#8979 - Malum
Dec 19, 2008 21:33:12 GMT -5
Post by Madaraki on Dec 19, 2008 21:33:12 GMT -5
Deja vu, all over again.
Yes, another one of Yamamura's Blueblanket Production reviews is here, this time with Malum; the third Glatorian set I picked up. I think everyone at TRU knows me by now.
So as usual, the new guy had his parts dumped out of the canister for a quick review and to satisfy the ever-present urge to see what the helmet will look like in person.
Sadly, this set seemed to have very little in the way of new pieces. There were a fair number of older pieces in new colors (chest armor, should armor, feet), but again; very few new molds.
AMMO & LAUNCHER PIECES. Yes, I know I'm just re-using the images for them again, but they're a new and important part that at the same time doesn't have anything new about it.
While Malum's setup with this weapon isn't as simple as having it clutched in one hand (Strakk), it isn't as interesting as having it mixed with the main tool/weapon (Skrall). It's hooked into an old style socket connector that latches to a grey straight joint that hooks to the arm in turn.
HEAD. Yep, orange like Skrall's. Got a second photo with some MSPaint editing so you can see the "face" in it. Again; more MOC potential than the last drastic head change (aka; the Inika). I don't mind the orange on Malum, although I will say that I was hoping for a straight red to better throw things back to Tahu in terms of the eye color. Still, we got a blue one with Skrall, and it looks like we might get a straight yellow one with Tarix.
HELMET. This may just be a coincidence, but last time we had a figure using the orange-yellow torso, it was Hewkii, and he had a mask that left the lower portion of his face uncovered. Anyway, that seems to have happened here, and it still looks good. The helmet itself is two-toned, with a mostly red color that bleeds into some yellow-orange flames coming off the back. The Glatorian helmets in this line are noticeably smaller than prevoius Kanohi (although they are bigger than Krana) and while it's worked so far, it's going to make some MOCing with them difficult. Malum's helmet in particular seems especially small.
STRAIGHT JOINT. Okay, so it's really just a neck joint in grey, but it's still worth noting. This time, the set comes with two. Malum's got one holding his launcher in place, and another connecting his neck to the torso. Same set of rod hole and +hole as before.
BIONICLIX. Another new piece of the line with a countdown design around the edge and a skull in place of the "0". This time around it's connected to Malum's upper back just behind his head with a dark red Toa Metru chestpiece.
CLAWS. Yeah, usually the short figure with the huge digger claws is the black/earth element figure. Well, this time Malum's got the claws. Each one is one piece two-toned (dark red - yellow/orange), and fairly large for a canister figure. The front end has two massive talons coming out the front that bend down at a straight right angle to the rest of the piece. The back end of them has a split flame pattern so that there's still (a little) room for poeasbility.
Poseability and construction, ah yes. Malum's something of a throwback in this line; upper and lower torso parts connecting directly at their ends and giving us a figure with roughly the same body type we've had for the past several years now.
This little red Glatorian is shorter than any other Glatorian thus far, and uses both shorter Vahki limbs, and four dark grey Metru thighs/upper arms for his limbs. The last time we had a figure emphasizing the short and stocky thing, it was Carapar, and he worked very well for the design. Unfortunately, the overal physical design of Malum suffers from an attempt to duplicate that stockiness. He's got Inika thigh armor, two Hordika-style feet, and has shoulder armor made of Kalma's feet hooked directly into the upper arm piece.
The result?
He looks good, but the lower edges of the Carapar chestpiece lock up against the Inika thigh armor. The shoulder armor is just poorly placed and when you factor in the high and rounded edges of the chestplate, the figure's arms are rather limited in movement as compared to other figures. Sadly, the claws too suffer. He's got two silver Visorak leg pieces over each claw, and while the color contrast is quite lovely, it hinders wrist movement. The Hordika feet are a problem too. The connector piece his legs hook into has the balljoint right up against the rising edge of the foot, and he really can't do a lot there.
I should also make note of the fact that while Lego seems to uniformly produce the +/pin pieces in blue or tan now, I really do wish they'd go back to straight black/grey. The blue really stands out in sets where it just doesn't work, and this is one of them.
on to Bioniclix: The fact that the launcher's sort of split off from the rest of his body is nice, but he's still a really wide target and prone to being hit by the other guy. He's just about an easier target than his own canister.
And of course; the obligatory size comparison photos:
Malum's smaller than Strakk. He's smaller than a normal Toa. He's smaller than Skrall.
He's a LOT smaller than a 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime.
Now, finally; with all that to take in:
Pros:
Cons:
OVERALL: 5/10.
Malum's not a bad set, but among the three Glatorian I do have, he's certainly the least of them. The poseability restriction's really his only flaw, but it's quite glaring. Still, there are enough ways to modify it that he'd be a good set. That aside, he's a solid figure who's worth getting, even if I advise that he be one of the latter if not last Glatorian that you buy.
Yes, another one of Yamamura's Blueblanket Production reviews is here, this time with Malum; the third Glatorian set I picked up. I think everyone at TRU knows me by now.
So as usual, the new guy had his parts dumped out of the canister for a quick review and to satisfy the ever-present urge to see what the helmet will look like in person.
Sadly, this set seemed to have very little in the way of new pieces. There were a fair number of older pieces in new colors (chest armor, should armor, feet), but again; very few new molds.
AMMO & LAUNCHER PIECES. Yes, I know I'm just re-using the images for them again, but they're a new and important part that at the same time doesn't have anything new about it.
While Malum's setup with this weapon isn't as simple as having it clutched in one hand (Strakk), it isn't as interesting as having it mixed with the main tool/weapon (Skrall). It's hooked into an old style socket connector that latches to a grey straight joint that hooks to the arm in turn.
HEAD. Yep, orange like Skrall's. Got a second photo with some MSPaint editing so you can see the "face" in it. Again; more MOC potential than the last drastic head change (aka; the Inika). I don't mind the orange on Malum, although I will say that I was hoping for a straight red to better throw things back to Tahu in terms of the eye color. Still, we got a blue one with Skrall, and it looks like we might get a straight yellow one with Tarix.
HELMET. This may just be a coincidence, but last time we had a figure using the orange-yellow torso, it was Hewkii, and he had a mask that left the lower portion of his face uncovered. Anyway, that seems to have happened here, and it still looks good. The helmet itself is two-toned, with a mostly red color that bleeds into some yellow-orange flames coming off the back. The Glatorian helmets in this line are noticeably smaller than prevoius Kanohi (although they are bigger than Krana) and while it's worked so far, it's going to make some MOCing with them difficult. Malum's helmet in particular seems especially small.
STRAIGHT JOINT. Okay, so it's really just a neck joint in grey, but it's still worth noting. This time, the set comes with two. Malum's got one holding his launcher in place, and another connecting his neck to the torso. Same set of rod hole and +hole as before.
BIONICLIX. Another new piece of the line with a countdown design around the edge and a skull in place of the "0". This time around it's connected to Malum's upper back just behind his head with a dark red Toa Metru chestpiece.
CLAWS. Yeah, usually the short figure with the huge digger claws is the black/earth element figure. Well, this time Malum's got the claws. Each one is one piece two-toned (dark red - yellow/orange), and fairly large for a canister figure. The front end has two massive talons coming out the front that bend down at a straight right angle to the rest of the piece. The back end of them has a split flame pattern so that there's still (a little) room for poeasbility.
Poseability and construction, ah yes. Malum's something of a throwback in this line; upper and lower torso parts connecting directly at their ends and giving us a figure with roughly the same body type we've had for the past several years now.
This little red Glatorian is shorter than any other Glatorian thus far, and uses both shorter Vahki limbs, and four dark grey Metru thighs/upper arms for his limbs. The last time we had a figure emphasizing the short and stocky thing, it was Carapar, and he worked very well for the design. Unfortunately, the overal physical design of Malum suffers from an attempt to duplicate that stockiness. He's got Inika thigh armor, two Hordika-style feet, and has shoulder armor made of Kalma's feet hooked directly into the upper arm piece.
The result?
He looks good, but the lower edges of the Carapar chestpiece lock up against the Inika thigh armor. The shoulder armor is just poorly placed and when you factor in the high and rounded edges of the chestplate, the figure's arms are rather limited in movement as compared to other figures. Sadly, the claws too suffer. He's got two silver Visorak leg pieces over each claw, and while the color contrast is quite lovely, it hinders wrist movement. The Hordika feet are a problem too. The connector piece his legs hook into has the balljoint right up against the rising edge of the foot, and he really can't do a lot there.
I should also make note of the fact that while Lego seems to uniformly produce the +/pin pieces in blue or tan now, I really do wish they'd go back to straight black/grey. The blue really stands out in sets where it just doesn't work, and this is one of them.
on to Bioniclix: The fact that the launcher's sort of split off from the rest of his body is nice, but he's still a really wide target and prone to being hit by the other guy. He's just about an easier target than his own canister.
And of course; the obligatory size comparison photos:
Malum's smaller than Strakk. He's smaller than a normal Toa. He's smaller than Skrall.
He's a LOT smaller than a 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime.
Now, finally; with all that to take in:
Pros:
- Again, consistency with the hints of elements. The flame pattern's weren't the only parts used here, but the two-toning of the chestplate was nice too.
- The claws. Those things have more MOC potential than a +rod.
Cons:
- Heavily restricted poseability. He's not a brick like a 1984 transformer, but he's the least poseable of the Glatorian sets that I've seen thus far. Still, a little bit of tweaking (especially in the shoulders) could change that.
- Excessive blue +/pin showing.
OVERALL: 5/10.
Malum's not a bad set, but among the three Glatorian I do have, he's certainly the least of them. The poseability restriction's really his only flaw, but it's quite glaring. Still, there are enough ways to modify it that he'd be a good set. That aside, he's a solid figure who's worth getting, even if I advise that he be one of the latter if not last Glatorian that you buy.
