Cordelia Preview- Touch Ups on Photoshop

[Migwit]

I'm also of the mind that there's nothing wrong with this Cordy sculpt. When I went to the preview page, it was "Cordelia!" I think the likeness is spot on, and can't find anything wrong with it.

 

[FrankenFan]

willowswarlock is obviously as big a Cordelia Chase fan as I am a Vampire Buffy fan, so I can fully understand his passion for this figure and his desire for it to be perfect, in his eyes. Lord knows, I certainly had a long and tedious list of observations accompanied by photo references when that figure was previewed.

There may be some subtleties in the sculpt that could be enhanced by minor paint variations, but if one cannot see Charisma Carpenter in that sculpt, then one has never seen Charisma Carpenter. (Not referring to you, ww.) As amarcord said, this is definitly one of the best female likenesses to grace any of the 1:6 lines.

I think the sculpt could have easily strayed into caricature territory given Ms. Carpenter's wide mouth and doe-like eyes, but happily, we have a realistic portrait with lots of personality. I like the way the hair was worked-out, too. It looks like Cordy's curls are a "cap" that fits over a sculpted hairline; a more elegant solution than Vampire Buffy's "stick-on" bangs.

Looking forward to the full reveal and I, too, hope the bustier is included and the buttons are diminished in size, if not removed. But unless her head is sitting atop a new body, or at least one with an augmented torso, I really don't expect the clothing to be form-fitting and hug the curves.

 

[Firefly Flanatic]

Oh, I also agree that the sculpt is spot on. I just think Wayne's enhanced coloring and lightening of the hair make it look even more like her. But, I have noticed that the hair on some of these figures isn't as dark as they appear in the photos pre-release. My only worry is that we get an uber pale Cordy like we did with Willow. If Willow's paint job had been better the figure would have looked a lot better than it did. I think Sideshow is aware of this because I think the last batch of figures have had great paint jobs.

 

[pjam]

Oh, I also agree that the sculpt is spot on. I just think Wayne's enhanced coloring and lightening of the hair make it look even more like her. But, I have noticed that the hair on some of these figures isn't as dark as they appear in the photos pre-release. My only worry is that we get an uber pale Cordy like we did with Willow. If Willow's paint job had been better the figure would have looked a lot better than it did. I think Sideshow is aware of this because I think the last batch of figures have had great paint jobs.

Totally agree, Willow would have looked Better, but as we all discussed her head was elongated (stretched) in the curing proces and Andy's sculpt never realized it's true intended potential

 

[Protozaius]

Well, tonight it will be a week since we saw the preview pic of Cordy. Do you think tonight we will get to pre-order?

 

[Migwit]

Oh, yes please! I'll be sitting in front of the tv with my laptop in my lap, watching Big Brother All-Stars and waiting for the time when I can log into my SS newsletter! I think this newsletter with have BIG announcements, and hopefully one of them will be the pre-order of Cordy! Oo-rah!!

 

[LordAzrael]

Well, tonight it will be a week since we saw the preview pic of Cordy. Do you think tonight we will get to pre-order?

I think they might announce the pre-order for next week. Its so long since I've had a "normal" non-Star Wars pre-order I don't remember what the deal is - are they available straight away or do they just announce the pre-order date.......

 

[Protozaius]

I don't think that there will be a Priority Pre-Order for Cordy, so I don't think there will be the week long ramp up to ordering.

If I'm not mistaken (it HAS been awhile) I think both the Buffy PF and the last Angel Pre-Order just popped up in the news letter.

In just a couple of hours we will know for sure....

 

[Seaward]

This Cordelia figure looks to be about the best in the whole Buffy line!!! I can't wait to order this, and I hope Giles will follow shortly behind.

 

[wookilar8]

Saw a picture of Cordelia today in LEE'S Toy Review mag and her head looked huge. She'll definitly need a stand to support all that hair.

 

[Protozaius]

It will be interesting to see how Cordy sells. She is the first 12" figure in awhile that isn't a re-do (Angel) or a secondary character (D'Hoffryn). I think we will see more people order this one because is the first version of a CORE character.

And she looks stunning... so far.

 

[Seaward]

She has a little bit of the "orange on a toothpick" thing going on, but she looks great. This seems like a very low-key announcement, and I wonder if we are hearing the wheels of the Buffy Machine slowly grinding to a halt. I hope she gets more pre-orders than the last couple figures though, as she is entirely new and a heavy hitter. Sideshow, there is still life in this line!

 

[LordAzrael]

She has a little bit of the "orange on a toothpick" thing going on, but she looks great. This seems like a very low-key announcement, and I wonder if we are hearing the wheels of the Buffy Machine slowly grinding to a halt. I hope she gets more pre-orders than the last couple figures though, as she is entirely new and a heavy hitter. Sideshow, there is still life in this line!

I agree -the hair makes the head look a little big.

As for being the end of the buffy line - I doubt it. This is an Angel figure - and only the second figure in the line. I wouldn't be surprised to see "Buffy" scale down in favour of Angel - but there is a fair degree of crossover between the two.

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

She has a little bit of the "orange on a toothpick" thing going on, but she looks great. This seems like a very low-key announcement, and I wonder if we are hearing the wheels of the Buffy Machine slowly grinding to a halt. I hope she gets more pre-orders than the last couple figures though, as she is entirely new and a heavy hitter. Sideshow, there is still life in this line!

I was really surprised to see Cordy as a website exclusive, she was a major player. I wonder if all future Angel figures will be site exclusives, I can't imagine Wes, Gunn, Fred or even Lorne being more in demand than Cordy.

 

[creecher]

Those shots look heaps better, and I'm glad it is a web exclusive stateside. It's like I can get an exclusive locally. These type of exclusives are the ones that don't exclude me. I wish they were all like that. Now all I have to do is wait.

I don't know why Sideshow don't use an older style forearm, on a figure like this. There is enough twist in the wrist for most poses. I would prefer they loose the forearm cut.

I can see why Sideshow have made it a stateside exclusive. It will be in demand, and they get the benefit of the direct sales, further ensuring more figures. The lesser figures can go to the retailers, who are going to discount them, ensuring they get to the masses. Sounds good to me.

 

[B-Electronic]

On a sidenote here, using those screenshots of Cordy wont help you determine the correct skintone at all. There are so many filters used to create perfect lighting during the recording of the show that there is no telling what her actual skintone might look like. For exmple, the one used in the first post obviously has alot of orange/brown in it. Not exactly how normal people's skins look like unless they are tan-addicts.

 

[Slayerverse98]

The touchups look better

 

[Fritz]

Totally agree, Willow would have looked Better, but as we all discussed her head was elongated (stretched) in the curing proces and Andy's sculpt never realized it's true intended potential

This is my concern as well. I will reserve judgement until someone has one in hand and the final production images are available.

Now being a completist means I will get this either way but so far from the images available, I think it's looks fine. I wouldn't say it's dead on Charisma but this is after all a 12" figure not a 1:1 bust. Overall good job.

 

[SergeiEsenin]

On a sidenote here, using those screenshots of Cordy wont help you determine the correct skintone at all. There are so many filters used to create perfect lighting during the recording of the show that there is no telling what her actual skintone might look like. For exmple, the one used in the first post obviously has alot of orange/brown in it. Not exactly how normal people's skins look like unless they are tan-addicts.

Charisma Carpener's skintone is orange-brown. Almost every picture of her, from candids in sunlight to her controlled-lighting Playboy pictorial, attest to this. It has fluctuated considerably over the years from being more orange to more brown, but she's always been very dark. Her Cherokee and Mexican ancestry certainly plays a part.

I think the preview likeness is quite good, but the skin tone could be improved and the cheekbones should be more prominent. Her Cherokee lineage is definitely visible in her angular cheekbones in most photographs. For a pretty good view of how angular her cheekbones are, take a look at the picture of this lifemask (made from a casting taken during Angel); the whiteness and angle shown depict her cheek shape well: https://cgi.ebay.com/Charisma-Carpenter-life-mask-Buffy_W0QQitemZ270002929956QQihZ017QQcategoryZ60361QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem