FALLOUT POWER ARMOR - Funko figures

Funko recently released several figures based on the Fallout game: a pair of 6" scale action figures under their Legacy Collection banner, and a handful of POP! cuties. I only opted for the Power Armor version from each set, mostly because I like the cool design. Having never played the game, I can't comment on the the accuracy of the finished products, but as stand-alone figures they make for really cool silver Stormtroopers.

The POP vinyl figure is cute as a button, with an oversized head and exaggerated eyes. There's lots of cool details here, though - more than I was actually expecting, especially on the back of the armor.

My figure had a small paint slip on the visor, but a black sharpie mostly took care of that. The only articulation on this figure is a rotation at the head, which is pretty standard for the POP line of vinyls.

He's got his weapon molded to his right hand, and there's a bit of curious yellow paint to highlight it a little. And I'm afraid that's about it. The figure is cool, and makes for a neat addition to a POP or Fallout display. I saw other figures at my local Gamestop, where I picked this guy up, but none of them really jumped out at me.

The Legacy Collection action figure is more my usual style. It's a 6" action figure on a standard card. I actually like the much smaller cardback and bubble that this figure comes on than the recently popular "Black Series" style collector boxes that Funko had been using. There's something very sleek and minimalist about this design, and I like the way it looks on the pegs at the store. That said, it doesn't really give you the impression that you're getting $20 worth of product. The Skyrim Daedric Warrior I picked up is especially tiny-looking to me in its slim bubble. But, I digress.

The Power Armor figures comes with a rifle weapon of some sort, and is held in place witha  couple of twisty ties. You see what you are getting very well, and everything is sturdy and protected.

Out of the package, the Power Armor looks great. There's plenty of little details like rivets and hoses and stuff, and Funko has done a nice job of conveying a metal suit. The paint is mostly silver with a slight dirty wash over it to give an impression that the metal has been "used" for some while.

The articulation on this guy is somewhat painful, literally. I had to pop him in the freezer for an hour or so, and then really fight to get some of the joints unstuck. The shoulder pads and head were especially touch-and-go. In the end, they did free up somewhat - yes, the shoulder pads can be swiveled independently of the shoulder joint, and yes the head does rotate. The same cannot be said for the thighs, though. I can't get any rotation from them, so getting his legs/knees to turn outwards is impossible. The knees, though double-jointed, only want to move at the lower hinge on my figure's right leg, and the elbows are pretty restricted. There're more, but let's just go with this: it's hard to get this guy to pose in a variety of ways, and even harder to get something that looks natural out of him. Even the gun is tough, since the stock needs room to sit against the arm, which isn't there because of the design of the forearm armor. After a bit of struggling, I got him into a passable pose, and that's how he's  going to stay.

As mentioned earlier, the detailing is rather nice. There are some hoses and handle bits, and I actually like the proportions, though I can see complaints that it's too thin for a man in a metal suit. The helmet is particularly Stormtrooper-ish, wish a very narrow visor and a couple of attachments up top to break up the smoothness of the dome.

My figure has a significant paint rub up top and behind on the head, but it's not the end of the world. Otherwise, the figure is great to look at on the shelf, if not all that much fun to play with and pose.

In many ways, I feel like Funko is picking up where NECA left off with their video game Player Select line. I remember wandering the aisles at Toys R Us not too long ago and finding Dead Space Isaac Clarke, Dante from Dante's Inferno, Crysis, Tomb Raider, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell and more in the NECA section. They've since moved on but still release the occasional video game character, only with MUCH superior quality in terms of articulation and accessories. Dubbed "Ultimate", these figures command a slightly higher price point, but come boxed in a collector window package are really seem like the last version you'd ever need of that particular character. I bought (and returned) Devil May Cry Ultimate Dante, and it really looked like a great figure. Likewise, I'm looking forward to getting (and keeping) God of War Ultimate Kratos, and the recently shown prototype image of Nathan Drake from Uncharted 4 looks like it's going to be awesome. That said, Funko is making some ok figures in the original vein that NECA followed: they look pretty good, don't pose too well and don't include too much. At $20 a pop, it's a might pricey. At the $16 price point I found these guys (Skyrim Daedric Warrior and Fallout Power Armor) at, it's a much easier pill to swallow. This won't be the best action figure you ever buy, but it doesn't have to be. It's a cool representation of a cool looking character from a game that may or may not be cool. I'm fine with that...