NECA They Live Aliens 2-Pack – Toyark Advanced Photo Shoot

The NECA Toys They Live 8″ Scale Figure 2-Pack has just hit the NECA eBay Store and the NECA Amazon Store. To commemorate the release, we have an advanced look at the set. In John Carpenter’s cult classic They Live, a nameless drifter (now known as John Nada) is just looking to get by, working any jobs he can. While taking a job on a construction site, he comes across sunglasses that reveal a terrible truth. The specialized lenses block out an alien signal that shows that Earth has been infiltrated by strange looking aliens, masquerading as humans. The aliens are using subliminal messaging to lull the world into a false sense of security, allowing the ghouls to go by unnoticed. As Nada takes justice into his own hands, he comes across a group of rebels who stand against the invading ghouls, and look to alert humanity to the danger around them.

The new 2-pack features two of the “ghouls” from the film. The male and female aliens are revealed at the end of the film, when the world is shown the true appearance of those among them. The figures are part of the retro style clothed figure line. The set includes a magazine and a newspaper with the hidden massages on the front and back. Also included is a TV set that showcases a ghoul masquerading as a politician.

Not only have our friends at NECA supplied us with the figure, but they have confirmed that more figures based on They Live are in the works! They hinted that the likeness rights may have been acquired for some of the cast. After the jump, you can check out my thoughts and photos for the set.

They Live – Male and Female Alien 2-Pack by NECA Toys

Pros

• Outstanding new head sculpts
• Alien color scheme is carried throughout the bodies
• Nice paint application
• Great looking overall figures
• Nice assortment of movie themed accessories
• Solid articulation
• Well done cloth outfits

Cons

• Female Alien is a bit tough to stand up

Overall
The set comes packed in a collector friendly window box that features iconic imagery from the film on the front and sides. On the back, there are photos of the figures and accessories. The figures and accessories sit on a plastic tray. Included is a TV, a newspaper, and a magazine. The printed items feature the hidden messages on the interior and exterior.

Having this set in hand is almost hard to believe. They Live has remained one of John Carpenter’s best films, yet licensing always seemed elusive due to the fact that likeness rights for the actors would need to be secured separately. But, that’s not an issue with the ghouls, and NECA has crafted two excellent figures that are perfectly suited for the 8″ retro clothed line. The new head sculpts are fantastic, with some great sculpted details that brings the aliens to life here. The paint application on the heads is crisp and clean, with no noticeable bleeding edges. The blue color is carried throughout the base bodies of both figures. The cloth outfits look great, especially on the female figure, which has one of the snuggest fitting fabric pieces NECA has produced. The suit on the male is a but baggy, but it still looks good overall. There are no surprises with the articulation, which is the same for all of their 8″ releases. The range of motion is solid.

There are some good movie themed accessories included here. Fans should recognize the TV, as it’s a modified piece that was previously used for the Freddy Krueger Accessory Pack, and the Toys That Made Us Blu-Ray pack in. It’s also being used for the upcoming Halloween 3 set. The TV features a photo of the male ghoul posing as a political speaker. There’s a hole on the back that you can use to hang the TV on a wall (a thumbtack works great). Also included are a magazine and newspaper that have hidden messages on them. The messages are on the interior and exterior, and the crease in the paper is well done enough that they can be reversible to have alternate messages on the outside.

Tthe only issue I ran into was with the female alien. The heals are a bit on the soft side, and the skirt is super tight around the legs. This can make it a little hard to get her standing, but with a little patience, I was able to find the right balance. Just fiddle with the hips and ankle a bit, and you should be fine.

I absolutely love this set, and am ecstatic to hear that more figures from They Live are on the way. Even if you’re not a fan of the 8″ clothed figure line, this set is a solid pick up. It’s a license I never thought I would see get figures, and they turned out excellent. Check out a select few photos below, and the full gallery after that.