|
|
Yodasnews Review: Jango Fett – Version 2 (Mini-Bust)
Review and Photography by Jeffrey A. Gouse (SithLord0498)
Review Date: April 21, 2008
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
With the exception of troopers and convention exclusive variants, Gentle Giant is not known for double dipping very much in their mini-bust line. While welcomed by those who have grown weary of seeing incessant rehashes of characters in the Hasbro action figure line, this practice has deprived collectors of acquiring favorite characters whose appearance in the mini-bust line came at the beginning—pieces that now sell for many times their original price. Boba Fett, Yoda, and Darth Vader are three prominent ones that come to mind.
However, collectors got another shot at two of them when Yoda and Vader were released again. They were different sculptures and from different eras, but fans could at least own the character in some form. Sadly, neither the newer Yoda nor Vader were as dynamic as their initial appearances. Interest was low, and that coupled with ridiculously high edition sizes doomed these pieces to gathering dust in warehouses despite frequent attempts to sell them at clearance prices.
And then there’s Jango Fett.
First released in the early years of Gentle Giant’s Star Wars offerings, the first Jango Fett followed the initial concept of being a true bust (i.e. – armless and looking like an amputee). Several years later, a second version was released, one that sported chrome-like armor and an interchangeable portrait that allowed collectors to display Jango sans helmet. That re-imagined mini-bust is the focus of today’s review.
PAINT APPLICATIONS: Above Average
The key elements to look at when evaluating the paint applications on this piece are the jetpack and the interchangeable Temuera Morrison portrait. With the exception of a slightly lazy eye, the portrait is impeccable. The hairline is very clean and devoid of smearing or streaks. Additionally, the simulated “rooting” along the hairline (done with small and precise brush strokes) is quite impressive and successfully furthers the illusion of hair. The eyebrows are done in a similar manner and with the same results. Fett’s skin tones are faithful to the actor and look extremely natural on the mini-bust. The colors used on the flight suit and armor are accurate enough to the filming costume, and the black wash on the belt and utility pouches add just the right amount of realism without becoming excessive.
Where the paint applications falter is on the jetpack. Many of the painted details are—for lack of a better word—just plain sloppy. One egregious example is the dark band just below the red conical area at the base of the missile. The Complete Visual Dictionary shows that this should be a precisely colored band. However, the mini-bust version lacks any definite borders and actually slopes downward in areas. The black areas on the pack’s thrusters suffer a similar fate as do the red and black areas on the upper left and right areas of the jetpack.
Fortunately, these areas will most likely be facing away from view when on display, and that saving grace along with the phenomenal Morrison portrait are the only reasons this score isn’t lower.
SCULPTING: Excellent
Gentle Giant’s team certainly more than made up for the jetpack travesty with the sculpting of this piece. While the paint deco is below expectations, the mini-bust has been sculpted accurately down to the smallest details. The sculptors successfully simulated the look of leather in a resin medium through the careful inclusion of small cracks that would be found in real-life leather. The folds and creases of the flight suit are consistently authentic as well. Perhaps the most astonishing accomplishment is the disjointed alignment of the chest armor plates. While it initially looks like a mistake, one has to keep in mind that the plates are individually attached to Jango’s leather vest and are independent of each other. The misalignment reflects the idea that the vest is crinkled as a result of Fett’s pose. Such small touches add an untold amount of authenticity to the overall product.
SPECIAL FEATURES: Above Average
Jango sports two “special features”. One is the interchangeable portrait system, and the other is the use of a chrome-like material for the helmet, armor, blasters, and missile. The system used for the portraits works extremely well. The painted neck posts are actually magnetic and snap very securely to the painted receptors within the peg hole. The sculpting itself completes the effect by fitting flush with the collar and concealing all traces of the connection.
The use of the chrome-like material is a great idea and looks good for the most part, but it’s not very accurate to the filming costume. The armor plates on the chest and shoulders come closest to the source material because Gentle Giant’s painters applied a dark airbrush application to the edges, giving it a smoked appearance. However, the gauntlets and helmet on the filming costume are a dull brushed metal—not the highly polished chromium look of the mini-bust. Fortunately, the only time the inaccuracy is noticeable and distracting is when the piece is displayed with the helmet. Display it with the Morrison portrait, and it looks just fine. Frankly, that should be the preferred choice because of the fantastic job Gentle Giant did with capturing the actor’s look and personality.
DURABILITY: Excellent
Resin-based collectibles, by their very nature, are fragile pieces. Responsibility and caution are necessary traits when both handling and displaying them. However, there exists a responsibility on the part of the manufacturer to provide as much durability as the design permits.
To that end, Gentle Giant has lived up to that responsibility with Jango. There are only two areas where the bust can easily break—the rangefinder on the helmet and the WESTAR-34 blaster barrels. But the character’s design requires these areas to be thinner. Every other area of the mini-bust is much more durable. The crossed arm pose keep Jango’s limbs close to the torso, creating a compact design. Even the cables on the gauntlets are close to the body. As for the thin pieces which connect the jetpack to the body are so far away from the exterior that carelessness or a defect are the only ways in which they could snap.
Overall, the Jango Fett mini-bust is a surprisingly durable piece thanks primarily to the chosen pose.
OVERALL RATING: Excellent
Despite its monumental improvement over the original Jango Fett mini-bust, this piece proved to be a slow seller as well, and the most likely reason is the high edition size. The benefit here is that you can still easily find this item, often for less than the original MSRP. In fact several Yodasnews sponsors currently have this piece in stock:
NorthSide Collectibles - $44.99
RazorsEdgeCollectibles - $39.99
Obviously, the final recommendation is that the Jango Fett (Version 2) mini-bust is a definite purchase.
