Pulp Arcana Studios: The Cosmic Wanderer, Kalian Shunn

If you talk to anyone who collects modern action figures, eventually they will mention the Horsemen. The name is spoken in reverential tones, with a weight of history heavy in the saying of it. The Four Horsemen were originally a group of designers who met working at McFarlane Toys. They became some of the most respected designers and sculptors in the field, and eventually headed out on their own to create Four Horsemen Studios. While most well-known for their original line of fantasy figures dubbed Mythic Legions, they have expanded to Cosmic Legions, their science fiction line, and Figura Obscura, a line focusing on characters from literature and mythology.

I first discovered the Horsemen when I was just getting into collecting and photographing figures, and saw their Figura Obscura Headless Horseman figure. To put it simply, I was in awe. The Headless Horseman is an absolute favorite of mine and this figure is beyond beautiful. I snatched it up and fell in love. You can see how amazing this figure is in a few of the shots I shared for the Halloween photo collection.

Since then, I have become a rabid fan of both the Figura Obscura and Mythic Legions lines. I hadn’t yet dipped into Cosmic Legions, but when I was at the last San Jose Super Toy Show, I saw Kalian Shunn at one of the vendors and thought she looked amazing.

Before we dive into looking at this particular figure, I do have to give a special shout out to the Mythic Legions Cabal. The Cabal is a Facebook group composed of fans of Four Horsemen studios, and while ostensibly focused on Mythic Legions, the Cabal really embraces all of the studio’s lines. The Cabal is, without a doubt, the most welcoming, generous, and positive social media group I have ever encountered. Ever. They are fantastic people who love this company and these figures, and actively want to bring new people into the fold. I cannot recommend the group more highly.

A PULP ARCANA FIGURE FIELD REPORT Mission Brief:

Artifact Identified:

Kalian Shunn

Cosmic Legions

Four Horsemen Studios

OUT OF THE CRATE:

The packaging for this Cosmic Legions figure is simple, but fairly elegant. There is a large window to let the beauty of the figure really sell, but beyond that, the colors are a mix of cool blue and rich, deep purple. Together, the package gives appropriate space vibes.

Many Legions collectors do choose to keep a copy of their figures in box, and I can understand this, though it is definitely not for me. I want to get them in hand and pose them too much to let them sit in their box. Four Horsemen Studios do provide for these collectors with a package that is elegant and evocative.

I also always have a special place in my heart for a figure package that showcases the rest of the line on the back of the box. It takes me back to being a kid and looking at the back of a GI JOE figure, or a Masters of the Universe toy, and seeing what else I could dream about adding to my collection. I especially wanted to show it here, to show off the variety that is available in the Cosmic Legions line. What is shown here is only a small part of what is actually available, but even with that, the variety of size, sculpt, and especially character design is so rich, I just had to share it.

THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS:

As tends to be the case when I get a Legions figure in hand, I was blown away by both sculpt and paint. This figure is absolutely beautiful. And the best part is that the more you look at Kalian Shunn, the more lovely details you notice.

We have to start with the default head. This sculpt is, in a word, stunning. There is a beauty to the face that is accentuated by the bright eyes, and the fantastic paint-work on the skin. The colors give a warmth and life to the face that immediately brings the figure to life. The sculpted hair falling in waves to her shoulders is textured richly, and has a level of detail that catches the eye without drawing undue attention. You look at this face, and Kalian Shunn becomes a character you not only want to know more about, you want to create stories for her. That is a special kind of magic.

Accessory-wise, this figure is absolutely packed. Beyond the amazing bare head we just looked at, there is a second helmeted head available. The helmet is sleek and distinctly futuristic, but with a functional, real quality that grounds it in the world of Cosmic Legions. The paint and detailing on the helmet are subtle, but very effective. When I first saw the figure, I thought there was no way I was not going to use that bare head with the flowing hair for every pose and every shot. However, once I got the helmeted head on, and especially when paired with the hooded cloak, this became a completely different character. A desert planet wanderer, seeking new discoveries. When you have accessories that can not only change the figure, but actually shape it into a different character, you are dealing with something special.

We also get two alternate trigger hands, a futuristic pistol and rifle that both boast excellent detail and fantastic paint applications. The weapons have a bronze look to them that pairs so well with the figure while not getting muddied and lost when put in the hands. Beyond this, Kalian Shunn also comes with a long staff with small metal rings around the top. Like the firearms, this is also really well done. Finally, there is a Boba Fett style wrist rocket that pegs into a port on either fore-arm, and a single pauldron to give an asymmetrical armored look.

The biggest pleasant surprise for me was the inclusion of some fantastic soft goods on the figure. There is a wired skirt piece below the belt, and a fully wired hooded cloak as well. When you put all of these together, you get the option to shape your Kalian Shunn in drastically different ways. This one figure can give you a number of completely different looks.

While the price point for Four Horsemen figures can be a little on the high side, I have never been disappointed with a purchase from the studio. This figure is a great indicator of why that is. The sculpt is absolutely gorgeous and the accessories are not only plentiful, they also really serve to give the figure distinct and different looks, and that is just awesome.

MOBILITY AND MANEUVERS:

Articulation admittedly has never been a hallmark of Four Horsemen figures. Both the Mythic Legions and Cosmic Legions lines boast an articulation suite that I think is really good, but never reaches great. The studio is constantly progressing however, and some of the most recent figures are incorporating improvements and changes to push their articulation and movement.

Kalian Shunn comes from the third wave of Cosmic Legions figures, and has the original articulation. The arms have a single elbow joint and good movement at the shoulders, but the limited bend and the lack of butterfly joints do limit the posing a bit, especially when using the accessories. The extra hands do help make up for this somewhat however, giving a variety of expressive postures with the hands and fingers.

There is some interaction with the head that I was a little disappointed to see. That absolutely gorgeous bare head-sculpt, with the flowing hair, does get in the way of both the single shoulder pauldron and the cloak. While the armor pauldron can be finagled around the hair, it does limit the posing of the head some when put in place. The cloak, and in particular the hood, do interfere with the hair, and they don’t really play nicely together. I was a little bummed to see this, as I was enamored of the idea of a space exploring Red Riding Hood, but it is a small matter, especially with how well the helmeted head works with the cloak.

The wired cloak is absolutely fantastic and deserves discussion here in articulation. With the wire in the edges of the cloak and the hood, you can pose the fabric to give the figure a really beautiful sense of motion. It adds so much to the presence of the figure.

This is on what is referred to as the 2.0 body scale, which the Studio uses for more slender figures. I love the way the 2.0 body looks, however every 2.0 scale figure I have does have some minor issues with the ankles, making getting them to pose, even with a foot stand, a little more of a process.

RECOVERED EVIDENCE:

FINAL RECKONING:

Whatever minor quibbles I may have had when posing this figure faded away every time I looked at it. Whether on my desk or posed in a diorama, Kalian Shunn has a presence and just absolutely overflows with character. The tagline for Pulp Arcana Studios is “Every figure tells a story.” This figure is an absolutely exemplary example of how true that statement is.