Okay, I just got her.
First of all, I am suprised by how effective this figure looks unboxed, standing on a shelf. When HT released the initial prototype promo shots, I was so impressed it was an instant pre-oreder. But with time passing, and more sneak photos flooding the net, my enthusiasm was waning, and I started to wonder if she was a bit too modest a figure for such a price tag. But in hand she has an amazing shelf presence, despite her simple looks. Or maybe its exactly becouse of that. Her lean, black silhouette stands in great contrast to all the buffed up, armoured, colorfully costumed superheroes and the general sausage-fest that is my detolf. Simple but very striking, is what I would describe her. Lean and mean.
As for the headsulpt. When the first in-hand photos of the head started to show up on the net, I was a bit disapointed, since it looked like a significant drop in likeness between the prototype and the production pieces. In hand however the sculpt is near perfect. There is no mistaking its Hathaway. The characteristic shape of her jawline and mouth is there 100% and no matter what angle I am looking from, there's always enough Anne in it. So a great sigh of relief when it comes to likness, I am 100% satisfied in this department.
Photos definitely don't do her justice. I think its becouse the paint app and the sculpt lines are so subtle and smooth that any kind of enhanced light or camera glare will distort it.
Its not the likness that's the problem, its the blank expresion. And that is I think the only gripe I have with this figure. They could have infused a bit more life into her face. I think thats a problem with 1/6 women figures in general. Perhaps the sculptors are so focused on translating the attractive facial features of an actress, that they are afraid any semblence of face-twisting expression might ruin the likness. I don't know. All I know is that such a simple thing like a slight smirk, or a sexy, seductive glare would make the value of this figure sky-rocket. If there is one female figure that deservese a look with a bit more spice - its Catwoman. So in this department HT missed a huge oportunity. One idea how this could be corrected is by slightly tweaking the paint of her mouth. By playing with paint around the corners of her mouth, one could give a very, very subtle shadow and line, that would make a suggestion of a slight smile. Perhaps I'll try it.
Part of the problem with the expression might be the eyes, since the iris decals seem to be smaller than on the prototype pics. Again, in hand it doesn't look as bad as some of the amateur photos might suggest. Her eyes look good and realistic, they just seem so focused and pointed, giving her that cold look. But the expression is not bad, it simply could have been better. Besides, its a cat-burglar - the cold "I will open Your throat with my knife-heels" look, also suits her in some way. I certainly prefer that to some of the re-paints that allready showed up, most of which have her eyes so big, it either made her too girly, or looking like she's been possesed by a deamon. If I ever get to customise her and repaint the eyes (that a huge 'maybe', since as I said - it looks good in hand), I wil try to bring the iris in size to what the prototype photos showed.
I had no problems with putting on the googles (other than one part falling off, but that was just weak glue, nothing broke). Once I put them on, I couldn't close them around her head with my fingers, so I simply used a pointed, sharp object to push the rubber plug into the hole with no problem. I still need to get her hair behind her ears though. The only thing I am a bit worried about, production-wise, is the hair. I mean the girl was shedding. Like a lot. After I got her out of the box, strapped on the googles and started to pose her, my hands and desk were flocked with hair strands. Fortunately it was like this only in the beggining, so it might have been just the excess hair that got there during production. I hope so.
Overally I am very, very satisfied with this figure. More than I expected actually. The expression could have been better, but the current head is already great as it is. I might try to tweak the paint slightly, but thats a big "maybe someday", couse the figure looks so good out of the box, that I have no burning need to mod her just right now.The only thing I need to do is to futz her hair, as its quite messy right now. Unfortunately no comb in the house, since I keep my own cropped short
BTW. If any of You ever had that feeling of awkwardness at the nerdy strangeness of playing around with superhero "dolls", just wait and see how uncomfortable this figure will make You
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb9-eQ1ozTc[/ame]