Wednesday, October 9, 2024

31 Days of Toy Terror Takes the Universe: Raphael as The Wolfman from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles X Universal Monsters by NECA

 
 
  Raphael is my favorite member of the TMNT and the Wolfman is my favorite of the Universal Monsters crew, so you can probably guess that I'm predisposed to liking this guy! Raphael as The Wolfman is another figure that's new in NECA's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles X Universal Monsters line for 2024 and, while there was a Wolfman figure in the vintage Playmates toyline, it wasn't Raph. Leonardo was the Wolfman in the first series of Playmates' figures from 1993 (Raphael was the Mummy in 1993 and the Metalua Mutant from This Island Earth in 1994). This version is fully in color though there's also a black and white variant partnered up for a double feature with Leonardo as the Hunchback, offered as a Walmart exclusive this past summer. I actually liked this guy so much I picked that setup, too. Ready to check out this "carnivorous canine creature?" Then join me after the break...





The Facts:

Height:  inches

Articulation: Swivel/hinge ankles, double hinged knees w/ upper swivel, balljointed hips, swivel/hinge shoulders, double swivel/hinge elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, balljointed neck base, and a barbell jointed head.

Accessories: 6 swappable hands, 2 swappable portraits, bone sai, cane sai, and trap. 

Non-Scalper Price: $38 dollars






The Positives:

* I love this figure! I really does look like the 1990 TMNT move version of Raphael wearing Lon Chaney Jr.'s Wolfman costume. Well, not just wearing his costume: Actually transformed into the Lon Chaney Jr's Wolfman. The overall body proportions are very TMNT, as are details like the number of fingers and toes, but he does have the lupine legs of the Wolfman and, of course, he's covered in fur. He's wearing the green button up shirt and blue trousers we always associate with Larry Talbot but he's also sporting his brown belt and knee and elbow pads from the 1990 movie version of Raph.  




* Here's a closer look at Raph's ripped up clothes with his fur showing through. The more ripped up outfit might not be completely accurate to the Wolfman himself but it works great for a TMNT blended figure, giving WolfRaph more crazy detail akin to the design of the vintage Playmates' toys. 






* Not only is Raph's body covered in fur but so is his shell. Don't just to make rational sense of it; just enjoy the craziness of the details! I love how many wonderfully bizarre liberties NECA has taken with the shells in this line! The clothing is all ripped up across his shell and there are scratches all over his belt. He's completely wolfed out!









* Check out the Wolfael's legs! They're hairy and bent like a dog's hind legs. Very cool. Those are some nasty toe nails, too. Yikes!






* He also has huge paws! They're hairy, lupine, clawed, and they only have three fingers. Just like a wolf turtle!





* Wolfman Raph comes with two portraits, the first of which definitely resembles the classic Wolfman with a fanged underbite and some menacing eyes. Oh, and lots of well maintained hair. His hair is perfect! I love how ragged and worn his bandanna is, too. Wolfman Raph just looks so crazy and he kind of reminds me of a Muppet, but in the best way possible. Honestly, wouldn't a Muppets Universal Monsters be incredible?





* The second headsculpt is a bit more classic werewolf than specifically Lon Chaney Jr.'s Wolfman; his fur is more wild and mangy, his teeth are a bit more vicious looking, and he has a fiercer appearance. This one is actually my favorite of the two as it just looks a bit more frightening. 








* The Ralphman comes with three sets of hairy paws: A set of grips for holding his sai, an open palmed set for clawing and pawing, and some closed, three fingered wolf fists. They swap easily and are all really nicely detailed.








* If you're familiar with the articulation on NECA's movie TMNT figures then you kind of know what to expect here. There's more articulation than you'd think, most of it hidden, and most anything that's restricted is restricted because of Raph's physique or the rubber overlay of his torso/ shirt. The turtles just have some odd proportions that sometimes make articulating certain spots difficult.. You can still get some great fighting poses out of him, though, and he looks fantastic just being menacing. He also feels quite sturdy and durable. 




* Companies doing TMNT crossovers have always had fun doing crazy stuff with the iconic TMNT weapons and Wolfman Ralph is no different. One of his sai is just a straight up bone. Well, a bone handle, really. The monouchi is a standard blade while the handle (tsuka) and side prongs (yoku) are made from bones held together with leather cord. Maybe The Ralphman gnaws on this while he's waiting for a fight. Or maybe Splinter gave it to him for being a good boy?





* Raph's second sai is similar to the first, but the butt of the handle has the same decorative object as the head of the cane werewolf cane that Larry Talbot purchases from Gwen Conliffe's antique shop in The Wolfman. That's a cool little detail, isn't it?


* Wolfie Raph also comes with a trap that he has to avoid. Or maybe he's setting it out to catch the members of the foot. Seriously, who knows what play pattern Playmates had in mind when they originally released the TMNT/ Universal Monster hybrids back in the 1990s. 



* The trap is really quite nice as both jaws are articulated and the chain is actually metal. 





* Raph's sai can fit right into the loops on his belt, leaving his hands free for clawing, slashing, and scratching at fleas.




The Negatives:

* Unfortunately, the sai are kind of large and they're a bit awkward in his belt. be careful you don't bend them!









 As I said at the beginning, it's kind of hard to go wrong when you blend my favorite Universal Monster with my favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Raphael as the Wolfman is really fun and a clever combination of both brands. This isn't just a werewolf Raphael: This is definitely Larry Talbot's Wolfman from the Universal Studios film. The accessories are clever and fun, the two portraits are excellent and nicely varied, and the figure is covered with fun details that are both kooky and frightening. A furry shell? Sure, let's go with it. This is an Epic figure and definitely one to pick up if you need both more turtles and more werewolves in your collection.



For more of Larry Talbot, the Wolf Man, I've also reviewed the Funko ReAction Wolf Man, the Real Ghostbusters Wolfman Monster, the McFarlane's Monsters Werewolf Playset, the Imaginext Wolfman, and Luke Talbot (the Wolfman) from Monster Force.

For more Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles X Universal Monsters by NECA check out the following:
Leonardo as the Creature from the Black Lagoon
 

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