NECA's 18" ALIEN

[abake]

A couple of shots of the NECA Alien after my visit there last week.

First off, the "test shot", a pre-production figure where the team gets to look at the materials used and how the articulation and detail will look in the final production run.
It is standing next to NECA's 18" Robocop figure, so that should give you an idea of the size of this figure. It is big and it is very heavy.
The detail is amazing, and the amount of articulation they put into it allows for a lot of posing while not disrupting the sculpt itself too much.

Here's a shot of the original sculpt painted up quickly by Kyle himself (this is slightly smaller than what the production figures will actually be).

The 9" test shot next to the McF 9" figure. Sorry for the crappy pic.

 

[Reinhardt]

awesome pics Abake! thanks for the pics!!! he is huge!!!!

A few questions for the 18" piece:
1. did you see any actual production pieces? i'm very curious what the final paint up will look like compared to Kyle's prototype.
2. will he come with a base?

 

[abake]

I don't know why they're showing up like that...

Anyway, here's a couple more.
This is the prototype that was painted up and sent to toy shows:

Another pic of the test tost, you can see the cut joints just above the knees:

And a few pics Kyle had sent me.
First, the 21" in hand:

And two of the 9" (articulation will be the same on both figures)

 

[Shai]

Thanks abake..that figure will be awesome !!!! He will look good next to his 18'' counterpart from 30 years earlier....

 

[shockwave]

I don't know why they're showing up like that...

Anyway, here's a couple more.
This is the prototype that was painted up and sent to toy shows:

Another pic of the test tost, you can see the cut joints just above the knees:

And a few pics Kyle had sent me.
First, the 21" in hand:

And two of the 9" (articulation will be the same on both figures)

THAT IS SOOOO SWEET.... Thank you NECCA & Abake for the pics...

 

[Sachiel]

So ++++ing awesome!!

Man, I want all those 2ups.

 

[Sabres21768]

Ok, first...BOO CUT JOINTS!

I just do not like cut joints on a fig. It really distracts from the sculpt.

Other than that...FOOKIN' LOVE IT!!
Thanks for the pics Abake. It's great to finally get a look at the 9" version as well.

Question...Did you happen to ask what's up with the Chestbursters and Facehuggers they have with the big figs? Are we going to be seeing those with future releases?

 

[galactiboy]

Even though I'm usually against the cut joints on these... it looks like they really tried to place them as unobtrusively as possible, so kudos on that!

I'd rather have a little sculpt sacrificed to retain the "action" of the figure. Also an inherent problem with rigid plastic Alien figures is there is no way to articulate the hips w/o affecting the look of the crotch. Just too much detail there.

One reason I'm looking forward to the HT version is I'm sure that part will be rubber which will help hide the articulation.

 

[shockwave]

Even though I'm usually against the cut joints on these... it looks like they really tried to place them as unobtrusively as possible, so kudos on that!

I'd rather have a little sculpt sacrificed to retain the "action" of the figure. Also an inherent problem with rigid plastic Alien figures is there is no way to articulate the hips w/o affecting the look of the crotch. Just too much detail there.

One reason I'm looking forward to the HT version is I'm sure that part will be rubber which will help hide the articulation.

Me too w/the articulation sorry to be repetitive. I also noticed that the wrist have swival action too.

 

[crazypredator2]

can't wait to get these ! go neca !

 

[barryo]

awesome pics abake !!!! i still cant believe this is gonna come in at around 40 bucks or so. sweet mother of pearl this is gonna be sick.

 

[abake]

I'm glad you guys liked the pics!
As for the cut joints, look at it this way: if you don't like them, it's not too much of a job to superglue them (and if you're good at that sort of thing, you can even paint over them to make them disappear), but should they not be there, there would be no way of engineering them into the figure...
So I'm happy NECA went with the cut joints (and placed them really well so they wouldn't mess up the sculpt too much).

 

[Sabres21768]

I just noticed that it has cut joints right under the shoulder as well.
And an extending tongue!!

They definately did a great job of "hiding" them so they're not so obvious. I may actually like these joints.
I see definate "ball pose" potential here. :chew

Did you happen to ask them about the Chestbursters and Facehuggers they have with the 2ups?

 

[abake]

@ Reiny:
1. No, I didn't see any final production pieces. The test shots still had some kinks to work out that they were looking into. It's not easy dealing with the factories in China... Also, I didn't get to see the final painted prototype (they'd sent it a few days earlier) they use as a template for the paint apps. But Kyle told me the paint scheme was slightly different from what they'd used on the first prototype.
2. No base. Too bad, I would've loved a base, but at that size and so (relatively) cheap, I don't think it would've been feasible to include a base.

Chris, I couldn't get a definite answer from them regarding the facehuggers and chestbursters. Apparently those will come only with the 9" version.

I kept bugging them to make the 1/6 version and include the CB!

 

[Les Walker]

@ Reiny:
1. No, I didn't see any final production pieces. The test shots still had some kinks to work out that they were looking into. It's not easy dealing with the factories in China... Also, I didn't get to see the final painted prototype (they'd sent it a few days earlier) they use as a template for the paint apps. But Kyle told me the paint scheme was slightly different from what they'd used on the first prototype.
2. No base. Too bad, I would've loved a base, but at that size and so (relatively) cheap, I don't think it would've been feasible to include a base.

Chris, I couldn't get a definite answer from them regarding the facehuggers and chestbursters. Apparently those will come only with the 9" version.

I kept bugging them to make the 1/6 version and include the CB!

Our patron saint to the end!

 

[Reinhardt]

Thanks abake for the reply!! I'm just hoping the production paint scheme looks good because the prototype looks amazing!!!!!!

too bad about a base... but i'll definitely be making my own for it.

21 inches... i still can't get over how large that is. i have a measuring tape and I keep measuring 21 inches from my desk and am floored by the size. pure awesomeness!!

 

[Les Walker]

I'm having a real dilemma with this figure. I will probably keep it, but I am afraid it won't be on display with all the other Aliens I have. No room. It's like, why get something I can't put out? (it took me forever to solve where to put the Powerloader, and now this figure may bump that!)

I know, better to have and not need, than need and not have. So, I will keep my order most likely.
I got it really cheap too! So, knowing it will be $200 on Ebay before the end of the year, I will keep it....but will it ever see shelf space?
That is the looming question.

My repainted Aliens version of the 14" MacFarlane is in a box. It's things like that that bother me.
I need more space....

I hope this thing comes soon so I can work it out.

 

[abake]

Once you have it in hand in all it's glory, you will find shelf space for it...
I guarantee it.

 

[bubbahotep]

From where did everyone pre-order this figure? Cheapest I've found is cornerstorecomics, good store?

 

[shockwave]

From where did everyone pre-order this figure? Cheapest I've found is cornerstorecomics, good store?

I ordered both the 21 & 9 inch from cornerstorescomics. But I hope to find it @ my local Newbury Comics to keep open one. :chew