[Dolemite]

I love the new Vasquez and the battle damaged aliens (especially the head-explody one), but I'm not digging this version of Ripley, mainly because of the way they handled the jacket. Instead of being a separate piece that went over the blue jumpsuit, the jacket has the jumpsuit top sculpted and painted blue on it, and it just looks cheap and out-of-place. Odd, since I've seen NECA release far more complex and detailed figures at a similar price point, but I just don't agree with their design choice here.

Vasquez looks amazing...her smartgunner figure is still my favorite, but the BDUs look is a VERY close second. I love the working holster and knife sheath. My only gripe is that her tank top under her shirt doesn't appear to be painted...the Arnold Commando figure had his body camo paint complete under his vest, so if you cut it off you could display him as he looked at the end of the movie, and I was hoping something similar had been done with Vas, but nope.

The aliens are great, although I don't feel the new "ultimate" bodies add much in the way of useful articulation over and above the previous body, except for the hand/finger articulation. Still great to have these available at retail prices once again, and I'm looking forward to eventually seeing the Big Chap (which only had single-joined elbows) using this body type.

And as usual, great photo shoot, Joe. Those dio backgrounds add so much.