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After what seems like an exceptionally long wait, my 2 Go Hero/Executive Replicas Doc Savage figures arrived late last week (I ordered the Silver Age version from BBTS and had pre-ordered the Double-Danger version early last year from Go Hero). Due to work, I just got the opportunity to open them today.
I've been a Doc Savage fan since issue #1 of the Marvel comic series debuted in July of 1972, and discovered the Bantam paperbacks shortly after, my first pb being Volume 62, "The Pirate's Ghost". I have a complete set of the books, as well as most of the various comic book series produced over the last 40 years, and many other Doc collectibles including my prized Randy Bowen Doc bust, so there was no way I was going to pass on this figure.
My first impressions are mostly positive; while the figure isn't Hot Toys-quality, it's pretty solid. The tayloring on the clothing is good: the shirts have actual functioning buttons, which are difficult to work with but produce a better look than Velcro or snaps would. The standard ripped shirt is weathered nicely, as are the jodhpur pants. The boots are pliable and are zippered in the back - I would have preferred them to be solid, but it's not a big issue.
The body used is pretty good, its a Kaustic Plastic body, though I wish it were bigger overall. Doc was referred to in the books as a bronze giant, although he appeared perfectly proportional, and his great size was evident only when he was next to an average person. I also think the skin tone should be a bit more bronze in color. My biggest complaint with the body is the dearth of extra hands - at the least, Doc should have come with a pair of (large) fists. There is a right hand that vaguely approximates a fist, but is opened at the thumb and index finger and designed to hold an object. There are also right and left gun gripping hands and a left hand with a relaxed palm. The lack of fists for Doc is inexcusable, though, considering the price.
The exclusive Double-Danger version comes with an extra Golden Age/pulp style head, a clean un-ripped shirt, and an extra Art Deco-style silver-colored ray gun.
Both figures come with the same logo stand with a waist-grabber. I would have preferred the by-now standard crotch-grabber, as it allows more variety in poses, and I feel it necessary to use the stand: while the upper body articulation is pretty stiff, the leg joints seem loose by comparison, and I think it would be difficult to get the figure to stand unassisted in many poses.
The sculpting and paint on the 2 heads is excellent, though I'm not 100% satisfied with the sculpt on the Silver Age/Bama head - it makes Doc appear much older than he should be.
Both figures come with the Jim Steranko-designed Super Savage Machine pistol, a black-colored Silver Age style ray gun, and a German Luger, as well as a belt and holster. The guns are die-cast, and the machine pistol and Luger can be disassembled.
All in all, I'm happy with the figures, and they will look great with the Go Hero Shadow figure released a couple of years back. I'd love to see an eventual Avenger/Richard Henry Benson figure released to go with the two, but I won't hold my breath waiting. I think any Doc fan would be satisfied, and although the price is a bit steep for what you get (the standard was $189 from BBTS, the Deluxe was $249 from Go Hero), these figures are obviously going to sell to a limited market and are produced in relatively small numbers (the Double Danger Deluxe version is a run of only 250). If the body was about and inch taller, a bit more bronze, and fists had been included, I'd be completely satisfied.
Pics:
Both the Silver Age version and the Double-Danger Deluxe version come with the same 5-panel box with James Bama art on the front and Bob Larkin art on the back; the Double-Danger version comes with an additional sleeve that fits over the standard box and features pulp-style graphics:
I've been a Doc Savage fan since issue #1 of the Marvel comic series debuted in July of 1972, and discovered the Bantam paperbacks shortly after, my first pb being Volume 62, "The Pirate's Ghost". I have a complete set of the books, as well as most of the various comic book series produced over the last 40 years, and many other Doc collectibles including my prized Randy Bowen Doc bust, so there was no way I was going to pass on this figure.
My first impressions are mostly positive; while the figure isn't Hot Toys-quality, it's pretty solid. The tayloring on the clothing is good: the shirts have actual functioning buttons, which are difficult to work with but produce a better look than Velcro or snaps would. The standard ripped shirt is weathered nicely, as are the jodhpur pants. The boots are pliable and are zippered in the back - I would have preferred them to be solid, but it's not a big issue.
The body used is pretty good, its a Kaustic Plastic body, though I wish it were bigger overall. Doc was referred to in the books as a bronze giant, although he appeared perfectly proportional, and his great size was evident only when he was next to an average person. I also think the skin tone should be a bit more bronze in color. My biggest complaint with the body is the dearth of extra hands - at the least, Doc should have come with a pair of (large) fists. There is a right hand that vaguely approximates a fist, but is opened at the thumb and index finger and designed to hold an object. There are also right and left gun gripping hands and a left hand with a relaxed palm. The lack of fists for Doc is inexcusable, though, considering the price.
The exclusive Double-Danger version comes with an extra Golden Age/pulp style head, a clean un-ripped shirt, and an extra Art Deco-style silver-colored ray gun.
Both figures come with the same logo stand with a waist-grabber. I would have preferred the by-now standard crotch-grabber, as it allows more variety in poses, and I feel it necessary to use the stand: while the upper body articulation is pretty stiff, the leg joints seem loose by comparison, and I think it would be difficult to get the figure to stand unassisted in many poses.
The sculpting and paint on the 2 heads is excellent, though I'm not 100% satisfied with the sculpt on the Silver Age/Bama head - it makes Doc appear much older than he should be.
Both figures come with the Jim Steranko-designed Super Savage Machine pistol, a black-colored Silver Age style ray gun, and a German Luger, as well as a belt and holster. The guns are die-cast, and the machine pistol and Luger can be disassembled.
All in all, I'm happy with the figures, and they will look great with the Go Hero Shadow figure released a couple of years back. I'd love to see an eventual Avenger/Richard Henry Benson figure released to go with the two, but I won't hold my breath waiting. I think any Doc fan would be satisfied, and although the price is a bit steep for what you get (the standard was $189 from BBTS, the Deluxe was $249 from Go Hero), these figures are obviously going to sell to a limited market and are produced in relatively small numbers (the Double Danger Deluxe version is a run of only 250). If the body was about and inch taller, a bit more bronze, and fists had been included, I'd be completely satisfied.
Pics:
Both the Silver Age version and the Double-Danger Deluxe version come with the same 5-panel box with James Bama art on the front and Bob Larkin art on the back; the Double-Danger version comes with an additional sleeve that fits over the standard box and features pulp-style graphics:
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