Universal Monsters ReAction Figure
Item No.: No. 03223 Manufacturer:Super7 Includes:n/a Action Feature:n/a Retail:$17.99 Availability: November 2018 Other: If you like old Kenner Star Wars you'll want one
I initially passed on The Mummy from Super7 in 2018 because I was pretty happy with The Mummy [FOTD #1,005] from Funko x Super7 in 2014. The monsters from the Funko era were some of their finest work, despite not looking and feeling exactly like old Kenner, or Fisher-Price, or other old figures. Other than the samey poses, they had good sculpting and detail, and felt like something you could've believed having been an alternate pitch had Remco not had the license in the early 1980s. Neither ReAction Figure scratches the itch for me still wanting the Remco one - it's different! - but also, the Super7 2018 issue isn't really better than the 2014 issue. It's in the weird space of a sideways upgrade.
We didn't get a lot of good looks at the wrapped-up Imhotemp in The Mummy, and most publicity photos don't give you a good look at his chest - his arms are crossed over his body. As such, the action figures seem to interpret details a little differently. I honestly genuinely like what the 2014 Funko version did, the details were crisp (but not too crisp) and the wrapped shroud was all tattered a bit - but not too much. It looked fine. The hnew one is a bit more erratic, and he looks even more like a toy. The hands and head are both bigger and greener, with his hands also being much more toylike. The right one looks like it could hold something, while the left one looks mostly decorative. That's more or less normal for Kenner, as is the slightly more dynamic posture. The bigger head has Karloff's chin jutting out a bit more, and the arms and legs are bent in more interesting ways. There are subtle dangling wraps at the end of his wrists - which I love - but they opted to leave his ring out entirely. That's a shame.
This 3 3/4-inch scale action figure has the same typical 5 joints that all move smoothly, and the deco was surprising in that they added a wash over the bandages to bring them out. Funko didn't do that, and Kenner most likely would never have done that - they'd just pick a dirtier shade of plastic and call it a day. I'm not poo-pooing the choice because it does look pretty good, and helps to highlight some scrapes and other hand-made details on the figure. Take a look at his butt - there are some unusual detail choices there, particularly under the torso between his legs. If I didn't know better I'd assume someone broke something and it had to be re-sculpted down there.
It feels like a copy of a copy of a copy, with some unique flourishes. The bright green is striking, but it's also a bit much.
This is a good figure, but if you're happy with the Mummy figures you already own I wouldn't say it's worth the upgrade to buy and open this one. (Now if you're keeping it packaged, that's a whole different story because it's gorgeous in the cardback.) It moves and feels generally better than my other Mummy figures, and in that sense, this might be the better one. But also, this is a toy from a movie that's over 90 years old and I'm willing to bet many of the action figures being purchased are by monster fans that may never have actually watched the film. Boris Karloff's monster roles are so iconic that they transcend the movies, and I'd be willing to bet we may never see a movie usurp him as the definitive take on his monsters. (Sorry, Arnold Vosloo, you still made for a great #2 here.) If the price is right (and/or you have no other Mummy figures in this scale) I'd recommend this one - but I should've listened to my gut and skipped it, if only because I feel like I'm getting diminishing returns here. But if Super7 repainted it in a less green skin color, and maybe painted or added a ring, I'd probably be convinced to buy it again... if I didn't just describe the one that sold for $10 a few years earlier.
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