The new Diamond Select Toys Universal Monsters: mini review

[Werewolf]

Found the Diamond Select Toys Toys R Us exclusive Universal Monsters figures tonight.

The series 1 set has The Wolf Man, The Mummy and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Each one comes with a character specific base which are pretty nice and fairly detailed. My Creature figure's legs were warped so I had to soften them in hot water before I could fit him on the base. Didn't have that issue with the other two.

Size wise there is not a lot of actual difference between them and the Sideshow figures, but just enough to make them look a bit out of scale. They are totally out of scale with the Toy Island and Jakks figures.

The articulation on these is quite poor. A big step back from the terrific articulation on the Toy Island figures. Mostly only shoulder and arm articulation. Wolf Man has a twisting waist and the Creature has swivel ankles. The Mummy is the poorest articulated and doesn't even have elbow joints. These are Sideshow style figures. More for looking at than playing with.

The sculpts are not bad. The Creature looks a bit jowly and maybe a tad froggy. Maybe it's just the paint job? I think the Toy Island Creature sculpt was better. The Wolf Man is licensed by the Chaney estate but really doesn't look a whole lot like him. The Mummy which is based on the Imhotep Mummy and actually looks more like Karloff than the Wolf Man looks like Chaney even though the likeness wasn't licensed.

All in all, they are nice figures and certainly worth the $12.99 price.

I'll have some pics up soon.

[Werewolf]

Did you actually get these from TRU?

Yep, I just picked them up the at my local TRU a couple of hours ago.

[Werewolf]

Man oh' man, that HAS to mean that the Universal mego stuff is right around the corner

I certainly hope so. I'm totally psyched for those. I'm really hoping they will be out in time for Halloween.

[Werewolf]

Pics as promised.







[edit]Fixed the Mummy picture.

[SlipperyLilSuckers]

I love that Werewolf. Thanks for the pics!

[The Bat]

I can't wait to get the EMCE Wolfman! I hear it was done by an extremely talented Sculptor.

[palitoy]

A big step back from the terrific articulation on the Toy Island figures.

I found that set unfairly maligned when they came out, even I thought they were lame until I bought my kids some, now they're my favourite monster toys since the BK figures.

These new figures look nice but I'm probably going to hold off unless I impulse buy them at retail.

[Werewolf]

I found that set unfairly maligned when they came out,

I never got the hate those figures recieved. I think the Toy Island Universal Monsters rock. They are very high on my list of all time favorite Universal Monsters toys.

[palitoy]

I think Sideshow ruined a lot of people and they ripped TI for not having the same caliber of sculpt but the TI figures were honest to goodness toys, not statuettes.

[Werewolf]

I think Sideshow ruined a lot of people and they ripped TI for not having the same caliber of sculpt but the TI figures were honest to goodness toys, not statuettes.

I'm probably going to get a lot of hate for this, but I think the Sideshow figures are overly praised. Yes, the sculpts (for the most part) are great but the articulation is absolutely terrible. The articulation ranges from useless to non-existant.

Early Sideshow monsters had more articulation but most of it couldn't even be used. Frankenstein had hip joints but were useless because his hard plastic jacket prevented any leg movement and what good are knee joints to a figure that can't move its hips.

The articulation on later figures like Dracula and Mask of Red Death Phantom is absolutely abysmal. The figures are stuck in one pose, no articulation below the waist and can't even stand off their bases.

The plastic is also poor. I had to pack my Sideshow Monsters up because the figures are warping on display. Drac and Red Death Phantom can't even stand on their bases any more because the plastic warped so much. I've also had limbs fall of figures bodies on display.

Again, the sculpts are great (except for the chubby Dracula) but over alll I don't think the figures deserve the lavish praise heaped upon them.

[Orion]

I never got the hate those figures recieved. I think the Toy Island Universal Monsters rock. They are very high on my list of all time favorite Universal Monsters toys.

I think a few of the complaints were related to the fact that some of the figures looked a little on the skinny-side. This was more noticeable on the Mummy and Wolfman figs in my opinion - not as much of an issue with Dracula, Frankenstein and even the Creature. And like Palitoy implied, the Sideshow releases may have been a factor as well. People became used to exact likenesses, as opposed to the toy company's interpretation of the Uni Monsters. I would still pick the Toy Island figures up at some point, if I found them for the right price. With the monster toys, I like to mix them up when I display them, so the differences between the figures can sometimes be the best part of the display.

[Werewolf]

A little update.

I was reposing the Mummy figure tonight and both hands snapped off. If these figures aren't able to hold up to an adult gently adjusting what little articulation they have without breaking, I would definitely not recommend these as toys for kids.

[palitoy]

I don't need anymore hummels.