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It’s been reported aplenty that Joss Whedon (Buffy, Firefly, Dollhouse) is about signed up for writing/directing the movie based on the Marvel Comics superhero team Avengers, as well as doing rewrites on the Captain America screenplay. And of course, fans are reacting. Or, perhaps they are overreacting? Click the pic to read more!
It’s been reported aplenty that Joss Whedon (Buffy, Firefly, Dollhouse) is about signed up for writing/directing the movie based on the Marvel Comics superhero team Avengers, as well as doing rewrites on the Captain America screenplay. And of course, fans are reacting.
I’m a pretty open Firefly fan myself, in fact I’m more closeted about my Star Wars appreciation than Firefly. Especially in these days, post-prequels. And that’s probably the crux of my argument for Whedon to direct this big budget effects film.
Back in the late 1970’s, George Lucas came along with (at the time) some amazing special effects technology. It blew people away, and to a degree still does, but what was more amazing was how it really helped to tell the story. Even at the time, Lucas spoke of how the effects were simply a tool to tell the story. This philosophy seems to have been completely reversed when it came time for him to make the prequel trilogy.
If you’re interested in that, please watch the videos here!
Now, with Whedon, honestly, I feel if I really examine his entire body of work, he’s truly miss as much as hit. Just for me. I never got into Buffy, and I wasn’t big on the movie Speed either. However, I can appreciate that he does in fact know what he’s doing when it comes to writing dialogue and letting a plot unfold. Of course, I feel he never accomplished this better than with Serenity, the feature film finale of the Firefly television series. I’ve read quite a bit of reactions that lament Serenity as simply an extended episode, and I suppose it sorta is. But where Serenity succeeds, while movies like Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me majorly fail, is that it not only resolves the major plotpoints left dangling from the aborted series, it also ups the ante big time.
Serenity is proof that Whedon is an inspired choice to direct the Avengers movie. It never loses its momentum, in a way I haven’t really seen since Han Solo kicked that farmboy up into 5th gear. The dialogue is funny, and the characters are a joy to follow. This is in part due to Whedon bringing his best wordcrafting to the script, but also because the cast truly brought their A-game as well. And last but not least, the effects were an essential tool for telling this tale, but never got in the way. Argue with me if you can, but the space battle at the end of Serenity was overwhelmingly more exciting, and more emotional, than any battle in the Star Wars prequels. And what adds to that even more is that yes, while it was hectic, it also didn’t linger. It was over almost as quickly as it started, giving you a taste, rather than a pixel onslaught that has you checking your watch.
The other thing that Serenity proves that Whedon is a suitable filmmaker for the Avengers is the ensemble. Firefly demonstrated it well also, having what is basically a hydra character that is kinda only one person, but with nine heads. And yes, I included the hydra mention as a nod to what I hope is the villain element in the Avengers film. But basically, the way the characters interact and relate is done perfectly, and believably. You quickly fall in love with them, and even the weakest member, to me, is still crucial. How many ensemble pieces can really hold to that? It also had an incredibly intriguing villain who not only had three dimensions, but also was defeated in one of the greatest ways I’ve ever seen in this kind of film.
Bottom line is that Serenity was a fun ride that didn’t skimp on character development. When you have a film with the likes of Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark, along with a larger than life Captain America, and a norse god running around...these are some pretty serious characters a less competent writer could let get away from them. Serenity, and most of Whedon’s other work, shows he can master the fantastic and entertain through and through.
With the lull in Star Wars news of late, the Avengers, Iron Man, and Captain America threads in our forum are the most active. Please join in these discussions!
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Reference
Banthapedia article on Han Solo
Review by nomadscout
This Medicom Real Action Hero Han Solo action figure sample was graciously donated to Bantha Skull by the fine folks at Sideshow Collectibles! This item is currently still available in limited quantities directly from Sideshow. Check it out here!
I didn’t know what to expect from it, as I only own one other figure in the line, the 501st Clone Trooper. Although I love that figure, I didn’t really expect much from the human sculpting and fabric accessories. We decided that a good idea would be to review this figure from the perspective of a long-time Hasbro collector who is certainly no expert in these Medicom or similar competing lines. Basically, I want to know: will getting a close look at this figure compel me to start collecting this line?
First off, I dig the box. Simple and sleek. This is something that is common with all any Sideshow item I’ve purchased. I opened the package and took a look at everything. Without a doubt the very first thing I noticed was the head sculpt. It is quite amazing. It’s the best likeness to 1977 Harrison Ford I have ever seen in a toy of any scale. From any angle, the resemblance is striking. The eyes are well done, as is the skin coloring. The eyebrows have a slight texture, and the hair is perfect, including a few loose “strands” over his forehead. Believe it or not, there’s even Ford’s chin scar. Amazing work here.
The figure itself is a bit heftier than I expected, which is good. Purely for research purposes, I removed all the accessories and clothing. As you may agree from the pictures, he’s much better off with his clothes on! Again, not being too familiar with the design of these human forms, I can only assume the head and hands are oversized when compared to the rest of the body because the clothing has to look right when on. The clothing, of course, is very thick/heavy when in this scale. Anyway, while his nude appearance may be a bit jarring, you can see that this figure has 1, 2, 3....yep, 459 points of articulation. Or something close to that. It’s quite amazing, and allows you to pose the figure in a tremendous variety of ways. Anyway, the pictures show all the joints, so have fun counting them all!
Well, putting the clothes back on was a bit challenging, (so I don’t recommend taken them off in the first place) but it allowed me to get a good look at all the pieces of the outfit. The shirt has a V-neck collar which suits the character pretty well, although Harrison Ford seems to have worn it more open. It’s better to keep it closed on this figure, so as to hide the neck joint. The sleeves are also a bit longer than the movie character, but again, this hides the wrist joints better. The vest is nice, althought the pockets on the front might be a bit on the bulky side. The pants fit nicely and have a little velcro closure.
The boots are very well done for a couple of reasons. First, they are just wide enough to allow the pants to be tucked in without causing them to be bunched up too much. They are also soft and flexible, and allow for positioning of the feet and toes, even inside the boots. The only real downside to the boots is that the copyright information is printed is bright white letters, easily seen when you pose Han in any position that exposes the bottom of his boots, such as the iconic cross-legged pose in the cantina confrontation with Greedo.
Now, the belt is interesting. At first glance, it looked like it had a metal buckle, complete with the, um...stick..thingie...(To the the Google...!) prongs. Yeah, prongs. But actually, it’s just molded soft plastic. It’s tricky to get on and off, so again, I recommend leaving it alone. It looks nice, with a lot of little leathery details. Perhaps the best of the accessories is the two-piece pistol belt and holster. It looks great, fits Han perfectly, and holds the pistol snugly. It even has a small strap that snaps in place to hold the pistol, which Han unsnapped just prior to being shot at by Greedo. Right? I think that’s how it happened. Well anyway, it’s got lots of great details, both painted and sculpted. The metal parts look like metal. There is a clasp for Han’s communicator/droid caller, which he can hold with one of his swappable hands. It fits surprisingly well in the clasp, but perhaps not as well as it could in Han’s hand. Han’s signature blaster pistol is a small work of art. Great sculpting, and a few silver and bronze highlights really bring it to life. It fits perfectly in the holster as well as Han’s hands. Finally, it comes with a stand, that allows you to display the figure in a variety of action poses.
There are a couple of things that I would nitpick on this figure. First off, it is expensive, especially from the perspective of a Hasbro collector. This retails for something around $180. Because of that, I might expect more in the way of accessories. Perhaps a Falcon headset, an extra set of gloved hands, and maybe even a stormtrooper belt. Those are just some items I can think of off hand. I found the exposed joint/pegs a bit off-putting, specifically the metal pins in the wrists. I think these could have been plugged with some flesh colored pieces of plastic. Regarding the interchangeable hands, I felt nervous pulling them out to switch them. I got the feeling that the plastic pins that insert into the wrist could snap. I didn’t want to mess around with the hands to much for fear of this happening.
Overall, I’m very impressed with this figure. Other than a lack of accessories, the negatives are very minor. This particular figure has a high pricetag, while others in the line, such as the 501st Clonetrooper that I own, are less than this price. Other 12” Han Solo figures (of varying quality) can be found for significantly lower prices as well.
So would this Hasbro Collector be compelled to start buying Real Action Hero figures by Medicom? Maybe. If there was a particular character I was into (like the 501st), I would probably go for it. This Han Solo gives me great confidence that the line is high quality with regards to the body, facial sculpt, paint apps, clothing, and detailing. I will say this: If you are considering collecting 1/6 scale figures, this one is fantastic. Personally, I’m not able to branch out too far from my Hasbro roots, but like I said, I would absolutely pick up the occasional character, and have no concerns that I would be purchasing a quality piece.
Some combination of more accessories or lower price would probably give this a 9 or a 10. As such, I rate this Medicom Real Action Hero Han Solo:
8/10 Bantha Skulls.
We know it’s a guarantee to happen at some point before the Rangers win another Stanley Cup, but will happen sooner than we were hoping? If you were on the fence before, perhaps you’d better start saving for that HDTV and Blu-Ray player now. Check it out!
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It’s another Banthaskull Giveaway Contest! This time, create witty and clever captions for some Star Wars figures. You could win...stuff that’s not Star Wars!
Head on in to our forums and enter to win a G.I. Joe Snake Eyes AND a Wolverine/Torch comic pack, courtesy of our friends at Hunter Public Relations, the folks that bring us all the great Hasbro Q&A’s! Click the Banthaskull Giveaway banner above and start writing funny stuff…
