Pulp Arcana Studios: Combat Calavera- Action Force Dia de Los Muertos Sidewinder

Combat Calavera: Action Force Dia de Los Muertos Sidewinder

The Action Force line from Valaverse is fast becoming one of my favorite lines to pose and shoot. I took a look at the Infantry Commando 2.0 from Valaverse recently and absolutely enjoyed the heck out of the figure. When I saw that the exclusive version of their Sidewinder figure, with a distinct Dia de Los Muertos color scheme and accessories was available on the Valaverse site, I knew I wanted to get my hands on it. I recently got around to cracking him open and putting him through his paces. Come with me and let’s see what the mad military minded maniacs over at Valaverse are doing with Action Force with the Dia de Los Muertos Sidewinder.

A PULP ARCANA FIGURE FIELD REPORT Mission Brief:

Artifact Identified:

Dia de Los Muertos Sidewinder

Action Force Online Exclusive

Valaverse

OUT OF THE CRATE:

The Dia de Los Muertos Sidewinder takes the normal Valaverse packaging that we saw in the Infantry Commando 2 review, but adds an interesting color twist to it. A magenta strip along the side highlights the character name, and this is repeated with the backing behind the figure. This contrasts with the black and grey design of the rest of the back panel.

The figure itself is fully visible in the clear plastic bubble, alongside a full load out of accessories. Like we saw before, Valaverse has leaned into collector-friendly packaging, which allows you to remove the back panel easily without damaging it. It is always a nice touch when you see a company look to take care of both in box collectors and out of the box.

THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS:

When we get him out the of the box, the Day of the Dead Sidewinder looks absolutely fantastic. I’ve been a big fan of every Valaverse figure that has come my way, but this one looks even better. The dark colors of the fatigues and the grey of the tactical vest play off against the defining aspect of this figure: the calavera deco-ed face.

It should be mentioned that there are actually three different variations of the facial portrait that come randomly with this figure when you order him from Valaverse. The default one is the one I have here on this figure and it looks so good. The simple black and white is striking and pops on a shelf and in photos. Variant A adds a spider web design to the forehead and red accents around the eyes. Variant B has a snake face on the forehead and blue around the eyes. Both the variants are extremely rare, and limited to 100 pieces each. So they are out there, but they are definitely not what you should expect when you snag a Day of the Dead Sidewinder for yourself. No reason to be disappointed when the standard head looks this great.

The tactical vest is actually the same design we saw on the Infantry Commando 2.0. However, I think it looks better with the darker colors and sharper paint. There are great little details like the Mexican flag patch on the chest behind the medial shears. A belt with a holstered pistol and silencer rests on the left hip and leg pouches hold two different types of grenades. Sidewinder cuts an imposing figure even without being fully kitted up.

As for that kit, let’s get to the accessories. This version of Sidewinder comes with an impressive array of items, even by Valaverse standards. The figure comes with four sets of hands, ranging from trigger finger hands to fists to hands made to cradle the rifle. I really like the Action Force hands and the poses they allow for the figures.

In addition to the hands, we get two Mac-10 submachine guns with silencers. They look great in the hands and give the figure a really unique look when used. They might be my favorite accessories for the figure. Sidewinder also comes with a helmet, which can be equipped with a radio headset and a set of nightvision goggles. I think this helmet looks absolutely fantastic by itself, but while great on the figure, it kind of takes away from the impact of the calavera face. It will likely find a home on another Action Force figure in my collection.

An Ak-47 assault rifle is included as well. The detailing on the gun, from the underslung grenade launcher to the two magazines taped together for faster reloading gives it a great sense of character. Rounding off the armament is a massive bowie knife/machete that fits into a scabbard that you can plug into the back.

Finally, the familiar Action Force stand makes an appearance. I’ve actually become kind of a fan of this included stand. It provides a great, stable base for the figure, while still allowing some fairly dynamic posing. Definitely enough to make this figure look fantastic on a shelf or in a basic photo.

MOBILITY AND MANEUVERS:

Articulation-wise, we get the typical Action Force movement suite. But please note, this is far from a bad thing. The Action Force figures I have are a constant joy to play with and pose. Even with the tactical vest on, the movement at the shoulders is not limited. Good movement at the elbows and a bicep swivel allows the arms to hold the weapons in almost any pose you might desire.

One of the things I have come to appreciate with the way that Valaverse does their articulation is the way the hips work on their figures. They have a drop-down hip design that allows the whole leg to move a bit away from the crotch piece. This allows a freedom of movement to the legs at this joint that is surprisingly useful. For a brand that leans into its action movie aesthetic, this is a great factor to add and is a big component in why these Action Force figures are so much fun to pose.

In addition to everything else about the leg articulation that was mentioned in my last Action Force review, I also want to add a note about how stable the figures are. Perhaps it is my lingering frustration from recently trying to photograph a female Marvel Legends figure with high heels, but I am so grateful for the solid poseability of this figure. Right out of the package, Sidewinder stood perfectly. Even while I was messing around posing him, it was easy to set him down and have him stand up. And the irony is, with the included stand, he doesn’t even need to.

RECOVERED EVIDENCE:

day of the dead sidewinder review neutral

FINAL RECKONING:

I have the original Sidewinder figure from Action Force, and it is a great figure. But this Day of the Dead version takes everything great about that figure and builds on it with a cooler color scheme and an unforgettable face portrait and terrific accessories. The figure poses like a champ and looks great on the shelf and in photos. An absolute banger from Valaverse.