Ever since word got out that there was going to be a second wave of Space Ghost : Coast to Coast figures released, I've been sitting on teh edge of my seat wiating for these stupdi thigns to be released. Well, after two or three delays for whatever reason, Zorak, Brak and Moltar have finally been released, and yes, I do have them, yes they DO exist, but the real question is, are they worth bothering to try and get?
Contents - The three figures each come with one accessory. Moltar's is probably the most versistal, it being his computer/director's consol. Zorak comes with his keyboard prision, and Brak comes with an extra set of arms.
On the package, it says that Brak comes with an extra set of arms and hands, though I don't really see any, so I'm guessing that the hands on the arms are what they're counting. It's kind of odd that would do that though, since they do come off VERY easliy, which would make me think there was suppsoed to be an actual extra set of hands. I've seen few packaged shots, and no real loose pics other than the prototypes, so I'm not sure if they're missing or if they are jsut what is on the arms.
Zorak's keyboard isn't nessicarily that great, since it's WAY too big for him. True, it was probably scaled up for the figure, but Zorak also kind of hangs out of the keyboard anyway on the cartoon, so who knows I guess. I guess you could actually get two to get the full thing going, but then you'd have an extra Zorak, guess you could custom it or something really. Still, it wouldn't look all that right.
Motlar's console seems to be to scale, the only gripe I really have with it is the handle. It's more like a small stick, not the larger thing on the cartoon. Also, it doesn't move, so it's constantly stuck inan "up' posistion. I guess t could be worse though, but, oh well.
Packaging - Keeping with the oringal Space Ghost figure's packaging, the bubbles still contain the same Ghost Emblem design, as well the same same colors. The character on the card also appears on top of the package, while Tad moves down over to the side where the villan resided on SG's card. Judging by Space Ghost's appearance on the racks, these should stand out among the other figures, esepcially considering where you'll usually find these (Suncoast and such most likely, but I bought them online, so I guess that doesn't matter much, now does it?)
They're held in solely by the blister tray itself, no twist ties for a change. Thoguh you may want to show come care in popping them out, especialy Zorak, who's in there pretty good, and part of his toe slides through the second tray under his body
    |
Sculting/Paint - The sculpting on the three figures, while not by Art Asylum, still stand up there, although Brak could have fared better. While it does look like him, something about it just doesn't feel right, but it could also just be that we don't really seem him fron ton a whole lot. Zorak, judging by the prototypes, looked to be an absolute abomination, but, judgin him in person, if you look at him from an angle, heloks like he just jumped off the screen. Moltar is well done, though again, his head does seem off for some reason. The paint aps are done nicely as well, thogh there is a fair amount of run off along the edges. The accessories are nicely painted as well, with no noticeable run off, though I would have liked a bit of a brighter color on Moltar's monitor. The one thing I'm wondering about though is the color choice for Zorak. I mean, yes he does appear on the show like this, but VERY rarely from what I've seen. His usual colors are a light green skin, yellow gloves, and dark green vest, though he does alternate to a red vest, where his skin color goes to his gloves and his dark green vest goes to his skin. This color scheme that the figure, I don't know. While it could be possible to repaint it, shouldn't they have just released it in the more usual color scheme, but, I guess that's just how the color models look really, judging by Adult Swim's webpage and the portion the Brak Show. Maybe they're planning on releaseing repaints at some point, which if they do I'll might annoyed that them for doing that. Articulation - Moltar has 14 points; quasi-ball joint neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, hips (T-crotch), knees, and ankles. Brak, depending on which arms he has, has 9 with his folded arms and 14 with his straight arms; ball joint neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, hips (V-crotch), knees, and ankles. Zorak has 15 points; two ball joints on his neck (one at the base of his head, one at the base of his shoulders), ball join shoulders, ball joint elbows, wrist, waist, hips (V-crotch), knees and ankles. As far as Brak's count goes, I'm saying 9 with the folded arms only because they are actually one peice, where as some people may feel they're two joints. Construction - While constructed rather well, there are a few thigns I do take into question. Zorak is VERY weak on his joints, in that they do have the tendency to pop out more than they really should, though it's not impossible to put his limbs back on. Also, you may want to watch out on his antenna. On mine, one of them came loose, and tends to fly around and pop out when it wants to, though again, it's not impossible to put back in, and I'm sure glue would hold it in. Brak is another one I'm wondering about. The ball joint neck I'm really wondering about, since you can't move his head forward with it, only backwards. I was also worried that the head flap thingy would have been made of a ridgid plastic, but it's made of a soft PVC matreial, which is nice. You will want to show some caution when switching his arms though, since he comes packaged with his folded arms in place, and when I switched mine for the first time, there was a cracking of the torso. It wasn't so bad that it's falling apart mind you, but there was a slight split above the arm hole. Also, his hands, as stated above, come off VERY easliy. The main thing I think that hurts Moltar is the lack of bicep joints, just so you could pose him in a more accurat stance by the console. Other than that I think he's fine. All three, and the accessories, are made of a more matte finsihed plastic, rather than Space Ghost's glossy plastic. My guess is it was done like that to prevent breaking on it, ut it does seem to work well enough for them. |
Value - The MSRP on these three is $15 each, I paid about $13 each for the three. While Zorak would be a fine purhace at $15, Moltar is more suitable at $13, though fifteen, while slightly over-priced, isn't so bad as to cause a passover on it. Brak on the other hand definitly falls more into the ten to twelve dollar range, and while thirteen isn't a bad price, it does feel like a rip-off, so fifteen for him is DEFINITLY over pirced. Most online sotre offer these three as a set, so I would try to pick them up as one, unless you hate two of the characters I guess.
Overall - While this is a very nice set of figures, and they do complement Space Ghost very well, the price is what hurts this for the most part. If you do pick these up, I wouldn't pay more than forty dolalrs for the set of three. I'v eseen them online for $45, and well, if youc an find them for $40, get them for that price, and you'll be happier with them.
The changes I would've made had I designed these are mostly articulation. Brak I would've given him seperate crossing arms, his right one with a bicep joint so he could be posed waving. Also, I would've actually given him the extra hands, one that were spread out. Moltar I would've given an extra set of hands, slightly open, and the above mentioned bicep joints. Another possible change I would've done would be ball jointed shoulders and a soft PVC "smock" peice, sort of, on his chest to let the shoulders move more. Zorak would probably have been, again, just an extra set of hands, but absolutely a more accurate color scheme. The accessories I already covered, smaller piano and a slightly tweaked console/directors control center.
