Okay, I gave it a few days as I wasn't in the best position to talk about this thing, I thought it wise to take a step back or I'd probably have been banned from the forum if I'd given my honest opinion last week
here's a few images of mine and my views, nothing special picture wise as I've just moved and don't have much to hand, just my trusty camera. I took it outside for some natural light shots with a couple in doors. I should note, it looks better in pictures as you don't pick up on the plastic look that is very obvious in person. Plus the paint really pops which I can't actually see much of as I sit looking at it while typing this. On with it...
I almost fell over when SSC first revealed this, it is a staggeringly beautiful sculpt, and despite hitting us with an absolute bomb when they revealed the $650 price, and then didn't offer the classy nameplate to boot which meant it wouldn't quite fit with the others. I had to have this thing. after a few "meh" Predator items, some of which I still enjoyed none the less, this thing was a huge leap for sideshow, and could even have been seen as a statement that they can keep up in a game where the competition for this license has really taken off lately. So expectations were very high, as was my excitement for this.
So how were the first impressions. Well they were lowered very much by the fact that others received this before me and reported that it was indeed plastic. This is a good thing as had I not seen or heard anything before receiving mine, I think I'd have been shocked and annoyed beyond belief. As it were, I had low expectations, and very little excitement by the time mine arrived. So that kept my expectations in check, but I was still shocked at how cheap this thing actual feels in person. The only word for it is nasty tbh, there's no sugarcoating it. It's shocking that a $650 collectible was ever green lit to ship like this and I'm not surprised to see the return stats on the various social media platforms. My next realisation was that the head doesn't actually fit the body properly which boggles the mind as to how the factories are getting away with this kind of basic stuff? My P1 bio didn't connect to its stand either so this is hardly a one off. There's loads of other flaws, various scratches and chips etc, plus the gloriously care free act of the dreads being numbered with large engraved numbers in full site. But I'll swerve all of that and focus on the actual bust itself.
The thing is, there's some really good things to say about this bust, and that's the saddest thing, they had a gem here and for some reason, they messed it up by choice. I will be the first to admit that even in it's horrible plastic form, this bust kind of looks really good! I mean it has a really cheap plastic look up close like a Neca figure, but if you sit back and put it on a shelf, it looks nice. I'm not saying that is acceptable at this price point, it isn't! I also like how they did the quills, they're flexible. I worry constantly about the rigid quills on the others. And visible seams are such an amateur thing, it's just mind boggling! They are totally unacceptable. It lost detail over the prototype for sure, this is much softer which is ironic given that retaining detail is apparently the reason "High quality" (but not really) PVC is utilised. But it's still a nice looking bust none the less. I've heard a lot of complaints about the paint. Some people suggesting that is the soul reason they are returning it. But actually, while it certainly isn't even close to being great, I don't think it's completely terrible. And being "not terrible" is fairly decent praise these days. It has some diabolical parts such as the veins in the mouth (what's new) and the black spotting is really bad, it looks to be slopped on with a brush. And there's some wrong colours used naturally, but over all it's acceptable for a pre-paint imo. there are at least a few different shades, all be it rough around the edges with no subtlety at all. I suspect I'm just tainted by very poor paint apps in general, but this could have been worse. I'm not sure I expect any more from a Sideshow Predator anyway.
So I'll wrap up. like most, I spent a year + being excited for this thing, a truly beautiful sculpt that has been destroyed by somebodies poor decision to make the entire thing plastic. And now rather than being a piece to talk about for all of the right reasons, it has become quite the opposite. You have to see this thing in person to know just how cheap and nasty it feels. And it's such a shame, it really is. Had it been $150, fine! But at this kind of crazy money, this product is not acceptable and they must have known people wouldn't accept it. Especially as the rest have all been seriously heavy, with little plastic.
As I said before, I can sum this up in only one way... This is one of Sideshows very best sculpts. And one of their very worst releases. A real shame as I'd still love this sculpt in my collection for sure, but not like this...
Some pictures..
