Spotlight: Three-Eyed Venusian action figure (Bif Bang Pow!)

Today we cast a critical eye (or three) upon Bif Bang Pow!'s Three-Eyed Venusian action figure. We met the Three-Eyed Venusian (whom I will refer to as "3EV" from now forward) working the diner counter in season two's "Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?" and, while he's undeniably a Twilight Zone icon, he's unfortunately a one-trick pony: once you get past that third eye (as awesome as it is), there's really nothing else impressive about him. But I'm not here to judge which characters are worthy of plastic adaptation... I'm just here to give 'em the once-over and run down the details. A boring character does not necessarily translate to a boring figure. Read on...

CHARACTER LIKENESS

First off, let me say that the head sculpt is great. That third eye just pops. But... does it look like Barney Phillips, the actor who brought 3EV to life? Um... no, not exactly, but I think it's about as close as possible without getting permission from Mr. Phillips' estate (remember, Bif Bang Pow! has permission to depict the character, not the actor; the exception being William Shatner). It's pretty damned close.

However, I will say that I get a slight Phillip Baker Hall vibe from him. There, I said it. Let's move on.

ACCESSORIZE ME!

Well, there's the apron (which he's already wearing), which I guess we'll count. The real accessory here is 3EV's soda jerk cap, which you'll undoubtedly use to reenact the classic scene in which he pulls his cap up off his head to reveal that wonderful third eye.


On the subject of 3EV's outfit... well, if you've been reading along this week, you know that I have a huge problem with multiple layers of clothing on figures of this size (8-inch), as you end up with the dreaded EPS (Excessive Puffiness Syndrome). Here's a case where, miracle of miracles, the opposite happens! 3EV is wearing a short-sleeved shirt with collar under a cardigan sweater, and it's beautifully rendered. Unlike the suits-and-ties of other figures, this get-up doesn't look puffy or oversized at all: it fits perfectly. Further, the sweater sleeves are long enough to accommodate various arm poses. They should've used this same material --- whatever it is --- to construct the suit jackets for Bob Wilson/Don Carter and Henry Bemis. And short-sleeved shirts would have worked for them too... why not? Free up those arms for some posing!

PACKAGING

3EV arrives in the usual blister pack, heat-sealed to a card. The newest figures are depicted on the front (all five of which we are spotlighting this week).

The back of the card features a delightful diorama featuring every single TZ action figure released so far, along with six figures not yet released (Santa Claus, Alicia, Maya the Cat Girl, Alien, Clown, and Nurse; those should hit in mid-2012). The Bob Wilson/Don Carter hybrid figure is marked as a Comic-Con exclusive; interestingly, last year's Willie the Dummy/Talky Tina pair is NOT marked as such. The wrecked spaceship in the background looks like it came from season five's "Probe 7 - Over and Out," which is a nice touch (wonder if we're getting a Richard Basehart figure at some future point...?). The new figures are limited to 1704 pieces each... my 3EV is number 1491.

The Three-Eyed Venusian comprises half of "Series 5" in Bif Bang Pow's ongoing Twilight Zone action figure releases. 3EV, along with The Invader, can be purchased from Entertainment Earth here. Each action figure is limited to only 1704 pieces, so I'd suggest you expedite that order, cookie.


FINAL THOUGHTS


While I may not be crazy about the character choice (especially when I still have a long list of desired TZ denizens that haven't been actionized yet), I can't deny that Bif Bang Pow!'s take on the Three-Eyed Venusian is a complete and utter success. The combination of a great head sculpt and perfectly executed attire equals an absolute home run. He's paired with The Invader, who we'll spotlight tomorrow... so y'all come on back now, ya hear?

Spotlight: Henry Bemis action figure (Bif Bang Pow!)

Today we spotlight Henry Bemis, another of Bif Bang Pow!'s latest Twilight Zone action figure offerings. We were introduced to Henry in season one's "Time Enough at Last," in which a meek bank clerk who loves to read finds himself the sole survivor of an all-out nuclear holocaust. He's certainly not the most visually arresting character in the TZ universe, nor is he a character that I'm particularly fond of (see here for a detailed accounting of all the ways I hate both the episode and the character), but I will concede that the action figure commemorating him works... for the most part.

CHARACTER LIKENESS

The Henry Bemis action figure looks enough like the character without necessarily nailing Burgess Meredith's likeness (which I presume would've raised production costs considerably). As a Meredith fan, I would've loved to see a true facial rendition, but the figure's mustache and Coke-bottle glasses are sufficient to evoke the character. There's no mistaking who this guy's supposed to be.

ACCESSORIZE ME!

I'm counting Henry's glasses (which are a bit too big) as an accessory, since they aren't part of the actual head sculpt. However, they are tightly glued to his head, which I guess will ensure that they won't slip off and break. I guess this Henry Bemis will get his lifetime of reading after all. Speaking of which, his other accessory is a stack of books, which he can gleefully carry around.

I guess another viable accessory would've been the pistol that he nearly offs himself with (the same pistol from the Bob Wilson/Don Carter hybrid figure would've worked)... but I guess that's kinda morbid.

With regards to Henry's suit.... well, shit. It's the same unwieldy, ill-fitting suit that plagues Bob Wilson/Don Carter (though in different colors; plus, Henry's jacket has 3 fake buttons instead of 1). I'll repeat my comments here:

The Mego-style body used for these TZ figures works well enough if they aren't encumbered by too much clothing.... which (Henry Bemis) is. You've got a shirt with collar, a necktie and a jacket, which adds up to a problem I'm calling EPS (Excessive Puffiness Syndrome). Nothing looks (or sits) right, poseability is severely restricted, and the sleeves of both shirt and jacket aren't long enough. Further, the elastic-band necktie (while a clever idea) totally fucks up the shirt collar.

No, I am not Harry Potter's creepy uncle.

My solution is to put the necktie UNDER the shirt, which looks a bit goofy but allows the collar to lay down (mostly) correctly.


I'm not gonna sugarcoat this: I hate the fabric suit, period. Why they couldn't simply create a single-piece jacket with a faux shirt collar and tie is beyond me. It would've looked better, been easier to handle, and would've undoubtedly been cheaper to produce. At this scale, it's just too many layers, and it looks ridiculous.

And no, I didn't take Henry's clothes off (like I did with Bob Wilson/Don Carter). No, no, no, NO.


PACKAGING

Henry Bemis arrives in the usual blister pack, heat-sealed to a card. The newest figures are depicted on the front (all five of which we are spotlighting this week).

The back of the card features a delightful diorama featuring every single TZ action figure released so far, along with six figures not yet released (Santa Claus, Alicia, Maya the Cat Girl, Alien, Clown, and Nurse; those should hit in mid-2012). The Bob Wilson/Don Carter hybrid figure is marked as a Comic-Con exclusive; interestingly, last year's Willie the Dummy/Talky Tina pair is NOT marked as such. The wrecked spaceship in the background looks like it came from season five's "Probe 7 - Over and Out," which is a nice touch (wonder if we're getting a Richard Basehart figure at some future point...?). The new figures are limited to 1704 pieces each... my Henry Bemis is number 923.

Henry Bemis comprises half of "Series 4" in Bif Bang Pow's ongoing Twilight Zone action figure releases. Henry, along with Doctor Bernardi, can be purchased from Entertainment Earth here. Each action figure is limited to a measly 1704 pieces, so you really don't have "all the time in the world" to get yours.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Clothing issues aside, the Henry Bemis action figure successfully evokes a beloved TZ character, and the accessories really add to the piece. There's enough here for a recommendation, but since he's bundled with Doctor Bernardi, you'll get him either way... right?

Spotlight: Dr. Bernardi action figure (Bif Bang Pow!)

We turn our attention now to Bif Bang Pow!'s latest Twilight Zone action figure offerings. All four of the characters depicted are TZ icons in their own right, and each depiction carries with it both successes and, unfortunately, stumblings. Happily, the good far outweighs the bad. First up? Doctor Bernardi, probably the most famous face in TZ history (well, other than Rod Serling, that is), from season two's "Eye of the Beholder."


The Doc is a natural choice for the action figure treatment; in fact, I'm a bit surprised he didn't show up in the first waves of figures last year, given his stature in the pantheon of TZ icons. I'm happy to report that he was well worth the wait.


I complained about Bob Wilson/Don Carter's bulky suit and tie (and I'll complain again tomorrow when I look at the Henry Bemis figure), and The Doc's outfit makes my case quite effectively: single-layer thin fabric outfits work best at this scale. The surgical smock and scrubs fit perfectly (okay, the collar is a bit big, but nothing untoward), and look great.

The Doc's got no socks. Not a problem, since his scrubs hang low enough to hide his ankles. The shoes are standard-issue for the human males in the line: Bob Wilson/Don Carter and The Three-Eyed Venusian have the exact same shoes, as does Henry Bemis (but his are gray instead of black).



CHARACTER LIKENESS

Well, see for yourself. It's basically dead on. Probably the best head sculpt the line has offered so far. My only comment --- and this is pretty minor --- is that I would've liked some shading on the various porcine facial features to make them stand out a bit more. A bit of black around the eyes and inside the nostrils would've looked good too. However, the sculpt is amazing as is, and I can't wait to see the companion Nurse figure (due out next year) in person.




ACCESSORIZE ME!



Doctor Bernardi comes with his trusty stethoscope, which looks great. It's a bit stiff, though, so don't expect it to hang loosely around his neck. Maybe a tiny dab of Velcro would remedy this.

Sproing!

What The Doc doesn't come with is his wristwatch, which is a real shame. Bob Wilson/Don Carter comes with a great wristwatch, which would've worked quite well here. A syringe would've been great too... maybe the Nurse will come with one? The pre-order pic over at Entertainment Earth doesn't show one, but I'll remain cautiously hopeful.


PACKAGING

Doctor Bernardi arrives in the usual blister pack, heat-sealed to a card. The newest figures are depicted on the front (all five of which we are spotlighting this week).


Since Doctor Bernardi is a standard 8" figure, he gets the standard bubble. His lone accessory, the aforementioned stethoscope, can be found underneath him, beneath a piece of supporting plastic holding his legs in place.


The back of the card features a delightful diorama featuring every single TZ action figure released so far, along with six figures not yet released (Santa Claus, Alicia, Maya the Cat Girl, Alien, Clown, and Nurse; those should hit in mid-2012). The Bob Wilson/Don Carter hybrid figure is marked as a Comic-Con exclusive; interestingly, last year's Willie the Dummy/Talky Tina pair is NOT marked as such. The wrecked spaceship in the background looks like it came from season five's "Probe 7 - Over and Out," which is a nice touch (wonder if we're getting a Richard Basehart figure at some future point...?). The new figures are limited to 1704 pieces each... my Doctor Bernardi is number 839.

Doctor Bernardi comprises half of "Series 4" in Bif Bang Pow's ongoing Twilight Zone action figure releases. The Doc, along with Henry Bemis, can be purchased from Entertainment Earth here. Each action figure is limited to only 1704 pieces, so I'd probably bust a move if I were you.


FINAL THOUGHTS

I'm Doctor Craig, and I approved this blog entry.

Longtime readers will recall that, for Halloween 2010, my wife Teresa helped me put together a Doctor costume (okay, "helped" isn't really accurate... she basically did everything. All I did was buy the scrubs and stare at her cleavage while she applied my makeup). It's safe to say that I have a special fondness for The Doc now, so I'm glad to see his action figure turned out so well. Highly recommended!

Spotlight: Icons of The Twilight Zone bobblehead (Bif Bang Pow!)

Bif Bang Pow! continues its wonderful line of Twilight Zone bobbleheads with something completely unexpected. I mean, they thought WAY outside of the box on this one. This may be the first bobblehead in history, TZ or otherwise, that's neither a character or a vehicle. It's not an alien, or a robot, or a spaceship, or a Dharma Initiative polar bear, or a TIE Fighter, or Charlie Sheen, or even Jesus. Nope, it's....


...well, what is it, exactly? For guidance, we'll look to the piece's name: Icons of The Twilight Zone: Five Unforgettable Symbols Synonymous with The Twilight Zone.


It's a monolith of sorts, incorporating iconic images from the various opening sequences used throughout the series' five-year run. The central 2-dimensional image is the door from seasons 4-5 ("You unlock this door with the key of imagination..."), surrounded by a starfield. From there, five distinct objects float out in front, three of which bobble on springs.

Clockwise, from... well, the clock:

Bobbling Clock (from seasons 4-5)

Bobbling Spiral (from season 3)

Eyeball (from seasons 4-5)

Bobbling Einstein's Theory of Relativity (from seasons 4-5)

Flying saucer (from several episodes;
most prominently season 3's "To Serve Man")

The eyeball and flying saucer do not bobble; rather, they are held in place by thin dowels, and can be turned to any angle you choose.


The Twilight Zone logo is attractively sculpted on the back of the piece. In fact, the backside looks nice enough to display on its own. Now there's a reason to get two!

Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!

This piece weighs 15.5 ounces; however, it seems all the weight lies at the front, which makes it extremely prone to falling forward. I'd suggest slipping something thin under the front edge to balance it out. I'm planning to stick a few rubber self-adhesive bumper feet under mine:


Balance issue aside, this is a frankly gorgeous piece. A Comic-Con exclusive, this particular item is ALREADY sold out over at Entertainment Earth. You can probably find one elsewhere (eBay, etc), but if you're at all inclined to track one down, I'd jump on it sooner rather than later. In fact, I need to find myself a backup... just in case.

Dali print not included.

Spotlight: Willie & Jerry bobblehead (Bif Bang Pow!)

The second of three new TZ bobbleheads tweaks the format a bit: we get not one bobbling head, but two!


Willie & Jerry (the dummy and his ventriloquist, respectively) are from season three's "The Dummy." Jerry is played by veteran TV and film actor Cliff Robertson (who recently passed away), and Willie is played by... well, a block of wood. The patented Twilight Zone twist in this particular episode involves Willie gaining psychological --- and eventually physical --- control over Jerry, ultimately switching places with him. Bif Bang Pow! captures this metaphysical switcheroo brilliantly.



In the Willie & Jerry bobblehead, Willie is the master over Jerry. However, Willie is still clearly a wooden puppet, and Jerry is a miniaturized human. The episode found Jerry actually becoming a wooden dummy (and Willie becoming a man), but the choice to toy with the outcome (har har) here is an inspired one, as it adds another layer of TZesque weirdness. The fact that BOTH heads bobble elevates the piece even further.

Left view.

Right view (with spooky shadow).

As with several other TZ bobbleheads, the Twilight Zone logo is prominently featured out in front of the piece's base. The Bif Bang Pow! logo, and the usual copyright lingo, is printed on the underside of the base.



Willie & Jerry weighs in at 15.5 ounces, which places it in the middle of the pack (The Gremlin still rules the roost at almost 2 pounds!). It's heavy enough to break a window, though, so don't go tossing it around.


Willie (in his pre-transformative dummy state) was immortalized in action figure form last year, but he's much more menacing here, and not just because he has his hand stuffed inside Jerry's unfortunate back. He just looks.... y'now, evil.


What's left to say? Bif Bang Pow! continues its perfect Twilight Zone bobblehead record with Willie & Jerry, and you'd have to be a dummy not to add this one to your collection. Yes, I really did just type that.