Spawn - Image 10th Anniversary (McFarlane Toys)

Image 10th Anniversary Spawn

To all you articulation junkies, here's a Spawn action figure that's going to suit your cup of tea. He's no Hasbro figure (obviously, since when did they make Spawn), but from the guys that brought us statue-like action figures that barely has any articulation in it- McFarlane! This time, they totally made one hell of a step into offering us not only a Spawn with McFarlane-style sculpting but also with a wide range of movement made possible through his 25-point articulation, and that doesn't even includes the articulation over his cape! This Spawn is special; so special that McFarlane released this super-articulated figure to honour Image's 10 years of comic book awesomeness, which is kinda nice for them and a little bothersome. I mean, why do it only for this "special occasion" when these guys could have done this a long time ago? There is no question McFarlane Toys can do it.









I will begin this toy review with articulation since I'm obviously excited with it. So Spawn's demonic cape is articulated which are simply swivel-type of joints that allows you to cover or uncover his entire body like curtains around a window. He got a ball-hinged neck that lets his head look up, down and to the sides. Surprisingly, Spawn got this scapular/shoulder blade joints like the ones on the X-Force Wolverine, which allows him to move his shoulders forward or back. Like those Marvel Legends or Marvel Select figures, he got bicep swivel-joints, single-jointed elbows, mid-arm swivel and hinges on the wrists. His torso is complete with all three major "torsal" joints namely; diaphragm swivel, ab crunch and waist swivel. He got a T-joint that lets his entire legs raise up and forward or to the sides. His legs have mid-thigh swivel, double-jointed knees, lower calf swivel, hinged ankles, ankle swivel and ankle pivot... and toe joints!

Now the ankle pivot on this one is a little tricky. You have to rotate the ankle swivel around until the joint marks are aligned at the front before you can pivot it to the sides. So I think that's very damn cool.

The paint application on this 10th Anniversary Spawn is consistent with any McFarlane Spawn figures you've seen. Starting with his big red cape, you can see some black paint shading done between its folds as well as its surface to make it look worn and battle damaged. Spawn's body is mostly covered in black with a few gray shadings to define his muscles, and the spikes around his arms and ankles are painted with a silvery metallic type of gray; making it more realistic. The colour designs comprising of red and white over his arms and torso are painted perfectly without any runs or bleeds.

If you've been collecting Spawn figures and figures with highly complex details, this one won't disappoint you even with the added amount of hinges. As you can see on these photos, the hinges are barely noticeable and blending well with the sculpt of this figure. And of course, one shouldn't ignore McFarlane's trademark design on the cape which has been, as well, consistent all throughout like the one on The Art of Spawn - Spawn on my last year's review. In addition, attached under his belt buckle is a 14-inch long metal chain that is almost twice longer than Kratos' chained weapons.

And with all these great detail, comes a base stand that is also greatly detailed. Obviously, this is the dome of a cathedral where there is a cross and where there are pegs (in pairs) in two different areas that give you that option of having Spawn either stand in front of the cross or have him perch on top of it. I prefer having him perch on this 12.5-inch base stand, and it is surprisingly very stable. Even with some weight on the figure, you wouldn't think this could fall or collapse.

I couldn't stop myself from comparing this Spawn to a Marvel figure and I want to see which toyline this figure is more likely compatible with. Marvel Legends or Marvel Select? As you can see here, Spawn's overall girth has to be a little wider to be able mix well with the Selects. I think he leans more towards Marvel Legends even with this height of 7 inches. Such iconic figure with great amount of detail and poseability is pretty hard to come by. And if there is one Spawn figure I would recommend to any collector, it is this one right here.

Ninja Spawn - Spawn Evolutions (McFarlane Toys)

Ninja Spawn: Spawn Evolutions

Collecting Spawn figures is one sick trip and I do envy those who strictly dig to these kind of stuff because there is this small side of me that want to have those mean, mature and kind of grotesque toys, and McFarlane is doing a great job at creating these toys from hell. Sadly, I don't have enough room to accomodate another toyline. I just have this little spot for Spawn figures and... boy these figures, especially this Ninja Spawn really stood out from the rest of those action figures I usually collect.

















One beaming feature on this action figure is the sculpt and paint application. Like most McFarlane Toys, this Ninja Spawn combines the elements of wickedness and art. I like how the detail on the paint just looks complex yet neat. The contrast of shadows around his head cover, loin cloth, holsters and armguards is well applied.

Behind that head cover is the face of a killer looking at his target with his green eyes. Without all these red garments and extra features, the Ninja Spawn is basically the old Spawny we know when it first appeared. He got the black and white colour scheme with stuff added to his body.

The weapons looks pretty badass! He wields two customed katana blades; one short and one long, and two of these curved swords that latches into the holsters. Now these holsters are molded with the action figure as well as those two kusarigamas and a nunchuk that hang around his legs, and shurikens across his torso, and I wish they are removal and usable. Looking at how awesome it looked, I'm very displeased knowing that it's there for aesthetic purposes.

Ninja Spawn comes with this little base that goes only to one foot. Again, it has some nice details just as the action figure itself.

There is really nothing much to talk about the articulation of an action figure that almost has no "action." Like Spawn from the Art of Spawn series, Ninja Spawn here is for display purposes but you can change the way he points his blade within the confines of his statue-like arms.

Elbow joints, knee joints and hip joints are absent. You can turn his head in line with his sternum but it would make him seem like he has a neck injury or some sort of abnormality, so it's better if you have him faced to the left side. He got swivel to the biceps, wrists, waist and mid-thighs... and that's all he got.

Despite having almost zero articulation, you would be amazed by the amount of details this Ninja Spawn has and probably the rest of his kind. If you wanna have a room decorated with "dark action figures," you should definitely include this guy here for I do really think he's cool.

Spawn - The Art of Spawn (McFarlane Toys)

The Art of Spawn - Spawn

Neither an angel nor a demon; made by hell, revered by heaven. The second and final monster that I'm gonna be unleashing this weekend for my "Pre-Halloween Monster Treat" needs no damn long introduction. He is McFarlane's finest creation, one of the iconic figures in comic book history, and the one that made Marvel and DC superheroes a bunch of incompetent bedwetters. He is the darkest superhero of all time! Enter Spawn!

















Like every Spawn figures, this 12-inch tall masterpiece maintained his traditional black and white suit with the enormous cape from hell covering his entire body, and carries this spiked armguard to his right hand. The only difference with this one from other Spawn action figures is the height; he is upscaled to 12 inches (almost as tall as the Marvel Legends Sentinel). This Spawn is from the Art of Spawn Series toyline, still created by McFarlane toys, where every action figure are three or four times bigger than their 6-inch counterparts.


One of the things I like about this one are those chains, which I believe made from sterling silver laced around his right shoulder and hanging unto his belt buckle.

















The artists must have done some crazy job sculpting and painting that red cape of Spawn. It just looks as though Spawn is trying to manipulate that cape and have it dance so gracefully around him. I just don't know how the artists did this but it just looked fantastic!

Despite all these hellishly overwhelming "badassery", Spawn has a very limited movement and articulation. Aside from being neither an angel nor a demon, with this beautiful piece of work, his reputation goes beyond being neither an action figure nor a statue. He has a tinnie winnie rotation and movement to his waistline and ankles, and that's all about it! No head, shoulders, arms, legs, tongue joint articulation or whatsoever! But I kinda see why, ...because for some reason the Art of Spawn is made simply for the sake of art (bet you didn't know that).

And now for a size comparison together with his partner on this Pre-Halloween Monster Treat weekend! ...You know, I think they can be best buds!

Happy Trick o' Treating!