Toyark’s 500th Photo Shoot – 1st Look NECA Alien Series 7

And here we are! Welcome to our 500th Photo Shoot. We’re proud to present the very first hands-on review and gallery of NECA’s Alien Series 7. These figures are due out April/May, UPDATE: NECA revealed these are ahead of schedule for a March release. So here’s your chance to check them out well before release. NECA was kind enough to supply these figures and the proposal lead to the Week of NECA!  We hope you enjoy the gallery and the review (hint, these figures are pretty amazing).

The Alien Series 7 wave includes an Alien vs Predator Warrior Alien and an Alien vs Predator Grid Alien. These two use a completely new mold, with the Grid Alien having further grid lines cut into the head and shoulders. Rounding out the wave is a repaint of the Big Chap Alien from the original film. this is based on the original concept for the creature, which would have seen him in a translucent bone color.

So read on to check out over 140 high resolution photos as well as a full review.

NECA Alien Series 7 Figures

Pros

• AvP Xenos feature excellent new molds
• AvP Xenos have a ton of articulation
• AvP Grid Alien has netting lines molded in, as opposed to just painted on
• Great use of paint in the entire wave
• Concept Big Chap feels almost like a brand new figure
• Strong joints

Cons

• None

Overall
Each figure comes packaged in NECA’s standard enclosed cardback. You will need to cut the plastic to open them. The figures are attached to their trays using twist ties. None of the figures require additional assembly. that includes the Concept Big Chap, as the original required you to place the back fin on once opened.

AvP Warrior Alien & Grid Alien
Let’s start off by looking at the Warrior Alien and the Grid Alien. The sleek design of the Xenomorphs from the film are replicated perfectly here. The figures have excellent sculpted fine details, especially when looking at the sides of the head and the torso. The amount of detail overall is outstanding here. The Grid Alien forgoes the translucent dome for a solid black one, which allowes for the netting grid lines to be molded right onto the head. The shoulders also feature the same pattern molded in.

The figures features over 30 points of articulation and a bendable tail. Knees and elbows are both double jointed for strong movement. The feet feature a hinge, while the hands can open and close. The mouth opens to reveal an extendable inner jaw. The torso is ball jointed right below the rib cage and the neck connector also has a ball joint, and has some of the best range of head motion of any Alien release so far. On the whole, articulation rivals that of the Alien 3 Dog Alien figure. Joints are solid with no paint locking or breakage issues. The figure held every pose I put them in without any trouble, especially the crouching and crawling poses.

The Warrior has a very dark gray base color. It has highlights of golden tan on areas like the rib cage, arms and legs. It helps to break up the mostly solid color of the figure. Grid Alien has a dark, faded blue as its base color. It doesn’t have the same gold tan highlights, helping it to look a little different than the Warrior. The sculpted grid lines are painted the bright green, which really pops against the darker figure color. Each figure features a black paint wash over it to bring out the sculpted details.

Concept Big Chap Alien
The figure here is virtually identical, in sculpt, to the original Big Chap Alien release. The sculpting is excellent with a lot of fine details. It still features the soft rubber hoses connecting the head to the torso. The figure has single jointed elbows, but double jointed knees. It also features a ball joint in the torso. Head can turn side-to-side, but is limited a bit by the hoses, though they seem much more forgiving here. It’s still an excellent sculpt and a great representation of the original design.

What sets this figure apart is the new paint scheme. The figure is cast is a semi-translucent off-white plastic. It then has paint washes of tan-ish yellow and browns over it to give it a very bone-like appearance. The color is a stark contrast to any of the previous releases. With the color being so light, you get a great look at the fine details the sculpt offers. It’s a fun figure that looks excellent, especially when paired with the original Big Chap.

In the end, this is another great assortment. The newly created AvP Aliens rise near the top of their Xeno assortment. The Concept Big Chap is an excellent mold reuse and paves the way for even more concept Alien figures. Look for these to be in stores this Spring!