Specificity makes collecting fun. This is the third Super7 Devo ReAction Figure, and New Traditionalists Gerald Casale brings you their beautiful world yet again. This one is pretty fascinating because the Action Vest - a removable accessory based on a real thing you could order from Devo in 1981 - doesn't appear on their album covers in a significant way (but you can see it prominently on a poster), nor does the accessory I saw someone call a "Spud Gun." This figure seems more like a cool toy than the other ones, mostly because the New Traditionalists outfit featured on the album cover looks more like a retro sci-fi thing than some of the other ones, particularly when viewed from the front. If you had a dozen of these figures populating your space station playsets, it would be a great fit.
Ed Repka's painting talents are on full display as Gerry Casale is painted like I don't think I've seen him before - staring at the camera in the plastic Pomp with the toy gun accessory. The figure looks just like it, and it seems weirdly modern given he can't hold his gun and aim it at anybody. He just holds it, and it looks cool in the left hand. The right hand can't grip it, much like a lot of old Kenner figures. Because I'm not familiar with this particular illustration, it's not as iconic - to me, at least - as the other two figures we've received thus far.
The figure itself is pretty amazing, but could use some more sculpted detail. The painted arms are a little pale, but the black shoes look nice and the tampos are amazing. You get a "Devo" logo on the action vest and on the shirt, plus a New Traditionalists helmeted man on the sleeve - the level of detail is just incredible. The face paint is also very good, but it's a little pale and as such may not look exactly like Gerry Casale. It's really good, and at some angles you can see it - but like other action figures of the 1980s, it's not a match.
The rubbery action vest can go over the figure - or not - and it's a neat accessory. I also really like the gun, which I'd probably buy in abundance if given the opportunity to outfit other figures with one. Giving a retro figure a retro toy of its own just works.
The sculpting is pretty good, but it's a lot smoother than some other releases. The pants look better than some, but the back pockets don't look quite right. I doubt anyone will notice, because they won't open the figure.
If you buy this figure and take off the Action Vest, I think you're going to love it. I certainly do - heck, I might buy another one just to display one with it on and one with it off. I don't know if we're going to see many more figures in this line as of my writing this up, but I do love that we're getting the key looks and I certainly wouldn't mind an "Oh No It's Devo"-era outfit or the helmeted "Duty Now for the Future" look. I assume licensing wouldn't allow it, but the Gerry Casale figure seems like a great base to repaint as generic sci-fi figures. Wouldn't you love to see this with other colored outfits to hang out on your shelves next to various aliens? I would.
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