NECA's Sgt. Craig Windrix - A symbolic and meaningful tribute

I have to admit that when I first saw pics of Sgt. Craig Windrix I, like many, was thinking who the heck is this guy? Well as it turns out "this guy" happens to be one hell of tribute figure made by one hell of a toy company, NECA. By now many of us know who Craig Windrix is, brother of NECA sculptor Kyle Windrix and someone that very recently lost his fight with the asshole known as cancer at far too young of an age. If by chance you don't know the story of how this figure came to be, AFI did an interview with NECA's Randy Falk. Check out their video below because if you don't know the story, you really need to hear it straight from Randy and not in my words because his mean so much more.

I have always been a fan of what NECA does in action figure form (even more as of late), but learning of this gesture how can you not be a fan of what NECA does as human beings? You know when things happen in life that are out of our control, there is very little we can really do. In NECA case, they showed what they could do and pulled it off perfectly and powerfully.

That being said, let's get into the actual figure. Sgt. Windrix is part of Series 2 of NECA's Alien line, along with Big Chap (from Alien) and a blue repaint of the Series 1 Xenomorph Warrior

If you have either Hicks or Hudson from Series 1 you pretty much know what you are getting here, but we are treated to some very cool extras in terms of accessories, paint deco and even some newly sculpted "long sleeve" arms. Also of note is the head sculpt, which looks great and comes complete with some piercing blue eyes. The picture to the right is super close up and I found that the flash found a few minor scratches and it even highlighted some paint on his cheeks that I didn't notice was there. It blends perfectly when looking at the figure in hand, and only really looks blotchy here due to the camera flash. This is a perfect example of the level of paint detail that goes into these figures. Well done NECA.



Ok now lets take a look at the goodies Windrix comes with.

Clockwise from the top, we have the Motion Tracker, the shoulder mounted camera and the Flamethrower (which is a brand new weapon accessory, and one that I hope Windrix won't mind lending to Ripley when she hopefully joins the fight). The shoulder camera is even articulated to allow some slight movement of the camera which is a nice touch.

Moving on to what I really think makes Windrix stand out, the paint job and all of the personal touches that are included on the figure itself. As Randy mentions in the video above, director James Cameron let the actors adorn their uniforms with personal touches, and that has been lovingly added to Windrix as well. Included are the heart on his chest with his girlfriends name, the right shoulder logo of Craig's face from the "5000 Miles of Craig" Facebook page that followed Craig's fight, the lower back Bowling Ball with the initials of Kyle and Craig's Father (an avid bowler), and some other personal touches that I don't know (like a penguin eating ice cream), and while the answer may be out there already I am honestly ok not knowing as I like the idea of some of these being for the family alone. Also worth noting are the Colonial Marine patch on one arm and his rank and US Flag on the other. All of these came out looking great on top of an already stellar camo paint job!

All in all this is a figure that will stand on my shelf as a constant reminder of what life is all about, with this tribute to their friend and brother, NECA has given us a figure that represents that life is short, and nothing is a guarantee but the one thing that matters above everything else is our time with our loved ones. So thank you to them and to the Windrix family for sharing with us Craig's story. They will no doubt be going through tough times but I hope they understand that in sharing Craig with us, our familes will benefit from a valuable life lesson. I know it's not much, but I hope they will find some comfort in knowing that.

Not only is the story behind the figure amazing, but it is also a fantastic addition to the Aliens line.

On to whatever is next. RIP Craig Windrix

  

Thermal Vision Dutch: A figure I had no idea I wanted until SDCC 13

The first figure I'd like to take a look at has been out for a bit now, but it is such a unique figure, I thought it a good place to start. Plus, I just received it as a part of a large Pile of Loot from Big Bad Toy Store. It is non other than the Thermal Vision Dutch figure from NECA's longtime Predators line, this now being Series 11. Many were pumped up (yeah I meant that) when Arnold's Dutch character was added to the line, and while we certainly expected variants, few expected this.

Last year there was much hype when this ridiculously fun repaint showed up in the NECA booth at SDCC. I'm not one that needs every version of a character in my collection (sure I buy repaints, but just not a completest) but I knew I would be adding this to the collection when release date came. Plus I actually didn't own this figure yet. This is a repaint of the Jungle Encounter Dutch (seen below) and the only other Dutch I had deemed worthy of a purchase until now was the Jungle Patrol Dutch (basically this with a shirt on).

Out of the package the first thing I noticed was something that actually surprised me. The paint detail is only on the front of the figure. Ultimately this doesn't reflect negatively on the figure, but I was taken aback initially. This is a choice that actually makes sense on NECA's part because painting the back of the figure is an unnecessary expense for the most part (since most will either keep it carded or display him facing front). The only down side really is for those wishing to take some creative pictures with the Predator behind Dutch, although I can't see that many people really making an issue out of it (people NEVER overreact on the Internet do they?!?).

Speaking on that paint though, it really is something to see and compliments the sculpt nicely. It has such a "can't stop staring at it" effect on you. First off the translucent green plastic is so fun, it would visually pop off of any toy shelf and then to add the reds and yellow in there...holy crap balls your eyes can't not find this guy instantly in the midst of other figures. Many times, unless you prominently display a figure, toys become one mass of colors and visuals. This guy though? Yeah, that's not going to happen, he's gonna stick out for sure.

Dutch comes with three weapons (just like Jungle Encounter Dutch) and those are his rifle, handgun and knife. In addition to the weapons, the belt and vest are both separate pieces, but are not removable. Both the handgun and knife can be holstered in said belt.

  

Dutch holds both guns quite well and the articulation allows the ability to have both hands gripping the gun at the same time (even the handgun, which is a huge plus). The knife on the other hand does not fit into either hand, but fits great into the holster. While a bit disappointing, this again doesn't take away from the overall greatness of the figure because lets face it...you're going to pose him with the guns!

Being that this is a newer NECA figure it comes with all of the great articulation that has really upped the level of awesomess of their offerings. While the ball jointed shoulders, swivels & bends at the elbows are all great, the articulation that I have been most impressed by are their torso and nicely hidden knee joints along with the inclusion of ankle pivots. Being able to properly twist his torso and position his legs to get some great stances is where the added articulation really improves their figures.

This figure is currently available a few places online for $16.99 (amazon and toys r us) and I would recommend getting him now, as this will be a figure that will be sought after once they are gone from the shelves (and online stores). With the state of toy collecting being moved primarily online (especially in NECA's case since I only see them in TRU) I can absolutely see someone discovering this figure later on and wanting to go back and get one, so I would expect secondary prices to be a little higher on this guy than the other Dutch figures.

NECA are masters at maximizing the use of their sculpts...but by their use of paint doing it in a smart way which allows them to create something that is both nostalgic and brand new. Seeing what they have done with this paint job, I really want to see what they will do with this paint job...

                                                           or will it look more like this?

If you have made it this far on my first review, I say thank you. If you have Thermal Vision Dutch, please let me know your thoughts on him and lets continue the conversation!

Popping my Action Figure Nerd Blog Cherry

We all have somewhere in our house that contains something we are nerdy about, be it salt and pepper shakers, vintage albums, snowglobes....or in my case ACTION FIGURES! So I wanted to create my little slice of the internet where I could talk about my Shelf of Nerd Love.

What makes this blog any different from the plethora of fellow nerds out there reviewing the very things that receive their nerd love, their figures? They aren't me, they don't have my voice, my likes, my gripes and so on. Granted, there will most certainly be overlap and similar comments or views. For the most part I plan on taking a look at my nerd purchases, and the primary focus will be Action Figures. I have been a collector for quite some time (translation: before being a nerd was cool). My collection (which is currently in boxes as I am in the middle of a move) consists of Masters of the Universe Classics, Marvel Legends, DCUC, LEGO, NECA figures, various toys from movies, tv and games. Probably not unlike many collections out there. I am lucky and I do have some extra money that goes towards many a toy purchases, and if my thoughts or views help someone decide if something is worthy of their cash, then I would consider this little venture a success. If nothing else, let's talk toys.

I do have some reviews currently on YouTube, but uploading takes forever! So instead of being super wordy on there, I can create shorter videos and be wordy on here for a complete look at a figure. I am a blogger virgin and this will most likely look like crap at first until I get things up and running. I am looking forward to it though, because I have already had numerous conversations with fellow collectors, and damn it feels great to talk toys with someone who is into the same things as you. I know full well that as I type this no one is going to read it...but I will do my best to include content that will make it worth your while to spend a few minutes with me every so often.

Ok, so....now what?!?