Gorn Bust Review Capsule

One of many Star Trek collectible busts from Sideshow Collectibles, and probably the least-known character of the lot of them. This replica of a rubber mask is probably more realistic than what was used on the original episode of Trek. MSRP $45.00, Sideshow Web exclusive, limited to 1,000 pieces.

Introduction

Star Trek as a pop culture icon has seen its star fall, if you'll pardon the expression, recently. From Enterprise to Nemesis, it appears that nobody seems interested in recreating what gave the show decades of loyal fan love. Except on the collectibles front, that is... recent toys and statues based from the original series are some of the best ever, and this Gorn Bust is a great replica of an almost forgettable lizard mask from the original series. It has a good weight to it, and it looks exactly as it should... and that's why we like it.

Sculpt

Olaf W. Hartvigson is the sculptor of this piece, and in the past he's sculpted many classic monsters for Sideshow from the Universal pantheon of the supernatural. This time around, he lends his considerable talents to a much lesser creature, but the end results are just as stunning as his work on the likes of The Mummy.

It's hard to infuse much personality into a rubber mask which was fairly lifeless in the first place, so here, the statue really seems to be the best possible replica of the costume it could be. Probably better, because here there's no seams or zippers which need to be hidden.

At about seven inches tall, it's not exactly a huge bust, probably a little bigger than 1/6 or 1/7 scale. Much of this is the base, though, and it's a fairly nice base. The nameplate looks as if it's metal, and the Trek logo does as well despite obviously being part of the polystone used to sculpt the lizard and the rest of the stand. The construction is fairly solid, and according to the manufacturer's Web page, it's about five pounds. It's a little smaller than their Lord of the Rings busts, but it's still a good size.

While previous action figures of Gorn have looked a little scaley or bumpy, sculptor Hartvigson goes all out giving this guy wrinkles, bumps, ridges, and a fairly worn-in look. The bags under the eyes are replicated here with great care, giving this guy a little bit of age. As Trek was a "new" Universe while Star Wars was fairly lived in, this is a nice contrast to the typical shiny and new look of the Enterprise and the show as a whole. The toothy grin and black paint give the mouth a fairly fierce look, and the teeth aren't individually sculpted and protruding so they can't snap off. This is a welcome move.

The base feels nicely crafted and at first glance, appears to be a separate piece. At the bottom is the usual information with copyright, edition size, and so forth. Nowhere on the piece does it mention the fact it's a Web exclusive, but it's plain as day that this is a low run item.

Packaging

This item comes in a box similar to most current TOS-era merchandise, with the same basic colors we see on the figures from Art Asylum packaging.

There's a foam insert along with some paperwork inside, and a great window on front of the box so you can see what it is you're getting. Unfortunately, as a Web exclusive, this is moot as you won't have a chance to look it over before you've purchased it.

The bust comes in a larger brown mailer box which we opted not to present here as it's just a brown box.

Availability

This item is available only from Sideshow Collectibles on the primary market. It's currently selling for about $45.

Fin

Are you a fan of Trek? Tired of inferior merchandise? Got $45? Great. Go get this. It's a nice piece and for what it is, fairly gorgeous. The paint is clean, the outfit looks really otherworldly, yet grounded in the 1960's. While odds are you'll opt for the likes of Kirk or Data first, this isn't a bad piece and would be a great addition to anyone's collection, assuming that lizard men from another world are part of that. Granted, it doesn't do much of anything, but it looks great and feels solid, and the pose and expression don't make it look awkward. This is a great bust for all these reasons, and the fact that it's pretty much perfect for what it is.

Then again, don't forget, it is just Gorn. But since reptiles translate nicely to plastic, you could change the emphasis to "don't forget... it's Gorn!"

Reviewed and photographed by Adam Pawlus
Sample received on October 27, 2003
Reviewed on December 30, 2003.