Super7 Planet of the Apes General Aldo Super7, 2019
Day #2,590: June 29, 2023
General Aldo Gorilla my Dreams
Planet of the Apes ReAction Figure
Item No.: No. 03435 Manufacturer:Super7 Includes:Rifle Action Feature:n/a Retail:$17.99 Availability: March 2019 Other: One of Four ReAction Planet of the Apes Gorillas
Super7 made four gorillas! General Aldo from Battle for the Planet of the Apes looks almost identical to the molds used for Gorilla Soldier (Hunter) and Gorilla Soldier (Patrol), but is (as we say) just different enough to make you mad. Aldo was played by Claude "your Boomer or Gen X parents knew him as Sheriff Lobo" Akins, whose distinctive face and make-up on the packaging did not translate to the action figure. Super7 kept the gorilla troopers generic with uniquely colored outfits and faces, making Aldo a little darker while also giving him red eyes for some reason. It looks cool.
While some of the other figures look like they could have been Kenner products on the shelves around the same time as Star Wars, Aldo doesn't - the abundant paint seems almost too good for the era, and I don't think they would have painted the face differently from the hair. The proportions seem correct, and his open hands aren't particularly good at gripping things - much like the 1978 Chewbacca figure from Star Wars. His head swivels and honestly, he makes a better generic Gorilla soldier than he does an Aldo. I like it.
The left arm on mine doesn't move super smoothly, but it generally looks and feels like a pretty good modern retro figure. It doesn't have the same weirdly transcendent feeling some of the other figures give you, but it has great costume sculpting and excellent hair on his head. I like the armor, I like the bandolier, and he generally looks like he belongs with other toys of the 1970s. The little imperfections really sell it - for example, only the front of the bandolier is painted, and the sides are left torso-color. Kenner generally cut corners, and Super7 seems to have gone the extra mile with that armor sculpting.
The figure's ape rifle looks a lot like the movie, but it doesn't feel right. It's a little waxier, and it doesn't quite match how the old Kenner toy rifles felt. He can hold it in his claw-like hands, but it's not a great grip. You can also sling it over his shoulder.
If I only could get one gorilla figure, I'd probably make it this one. He feels the most like what I picture when Taylor was getting hunted in the fields, although I do wish he had just a little more bulk. Then again, Chewie was plenty skinny when I was a kid and we had a great time together. If you see Aldo at your comic or collectible shop for $20 or less, I'd say buy it. The Apes line is a treasure, plus you could sneak him in your Creature Cantina or Space Bar playset (my pal Seth makes them, check it out) and he'd feel right at home. But if you're on a budget, I'd suggest getting Zaius and Cornelius first.
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