Listen to me very carefully. There are three ways of doing things around here: the right way, the wrong way, and the way that *I* do it.
You understand?
- Sam 'Ace' Rothstein; the movie Casino
Hi guys,
the statue I am going to review today is a rather odd piece. When it was originally released I took notice of it without feeling the immediate urge to add the statue to my collection.
Even though I am cool with the Hulk I am not the biggest Hulk fan out there and besides you simply cannot buy every statue which is released, right?
As time passed by this statue began to grow on me exactly because it is such an odd piece filled with contradictions.
At one hand you see an incredibly strong being considered by many to be a beast, a monster wehereas on the other hand the monster does wear a tuxedo.
Looking at him from one angle you see an enforcer is perfectly able to knock your lights out the hard and painful way whereas from another angle you will notice
the brute is blessed with the unique intellect and quick thinking abilities of Dr. Robert Bruce Banner.
The man is an almost unsolvable enigma but he also is the man you turn to to solve problems which have become too big for you.
You might have guessed it by now that the character I am talking about if of course none other than the infamous Mr. Fixit!
Joe Fixit is a seemingly impossible mix of glaring contractions and that's what attracted my attention.
Mr. Fixit is at the same less and more than the Hulk: he is less powerful, less durable and less savage but at the same time he is much smarter and much more cunning than the 'mindless' Hulk could ever hope to be.
A monster hired by men to do their dirty work but also a man smart and powerful enough to survive in the sometimes cruel and hard underworld in Las Vegas.
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas but if Joe Fixit does not want you in Vegas anymore, you better listen to the big man and never set foot in the whole of Nevada ever again.
Unless of course you have become tired of living...
Joe Fixit is as such a very interesting and fascinating character and the moment I realized that I just knew I had to add this statue to my collection sooner or later.
I am very happy with this big guy in my collection and hope that the pictures I took will help to convey the coolness and sheer awesomeness of this piece.
As always please do not hesitate to let me know in case you have any questions or in case you would like to share your thoughts of this statue!
Have fun!
My verdict
This is how I go, when I go like this.
- Mr. Fixit
Manufacturer: Bowen Designs
Sculptor: Khurram Alavi (digital sculpt)
Prototype painted by: Dan Cope
Box Design: Jeremy Perkins
Art Direction: Randy Bowen
Release date: April 2012
Edition size: 650
Statue number: 363 / 650
Order of release: Phase V (statue #272)
Statue size: the statue is 13.5 inches tall
Sculpt:
8.5 – Very impressive
Perhaps some of you have heard about the KISS-principle which states that everything should be kept as simple as possible and should not be made
more complicated than absolutely necessary.
(KISS is in this case an abbreviation for Keep It Simple, Stupid!)
When I look at this sculpt I cannot but admire the simple yet effective sculpt. Mr. Fixit is portrayed as a classic bouncer in true blue Las Vegas-style.
What I see is a man who takes care of your problems quickly and decisively though I am not sure if handling things discreetly is part of his job description as he sees it.
It’s a relatively simply sculpt but somehow Khurram Alavi managed to include Mr. Fixit’s strength and initimidating presence in his sculpt.
The stern and determined look on Mr. Fixit’s face as well as the rip on the back of Joe’s tuxedo really add much tot his effect.
I like the mass and bulkiness of Mr. Fixit just as much as I dig the wrinkles in his pants, his big, oversized shoes and his clearly visible large cufflinks and bow tie.
Mr. Fixit is looking like like a perfect combination of a brute enforcer and a perfectly dressed host and that is exactly what he is and should look like.
Joe Fixit has ‘come to life’ and that sure is one heck of an accomplishment!
Paint & Mixed Media:
7.5 – Very good
There is no mixed media used in the statue but that does not mean that the statue does not deliver here. The paintjob is simple yet solid and as far as I can see neatly applied.
There are no oversprayed part nor are there any spots on the statue where the paint is missing.
The white of Joe’s tuxedo looks great and is in nice contrast with Joe’s matte black trousers, his black bowtie and shiny black, perfectly polished shoes.
Mr. Fixit’s hair is nicely painted as well but the real highlight for me is the way his skin is painted. A nice gray color is used and especially in the face the use of
black lines is done to great effect giving Mr. Fixit an almost real life facial expression. The paintjob makes you believe Mr. Fixit is looking at you in a stern and intent way as if
he is waiting for you to give him the slightest excuse to throw you out of his casino the hard and shameful way.
The paintjob is solid and righteous and leaves absolutely nothing to be desired.
Design:
8.0 – Impressive
With both the sculpt as well as the paintjob being relatively simple yet convingly effective, it may not come as a surprise that in my opinion
the same can be said about the design of the statue.
The design is simple but effective and it has lead to an imposising statue. The way Mr. Fixit is standing with his arms crossed in front of his chest is classic
and reminiscent of the way a bouncer would stand while watiching over his club or casino.
Mr. Fixit is at ease standing in his corner but at the same time you can feel the speed and power with which he can lash out should the situation ask for it.
You can bring the heat if you really want to but should know that you will be burned to the ground by the brisk Mr. Fixit.
Just as the statue itself, the base has a very simple yet elegant design: it shows part of a tile floor Joe Fixit is standing on and he could very well be standing in
a fancy club or casino. Joe is in a fancy place ready to do not so fancy things to anybody who intends to mess up the program.
Production & Build Quality:
8.0 – Impressive
The statue feel solid and is reassuringly heavy . When you open the box you will see that there are two separate parts in the box: the statue and the base.
Both are well made and if handled with normal care I have no reason to believe these will not last for many, many years to come.
All the more so since there are no small and/or fragile parts which could easily break off on this statue. Just like Mr. Fixit himself this statue is big and robust.
Mr. Fixit really packs a punch and I am certain he will be able to beat the test of time effortlessly.
Overall rating:
8.5 – Very impressive
Based on the four above mentioned criteria the average overall rating should be 8.0 – Impressive.
I have decided however to add an extra half point to my rating in order to show my appreciation for the fact that Bowen Designs has taken it upon them
to release statues of less well known characters (the so-called B-listers).
Every company which produces statues has a Hulk, Iron Man of Spider-Man statue in but only Bowen Designs has provided us with a statue of Mr. Fixit.
Some might say this is a bold move from a business point of view but I think Bowen Designs really deserves a pat on the back from us fans and collectors
to show them our gratitude for making all of our favourite characters come to life.
All-in all this is a great statue which I can recommend to any fan and collector.
Just do not expect Mr. Fixit to tell you any juicy stories about Vegas since what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!
Background Information
This is MY town!!
- Mr. Fixit
Gamma-powered psychiatrist Leonard "Doc" Samson captured the Hulk and successfully separated Banner and his alter ego.
Without Banner's psyche to restrain him, the Hulk became a greater danger than ever before.
Realizing there was only one way to reign in the Hulk, Banner agreed to merge with the monster.
But the stress of the re-integration fractured Banner's subconscious, creating the street-smart grey Hulk.
During this time, he spent several years in Las Vegas, sometimes operating as an enforcer calling himself Mr. Fixit (or "Joe Fixit.")
The smart-mouth Fixit was an ill-tempered, wise-cracking, thuggish brute whose personality resembled that of his father and the fraternity boys who surrounded him in college.
As such Mr. Fixit represented that part of Bruce’s personality that would do all the things Bruce would never willingly do himself.
Tricky, manipulative, dominant and being a self-centered gamma irradiated gangster describe what Mr. Fixit was all about.
Mr. Fixit has shown on occasions that his intelligence is on par with that of Bruce Banner though so he definitely can't be compared with the 'dumb' brute
that the savage Hulk is often portrayed to be.
Initially, Bruce would transform into the grey Hulk at night and then back at dawn.
This was subconscious due to the fact that Bruce was ashamed of the dark, often horrible thoughts Mr. Fixit represented and would only let him out at night, in the dark, where he wouldn't be seen.
Later, the change was due to will power.
Although he is the smallest of the Hulks, the Mr. Fixit towers over the average human. He prefers to dress in tailored suits.
Mr. Fixit's base strength level is the lowest of all the "Hulk incarnations". However, this strength level can grow as he gets angry, but at a much slower pace than the other "Hulk incarnations."
In general one can say Mr. Fixit's strength is also his weakness: due to the fact that he is intelligent and more in touch with his humanity, his strength and durability are also reduced compared to the more savage, green Hulk.
Despite his lower strength, Mr. Fixit is able to use cunning tactics and strategy in fights to gain the upper hand against foes expecting a savage Hulk.
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 900 lbs
Eye color: Gray
Hair color: Black
Strength level: Mr. Fixit can approximately lift 75 tons in his normal, calm state. The angrier Mr. Fixit becomes however the stronger he gets.
Don't Push Your Luck.
- Tagline from the movie Casino
Rainer
