Aliens Hicks and Hudson Set - Photo Review
 

NECA Aliens Colonial Marines 2-Pack – Toyark Photo Shoot

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Nice shoot, nice review, as always Joe.

How about a side-by-side comparison of the previous releases and this one? I'm still on the fence if I should upgrade or not.

They're are there. I only have 1 prior release of each.

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How did I miss those?:o

Thanks for pointing them out to too-tired-because-of-the-*&&%$&-snow-storm ol' me...

Well, the skin-colored plastic looks better to my eye than the painted ones. The armor camo is much more to my liking too. Add to that all the accessories, weapons, and extra heads - I'm sold. Pre-ordered at Northmen Collectibles!

Going to sleep now after shoveling snow all morning. Ugh.

Hicks
 

They finally gave Hicks eyebrows!! That was the one thing that bugged me about the original figure

Their screamy faces look nothing like the actors, but the standard/freak out faces look absolutely fantastic.

I came across five of these at my local comic store with the intention of buying as I never had Hudson, and Hicks is still one of my favorite figures. I ended up not buying it because every single pack had terrible QC issues -- warped/distressed joints, and awful paint mishaps (the normal Hudson head on one had an inverted Mohawk thanks to the paint problem). I haven't seen that many issues with NECA figures in years, and now I'm not even confident enough to order online, totally blind. Some one please tell me this has not been the norm for this pack, and that Midtown Comics just got REALLY unlucky.

What size are these?

They're both in 7-inch scale like most of NECA figures.

tru had x3 and all 3 had horrible paint/qc issues.
i blindly ordered from tru online and miraculously the set i got was perfect in every way.

i actaully disagree with the reviewer here, i think the hicks likeness is better on the painted first release and the hudson likeness is better on the new unhelmeted head.

My local TRU had like 8 of these when I got my backup set (in case my online order looked bad) and only two of them were really bad, the rest were okay or decent and then the one I picked up was great (I'd say almost perfect but I'm sure if I went into a scrutinizing search I could find some flaws). Later then when my initial online order showed up it was just decent like the other sets my TRU had, the big issue with it was that the paint on Hudson's "game over" head was off a bit on the mouth so his teeth were lip-pink and his upper lip was teeth-white.

Overall this is a set I'm all too happy to have in my collection since these are both characters I've wanted but didn't want to pay the going prices of the original releases on the after-market. I said it back when I got mine but I'll definitely second Joe now that he's said it, this is pretty much like getting two ultimate figures at once.

Yeah, major props to NECA for putting out this set. I previously only had the single release of Hudson so this really was a welcome opportunity...when I walked into TRU last week they had just packed out this series and the new Predator wave (Serpent Hunter FTW!). Plus, I then turned around and sold my old Hudson on ebay for MORE than price of this complete 2-pack, so yay for me!

Going with the flesh-colored plastic was the right way to go. It not only makes the sculpts look way better (I think the likenesses look much better on these new figures than all of the original painted sculpts), but it also separates the releases for collectors (and allows me to sell my old Hudson for $50+). All the previous accessories included, tight joints, improved paint apps...this release is a fucking home run, man. I even found figures with zero QC issues! And I've already got Hicks and Hudson hanging out with Vasquez...
http://www.toyark.com/attachments/41...2-imag5752.jpg
BTW, there was one Hudson on the peg that appeared to have...something...in his mouth. It cracks me up since it looks like she's screaming because he's got a mouthful of shit, lol.
http://www.toyark.com/attachments/41...2-imag5705.jpg
"I GOT SHIT IN MY MOUF HARRRGLLLGGHHHH!!!!"

I'd have liked a more neutral expression for Hudson, that is my only gripe about this set

He had neural expressions in the movie? ;)