Savage September: Art Brought to Life
It has been quite an adventure this month. We have seen the amazing Nashorn the Disinherited and the epic Who-Man. To wrap up Savage September here at the Pulp Arcana Studios corner of Fanboy Planet, we have a special shot of sword and sorcery goodness for you. Something truly special.
In the realm of fantasy art, there is no name more legendary, more genre defining than the master himself: Frank Frazetta. His images have graced countless covers and inspired the imaginations of millions, including this columnist. His work had a gritty realism that brought his barbaric visions to vivid life. In his work, we experience a world that is both long ago and never was, where bold men and women strode across desolate landscapes and steamy jungles in search of passion and glory. Harvinger Studios has worked with the Frazetta estate to create a figure that captures one of Frank’s most iconic pieces. The Warrior with Ball and Chain is a special release from Harvinger Studios’ Savage Crucible line. We will see if they can translate that Frazetta magic into an actual figure. Let’s dive in, shall we?
A PULP ARCANA FIGURE FIELD REPORT Mission Brief: Savage Crucible’s Warrior with Ball and Chain
Artifact Identified:
Warrior with Ball and Chain
Savage Crucible
Harvinger Studios
OUT OF THE CRATE:
Departing from the design of the rest of the wave, this box immediately establishes that this figure is a tribute to Frazetta. The cover of the box is a gorgeous version of the Frazetta painting that inspired the figure. It is absolutely beautiful, and a reminder of just how beautiful Frazetta’s work can be. Bravo Harvinger. This is pure class.
Opening up the characteristic flap reveals the figure and accessories, as was the case with the other figures in the line. At first glance, the figure looks fantastic. On the inside of the flap is a wonderful bit of flavor text and the Frazetta Artwork logo. All together, the packaging really makes this feel like something different than the rest of the figures in the line. Though I am the farthest thing in the world from an in-the-box collector, this packaging actually gave me pause. This would be stunning displayed on the shelf in the package.
THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS:
I’m not going to bury the lead on this one. They nailed it. They absolutely nailed it. To begin with, the likeness between figure and artwork is shockingly good. Starting with the head, this figure has one of the best face sculpts I have seen. It captures that Frazetta style so perfectly that I found myself constantly looking at it as the figure was sitting on my desk while I wrote this review. The eyes, the jaw, the expression of grim determination, are all perfect. The helmet has excellent paint application, and frames the face beautifully.
I do wish the helmet was removable, but I have a suspicion that without the helmet, this warrior might be too easily mistaken for a famous Cimmerian barbarian, and that might have caused licensing issues. A small matter, as the helmeted head has grown on me considerably. It is just too good to not appreciate.
Moving down, the body is simple, with only a sculpted fur loin cloth, sculpted boots, and a bracer. However all of these look fantastic, with the boots especially standing out. The simplicity of the figure’s aesthetic is a direct mirror to the artwork, and it looks amazing.
The accessories are a pleasant surprise. As you can imagine, for a figure called “Warrior with Ball and Chain,” he does come with his iconic weapon. It looks perfect, with the metallic paint and splotches of bloody red playing beautifully with the light. I do wish the chain was articulated so we could more easily capture the sense of weight and motion when we pose the warrior with it, but again, absolutely a small matter.
The shield looks perfect as well. I do have to say that attaching the shield to the hand while getting the arm through the straps was a bit of a chore, but when finally in place, the way that it sits on the arm makes it worth it.
The Warrior comes with a small dagger that fits snugly into a sheath on the left thigh, and a single edged sword that can be carried in a scabbard that is suspended from the belt with two chains. This is similar to what we saw with Nashorn, but this scabbard seems to sit better and displays the sword in a much more dramatic fashion.
The Warrior comes with a total of 3 sets of hands, with 2 of the sets being gripping hands for the weapons and the last set being open, expressive hands. They work beautifully and add to the overall flexibility of the figure.
A pleasant surprise was the inclusion of a fur cape that hooks into ingenious pieces at the shoulders. While it did take a while to get the cape onto the hooks, once secured, it looks incredible. Even better, the fur cape is wired, allowing you to get some really great posing out of it.
Finally, as with the other figures in the wave, Harvinger Studios has included a mystery weapon once more. This time, I pulled the same large, hooked sword, but now in a translucent purple. It looks great, and I continue to love this little touch.
MOBILITY AND MANEUVERS:
Maybe it is because of the lack of any restricting armor, but the articulation suite that has helped Savage Crucible figures stand out seems even better here. The joints in my figure moved smoothly, with no need for additional heat. The head can go up and down, side to side, and has decent tilt, which allows that menacing expression to be brought to bear in almost any pose.
One of the things that I have grown to love in these Savage Crucible figures is their absolutely fantastic butterfly joints. These provide great mobility at the shoulders and chest, and especially with figures designed to wield swords and axes (or in this case a fearsome ball and chain), this is so welcome. The arms have the cut at both the bicep and right above the elbow, and really allow the arms a great range of motion.
Furthermore, the legs also seem even better on this figure. With nothing in the way, the hips can move well and even come close to full splits. The knees are double-jointed and allow dynamic lunges and deep crouches. All in all, this figure takes the already great articulation that I have absolutely come to appreciate from Savage Crucible and pushes it even further.
Perhaps more important than anything else, this figure is fun to pose. I found myself playing with the Warrior time and time again, even as I was writing this. And every time, every pose, I couldn’t keep from smiling. Every pose looked fantastic.
RECOVERED EVIDENCE:
FINAL RECKONING:
Simply put, in a line that has been absolutely full of bangers, you have to be something special to stand out. This figure stands out. Even if you are not a fan of action figures, if you have ever enjoyed Frank Frazetta’s art, the chance to hold a piece of it in your hands and make your own art in an echo of the master is worth it. A truly beautiful piece and a worthy homage to a genre defining great.
RELIC RATING: 5 out of 5
Filed by Mark Gelineau of Pulp Arcana Studios for Fanboy Planet
https://www.instagram.com/pulp_arcana_studios/
FIELD PHOTOS:
