The Astonishing X-men line released by Diamond Select has so far been a solid line of busts based on the popular incarnation of the X-men. The Emma Frost bust (sculpted by Steve Kiwus), at least in previews, seemed to be the bust that would be the best of the line. With Kitty Pryde and Beast both being better than expected, would Emma be the line's crowning achievement, or it's biggest disappointment?
Bust Concept
The concept of the bust fits directly into the character of Emma Frost and is as sexy as it should be. Dressed in her Astonishing version of her costume, Emma is seductively taking off her right glove with her teeth. Her other hand is hidden behind her back. Her hair is also flowing in the wind, which also adds to her charm. Her base is the same x-base that all the characters in the line are using. As far as concept goes, this one is a great one.
Sculpt
However, the execution of the concept left something to be desired. Lets start with positive. Emma's face is beautifully sculpted, being as exquisitely perfect as she SHOULD be. Her hair is also alluringly flowing as it should be and looks good from the front, side, and back of the sculpt. Perfect! Emma's body is also very nicely sculpted, as you can plainly see.
However, there are problems. The bust, for one, is a bit out of scale with the line. While it still blends in well, it will be apparent. The stomach may also be a bit too defined for some. While I would think Emma would have a six pack, this is probably a more defined one than most would expect, a bit too athletic. The base also has to be commented on. While the other x-bases are all in stone, Emma was upgraded a bit to be a more metalic x with red highlights. Unfortantley, it doesn't work. It looks more like some gargantuan x-chastity belt than a base.
But the main problem is the glove that she is taking off. While a great idea, it doesn't quite work. First, the bottom of the glove near her elbow is supposed to give the appearance of it shifting upwards towards her hand, but it seems more blocky and fake looking. The hand seems very bony too, underneath the glove, just way too thin. Finally, its a bit too hard to figure out just how long her fingers are. The fingers on the glove also seem way to short for her hand. The pictures better tell this story.
The Paint Job
The paint job is good, but with some problems. Her outfit is nicely painted to be a gliterry white with bluish highlights. Very nice job. Her hair and her face and makeup are also very well done. The frosty color lipstick and eye shadow are very nice touches. However, the skin on her body is not very even. While she has a nice tan, the color is not consistent around her body. For instance, her body is darkner in the muscles outlying the six pack than the rest of her belly. And, as said before, painting the base metallic gray and red does not compliment the sculpt, but instead makes it seem every more silly. More importantly, the paint between border of the body/outfit could have been better.
Overall Value
One thing to remember about the Emma Frost bust is that it is part of a specified line. I can't imagine anyone with the other parts of this set, especially Cyclops, not getting Emma. However, as a solitary purchase, the buyer may want to investigate this one up close . It is a bit bigger than most Bowen bust females, if that matters any. I have not heard any reports of damage or paint problems. However, this bust, like the whole line, has a smallish base that makes it easy to tip over. Don't shake the area this one is on too much, or it will fall over and perhaps chip or break.
Final Verdict
The Emma Frost bust is a very nice concept that was sculpted well for the most part. For anyone who loves the Astonishing X-men, or who has most of the line, I would recommend this bust. However, for a casual x-fan, you may want to think about this decision. While it would match and go with a line of female Marvel hero bust, the uneven paint job and the noticeable flaws in the sculpt may be a bit too distracting. As much as I looked forward to this one, I am a bit disappointed. While I own and like this piece, I can only give it
3 out of 5 stars.
