Action Figure Review: Olek Thygar (Hvalkatar) from Cosmic Legions by Four Horsemen Studios

 

   Before I ever attended the Cosmic Legions midnight release event at Needless Toys & Collectibles, I had pre-ordered two figures in advance: Olek Thygar (Hvalkatar) and Zeerian Spyre. Today I'm checking out Olek Thygar (Hvalkatar), one of two versions of the character in this first series of figures and the main protagonist thus far. For reasons unknown, Olek Thygar is captured and taken to Hvalkatar prison. An Abollex from Pythairria, Thygar is a blue, reptilian being clad in an orange and black spacesuit. Look familiar? The color scheme definitely is reminiscent of Adam Power from the Power Lords toyline, a line that the Four Horsemen did revive for a bit back in 2014. Olek Thygar is definitely one of the most visually appealing figures in the Hvalkatar: Book One series. Ready to check this guy out? Then join me after the break...

The Facts:

Height: 7 1/4ths inches

Articulation: Double swivel hinge ankles, swivel/hinge knees, swivel thighs, H-hinged hips, balljointed waist, swivel/hinge shoulders, swivel/hinge elbows, swivel forearms, swivel/hinge wrists, swivel neck, and a balljointed head..

Accessories: Rifle, 2 pistols, jackhammer, 2 wrist blasters, transmission, 2 necks, 2 heads, small dome, large dome, dome collar, 2 small pegs, 2 large pegs, and 4 swappable hands.

Non-Scalper Price: $60 dollars

The Positives:

* I mentioned it above a bit, but the Adam Power inspired color scheme just looks really good here. I love having an actual alien looking character as the main protagonist; it just makes the world of Cosmic Legions seem all the more extraterrestrial and unique. His spacesuit seems very well armored and there's some excellent detail, plus many paint applications. You've got metallic orange and blue to highlight the black and gray. It's just a fantastic looking outfit. Olek Thygar is taller than most other figures in the line, too, with a longer neck, sure, but also a longer torso. It's nice that everyone in the first series isn't just the same size with the same build.

* Thygar's portrait is awesome. His scaly skin is nicely detailed with a dark wash to bring out all of the details. There's an interesting gold piece of jewelry on his head. I wonder what that's about? Some sort of family heirloom or just Thygar showing off his personal since of style?

* Olek Thygar's head is long with plates that extend back, as well as some... horns? Tendrils? I'm not sure what you'd call them but he definitely doesn't have just a normal looking headsculpt, that's for sure. 

* Like the T.U.5.C.C. troops, there's also a separate collar that fits around the neck and attaches to the top of the figure. Due to his size and his head shape, Thygar's is larger. His also has multiple paint applications, both outside the collar and inside.  

* The clear orange plastic dome fits over the helmet, providing more protection and breathing capabilities in a hostile atmosphere. It's larger than the other domes in the line, giving Thygar plenty of room to maneuver inside. 

* I actually like this slimmer helmet better. It's actually a separate portrait that you swap out. Heck, there's a separate neck piece, too, so it looks like it covers all of Thygar's body. It's sleek and looks like one of the helmets Adam Power wore in the Power Lords revival line. It's very modern sci-fi and just seems like a cool thing to wear.

* It has it's own visor that snaps on, too.

* The back of Thygar's spacesuit a look at the back of the space suit, which looks like the back of the T.U.5.C.C. suits, though this one has a heck of a lot of paint applications.  Seeing each panel in the scale-like suit having multiple paint apps really brings the suit to life in a new way. You can see the ports or jet-like protrusions on the spine of the suit (maybe for getting around easier in zero gravity areas?) and the the belt he's wearing is covered with gear, pouches, and lots of interesting looking devices. I wonder what Olek Thygar was doing before he was locked up in Hvalkatar? Perhaps some sort of space salvager or treasure hunter?

* Thygar's boots are very cool and really well  painted. That's some seriously nice footwear!

* There's lots  of detail on the soles of the boots, too. Really cool stuff, perhaps thrusters for travelling in zero-G and magnetic attachment points for walking around.

* Not only is the belt really cool, but so are the pads that hang down from it to protect Thygar's hips and thighs. All of the details are just so crisp and sharp. 

* Besides the incredibly slick gauntlets, Olek Thygar also includes two sets of hands, both of which are pistol grips. One set has a vertical hinge at the and the other has a horizontal hinge on the wrist, allowing you to have some more options for how you want him to hold his blasters or his jackhammer like weapon.

* If you're familiar with Mythic Legions, you should recognize that Cosmic Legions figures are built the same as that line so that the parts are interchangeable. They're quite sturdy and I've found most of them to have really good quality control. I have one issue with Olek Thygar, but I'll get there in a moment. There are places that might feel a bit restricted but the figure can take most poses you would hope for and he looks fantastic interacting with any of his weapons. 

* Thygar comes with a lot of weaponry. First up, let's check out his dual pistols.  We've seen them before with the T.U.5.C.C. Science Officer, so they're clearly a common brand across the galaxy. These pistols have a nice feel to them. They're sci-fi, but still possess a real world aesthetic that makes them clearly recognizable as guns. They do look like they could conceivably have multiple barrels for different functions, or perhaps just extra uses for the gun such as a sight, scanner, or flashlight. 

* Next up is the heavy blaster, another weapon we've seen before. The design philosophy of this rifle matches the other weapons in this line: Still futuristic but also with enough of a real world aesthetic to look like something from a few years down the line. 

* Kind of unique to Olek Thygar is this sizeable jackhammer type tool. I wonder if he had this before getting to Hvalkatar or if it's tool he uses here for mining tasks. Vorgga comes with the same basic accessory but instead of gun barrels and a slot for the ammo belt, this piece has a jackhammer like tool on the end. It definitely looks like some heavy machinery and I'm sure Thygar has used it a few times for purposes other than mining and such. 

* Here's a look at the opposite side so you can see the elaborate sculpt and paintwork on this accessory. 

*  You also get a pair of wrist blasters here. Thygar comes with two and they fit into the portholes on his forearms. So far we've seen holographic projection effects and wrist blasters, but I'm curious to see what else the Four Horsemen will come up with that can utilize these ports later in the line.

* Oley Thygar also gets a holographic projection, this one showing up some sort of message.  

* The little holes on the figures and the weapons are universal and fit the holographic transmissions and can hold these clear pegs. Olek Thygar comes with the same four as everyone else: Two short pegs and two long pegs.

* The pegs can be used to store the pistols or the rife on the figure's hips or on the belt on the figure's back.

*  You can also use them to attach the guns together. Or pop the holographic transmission as if it's coming out of one of the guns. Heck, add the wrist guns on a gun for extra firepower. The modularity is fun and kind of reminds me of G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 or Centurions.

The Negatives:

* The collar for Olek Thygar's large dome is a bit loose. It really takes a bit to get it to stay on securely and, even then, it feels like it's just kind of resting there. A tighter fit would have been very welcome. 

* The figure isn't broken, but Olek Thygar tends to separate at the waist. I'm not sure if there's too much stuff on his waist (a belt and thigh pads, both of which are attached to the figure via setting over the waist balljoint) or something else, but while I was posing this guy it wasn't uncommon for him to pop in half. The ball just doesn't seat as tightly as I wish it did. It doesn't just fall off on a whim, though.

   Olek Thygar (Hvalkatar) is definitely in the middle range pricewise and coming closer to what you'd consider expensive for a 1/12th scale figure. That being said, just looking at the amount of extras he comes with, the quality of his sculpt and paintwork, and the quality if the figure and, for the most part, I'm really thrilled with him. My only issue is that balljointed waist being a bit loose, though these figures are designed to be more modular, so it's clearly not an issue of breakage. The design and overall execution is incredible and definitely warrants a Great and a 1/2 in my book. I was really impressed by this line and I'm looking forward to the future. It's always interesting to see what the Four Horseman Studios can come up with in their own in-house brands. 


This is the first figure of Olek Thygar I've reviewed. For more Cosmic Legions reviews check out the following:
Highwarden Slogg
T.U.5.C.C. Science Officer
T.U.5.C.C. Sentry
Vorgga