inner tray. We still have twisty ties in use which does take some time to remove carefully to then free the figure. Out of the box, and the Xeno is just as impressive and gruesome as any of the previous Xeno releases. While the Brown version has a couple of stick on acid damage sections, this Blue variant takes the damage to another level by essentially showing the skull as mid explosion. Within the blast of acid you can see the inner jaw flying in one direction and pieces of skull and jaw in another. We then get a second piece on the lower part of the chest. These are pretty realistic in that it looks as though the figure has been frozen at the point of impact from a pulse rifle or the auto-cannons. The figure is a complete re-use from 2013 and with damage it was originally packed with Hicks, an undamaged version was released in Series 2 in the same year. If you compare this side-by-side with either of these 2013 versions and other than some slightly different paint application there is no significant difference in sculpt but we do get upgraded articulation on the fingers. The whole piece is coloured in a glossy black colour and the blue is then added as a dry brush to bring out all the exposed details such as the ridges on the skull and the piping and tendons. With no head so to speak, this version of the Xeno does lose the articulated jaw. The head itself remains articulated and is ball jointed and can rotate to the side and look up and down within the constraints of the extended shoulder blades. There is a further ball joint in the trunk of the figure and this is much more wide ranging in movement allowing the Xeno to be twisted and leaned and therefore it does support crouching poses. The thin arms are really maneuverable with ball jointed shoulders and a rotating double jointed elbow which can bend back almost on itself. The arms end with a pivot wrist which rotates and can bend to 90 degrees. The NECA team have transposed finger articulation onto this version which means the two fingers on each hand will bend on a pivot. Legs on these earlier Xeno's are a touch restrictive at the hips but there is a ball joint here that can get the hips up to a crouching position and they can also swing out sideways. From the hips you then have double jointed knees and an ankle rocker and an articulated toe piece. Standing the Xeno is very dependent on the tail, and this is a rubber piece over a metal armature so it can be posed and holds in position. The tail then becomes the third point of contact for standing and creates the balance needed for full upright stance. You can also bend the legs into a crawling position - as seen in the scene when the Aliens are crawling in the roof space. I have a feeling both versions of the damaged Xeno's will hang around a lot longer than the Ripley & Vasquez figure. They are very specific in terms of their look and would fit only into a "mid-action" diorama with someone firing at them. While I appreciate the innovation to do something different, these are figures that are 5 years old and still easily available on the market via the 2-packs. Had NECA managed to work out how to do removable damage - then I think these would have flown off shelves. The Blue Xeno takes the battle damage to a much bigger and better place than the two stuck on acid blasts on the brown version. That being said it also further restricts the figure in terms of display as essentially this is a dead Xeno that is about to collapse to the floor with its head a pile of mush. While some collectors will love this in a diorama, others would prefer a basic undamaged version. Had NECA found a way to make this with alternative parts - swap out head or stick on damage - then I think both camps could have been covered. I score the Blue Damaged Xeno a 3 out of 5.

Review : Private Jenette Vasquez (BDU's) NECA, Aliens Wave/Series : Series 12 Released : December 2017 £24.99 Pros : Awesome sculpt, improved paint and detail from the original release and some nice working holsters Cons : The FX piece doesn't quite work. The elbow joints are a weak spot. After her debut in the Alien series in 2016, NECA released a Kenner inspired Vasquez earlier in 2017 and are ending the year with this 3rd version of the character as part of Series 12. The Series also includes a reworked figure of Ripley as well as two damaged Xenomorph figures. The clamsell packaging remains unchanged with the paper insert sandwiched into the clamshell to create the backing card and header. The Aliens logo sits atop of the card with the figure displayed underneath. There is a smaller insert at the base of the blister that shows the NECA Aliens 30th Anniversary circular logo and the character name as Private Jenette Vasquez (BDUs). BDU apparently stands for Battle Dress Uniform, and differentiates this figure from the Series 9 release where she is packed with her Smart Gun. The two sides of the blister also get inserts. The right spine carries on the tradition of other marines with a shot that mimics the overhead video screens from the APC where Gormon monitors the marines - each screen has an image of the figure. The other side has a full length shot of Vasquez - taken in one of NECA's awesome dioramas. The card back is headed by the Aliens logo and then a full length image of the figure firing her Pulse Rifle. Overlaid onto this is some background text which starts with Vasquez rank and serial number and then a short bio. This is the same text, word for word, as used on the Series 9 release. Once unpacked, Vasquez comes in the standard insert. She is held in place with twisty ties and her weaponry is packed surrounding her head. I would urge caution on unpacking and first posing this figure. With her slender arms, her joints are very fragile and our first review figure broke straight out of the pack. The NECA Service Team were brilliant, responding in under 24hrs and arranging a replacement that arrived into the UK within 10-days. On receipt of the second figure I gave Vasquez a short warm water bath before posing. The likeness to Jenette Goldstein is excellent on this figure, mostly down to the expression that the sculptor has captured. The head is cast in the skin tone plastic which gives a sweaty effect, and this works so well for Vasquez. The ees and lips are painted well and although feint the teardrop tattoo is there under the eye. At this scale you also have to give kudos to the design on that bandana with individual motifs visible. Vasquez's BDUs are essentially the camouflage uniform she is wearing under her Smart Gun and that she is obviously wearing in the 2nd half of the film up to her final scene with Gorman. The body sculpt for the figure is great, capturing the build of Goldstein well including the toned muscular arms. My first thought was perhaps the Camo design was too light, but it is accurate to the movie. We often feel the colouring is darker because of the lighting, bu also because of the armour on most of the marines which is a darker colour - Vasquez doesn't wear this outside of her Smart Gun vest. The Camo paint job is excellent and is then highlighted with smaller details such as the word LOCO on the back of her shirt, the name badge and rank details on either side of her chest and the US Marine Corp logo. When we compare this release to the original Series 8 version you can see a figure that has been honed and improved. The torso has obviously been reworked to the battle dress as originally there was nothing of use under that Smart Gun armour - and it is a different torso again to the Kenner version from earlier this year which was a vest top. But rather than stop after that, NECA have carried on with the subtle improvements like the addition of the teardrop tattoo, what looks to be a crisper paint job on the bandana and for me a nicer facial paint job - even if the sculpt is unchanged. We do also have some additional parts now like the lower leg knife holster which didn't appear on the first figure and also the cross chest strap and holster - both of which we will look at in a short while. Vasquez comes with 14 points of articulation, standard for a NECA figure. Both the head and torso are ball jointed and do move freely in both rotation and in leaning forward and back. While there is plenty of movement, the look of the figure can be spoiled if you do lean the torso to far one way or another as it will expose the unpainted section underneath. The arms are ball jointed at the shoulder and then have a rotating joint at the elbow, this allows a full range of movement - but just watch out the elbows are a weak point as we discussed a little earlier. The wrists are also ball jointed, so while this doesn't give the full bend like a pivot peg would - there is both rotating and pivot motion at the wrist joint. NECA is doing an brilliant job in recent years of disguising it's leg joints by use of that flexible crotch piece which flexes with the ball joint hips as they move. This does sometimes restrict the hips by some degree, but Vasquez is an exception and she can swing her legs out fully to sit down if needed and to wider action poses. We then have a single joint knee which bends to almost a full right angle, and finally a neat ankle rocker mid boot to help stance and positioning - Vasquez has no issues standing. While she may have lost her Smart Gun, Vasquez is loaded with weapons to fight the Aliens. The first of these is her knife. This is a crisp sculpt considering the scale, down to the visible serrations on the blade and the ridged grip. It is painted black with silver detailing on the hilt and some dry brushing of silver on the blade. This looks to be the same knife as packed with Bishop Vasquez doesn't quite grip the knife securely in either hand, you sort of have to prop it in place. Perhaps a nit pick of the figure is an alternative hnd to hold the knife might have worked better. That being said, it is not a key prop and rather than have it posed in her hand you will most likely position it in the working holster on the back of her leg. It slips into this neatly and holds in position without being too tight that it rubs the paint. While the holster is positioned at the rear on arrival, it is a separate piece which can be moved around the leg if you wish. We then get the pistol which is the final weapon Vasquez draws to take down the Aliens as she tries to escape in the ducts. Like the knife there are loads of details on such a small item with the screws visible and painted on the grip. The grip itself is painted a sandy colour, and this is slightly rough around the edges if you inspect it close up. This fits into the hand very well and the trigger finger of the right hand can be positioned in the trigger. And like the knife, it has a home when not in use - slotting into the holster slung across her chest. Again the fit is snug, but not too tight. I thought the hand gun was perhaps the same as the one packed with Frost, but they are two differing designs of weapon. And finally Vasquez gets the standard issue Pulse Rifle. This is the same sculpt we've seen a few times across the Alien figures. Again, it is crisp and detailed and painted well with a green and black variating scheme with silver detailing. There is no strap included on the weapon. Vasquez again holds this securely in her right hand with trigger finger in the grip. She can then be posed one or two handed, with the left hand coming round and cupping the grenade launcher underneath. A new addition to this figure, and to Ripley in the same wave, is the Pulse Rifle FX piece. This is designed to mimic the effect of the Rifle firing and follows on from the Smart Gun piece from the original Vasquez and similar pieces in the Predator line. It has been retro designed to fit into the Pulse Rifle sculpt and has a shaped end to fit the muzzle of the gun with a peg to fit down the barrel. While I can see what NECA are trying to do here, and while the Smart Gun FX piece worked really well, this one doesn't do much for me. It looks a bit fluffy and fat and not like it is shooting a hail of bullets. The paint job is also a bit muted, with the orange not bright enough to mimic a shooting effect. It is a good effort and quite innovative, but for me this one will go in the bits box. Series 12 overall may look like a bit of a rehash / repaint wave - and that is exactly what it is in its truest sense. It is however a wave that isn't re-releasing figures for the sake of it, it is giving us new versions of the characters we love in the screen accurate outfit for that particular part of the movie. Vasquez goes further than this though in that it improves on a great figure, and makes it something special indeed. While the big Smart Gun may have gone, this is the Vasquez we see towards the end of the movie and she has all the accessories to recreate any of those final scenes. There are also improvements on the original figure in paint job and detailing such as the crispness of that bandana and the addition of the tear drop tattoo. Articulation is also exactly what you want and need and the only concerns I have are the quality of those joints which broke far to easily on our first version. The only other minor flaw is the FX piece which is innovative, but doesn't quite hit the spot for me. We score Vasquez a 5 out of 5.

Review : Lt. Ellen Ripley (Bomber Jacket) NECA, Aliens Wave/Series : Series 12 Released : December 2017 £24.99 Pros : It is Ripley! Cons : The head paint job is not as good as the 2015 release The 12th Series of NECA's Alien series was originally planned to be figures from the 4th film in the franchise, Resurrection. Plans changed part way through the year to allow NECA to push out more figures from the 1986 Aliens movie under the 30th Anniversary banner. That reshuffle gave us a wave which contained 4 figures, but none of which were brand new to the wave. The two battle damaged Xeno's were recycled from the original Hicks & Hudson 2-pack - albeit with updated articulation. Vasquez and Ripley were both existing figures with tweaked parts to give the character a new look. The Aliens series, and the wider NECA ranges, use these tweaked and repainted figures regularly to support new releases - but it is unusual to see four tweaks in one wave and that made Series 12 feel a little flat. Ripley arrives in a standard clamshell, perhaps the last wave to do so as NECA have indicated a potential move to their more recent, and now preferred, boxed packaging in 2018. The overall theme of the packaging is dark blue, reminiscent of the movie. The card header is made up of the full Aliens electric blue logo. Down at the front of the blister the insert carries the Aliens 30th Anniversary circular logo. We then get the specific character name as Lt. Ellen Ripley (Bomber Jacket).. Being a movie release NECA have given us the two side inserts which contain atmospheric shots of the figure itself in one of NECA's awesome dioramas. The card back carries a further image of Ripley and over this is laid some background text that explains Ripley as the "survivor of the Nostromo" and her cryogenic sleep and eventual discovery and how she will be returning to LV426 to "confront the Alien menace head on". This is the same text from the 2015 Series 5 figure. The bottom of the card shows the "Also Available" figures with head shots of the two Battle Damaged Xeno's and with Vasquez in the centre. The design of the NECA blister does lend itself to the inner paper inserts becoming warped and creased, Ripley doesn't seem to suffer as bad as some of the earlier 2017 figures in wave 11. Once the pack has been cut open, Ripley slides out in her inner tray. NECA are still heavily using twisty ties which have to be untwisted careful so not to damage any paint. Initial thoughts of the figure is that the head is very non descript and is quite glossy. This is down to what appears to be the use of the "sweaty" flesh plastic that NECA have employed on other figures such as the Rocky releases and with the Ultimate Commando. The eyes and lips are painted on top of the flesh tone, but there is no other shading or blusing to help bring out the sculpt. The hair piece is a good attempt at capturing Weaver's 1986 Aliens style, but it is very dark and one tone in colour. The costume is very well done and is made up of a blue jumpsuit over which we have the brown leather bomber jacket. The cloth and material is well sculpted and we can see defined creases and folds where you would expect to see them. Zips and buttons are detailed and painted in silver and the cuffs and trim of the jacket are ribbed to look elasticated and painted a lighter brown. The Reebok trainers are pretty detailed too with the white broken up with red trims and the grey ankle pieces and straps. Bomber Jacket Ripley uses the same head sculpt as the 2015 Series 5 Ripley and when you compare the two side by side you can see the same head sculpt but the difference a painted head makes vs the glossy skin. Both have strengths and weaknesses, and I can appreciate the plan to make Ripley look sweaty under the pressure of the situation - the technique was used on the Rescuing Newt version of Ripley earlier this year. The lower parts of Ripley are a re-use too, although this time round there is more blue in the suit. The torso is new with the top part of the jumpsuit and the bomber jacket on top. The arms too are new, but the hands are the same. NECA quote this figure with 25 points of articulation and this is on the basis of each point of movement on the figure - so a head that rotates and looks up and down gives 3 points. I prefer a more simplistic view of POA and will refer to the points on the body where we have a joint - regardless of the movement that joint gives. For me that means Ripley has 14 points of articulation. We start with a ball jointed head and being a true ball joint and not a pivot on a ball - the head will rotate and look up and down at any orientation. Further down the trunk we have ball joint in the torso , hidden behind the jacket and disguised by a sculpted belt. The arms are ball jointed at the shoulder and can move out to about 45 degrees, and also rotate above the head. The elbows bend to a full 90 degrees, and these also rotate. The final arm joint is a wrist joint that rotates. The legs are also a little restricted. NECA use a ball joint in the hips and then disguise this with a rubbery crotch section that flexes with the joint. This looks much nicer than say a Diamond Select T-Joint hip, but does mean the joint can only move as far as the crotch section can stretch. For Ripley that is a wide stance only. The knees are well disguised too, and these are a single joint but they do rotate. We finish with ankle rockers. Ripley comes with a Pulse Rifle. This is the same sculpt and design used in a number of Aliens releases. This one comes with a rubber flexible strap attached. The gun looks great with the green and black paint job with silver accents. The strap, while flexible, doesn't hang particularly well and will need some training to hang how you want it. The Pulse Rifle also comes with an FX part, a new theme in the Aliens and Predator lines from NECA. These pieces are designed to clip onto weapons to show a firing effect. This is designed to retrospectively fit on the Pulse Rifle sculpt by means of a socket and an inner peg that goes in the barrel. It is not a tight fit, but will hold itself as long as it's not disturbed. Ripley holds the Rifle in her right hand with a flexible trigger finger that can be coaxed into the trigger. Articulation on the arms allows for a two handled cradling pose as well with the left hand shaped to cup the barrel under the grenade launcher. While the strap is a bit unnatural when the gun is being held, it comes into its own when you want to sling the weapon on Ripley's shoulder - working perfectly. Previous pieces like the Smart Gun FX piece were really well done - but this one looks a bit off. If you look at screen grabs of the Pulse Rifle firing you can see why the piece is designed this way. It is however a bit fat and fluffy as though its the trailing part of a rocket and not the bullets the rifle shoots. It is also not as bright as perhaps it could be, and perhaps not as translucent as it could be. While I have employed the Smart Gun FC piece on display, this one will probably be discarded to the accessory box. Any figure of Ripley is always welcomed in the Alien series, and as a look this gives collectors a Ripley to display with your Marines as they explore the LV426 base, she also works really well with Newt (pre-rescue). The issue of packing her with a load of other re-worked figures and so soon after the Rescuing Newt pack means there is some collectors fatigue and this is one that may have been better being held back and slotting in as a filler to a wave with some newer figures. The issues are around the choice of skin tone which doesn't look as good as the 2015 release. Articulation is enough, but feels a bit dated when you compare this body to the more recent Vasquez figure in the same wave. The FX piece is a nice thought, but I personally don't think it works. I scored the original Series 5 Ripley a 5 out of 5. This version is not as good looking as that figure, and the benchmarks on articulatio and paint have moved on quite some way in the past couple of years. I am therefore going to score Bomber Jacket Ripley a 3 out of 5.

UK distributor Amerang Ltd have shared the exciting news that they will soon be distributing ThreeZero products right here in the UK direct to specialist stores. "Amerang has been supplying the toy & hobby trade with a broad selection of the world’s finest products from the biggest brands, since 1982. We are continually updating our products, keeping ahead of trends and demands, with a broad selection of collectable die cast, model kits, remote control models and a vast selection of TV, Film and comic related licensed products." The full press release is as follows, with more news to follow on the Amerang website. The new deal will include both figures and statues from ThreeZero including some key properties like Transformers, Rambo and Terminator. Amerang to distribute threezero collectable figures and statues throughout the UK! Amerang are pleased to announce, that after successful meetings at the New York Toy Fair earlier this year, that we will be distributing the ever evolving threezero range of highly detailed collectable figures and statues! threezero, recognized by their iconic gasmask logo, are known for their high-quality and detail-oriented collectible figures based on characters and designs from intellectual properties such as Transformers, Terminator, Destiny 2, Ultraman and Rambo, to name but a few. Amerang look forward to working with threezero as they develop and will use their 35+ years of distribution know how to help increase brand presence throughout the UK. Further information relating to this exciting brand can be found online at www.amerang.co.uk with updates and news available through our Facebook and social media sites. Checkout our blog page for more action figure news, reviews and store reports About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys... action figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors, amerang, threezero, distributor, wholesale