Pulp Arcana Studios: Savage September- A Dark Conqueror

Savage September: The Dark Promise of Nashorn the Disinherited

I’ve always loved Sword and Sorcery as a genre. In middle school, I discovered Robert E. Howard’s Conan stories and devoured them. I followed the Cimmerian barbarian through all kinds of adventures, by different authors and dug them all. John Milius’s Conan the Barbarian film not only has one of the greatest film scores ever conceived (shout out to Basil Poledouris) but also captures the fury and gravitas of an age before the oceans drank Atlantis. In short, Sword and Sorcery stories make my pulp-lovin’ heart beat faster.

Harvinger Studios has taken these stories as the inspiration for their Savage Crucible line, and just absolutely run with it. Their first wave put forward some of the best lizard-man figures we have ever gotten, with great sculpts, fantastic articulation, and wonderful accessories. Then they unveiled their second wave, and it was even more exciting. Wave 2 of Savage Crucible moves beyond the cold-blooded Saurian warriors and goes full pulp barbarian. And I couldn’t be happier.

Here at the Pulp Arcana Studios corner of Fanboy Planet, we’re going to take a deep dive into Harvinger Studios Savage Crucible line this month. Welcome to SAVAGE SEPTEMBER, and our first figure review: the shadowy menace known as Nashorn the Disinherited.

A PULP ARCANA FIGURE FIELD REPORT Mission Brief: Savage Crucible’s Nashorn the Disinherited

Artifact Identified:

Nashorn the Disinherited
Savage Crucible
Harvinger Studios

OUT OF THE CRATE:

Harbinger Studios knows the power of a good first impression, that’s for sure. The packaging for this figure is fantastic. We get a great piece of art on the cover piece, but even better, that flap opens up, revealing the figure and all the accessories. Even better, on the inside of the flap, there is a short story introducing Nashorn and giving a compelling bit of backstory to set up the character and future adventures.

As an out of the box collector and photographer, I don’t usually put a ton of stock in the packaging for figures. However, the Savage Crucible boxes may be the exception for me. They are a perfect mix of form and function and set the stage nicely for the figure inside.

THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS:

Out of the box, the first thing that hits me is presence. Nashorn stands at the same height of the rest of the line, but he seems to loom over some of the other characters. Likely this comes from the curving red horns that rise from the golden helmet. The horns give him an otherworldly sense of menace that I really am coming to love. This combines with the helmet beautifully, with the red of the horns matching the deep set eyes and contrasting with the silver pearls in the forehead. The faceplate evokes vibes of Darth Vader or General Kael from the film Willow

The sculpt leans into this aesthetic fully. Large shoulder pauldrons of red-tinted steel bulk out the upper torso and gold armor pieces at the upper arms, forearms, and shins pop against the dark skin. There is detailed work on all the armor pieces and the paint work is fantastic. The overall impression is one of menace, and I will absolutely be using Nashorn as a dark overlord-style villain in photoshoots to come.

The accessories are as impressive as the figure itself. A broad short-handled sword is included as Nashorn’s main armament. The work on the sword is excellent, with nicks along the silvered blade and a finely sculpted hilt gives the impression of an efficient and well-used weapon. A scabbard for the sword is attached to the figure’s belt with two small chains, allowing the sheathed weapon to hang realistically close at hand.

A dagger and sheath are also included, and look great as well. The sheath can peg into the left side of the figure’s belt. I’m always a sucker for figures that can carry their accessories, and this one does so elegantly. We also get a total of three sets of hands. One set of gripping hands has a horizontal hinge, one set of gripping hands has a vertical hinge, and the final set are open, expressive hands. Combined, they give Nashorn plenty of options.

As an added bonus, Harbinger Studios includes a character card and surprise weapon in each package. The character card features a nice piece of art on the front, and even more interestingly, the back has stats for 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons for the character pictured. I haven’t seen this talked about in many places, and I think it is a fantastic idea, bridging two related fandoms together in an elegant and fun way. The mystery weapon is another wonderful addition from the team. Packed in a small, black baggie, each figure comes with a special translucent colored weapon. The one that came with my Nashorn is a large, wicked looking sword with a cruel, hooked blade. It’s a great design, and the blade is a vibrant, translucent red that fades to yellow at the tip. A fantastic, fun addition. Thanks Harvinger Studios!

MOBILITY AND MANEUVERS:

Savage Crucible figures have been a pleasant surprise for me in regards to articulation. The neck moves up and down and side to side well enough to give expressive movement. The large pauldrons are attached to the figure’s shoulders through impressive connectors that allow them to pivot and move up. This means that even with the size of these armor pieces, the articulation of the shoulders and upper arms is not limited. Definitely a smart way to go.

The arms have a deep elbow joint, as well as bicep and forearm swivel. This, combined with the wrist joints on the assorted hands gives Nashorn the ability to hold his weapons in just about any pose you might want. What’s more, the cuts are nicely hidden, especially the forearm cut that is hidden by the bracers. Add to this the fact that all the joints in the Savage Crucible line are pinless, and you have a great suite of articulation.

The lower body is also strong. While the ab crunch is limited by the armor, the hips give good movement, and the double jointed knees allow strong stances. Working our way down to the ankles, I found that I had no problem getting the feet to a position where they would support the figure in most balanced poses.

When you put all this together, you get a figure that will handle action scenes with relative ease. Now, admittedly, I have become a bit of an articulation junkie, but even with the slight limitations at the abs, I am more than happy with what Harvinger Studios is bringing to the table.

RECOVERED EVIDENCE:

FINAL RECKONING:

The combination of an amazing sculpt, excellent paint applications, and fantastic accessories all work together to make Nashorn the Disinherited a welcome addition to any collection with a sword and sorcery vibe. From the curling horns to the gleaming masked helmet, Nashorn demands attention. This is a character that tells a story in every pose. The articulation is not quite on par with a high-end import, but it is impressive in its own right, and allows you to capture the dynamic action that is so necessary in the blood-soaked world of the Savage Crucible.