Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chosen Spike
|
Like any good nerd, I enjoy the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television show. But I must admit to being rather late in jumping
on the bandwagon. I only started watching the show in the last year now that it airs on FX channel on cable. Due to my
rather delayed introduction to the series, I never had much interest in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer figures. But I since
come to my senses and signed up with Diamond Select's Radicals fan club/news letter. To my great surprise and joy, they sent
me a free figure: Spike from the final episode. Chosen Spike was available as a promo at Toy Fair, but since most of us
don't enjoy the option of attending that event, Diamond Select also sent them out for free to Radicals members that listed
Buffy ?the Vampire Slayer as one of their interests.
Packaging - 1/10How do you feel about plain white boxes? The only packaging is the small white box in which the figure is shipped. It's not very decorative, but it is functional as the figure managed to arrive undamaged. Still, it's hard to fault them since it is a freebie. The Toy Fair promo version is a bit better with the figure in a clear bag with a cardboard tag at the top.
Sculpting - 4/10From the photos I have seen, it appears as though Chosen Spike is comprised of parts of the other Spike figures released at about the same time. It isn't accurate to the episode since he lacks his trench coat. And the details of the sculpt are all but impossible to see on top of that because of the translucent plastic used.
Paint - 4/10Chosen Spike has no paint at all. The only color for the figure comes from the translucent yellow plastic in which the figure is cast. It has its advantages and drawbacks. It is very difficult to make out any of the details of the sculpt. In an ideal world, the figure should have received a light paint wash to add a little shadow and bring out the sculpt detail. It is probably the best way to represent Spike's transformation in the finale into some form of energy though.
Articulation - 8/10Spike comes with sixteen points of articulation.
Accessories - 7/10Chosen Spike comes with one accessory, the amulet that causes his transformation in the final episode. It isn't very detailed. But they did go the extra length to include a real chain to attach it. The chain also ensures that the amulet won't be lost since it can't be removed without taking the figure's head off or taking apart the chain.
Value - 10/10 (5/10 on secondary market)The only way to get this figure originally was to get it free. As long as it doesn't actually attempt to suck the blood out of your other figures or cause a cataclysmic collapse of your town, that's a great deal. (And no, it hasn't done either of those things, yet.) On the other hand, if you didn't get one for free, they are still pretty reasonably priced on the secondary market. A quick search of Ebay turned up several for under $10. Looking at the completed auctions, it doesn't look like the boxed version that was sent to Radicals members goes for more than $15 very often. The Toy Fair version is a bit more expensive though.
Happy Hunting:Unless you happen to come upon a time machine, the secondary market is going to be your only means of finding this figure. But it is far from rare. A quick search of eBay should turn up at least a handful of auctions.
|
|
