For more, including the light feature tutorial, see HERE.
Introduction
The Amazon Prime series The Boys has been an unexpected hit, and a bit of an alternative to blockbuster superhero movies we have gotten used to. Not entirely surprisingly, this has inspired the sixth scale rendition of some of its characters, starting with the leading protagonist Billie Butcher and leading antagonist Homelander. Soo Soo Toys, which has a tradition of bringing such characters to sixth scale and filling niches left by other companies, is making one of each, and other third party companies are following suit. Soo Soo's Mr Butcher (SST 025) showed up yesterday, and here is a quick review. I took up enough photos to have plenty left over for a bit of a photo story and tutorial... (HERE).
Packaging - 4/4 stars
Mr Butcher comes in a pretty standard shoebox style cardboard box, with graphic art of the character on the lid and sides. Inside there is a cover card with another graphic art portrayal of the character, a la Hot Toys. Below that one finds two plastic treys, each with its transparent lid. The upper one holds the figure, extra hands, baby figure, and two alternative heads (one for Billie Butcher, the other for the baby), as well as the three Compound V vials, two batteries, and a mini circuitboard (these go inside the alternative baby head -- there is a color printed sheet with basic instructions). The lower trey holds the action figure stand and the weapons. Everything is collector friendly, except perhaps securing the bottom trey and its lid closed together with no less than four pieces of tape. I generally prefer foam to plastic treys, but there is nothing to really complain about here.
Sculpting - 3.5/4 stars
There are several head sculpts at play here, although the focus would be on Billie Butcher's, and there are two of those. There is one head with a relatively neutral expression and another one with a sort of maniacal grin. Both are executed very well, and the more neutral-expression head is near perfect, although the grinning likeness is not quite as compelling. It is still recognizable, but I think it is wrong -- for that expression the eyes are likely to narrow, and the cheek space between them and the mouth bunch up and narrow too. If you have a light source behind the grinning head, you would see the light show through the slightly open mouth. The visible teeth are, for once, flawlessly sculpted, being a separate piece attached from the inside. The detail is very fine, though perhaps not quite Hot Toys fine (for example, in the hair strands). The baby's body, clothing, and two heads (one of them with removable night cap) are also excellently sculpted. So are the weapons and other accessories, including the interchangeable hands. The boots are a work of art. One area in which they miscalculated is the figure's height. Karl Urban is about 185 cm (6' 1") tall, which would translate to about 30.8 cm (12.12 in), but Soo Soo Toys' Mr Butcher stands only 29.5 cm (11.6 in) tall.
Paint - 4/4 stars
The paint job is clean and precise overall, with plenty of realistic detail on the areas that are supposed to be flesh, including the heads and hands. The eyes and scope lenses are appropriate glossy. The teeth are very nicely done, giving them a realistic look. There is very little in the way of weathering, except perhaps a little on the boots. Nevertheless, the painted accessories are given a slightly dull finish where appropriate, that does not make them look excessively plastic and cheap.
Articulation - 3.5/4 stars
The articulation is relatively good, especially given the somewhat bulkier and heftier character of the hard-plastic body. Because one is supposed to be able to display the figure with and without the long coat, they chose to go with single-jointed elbows. This limits elbow articulation to about 90 degrees, while still looking awkward (we have been spoiled by TBLeague and Jiaou, have we not?), so I am not certain this choice makes as much sense to me. The other joints are more or less consistent with what one would expect from high-end sixth-scale bodies today. There is even some articulation in the relatively soft-material-covered lower neck. But in places this is hampered by the outfit, especially if you have the long coat on the figure. As can be expected, the boots, although loosened and slightly pliable toward their tops, do somewhat limit the ankle articulation. Nevertheless, it is possible to take and hold relatively wide stances without support.
Accessories - 4/4 stars
Often enough third party sets skimp on accessories, providing little. This is not usually a fault of Soo Soo Toys, and once again they have provided a plethora of accessories. Apart from the additional pairs of interchangeable hands, making a total of four pairs (relaxed, fists, knife grip, and pistol grip), and the fairly elaborate action figure stand (with a The Boys logo and texture imitating a metal panel), there are a sniper rifle, another rifle, a cattle prod, an electric drill, a crowbar, and hammer. There are also additional clips for both rifles -- for a total of three of each kind, that can be attached at the appropriate place. Both rifles have some articulation (like movable scopes), one of them with an extendable stock, an attachable handle, and a removable silencer. There are also three Compound V vials. The baby is a whole additional accessory, which is unfortunately just that -- a little unarticulated figure, even if beautifully executed. It has two virtually identical heads that can be swapped (they plug in, there is no possibility of rotation). This is because one of these has translucent lenses for the eyes to allow illumination from the inside. To do that, you would have to take off the night cap, and insert under it the provided small circuitboard with a battery inserted in it; they provide two batteries. I will post a mini tutorial on that separately, but it is not very difficult in the end. The assembly is very sensitive, and a little tap or vibration would make the light go on or go off. Given how easily this happens, I would take the battery out when not using this feature.
Outfit - 4/4 stars
The clothing looks to be screen accurate and very nicely sized, proportioned, and tailored. The green long jacket has a concealed wire at the bottom, which makes it possible to pose it a little to simulate the effect of wind movement. The there is the dark blue floral print shirt, the black acid-washed jeans (with a black belt, which is there, even if not visible), and the molded boots discussed above. The jeans are wide enough and soft enough not to hamper articulation as much as one might expect, although the long coat's relatively tight sleeves do get in the way of some more pronounced movement of the arm at the shoulder and elbow.
Light Feature - see HERE.
I am not going to give this a score, both because it would be even more subjective and because it would not compare with many sets that have no such feature. Inserting a battery-powered mini circuit board into the alternate baby head (the cap can be taken off, and the eyes are blue translucent lenses), allows you to have the baby shoot blue lasers from its eyes -- or rather to illuminate said eyes. This works reasonably well when the surroundings are dark (which does not photograph well), and of course if you wanted to see the actual laser effect you would have to add that in photoshop or the graphics program of your choice. I haven't tried that yet. It is about as effective as that solution could be, short of finding a way of attaching translucent plastic lasers that would look right issuing out of the eyes and away from the body.
Fun Factor - 4/4 stars
Given the number and variety of accessories, the ready options for at least two basic looks, and the forthcoming availability of Billie's nemesis Homelander, and hopefully some others down the line, there is a ton of potential fun to be had with this set. For the purposes of this review and additional threads, I have given him as a counterpart the Hot Toys Man of Steel Superman, since that character was, after all, a sort of inspiration behind Homelander. If only Billy were a little taller... and Superman a little shorter...
Value - 4/4 stars
It is sad but probably accurate to admit that these days an action figure set, even if unlicensed, featuring a popular character from a popular franchise, would be priced reasonably low at $190 (USD). This is true in general, but also in particular: this set comes with two alternate realistic head sculpts, five weapons, several additional accessories, an admittedly unarticulated second character (the baby) with two head sculpts of its own (one of them with an electrical feature), not counting alternate hands and a nice action figure stand. Given what this is, and how things are, I would say that is a good deal.
Things to watch out for -
Not too much. I would be careful with any stiff joints, and work on them slowly and gradually. The Compound V vials are tiny and could be easily misplaced or lost. The same may be true for some of the rifle accessories. I do not know if it might be a hazard (or just a nuisance), but I would take out the battery when not using it, given how easily it is to activate (or deactivate) the light feature even with accidental vibration.
Overall -
I am very happy and impressed with this set. It renders a beloved character in sixth scale in all his scruffy and rough quality, giving him a recognizable and realistic look -- even if the more emotive head is less successful. It also provides him with a wealth of appropriate accessories up to an including a mutant baby with blue laser eyes. As himself, as a random extra character, or even as kitbashing material, this is a winner.
Where to buy -
I got mine at GianToy, but it is currently sold out.
I see it as a special order at Monkey Depot: https://www.monkeydepot.com/SooSooToys_Mr_Butch_SST_025_p/ssb0017.htm
And as a preorder at One Sixth Outfitters: https://www.onesixthoutfitters.com/products/soosootoys-sst025-1-6-scale-mr-butcher-figure
But in both cases, at a higher price. The same is likely to be the case on eBay.
I hope this has been useful. What do you think?
For more, including the light feature tutorial, see HERE.
#soosootoys #mrbutcher #billy #butcher #fiction #tv #amazon #prime #male #modern
Introduction
The Amazon Prime series The Boys has been an unexpected hit, and a bit of an alternative to blockbuster superhero movies we have gotten used to. Not entirely surprisingly, this has inspired the sixth scale rendition of some of its characters, starting with the leading protagonist Billie Butcher and leading antagonist Homelander. Soo Soo Toys, which has a tradition of bringing such characters to sixth scale and filling niches left by other companies, is making one of each, and other third party companies are following suit. Soo Soo's Mr Butcher (SST 025) showed up yesterday, and here is a quick review. I took up enough photos to have plenty left over for a bit of a photo story and tutorial... (HERE).
Packaging - 4/4 stars
Mr Butcher comes in a pretty standard shoebox style cardboard box, with graphic art of the character on the lid and sides. Inside there is a cover card with another graphic art portrayal of the character, a la Hot Toys. Below that one finds two plastic treys, each with its transparent lid. The upper one holds the figure, extra hands, baby figure, and two alternative heads (one for Billie Butcher, the other for the baby), as well as the three Compound V vials, two batteries, and a mini circuitboard (these go inside the alternative baby head -- there is a color printed sheet with basic instructions). The lower trey holds the action figure stand and the weapons. Everything is collector friendly, except perhaps securing the bottom trey and its lid closed together with no less than four pieces of tape. I generally prefer foam to plastic treys, but there is nothing to really complain about here.
Sculpting - 3.5/4 stars
There are several head sculpts at play here, although the focus would be on Billie Butcher's, and there are two of those. There is one head with a relatively neutral expression and another one with a sort of maniacal grin. Both are executed very well, and the more neutral-expression head is near perfect, although the grinning likeness is not quite as compelling. It is still recognizable, but I think it is wrong -- for that expression the eyes are likely to narrow, and the cheek space between them and the mouth bunch up and narrow too. If you have a light source behind the grinning head, you would see the light show through the slightly open mouth. The visible teeth are, for once, flawlessly sculpted, being a separate piece attached from the inside. The detail is very fine, though perhaps not quite Hot Toys fine (for example, in the hair strands). The baby's body, clothing, and two heads (one of them with removable night cap) are also excellently sculpted. So are the weapons and other accessories, including the interchangeable hands. The boots are a work of art. One area in which they miscalculated is the figure's height. Karl Urban is about 185 cm (6' 1") tall, which would translate to about 30.8 cm (12.12 in), but Soo Soo Toys' Mr Butcher stands only 29.5 cm (11.6 in) tall.
Paint - 4/4 stars
The paint job is clean and precise overall, with plenty of realistic detail on the areas that are supposed to be flesh, including the heads and hands. The eyes and scope lenses are appropriate glossy. The teeth are very nicely done, giving them a realistic look. There is very little in the way of weathering, except perhaps a little on the boots. Nevertheless, the painted accessories are given a slightly dull finish where appropriate, that does not make them look excessively plastic and cheap.
Articulation - 3.5/4 stars
The articulation is relatively good, especially given the somewhat bulkier and heftier character of the hard-plastic body. Because one is supposed to be able to display the figure with and without the long coat, they chose to go with single-jointed elbows. This limits elbow articulation to about 90 degrees, while still looking awkward (we have been spoiled by TBLeague and Jiaou, have we not?), so I am not certain this choice makes as much sense to me. The other joints are more or less consistent with what one would expect from high-end sixth-scale bodies today. There is even some articulation in the relatively soft-material-covered lower neck. But in places this is hampered by the outfit, especially if you have the long coat on the figure. As can be expected, the boots, although loosened and slightly pliable toward their tops, do somewhat limit the ankle articulation. Nevertheless, it is possible to take and hold relatively wide stances without support.
Accessories - 4/4 stars
Often enough third party sets skimp on accessories, providing little. This is not usually a fault of Soo Soo Toys, and once again they have provided a plethora of accessories. Apart from the additional pairs of interchangeable hands, making a total of four pairs (relaxed, fists, knife grip, and pistol grip), and the fairly elaborate action figure stand (with a The Boys logo and texture imitating a metal panel), there are a sniper rifle, another rifle, a cattle prod, an electric drill, a crowbar, and hammer. There are also additional clips for both rifles -- for a total of three of each kind, that can be attached at the appropriate place. Both rifles have some articulation (like movable scopes), one of them with an extendable stock, an attachable handle, and a removable silencer. There are also three Compound V vials. The baby is a whole additional accessory, which is unfortunately just that -- a little unarticulated figure, even if beautifully executed. It has two virtually identical heads that can be swapped (they plug in, there is no possibility of rotation). This is because one of these has translucent lenses for the eyes to allow illumination from the inside. To do that, you would have to take off the night cap, and insert under it the provided small circuitboard with a battery inserted in it; they provide two batteries. I will post a mini tutorial on that separately, but it is not very difficult in the end. The assembly is very sensitive, and a little tap or vibration would make the light go on or go off. Given how easily this happens, I would take the battery out when not using this feature.
Outfit - 4/4 stars
The clothing looks to be screen accurate and very nicely sized, proportioned, and tailored. The green long jacket has a concealed wire at the bottom, which makes it possible to pose it a little to simulate the effect of wind movement. The there is the dark blue floral print shirt, the black acid-washed jeans (with a black belt, which is there, even if not visible), and the molded boots discussed above. The jeans are wide enough and soft enough not to hamper articulation as much as one might expect, although the long coat's relatively tight sleeves do get in the way of some more pronounced movement of the arm at the shoulder and elbow.
Light Feature - see HERE.
I am not going to give this a score, both because it would be even more subjective and because it would not compare with many sets that have no such feature. Inserting a battery-powered mini circuit board into the alternate baby head (the cap can be taken off, and the eyes are blue translucent lenses), allows you to have the baby shoot blue lasers from its eyes -- or rather to illuminate said eyes. This works reasonably well when the surroundings are dark (which does not photograph well), and of course if you wanted to see the actual laser effect you would have to add that in photoshop or the graphics program of your choice. I haven't tried that yet. It is about as effective as that solution could be, short of finding a way of attaching translucent plastic lasers that would look right issuing out of the eyes and away from the body.
Fun Factor - 4/4 stars
Given the number and variety of accessories, the ready options for at least two basic looks, and the forthcoming availability of Billie's nemesis Homelander, and hopefully some others down the line, there is a ton of potential fun to be had with this set. For the purposes of this review and additional threads, I have given him as a counterpart the Hot Toys Man of Steel Superman, since that character was, after all, a sort of inspiration behind Homelander. If only Billy were a little taller... and Superman a little shorter...
Value - 4/4 stars
It is sad but probably accurate to admit that these days an action figure set, even if unlicensed, featuring a popular character from a popular franchise, would be priced reasonably low at $190 (USD). This is true in general, but also in particular: this set comes with two alternate realistic head sculpts, five weapons, several additional accessories, an admittedly unarticulated second character (the baby) with two head sculpts of its own (one of them with an electrical feature), not counting alternate hands and a nice action figure stand. Given what this is, and how things are, I would say that is a good deal.
Things to watch out for -
Not too much. I would be careful with any stiff joints, and work on them slowly and gradually. The Compound V vials are tiny and could be easily misplaced or lost. The same may be true for some of the rifle accessories. I do not know if it might be a hazard (or just a nuisance), but I would take out the battery when not using it, given how easily it is to activate (or deactivate) the light feature even with accidental vibration.
Overall -
I am very happy and impressed with this set. It renders a beloved character in sixth scale in all his scruffy and rough quality, giving him a recognizable and realistic look -- even if the more emotive head is less successful. It also provides him with a wealth of appropriate accessories up to an including a mutant baby with blue laser eyes. As himself, as a random extra character, or even as kitbashing material, this is a winner.
Where to buy -
I got mine at GianToy, but it is currently sold out.
I see it as a special order at Monkey Depot: https://www.monkeydepot.com/SooSooToys_Mr_Butch_SST_025_p/ssb0017.htm
And as a preorder at One Sixth Outfitters: https://www.onesixthoutfitters.com/products/soosootoys-sst025-1-6-scale-mr-butcher-figure
But in both cases, at a higher price. The same is likely to be the case on eBay.
I hope this has been useful. What do you think?
For more, including the light feature tutorial, see HERE.
#soosootoys #mrbutcher #billy #butcher #fiction #tv #amazon #prime #male #modern
