Kiss Figures: 8" bodies question

[K]

Hi, folks.

Can anyone describe the new Kiss figures' bodies? I'm particularly interested in the 8" ones and wondering if they're the same bodies from CTVT days or if they've progressed or changed in any way. If anyone can help or post a nudie photo of a figure, it'd be greatly appreciated.

[MIB41]

The bodies are measureably better from Series Two forward. Series One has the new body, but is strung very tight. So there are serious posing problems. This is not a problem with the others. So you would want to start with the first album figures. Please note they are on sale at Classic TV Toys. You can buy them loose for a fraction of the cost carded. 8 inch figures are $11.99 for Series Two and Three. $14.99 for Monster. The 12 inch figures are $39.99 loose. So that's a descent deal there as well. Here's an example for reference...

http://www.classictvtoys.com/kiss8inchactionfiguresseriestwothespaceman-1.aspx

[CrimsonGhost]

I just got a loose set of wave 2. The bodies are an 8" version of the 12" body. The bodies are more slight of frame than regular 8" Megos. To be honest, the wrist pins and the knee pins seem thin to me and makes me think they might be somewhat fragile. The joints are very floppy too, the knee joints in particular.

The plastic is very much like original Mego. The shrunken 12" hands are nice. Despite the loose joints, they stand pretty well, although that may have more to do with the big boots than anything. The shoulder joint is nice and can hold an arms up pose fairly well.

They are strung pretty tight. I took apart a wave 1 figure and restrung it with cord elastic and it seems better.

I haven't truly decided to switch out the bodies. I really like the shoulders and hands. Maybe I'll prefer these new non-rubberband bodies and convert them, however I've noticed the neck plugs are quite small, so it depends.

2013-08-20 23.16.58.jpg
Hopefully you can compare from the photo. To be clear, thats a wave 1 body with a wave 2 head. The Figures Inc. figure has thinner legs, arms, the chest isn't as wide, and the whole thing feels light to me. But you can see how nice the shoulder joint is.

So, I like them in part. That's my review.

[HapSlash]

Wow, I think they look amazing compared the old CTVT bodies. Does anyone know if they are available outside of the kiss line. I think I might like a few, but am not sure I'd really want to buy a bunch of full figures just to strip them down.

[K]

HUGE thanks for all the info! I admit to wanting the series 1 (Love Gun) figures, as they're a smaller version of the original Kiss 12 inchers so I'll deal with the very tight bodies. Thank you so much for all the opinions, descriptions, and photos. You folks are the best!

[EMCE Hammer]

Anybody have a pic of the wave 2 body? I only have wave 1, and they have that off-kilter look like the one Hapslash posted

[CrimsonGhost]

The one I posted has been restrung with elastic and it still has the off-kilter look.

[MIB41]

Anybody have a pic of the wave 2 body? I only have wave 1, and they have that off-kilter look like the one Hapslash posted

I did some side by side shots for you Steve.

Peter Criss is Series 1. Paul Stanley is from Series 2. I had a heck of a time trying to get Pete to stand at all.


Besides being lighter in color, what makes Series 2 different is a notch that is cut out in the hip joint. An extension from the ball joint of the chest piece slides in this and I guess works as a counter balance to the tension placed in stringing the figure. This allows him to hold a position when you move the upper chest piece. Please note, the front shot has Paul bent to one side, but you CAN stand him straight and hold the position. So while the notch can make him lean to one side, it doesn't have to stay that way unless you choose to.



Everything else looks pretty much the same, cosmetically speaking. But Paul has no issues standing. Peter Criss is nearly impossible to pose. It's more of a balancing act, than actual posing. Once again don't let Paul's lean to one side misdirect you into thinking that's a permanent posture. I was just standing them for the purposes of the photo and didn't think about that until after the fact. My apologies.



Also Pete's feet from Series One are pretty well stained. All of my series one figures have this.



On Series two all the feet are stain free. I believe the reason is due to the fish stocking FTC attached to the foot portion of these outfits. This eliminates the dye from coloring the feet.



So it does appear that FTC listened to the concerns from wave one and installed some fixes that do address those problems. I have all of Series 1, Series 2, and the Gene figure from Series 3. I can find no defects related to the body on anything for Series 2 and 3. These are good bodies in my opinion. But I don't see where FTC is selling them seperately yet. But with FTC marking all the KISS figures down and selling them loose, these are a good value at that price. Except for the Monster figures (Series Four) all the 8 inchers are going for $11.99. That's a good deal.

[CrimsonGhost]

Oh, I see with the notch in the pelvis! My series 2 Paul didn't want to rotate at the waist and I was a bit worried about taking the outfit off because of all the "rhinestones"! They seem to be attached pretty well, so maybe I shouldn't worry. I guess the torso is stuck in the notch or something...I'll have to check.

[mego]

I found that both series 1 and 2 needed to be restrung, despite having different bodies. The plastic on series 1 seems a bit softer and waxier, where the series two seems harder and a bit more brittle. The coloring on the second series is very strange... almost greenish in appearance.
I actually prefer the first series of bodies (only after they're re strung correctly). They seem closer to the original Mego bodies to me.

[Boywonder0]

"Besides being lighter in color, what makes Series 2 different is a notch that is cut out in the hip joint. An extension from the ball joint of the chest piece slides in this and I guess works as a counter balance to the tension placed in stringing the figure."

"Except for the Monster figures (Series Four) all the 8 inchers are going for $11.99. That's a good deal."

Hey Tom, thanks for this review. I'm happy to know about the hip notch and torso extension. It does reveal that CTVT is caring to improve upon their 1/9 bodies...

[CrimsonGhost]

Having just restrung a wave 2 figure, I'm not convinced the notch is an improvement.

[MIB41]

^^^ What is the notch design doing (or not doing) on your figures? On the ones I have, that seems to be the mechanism that allows them to hold a pose and pretty much do what the series one figures could not remotely do. Since you took them apart, it would be helpful to know what you found. Many thanks!

[CrimsonGhost]

I don't like that the waist is locked in place. It makes it more difficult to adjust the body for a good standing pose. And if you turn it so the notches are out of place, it leans worse than a wave 1. Maybe I'll go back to the rubberbands for the wave 2 figs.

I've restrung a wave 1 and it stands perfect. Also, is it just my figures or do the wave 2 figures seem to lean to their right?

[MIB41]

^^^ Wave 2 will lean whichever way the notch is placed. But if you position the torso straight that notch holds the pose on mine. Is there any particular method you're using to restring Series one? I might have to try that on mine so they are posable.