WONDER WOMAN by Luis Royo - Fantasy Figure Gallery EE Exclusive Statue Review

Today is kind of a big deal in my collecting world: tracking says my Luis Royo Fantasy Figures Wonder Woman statue is scheduled for delivery. I've never been quite so anxious, exited and apprehensive all at the same time. For those that might not know, the Royo Wonder Woman prototype was an incredibly striking and unique representation of the iconic character. I (and others) instantly fell in love with the face, in particular, despite an awkward pose. I waffled over the $230 price tag, and ultimately decided against pre-ordering her. Fast forward a couple months later, and the statue started coming in stock at online retailers. I checked a couple of forums and discovered that the final production of the statue was significantly different (and, to me, quite inferior) from those initial prototype images. Collectors seemed very upset, Yamato was very apologetic, and I was VERY relieved not to have pulled that trigger. Despite the feelings that I had narrowly dodged a bullet, I couldn't help but also feel disappointed at what could have been...

Yamato promised to make good and return to the prototype for a second release, and refund the money for collectors who were disappointed and returned their original version, and I figured that maybe a year later I'd hear about a second release. Well, not too long after I found a listing on Entertainment Earth for an exclusive version of the statue. The pose is largely the same, but her weapon accessories are slightly altered, as is the outfit and the boots. More importantly, it was solicited as matching the original prototype for sculpt and paint. I went ahead and called EE, spoke with a customer service representative, and was ASSURED that the statue would match the prototype images. So, I pre-ordered and have been crossing my fingers ever since. Today is the day Wonder Woman arrives, and I'm all kinds of queasy.

It's not just the $250 price tag, which is a hefty sum in my world. Even the images I've seen of the actual production model from the initial run weren't terrible. It's just not the statue everyone was promised. And I, personally, bought the statue solely for that prototype's look. So, now I've got to brace myself for severe disappointment, while being simultaneously hopeful that the rug won't be pulled out from under me. I suppose this hearkens back to the feelings of being a kid and opening that most ginormous Christmas package...

More, later...

So the package has arrived and it's the moment of truth. The box is beautiful, with lots of shots of the statue as it should be - the original prototype. The artwork it is based on adorns one side, along with shots of all of the other statues released as a part of the Fantasy Figure line thus far. There's an Entertainment Earth Exclusive label emblazoning the front, as well.

Inside, I find a baggie with a print of the original artwork on it, as well as a numbered tag. Mine is statue number 103 of 500 made. The statue is wrapped in layers of foam.

Accessories are bagged separately. I find a sword, the lasso, the base, the left forearm and the shield pre-attached to the right forearm. Everything is painted beautifully, but I must admit that the shield/arm and sword feel really lightweight and plasticky. Time for the statue, herself...

The statue is really nice, if not exactly what I pictured from the promotional images. There's a softness, a shadowy sensuality that the images carry that the actual product just doesn't have. From certain angles, and with certain lighting, it looks dead-on. From others, it's slightly "harsher", if that makes any sense. It's almost like comparing a photo of a swimsuit or runway model to how they actually look in real life. Sure, they are still striking and beautiful, but maybe not quite as perfect as in the pictures. In any event, I really like the statue, and I'm fairly relieved. I will say that it's much smaller than I anticipated (which is my own fault, really). The last statue I bought was the 1/4 scale Survivor Tomb Raider, and I've picked up a couple of 1/4 scale Batman figures from NECA recently, so my mind was picturing something much larger than the 1/6 scale statue ended up being. Next up, the review...

The Luis Royo Fantasy Figure Gallery Wonder Woman Entertainment Earth Exclusive Version measures 12 & 1/4" tall. Wonder Woman is stepping forward on a heavy polystone base designed to look like rocks. She grips her sword in her left hand, her shield is strapped to her right forearm and her lasso is attached at her belt. The forearms are held in place by magnets, with the shield arm being somewhat underpowered (ie, wobbly). The front foot pegs into an indentation on the front rock, but doesn't sit quite flat. Regardless, the statue is stable enough on its base.

The paint is sharp and extraordinarily clean throughout the entire statue. The skin is pale and has faint shading to add depth. The face paint is excellent, though it looks like she could use a little softness added around the eyes. Maybe some eyeshadow? Or less pink at the bottom of the whites? In any event, it's a beautiful statue. I like the pose better in this version with the weapons attached, and the face is much closer to the prototype images. The boots and bare midriff are things "purists" might object to, but I'm fine with them, as I think the overall look is a good one. She makes a terrific addition to my shelf, and is the current centerpiece of my Wonder Woman display...

My Wonder Woman Shelf