Tuesday, August 21, 2012

REVIEW: SLUG Zombies Series 2 - Blazin' Basel

Produced by JAKKS Pacific | Released August 2012

Survival Skill: Handy with an axe
Likes: Fire Poles, Dalmatians and Pottery
Dislikes: Hot Headed Zombies & Spicy Food
Favorite Quote: ''Is it hot in here, or is it just me?''

SLUG Zombies Series 2 - Blazin' Basel
Today we're taking a look at another figure from the recently-released Series 2 of the rather cool Keshi-style figures, the SLUG Zombies in the form of firefighter-turned-survivor, Blazin' Basel.

Sculpt and Design
From his sculpted attire, it's immediately obvious just what Blazin' Basel is (a firefighter for those having difficulty keeping up) and overall, it's a solid sculpt, with some neat detailing and a good look to it.


I particularly like the comicbook proportions on this figure. All of the SLUG Zombies are all very much styled with a ''hyperreal'' look but here it's particularly over-emphasized, with Basel sporting huge, chunky hands, long arms and solid, clumpy boots. I've never really noticed it so much with the undead (presumably I saw these extremes but my mind just wrote it off as being part of the zombification process.) It's a very cool approach that gives him a nice, chunky look and a good, solid feel.

That's not to say he's painted with broad strokes. There are some very neat close-up details on the figure such as his ridged helmet and badge, chest-mounted flashlight, belt, oxygen tank and more. I'm always impressed with the clean lines and detailing JAKKS Pacific manage to produce in these figures and Blazin' Basel is no exception.


As you may have noticed, Blazin' Basel is cast from the peach/MUSCLE Man pink tone used in the SLUG Zombies line to denote a human (the zombies are all green.) I mentioned in the Captain Payback Review just how well this color works to highlight the figure detail and it's the same here.

Final Thoughts
JAKKS Pacific's SLUG Zombies continue to impress and whilst Blazin' Basel isn't quite as awesome as Captain Payback, he's still a great-looking figure.

I love the attention to detail in the sculpt but also the broader look of the figure itself. He's chunky, cartoonish (in a good way) and just a very cool-looking toy that pops from the shelf. If I had to offer one criticism it's that his pose is a little static. I'm sure it's intended as homage to the MUSCLE figures (who also tended to sport ''come at me, bro!'' planted feet and open arms) but it would be nice to see him holding his axe in a more threatening manner or in full-on zombie-killing mode.

Pose-related criticisms aside, Blazin' Basel is another great addition to the line.

Final Score: B+

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