Toyark First Look – Alien vs Predator Toys R Us Exclusive Kenner Style 2-Pack by NECA

As I mentioned in my review of the upcoming Commando John Matrix Figure, the Toyark crew recently visited he amazing studio of NECA Toys. They were kind enough to share a few items for first looks. Our latest is the Alien vs Predator Exclusive 7″ Scale 2-Pack, which is an homage to a 1994 Kenner release featuring the same figures. The package include a Renegade Predator and a Warrior Alien. Both are repainted to pay homage to the colors of the original Kenner release. Also included is a reprint of the original comic that features both characters. The set is Available For Pre-Order on Toysrus.com at a price of $43.99. The set is scheduled for release in October. Details from Toys “R” Us:

This special edition action figure 2-pack is a loving recreation of this classic pairing from the 1994 Kenner toy line. It includes Renegade Predator with rifle, bladed weapon, and interchangeable masked and unmasked heads. He is painted in an all-new color scheme with brown armor, faithful to the original Kenner release. The Alien uses the 1979 “Big Chap” body with a glossy black dome and darker black decoration, again faithful to the original Kenner version. Each 7″ scale figure features over 25 points of articulation! BONUS – also includes a special reproduction of the original Dark Horse mini comic book, just like the original Kenner release.

Features

• Alien and Predator stand about 7 inches tall with over 25 points of articulation
• Renegade Predator comes with rifle, bladed weapon, interchangeable masked and unmasked heads
• Bonus mini Dark Horse comic book included
• Recreation of classic Kenner 1994 toy line
• Alien features 1979 body with glossy black dome and decoration

Read on to check out 75 high resolution photos and our review.

Alien vs Predator Toys “R” Us Exclusive Kenner Style 2-Pack by NECA

Pros

• Great homage all around
• Packaging is a nice play on the Kenner original
• Swappable heads included for Renegade
• Great molds as the base figures
• Articulation is solid all around
• Silver wash on Warrior Alien looks really good in person
• Two weapons included for Renegade
• Mini-Comic is a nice pack-in

Cons

• Mesh on Predator is not painted

Overall
The set, which will be available only at Toys “R” and Toysrus.com, will come packaged in a blister card that hearkens back to the original release. It features new character art on the front, and a nice check list of recent Aliens and Predator releases. Inside, you’ll find the figures in a plastic tray, along with the pack-in mini-comic. The comic itself is nearly identical to the original Dark Horse release. It does feature a bit of updated credits, to reflect the re-release nature. I’ve only included a few sample shots of the comic as I didn’t feel it was right to photograph every page.

Fans who have been collecting Aliens and Predators from NECA should be quite familiar with these molds. They’re both molds that have been used in the past. The Renegade has been used a bit more recently, while the original Big chap mold has been out of stores for some time. So it’s a great chance to get a hold of that mold again. Both feature a nice bit of articulation. The Renegade Predator features nice double jointed knees, plenty of should movement and full wrist swivels. The waist swivels, but ab-crunch was left out to preserve aesthetics. The mounted should cannon can be removed if so desired. The figure includes swappable masked and unmasked heads. It’s easy enough to swap out, but I’ve always preferred unmasked head sculpts personally (which is why he mostly appears that way in the shoot). The Warrior Alien also has a good bit of articulation as well. It can’t compare with the Dog Alien, but you can get just about any pose you desire. The bendable tail is great for balancing in more dynamic poses.

The Predator features some nice detailed paint apps. They’ve updated the homage slightly to show off the finer details of the figure. While not as detailed as the previous Renegade Predator, there’s plenty of shifting tones and paint washes to show off the excellent sculpt. I do wish the mesh on the legs was painted, though. The Warrior alien is a very dark, not quite black, gray. It features some silver highlights, a solid black dome and and a nice wash of silver throughout. Joints on both figures were pretty tight. The shoulders on the Alien may be a bit too tight at first, so be sure to take care when moving them for the first time.

This is a pretty solid set. For fans of the original Kenner line, or those needing a Big Chap, this will be a must buy. There aren’t any exclusive accessories, but the package is presented extremely well and the included mini-comic reprint is a great addition. Look for it to be released this October.

*NECA provided the figure for review purposes.

See a few select photos below and the full gallery after that.