XM Studios - Captain America “Sentinel of Liberty” – StatueForum Review

[ginaxbyte]

XM Studios - Captain America “Sentinel of Liberty” – StatueForum Review


---HISTORY-----------------------------

XM Studios presents the defender of liberty, integrity and justice for all. The Captain America “Sentinel of Liberty” statue was produced by XM Studios to commemorate the character’s 75th anniversary. Donning a military hand salute, this statue pays homage to the hero’s rich wartime pedigree and deep comic book heritage.

Captain America originated in 1941 during the Golden Age of comics. Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Captain America Issue #1 which became an instant success for its celebrated portrayal of Captain America “socking” Adolf Hitler.

While his own comic book line was eventually discontinued in 1954, the titular hero would later be revived in various Marvel comics throughout the Silver, Bronze and Modern age.

In various incarnations, Captain America’s story typically begins with him as the young Steve Rogers. The frail yet earnest young man was deemed too sickly to join the U.S Armed Forces until his courage won him the coveted spot to receive the government’s "Super Soldier Serum". The infusion of this top-secret serum would ultimately transform him into the super solider known as Captain America. Armed with his vibranium-metal alloy shield, our hero would fight his first missions against Nazi Germany under the code name “Sentinel of Liberty”.

Production of the Captain America Sentinel of Liberty statue was guided under the direction of the XM Studios Design and Development Team. Principal sculpt was competed by Mufizal Mokhtar.

The statue has an edition size of 750 and began shipping in early Feb 2017 to coincide with Captain America’s diamond (75 years) jubilee. Distribution rights to the statue was awarded to Simply Toys LLP as a token of appreciation for the Singapore retailer’s long time support.

Constructed of cold-cast porcelain, the statue has an estimated retail price of $830. It stands approximately 24.5 inches tall, 13 inches wide and the base is 7.5 inches in depth.

[ginaxbyte]

[ginaxbyte]

----SCULPTURE -------------------------------

XM Studios Captain America "Sentinel of Liberty" statue is packaged and shipped in 8 pieces:
• Three portraits
• Body
• Saluting Right Hand
• Two shields
• Base

XM Studios’ Captain America “Sentinel of Liberty” statue is fully sculpted and depicts the legendary hero with his right hand firmly raised performing the quintessential military salute. At first glance you can’t help but be struck at how well the statue reverberates the “soldier spirit” of Captain of America.

Beginning with the portraits: The classic, modern and unmasked portraits all bear the same steadfast expression of a war-torn soldier. Facial features are sculpted with increased detail compared to earlier XM Studios pieces. In these portraits the bone structure is sharply sculpted. There are deep crevices to his cheekbones and a tenacious curl to his lips reminiscent of a war veteran who has both won and lost on the battle field. Veins have been sculpted into his neck that brings an additional level realism to the portraits.

The upper body of Captain America contains his distinguishing articulated plates which are individually sculpted. “Fabric bunching” is crafted in the mid-torso section and trousers to simulate the appearance of cloth – an effect that was executed well with this statue. Arguably the heart of Captain America’s sculpt is his military-style gloves, boots and pouches hanging from his belt. The gloves comprise of straps with fasten clasps and the boots were given more extensive sculpted features such as bootlaces, lace holes and pockets. The army-grade pouches circumscribe his waistline, each adorned with star engraved buttons.

The base of the statue does not emit a sense of novelty (more on this later) but what it lacks in innovation it attempts to make up for with classic engravings. The cube shaped base is sculpted in likeness to a podium and the front and back panel are ornamented with relief etchings of classic WWII battle scenes. These battle scenes represent a window into Captain America’s past and they give the base a much-needed inspiration and creativity.

The uncomplicated pose will likely thwart the statue from receiving universal acceptance, yet the intricate sculpt of the portraits, accessories and panels is a nice counterbalance to this modest interpretation of Captain America.

Rating: 8.5/10



----PAINT / MIX-MEDIA------
The statue appears to be decorated with a blend of concentrated, opaque paints comparable to other XM Studios pieces. The heavy paints give vibrancy to Captain America’s reds, whites and blues that seem to mimic the colours of the American flag. The paint lines on the center star and stripes are clean and flawless.

In contrast to the primary colours of the body, the portraits are treated with natural hues. All 3 portraits are painted with convincing, life-like flesh tones, another improvement from XM Studios previous statues. The grimacing expression is given a weather-beaten facade and the sculpted veins on the neck are improved upon with the blue painted undertones.

The intricate sculpt of the gloves, boots and pouches are also enhanced with a weathered veneer. The distressed leather style given to these aforementioned accessories is a nice touch for XM Studios who are not often lauded for their shading effects. The shading adds the illusion of thick, worn leather and is certainly one of the highlights of this piece.

XM Studios’ latest Captain America statue includes a triangular and a circular modern shield - both are given a marginally different paint application. While the circular shield is decorated with clean reds, whites and blues - the classic triangular shield is decked with a scuffed, soiled surface that provides a vintage quality to the classic shield.

In regards to the podium base, the exterior is enveloped with a faux bronze paint finish. The flat metallic base is fitting for a pedestal design and blends well with the matte reds, whites and blues of Captain America’s outfit.

Rating: 9/10



----PRODUCTION AND BUILD QUALITY------

XM Studios is often recognized for their elaborate statues that command large shipping boxes and require comprehensive assembly. However, this statue consists of one of the most moderate designs and smallest shipping boxes produced by XM Studios to date.

The ensemble is shipped as 7 individual pieces, each molded with considerable weight. The two largest pieces (Captain America’s body and Base) have a dense, solid feel and the assembly process is reassuringly straightforward: (1) base (2) body (3) shield (4) portrait.

The pieces are united with strong, formidable magnets. The critical link between Captain America’s shield and arm feels sturdy enough to dismiss any long-term concerns of his shield descending.
The seams between the portraits and body are imperceptible and the figure’s peg connection to the base appears well-built to prevent future leaning issues.

A complete inspection on this production piece revealed no quality control issues.

Rating: 10/10



----DESIGN------------------------------------

Sculpted with a classic museum pose, the perfunctory military salute seems appropriate for a statue celebrating Captain America’s 75 anniversary. The historical themes and “solider motif” does a respectable job of honoring the character’s association with the Second World War and the statue does not profess to be anything more. It appears that a state-of-the-art design was set aside for a more a reserved military approach to Captain America.

One potential upgrade to the statue that would have enhanced the military quality of the character would have been the ability to display Captain America with his shield secured to his back. This would have provided the statue with an additional display option while also remaining truthful to the character.

Another conceivable design upgrade would have been to surround the entire podium base with WWII battle scenes. There are 2 panels that pay reverence to Captain America and his fellow soldiers, they are the highlight of the base and it would have been a welcomed addition to have similar relief engravings encompass the entire podium.

Despite the above-mentioned hypothetical changes, the achievements of this statue rest on the detailed sculpt and vibrate paint that personify the star-spangled essence of the character.

Rating: 8.5/10



----OVERALL-----------------------------------

The character of Captain America has experienced a resurgence of popularity in recent years (aided by his appearance in Marvel Studios films). Collectors in search of a modern, vigorous interpretation of this patriotic hero may understandably bypass this latest statue of Captain America by XM Studios.

It is interesting to note that for a company so widely known for their radical designs, XM Studios has “dialed it down” and produced a very classic captain America statue that is perhaps best described as a humble tribute. There is a restrained spirit to this statue, a reserved design that seems to project patriotism rather than innovation.

Many previous Captain America statues portray our hero in the midst of a fight, but this statue contains a simple, flawless military salute that seems to radiate why our hero feels compelled to fight. How strongly collectors respond to this military salute and his vintage appearance will probably dictate how they respond to this statue.

OVERALL RATING: 9/10

[ginaxbyte]

[ginaxbyte]

[ginaxbyte]

[ginaxbyte]

[ginaxbyte]

[risingstar]

Awesome review, Gina!!

Welcome to the team!!

[Bmutha]

Great review and great pics.