Admittedly, I have had TDKR on the brain, what with working on the Pod, etc. So, after doing my due diligence, researching the feasibility of what I had in mind, I broke down and ordered Bane, my first DC offering from KM. Chuck was kind enough to have it on its way to me before leaving for the DC (the District, not the comic) Show this weekend.
The piece arrived yesterday, and all in all I am quite impressed! KM still has a ways to go in the casting dept., especially at the prices they are charging, but we are definitely long past the "do I really want to open this package/do this figure" angst that was part and parcel of the first few days after receiving their latest. But more on the casting later. . .
The figure was sculpted by "Darko". Who Darko might be is beyond me, but a talented sculptor he (she?) is. The detail work is sublime-- it's a shame that the castings don't quite make the most of it!
The kit is relatively simple: 5 pieces + a perfunctory, nondescript, kidney-shaped plinth/base. Either KM or DC really dropped the ball re: the latter, especially as the design of the figure is taken from a setting-specific, iconic moment in the film. Given the price on these pieces, we should have received the full treatment!
The pieces are cast in the medium grey resin that is the preferred PUR in the EU [nb: this is the first non-enhanced scale KM figure that I have seen cast in resin. AFAIC, it's a very good call!]. Though somewhat on the soft side, the retention of detail is superb! Unfortunately, the caster either uses unassisted (gravity) casting; or doesn't know how to lay-out a mold or how to vent it: there is an unacceptable number of air-bubbles, and a noticeable mold shift. As best I can tell, it appears that they used a split mold for the figure, where a two-piece mold would have provided much better precision and more control. I would give this casting a B/B+ rating. Insofar as fit is concerned, it would have been excellent if not for the accumulation of mold-release in critical areas.
All in all, with the aforementioned reservations in mind, I would heartily recommend this piece.
Off to the bench with more to follow. . .
FOLLOW-UP - 08.09.2012. . . It was a long and productive night. . . good times!
First of all, the arms have been permanently attached and the joins filled: despite concerns regarding casting and fit, a moderate amount of effort, along with thorough pre-assembly prep, will yield exceptional results. It truly is a great looking piece! The only downside is due to the relative softness of the resin, you will have to be extra-careful when mixing your putty AND let it cure at room temperature. Plan accordingly!
And now for the fun part! The iconic accessory piece that provides the title of this self-contained vignette is about 60% done. Finishing and detailing will continue until it is ready to be attached to the groundwork (more on this in a future posting), but it looks "right".
Stay tuned!
FOLLOW-UP #2. . . The mold shift along the inner right leg has now been addressed (filling, not filing!), and once the putty cures, the figure should be ready for final assembly.
UPDATE - 10.09.2012. . .
The figure is now completely filled and assembled save for the head; and the legs have been tapped to receive their mounting "pegs". All that remains to be done is final finishing and mounting. This concludes the introductory prep phase of this project.
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