Ah, but those rubber suits were so damn cool, visually if not internally. One of my favorites is the Metaluna Mutant from a film called "This Island Earth". Sideshow Toys had already produced an 8" version of this guy, and have just released a 12" version as well.

When I heard that my sixth scale mutant was on his way, it got me to waxing nostalgic and all that sort of crap. I thought I'd hit Netflix and grab a copy, or break down and buy it from an online dvd store for $10.

Imagine my surprise when I found out that getting a copy right now would cost upwards of two hundred smackers! What the hell? I had no idea that DVD's only issued a few years ago could go for that kind of money, but I suppose that the original release, way back in 1998, was a fairly small print. And of course, they haven't re-released it yet. So I guess I'll just have to do what I did thirty five years ago - wait for Sir Graves to show it on a Saturday afternoon. I suspect I'll be waiting for quite awhile.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, you can always reach me at mwc@mwctoys.com. If you enjoy this review, take a minute to check out my other site at Michael's Review of the Week, and let me know what you think. Now on to the review!

"Metaluna Mutant"

"This Island Earth" was classic B-movie 50's science fiction. The Metalunans, a dying race, kidnap some of our best and brightest to help them repair the defenses of their planet, to hold off their enemies and stop them from destroying their world completely. One of those scienctists just happens to be Russell Johnson, who went on to be the Professor on Gilligan's Island.

MST3K did this film up in their movie, but you should really watch it on its own first. You'll never be able to take it seriously again after seeing Mike Nelson and the gang tear it up.

Sideshow always does 'limited' editions, but just how limited they are varies greatly. This time though, it's a pretty small release. They did just 2000 of the regular version (reviewed here) and 750 of the exclusive version (which includes a miniature version of the Metaluna spaceship).

Packaging - ****
I've always been a big fan of Sideshow's packaging, but they've outdone themselves again. The cover art, using the film poster and images all around, is stunning. The package is also completely collector friendly, and you can easily pop the big guy out, and put him back later if you feel like it. You could also cut the lid off this box and frame it - it looks that good.

Sculpting - ***1/2
Sideshow did the smart thing here. Oh, they could have done their interpretation of this character, or God forbid, cariaturized him in some obtuse way. Instead, they made him look just like he did on screen - like a guy wearing a terribly uncomfortable and heavy rubber suit.

They've taken their standard articulated Sideshow body, and popped on the rubber and plastic outer body parts. There's a soft rubber covering over the majority of the arms and legs, with harder plastic used on areas like the hefty shoulder pads.

They managed to make this approach turn out as close to perfect as you can imagine. The small folds in the 'clothes', the wrinkles in his gnarly hide, the deep crevices in his brain, all are there in glorious detail. One does wonder how a being with an exposed brain can even survive...or why he doesn't wear some sort of hat. But those are the imponderable questions best left to the ages to answer.

Another critical factor - proportions - is also well done. The huge oversized head looks just like it did in the film, with the elongated arms and funky feet. It's tough enough for sculptors to get a head the right size when it's a NORMAL cranium, let alone when it's so obtusely different. Thankfully, the Sideshow sculptors managed it without breaking a sweat.

Paint - ***1/2
The paint work stays faithful to the film as well, matching up nicely with the on screen appearance. It's clean and neat, with almost no bleed or over spray, and the colors are exceptionally consistent.

The head is done in a shinier finish than the body, a smart choice since it's disgusting, slimy brain matter. A little more gloss and shine could have been added to the mouth and eyes, which don't appear wet enough. They eyes have some gloss, but it could have been highlighted a little more with the paint application. Overall though, I'm extremely happy with the paint application.

Articulation - **1/2
There isn't a ton of articulation here. More accurately, there's plenty of articulation, it's just all encumbered by the rubber suit.

One joint he has that some other Sideshow figures lack is the ball jointed neck. Too bad the shoulder pads tend to reduce it's usefulness to the same level as a cut joint. The ball jointed shoulders move a little better, because the pads can move upward, but they apply enough pressure on the arms in this pose to push them back down.

There's also the double jointed ankles and knees, but the rubber arm and leg coverings make these less flexible as well. The ankle articulation works well, and the cut joints at the wrists are crucial, but the majority of the rest of the usual great Sideshow articulation is rendered far less useful than usual by the creature design.

Accessories - *1/2
I'm grading on the regular version here - the exclusive version would do a little better (a little) because it includes the Metaluna spaceship (which is also little).

The regular figure does come with one accessory - his standard Sideshow display stand, with appropriate movie logo. This is a figure that stands great on his own though, even with the huge noggin', so it's not the most useful accessory. How about a steel pipe?

Fun Factor - ***1/2
Here's a giant, goofy looking alien in sixth scale. What kid wouldn't love this thing? Hey, if such a kid exists, I don't want to meet him.

My niece was having a jewelry party at our house last week - you know, all the ladies get together and buy crap they don't need - and she had a sixth scale shopping cart that displayed some of the merchandise. I added the Mutant to the set up, and even the ladies thought he was cute. How much more fun do you want?

Value - **
At $50, this guy is on the high end of Sideshow's price range for 12" figures. Still, he has a mighty low run, even for the regular version, and if the cost of the damn DVD is any indication, there's still a fair number of folks out there who love this goofy old movie.

Overall - ***1/2
Oddly enough, the Metalunans have bigger brains than we do, yet need our help to save their asses. Even odder, their mutant slaves have even BIGGER brains, and are as dumb as a box of axe handles. I suppose the Metalunans invented video games before we did, and thus the downfall of their intelligence.

Sideshow always does good work, but sometimes it's better than others. Here you have a great looking package, containing a great looking if not super poseable pop culture monster icon. I don't fault them on articulation, but I do wish there'd been some additional, sensible accessories. I'm betting they blew the accessory budget on the rubber suit though, and considering how well it turned out, it's a compromise I'm willing to live with.

Where to Buy -
For the most part, online is your only option:

- Sideshow are currently sold out of both the exclusive and regular versions, both at $50. You can get on the wait list though, if you really have your heart set on the exclusive.

- Alter Ego Comics has the regular for just $40.

- Time and Space Toys doesn't have the 12" version listed, but they do have a great deal on the 8" Sideshow version in a three pack with the Hunchback and the Invisible Man for just $30. .

Related Links -
I have a couple related reviews:

- guest reviewer Brant did his own take on this particular figure last week on my site.

- I reviewed the Sideshow 8" version back in the day.