Monday, October 28, 2024

31 Days of Toy Terror Takes the Universe: Bela Lugosi as Dracula from Universal Monsters ReAction by Super7

 

   Mondays mean Dracula reviews during 31 Days of Toy Terror Takes the Universe! Today's Dracula review for this week is the Bela Lugosi as Dracula figure from Super7's Universal Monsters ReAction line. The original ReAction Dracula was released by Funko back in 2014 while this version is from 2018. Most of the Super7 ReAction figures are superior to their Funko counterparts, but what about Dracula? I'm honestly not so sure. There's nothing wrong with him but there's also not much that makes him clearly superior to the previous Drac. Ready to check out this small version of Bela Lugois in one of the most iconic horror roles of all time? Then join me after the break...




The Facts:

Height: 3 3/4ths

Articulation: Swivel hips, swivel shoulders, and a swivel neck.

Accessories: None

Original Retail Price: $18 dollars

Year of Release: 2018
Comparison:

* On the left is Super7's Dracula while the Funko ReAction Dracula is on the right. Overall, I'm not sure there's as big of a difference in the quality of the two figures as there are on some of the other monsters. The bodies are both pretty good with their own strengths. Super7's cape has a red linking and looks a bit more fitted, so that's a plus. The headsculpt on Super7's might look a bit more like Lugosi, but Funko's honestly looks a bit better for the scale and style of the figure.



The Packaging:



* There aren't many toylines I could justify keeping in the package but Super7's ReAction figures are one of them. The fantastic art of Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula by Ed Repka is just incredible and makes for a pretty impressive looking carded specimen. That's a great take on the Count and the light and shadow work on his hypnotic gaze is incredible. 




The Positives:

* While you might look at this figure and think "generic vampire" due to the cape with red linking, fancy suit, and gold medallion, that's because Lugosi's Dracula set the standard for what a vampire would look like in popular culture. And not just because of the Universal Studios film, but also because of his lengthy portrayal of the Count in the stage play of Dracula. All of the classic elements are here, making this an incredibly recognizable Count Dracula for a ReAction display. I'm a sucker for figures like this most of the time, especially for classic horror characters. Super7 did a great job of capturing a vintage Kenner look from the early 1980s without intentionally making the figure look amateur. 






* Here's a closer up look at the portrait. it's not bad and I can definitely see some of Lugosi in the portrait and even a bit of expression. It's rare for ReAction or retro action styled figures to have really good portraits that capture an actor's likeness, but I think this one manages to be reminiscent of Lugosi while not looking overly modern and 100% dead on. Seriously, these kinds of figures are a balancing act.







* Dracula's cape is a separate vinyl piece, like you'd find on many vintage Star Wars figures, but it's not removable. It's kind of wedged between Dracula's swivel shoulder joints. What is nice is that the cape is actually red on the inside where the lining would be, adding a nice extra detail. 









* He might not be able to do the Transylvania Twist, but he can do the Monster mash with his five points of articulation. Articulation isn't a big deal with these guys, so having them with the classic five points only is to be expected. He feels quite nice and sturdy which is the standard for Super7's ReAction figures. They're the best at this style, I think. 






   This is a nice take on Dracula. I'm not sure he was a true improvement over the 2014 figure from Funko, but he's certainly not worse. Just a bit different. The lining of his cape is probably the biggest new standout. Super7 raised the prices on these guys quite a bit over a short time, jumping them from $15 to $20 dollars in $2 to $3 dollar increments. For the price, I really wish they had included an accessory. Maybe Dracula's funky candle holder or a bat or something. He's a Good and a 1/2 figure and a necessity if you want to build the Universal Monsters classic crew in this scale and style. 



   Looking for more of Count Dracula? For more reviews check out the NECA Dracula (Transylvania), the Funko ReAction Dracula, the McFarlane's Monsters Dracula Playset, Jada Toys' Bela Lugosi as Dracula, the Playmobil Take Along Haunted House 9312, the Big Bucket of Monsters Dracula, Mezco's Tower of Fear, the Wendy's Frosty Bite, and Dracula from Monster Force.

2 comments:

  1. Cool figure, but definitely not getting Lugosi vibes from that face.

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    Replies
    1. No, definitely not. I know the intent of these is to look 1980sish, but I think having a more Lugosi like face would be just fine, especially considering the Lugosi likeness is licensed.

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