Re: ARH Studios Products, ARH/Sideshow new releases!
Here's a frank review of the ARH Leonidas Battle Rage edition.
Packaging: 1/5
To put it mildly, the packaging leaves much to be desired. The styrofoam is extremely flimsy and low quality, it was falling apart before I even took it out of the box, by the time i removed all of the statues my floor looked like after a snowstorm, also the styrofoam wasnt even taped shut (no tape at all). It's a miracle nothing was broken. I really hope arh reconsider their packaging going forward, i dont mind paying $10 extra for a box that doesnt turn into snowflakes upon opening.
Note the end tip of the spear was literally jammed into the styrofoam I almost missed it as all you see is a tiny plastic dot. So make sure you dont forget to dig it out.
Sculpt/Material: 5/5
By far the best iteration of Leonidas, with a slight action pose but not completely in motion. The sculpting details are amazing, i am talking fine details like the back of the shield, muscle tone etc.. I also like the fact the statue comes together logically by putting on his cloak, helmet, shield, spear etc.. In addition, the spear shaft is made from real wood with cloth wrapped by the handle instead of some cheap plastic, very well done. All the pieces are extremely fine detailed.
One minor issue, the removable breastplate isnt magnetic as stated on sideshow's website "Alternate Display Option (Removable magnetic chest armor)". The only way to secure it is by tying the lines (see photos) in the back but it's not even elastic, I tried 5 times and couldnt secure it properly and gave up. You need 1 person to hold the breastplate while a 2nd person tie the knots (or replace it with rubberband). However i feel this is only a minor issue and doesnt affect the overall rating.
Paint: 4.5/5
As some of you know, I am very harsh on paint quality. This statue's paint i would say is 1 notch below attakus - on par with some of sideshow's best works, which is to say excellent. I looked it over carefully under sunlight and CANNOT find any major fault (ie: paint spillover, unstraight lines, etc..) that plagues much of sideshow's work. The details on the battle wounds and blood splatter are nicely done and realistic. Overall very happy!
Value / Overall: 4.5/5
This statue will stood the test of time, Leonidas is one of the main anchor of all the heroes in our history, and ARH's version is the best there is, period. It looks very imposing as a showstopper that non-comic geeks can all appreciate. The battle rage edition with the realistic wounds and blood splatter really adds another dimension to the overall work. The addition of blood doesnt always work on statues, but in this case it fits perfectly with the figure and theme.
At $300, with a guaranteed ES of only 40, and incorporating all of sideshow exclusive edition's feature PLUS additional detail of blood/battle wounds (important), this is really a NO BRAINER must buy. I consider myself pretty well versed in statue valuations and this is a very good value and will be for many years to come. Doubt there are many left.
Enjoy the photos
