Combat Gizmo

When NECA announced that they had the Gremlins 2 license, there was one figure I wanted more than any other: the Spider Gremlin. Okay, he still hasn't come out, but the second figure I wanted the most was... the Veggie Gremlin. And he hasn't even been hinted at as getting a toy. But the third figure I wanted most was Combat Gizmo, and that at least has become a reality. Early in the movie, Gizmo is watching Rambo from inside his cage. And as you all know, anybody who watches any movie is going to give in to its influences - that's why we need to ban violent films, because they (like violent videogames) make people violent. It's a widely believed fact! Anyway, when Gizmo is pushed too far, he mimics what he saw on TV and goes looking for revenge, Rambo-style! Just with a clearer speaking voice. There was a Gizmo in Series 1 of the Mogwai figures, but I passed on it since I already had the SDCC exclusive - it was just the same figure, with fewer accessories. And yes, the same could be said of this figure, but he also gets a new, frowny face with squinted eyes. The rest of the sculpt is the same as the previous figure. The same as all the mogwais, truth be told: as a cost-saving measure, they all share the same furry body, just given paint (and in one case, a neck-extender) to set them apart from one another. The sculpt makes him look like a real animal, and the exposed skin on his fingers and toes is detailed with naturalistic wrinkles (and even nails). The hands are new sculpts, with the fingers more curled than before - how else would he hold his accessories? "Poorly." He holds his accessories "poorly." He's wearing his Rambo bandana - or "Bandambo" [No. --ed.] - glued to his head and has a real rope belt tied around his waist, but we're not counting those. They're very nice, but he doesn't have to hold them the way he does his other gear. If toystores ever get their collective acts together and order NECA's Spider Gremlin, Gizmo will be ready to fight him: he's got the bow he made from a paperclip and a rubberband (sidenote: after watching Gremlins 2, I tried to do the same thing. It doesn't work. You lied to me, movies!), and the arrow he made from a pencil and a bottle of liquid paper. A strip of his headband is sticking out of the (labelless) bottle - you know, so he can set it on fire. On fire. Is white out really flammable? It doesn't seem like it should be. [surprise! --ed.] It also seems like this is the world's longest pencil, but the eraser end is detailed perfectly. But the bow is so thin and flexible that getting it into Gizmo's hand is a dicey proposition, and getting it back out is even worse. It feels like it's going to break. I've already detailed the problems I have buying Gremlins toys, but Combat Gizmo was high enough up the "want" list that I would have hunted him down no matter what. The accessories could be better - well, just the bow, really - but I still like this one a bunch. -- 05/18/13

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