Lately I've been finding some real gems at a local bin store and today I'm checking out another great find: Demona from NECA's Gargoyles line. I absolutely remember Gargoyles being on but I don't remember watching it much. I was in fifth grade and definitely still was watching cartoon and playing with action figures (to be honest, I've never really stopped), but I guess I just never got too into it. I remember the toys being in stores and looking quite cool but I was probably more into Spawn, Stargate, Mighty Max, Iron Man, and Batman. I didn't realize until the last year or two what a fanbase Gargoyles still has and it makes me want to go back and watch the show on Disney+. NECA's Gargoyles action figures looked impressive but I didn't have any interest in picking them up. When I stumbled upon Demona for $12 or $15 dollars at a bin store, though, I couldn't resist. She's a very cool looking figure who can fit into multiple different places in my collection. Demona is one of the main villains from the show, she's a gargoyle, she hates humans, she was once partners with Goliath, and had a figure in the vintage Kenner toyline. That's pretty much everything I know about Demona, so let's check her out after the break....
Height: 7 inches
Articulation: Swivel/hinge toes, swivel/hinge ankles, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, balljointed hips, swivel/hinge tail base, bendable tail, swivel waist, balljointed mid-torso, swivel/hinge shoulders, swivel biceps, double hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, swivel/hinge wings, and a barbell jointed head.
Accessories: 2 face plates, 2 wings, tail, 2 guns, 6 swappable hands, and a book.
Non-Scalper Price: $37 dollars
Non-Scalper Price: $37 dollars
The Positives:
* NECA's sculptors always do a fantastic job and Demona is definitely a hit. She doesn't wear much of a costume, really; just a ripped bit of shirt covering her breasts and a loincloth with a belt. Most of the Gargoyles don't wear much clothing, though. You know, since they're gargoyles. Those scraps of clothing have a fantastic texture and even some paint applications that bring out the details in the material. Mostly, Demona's just showing off her grayish-blue body which is very muscular and athletic. She's sporting a gold cuff on her left bicep, toned abs, and some spiky protrusions on her elbows.
* Demona's last accessory is the Grimorum Arcanorum, an ancient tome from the series that's a pretty powerful collection of magical spells. NECA really does amazing work on their accessories, sometimes seeming to give them as many paint applications as action figures from some other companies have. The gold design on the front looks rather ornate, though aged, as does the leather binding. The pages inside look worn and tattered, too. This book has clearly passed through many hands in its long life.
The Negatives:
* I do have a few complaints about Demona and the first one involves her right wing. It's loose. Very loose. It keeps drooping to the ground. The left wing is fine, and very tight, but the right wing is way too loose, really restricting the poses she can take.
* Here's a shot of Demona with her face plates off. Creepy, right? The face plates are easy to change but they also tend to falloff. When I found the figure at the bin store, her face plate was loose in the package. It tends to fall off quite easily which is definitely a bit frustrating.
* Lastly, Demona has a hard time getting her head to look up, especially when she has her wings on. The hair looks great but when the wings are attached there is nowhere for it to go unless you have her head leaning pretty far forward. It feels very limiting on the poses.
Demona does have some flaws but the positives definitely help offset them. To be honest, I really prefer her with her wings off. She makes a great enemy who could fit in with larger scaled Masters of the Universe figures, Mythic Legions, and other similar fantasy lines. Her sculpt and paint are incredible, the articulation of her main body is fabulous, and the accessories are truly top notch. She's definitely a Great figure and, while I'm not planning to pick up any more Gargoyles figures, I'm certainly glad to have her, especially for the $15 bucks I paid.
This is the first figure of Demona I've reviewed.
This is the first figure of Demona I've reviewed.
$15 for Demona! :O That's a steal. She's cool and Gargoyles was a great show (for me second only to the various DCAU shows primarily BTAS when it comes to 90s cartoons). The face plate issue sounds easy enough to fix with polish or a smidge of blu tack. :) I'd quite happily pose her with Masterverse if I could find her that affordable. :)
ReplyDeleteIf you were closer and it were cheaper to ship to you I'd offer to sell her to you. She really is quite cool, though I still don't plan on collecting the rest of the line. I do want to go back and watch the show, though.
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DeleteEmail me. Maybe we can work something out. I'm sure mailing a box of opened figures (if you don't care) purchased at a discount all together would be cheaper than buying them outright in the UK right?
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