Action Figure Review: Luke Harper (Series 35) from WWE Elite by Mattel

   

     Last fall I reviewed Bray Wyatt and Erick Rowan as part of my 31 Days of Toy Terror coverage at the now defunct ThEpic Review but, strangely enough, I never got around to reviewing Luke Harper. The first WWE Elite version of Luke is a great figure and well worth checking out but today I'm looking at the second Elite version of Luke from series 35. Dressed in his outfit from Wrestlemania XXX and armed with a pair of alligators this is a pretty cool figure of one of my favorite wrestlers. I loved the Luke Harper/ Dean Ambrose fight at Extreme Rules 2015 as both of those guys are tons of fun to watch and are phenomenal performers, and having a Luke Harper packed with his own alligators buddies is just too cool. I know there's a promo shot where the Wyatt family are carrying alligators but are these little guys from any appearance in particular or did Mattel just come up with this on their own? While Luke's not currently part of the Wyatt Family anymore, I am thrilled that he's gotten back together with Erick Rowan; that tag-team duo is just too fantastic not to utilize! Ready for a closer look at the newest version of Luke Harper? Then throw on your cleanest dirty shirt and join me after the break...

The Facts:
Height: 7 1/4 inches

Articulation: Hinged ankles w/ lateral rockers, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, T-bar hips, swivel waist, hinged abdomen, swivel/hinge shoulders, swivel biceps, hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, and a ball jointed head.

Accessories: Entrance vest and two alligators.

Non-Scalper Price: $20

The Positives:

* Like every Mattel WWE Elite figure I've encountered so far, Luke Harper is sturdy and well articulated. Luke's a big guy and this figure nicely towers over many other WWE Elite figures. While Luke's t-shirt is not removable you can still get some movement out of his hinged abdomen underneath. Seriously, these are some really fun figures to play around with.

* I love that this version of Luke Harper has a different headsculpt than the series 29 version. This one's a bit more laid back and serious than the earlier version. While a great deal of Luke's face is hidden by his beard this is undeniably Mr. Harper. It might be just a bit caricatured but I think it works for this guy.

*Look! Luke's got a hanky! I like the effect of the bandanna hanging out of the back pocket. The paint job is nice on  it and it gives the figure some more detail. Th same fores for the wrist wraps. Actually, there is a separate black wrist wrap underneath the red cloth ties. The red bands can actually move around a bit.

*Check it out! They even captured Luke's bald spot! That's another neat little extra!

* One of Luke's extras is his entrance vest from Wrestlemania XXX. It's actually the same vest mold that the series #29 figure came with but this time it's molded in a light gray with a Wyatt family inspired logo on the pack. Creepy stuff! I love the buzzard and lamp logo. Seriously, even if you don't care about wrestling one bit the Wyatt Family members still make for some great additions to a horror collection. This thing sits nicely on the figure's body but is durable and easy to remove.

*Last, but not least, are the two alligators that Luke can...wrestle? Pet? Eat? Seriously, I'm not sure what they're for but they are kind of neat. They're both the same mold but they feature some decent paintwork. Their stomach's are painted with a light yellow and their eyes each have a bluish-white paint app. Surprisingly, Luke can actually hold these little fellas a few different ways.

The Negatives:

*I like the alligators but I wish they were a bit larger. They're tiny. I mean, I guess they're not woefully small but I would have rather had one large alligator that looked like it could potentially eat a wrestler. I'm not a herpetologist so maybe these guys are appropriately sized for their species?

*This isn't a negative point: This is simply a comparison of series 29 Luke Harper with series 35 Luke Harper. The series 35 Luke Harper's head actually sits higher on the neck than the earlier figure. Otherwise, they're pretty similar.

     This really is a fun figure. It's durable, well articulated, nicely sculpted with some interesting paint apps, and features two alligators. While I prefer the earlier Luke's outfit better I like this headsculpt more. This is a quality figure and I feel justified in giving it a Great and a 1/2 rating. Fans of Luke Harper, alligators wrestling, the Croc Master, crazy bearded men, and Duck Dynasty will probably be interested in this guy. Snag him if you see him!


I've reviewed a few WWE Elite figures, including:

WWE Elite Collection by Mattel
Bray Wyatt
Erick Rowan
Rusev

WWE Elite: Wrestlemania XXX by Mattel
Bray Wyatt