Toosday: Sin City - Killer Figures

by TJ Norris

From Frank Miller's awesome crossover noir streets many wonderful things have been spawned. First was the classic early 90's comic from Dark Horse, then came the two feature films, directed by Miller and Robert Rodriguez, separated by nine years, the eponymous Sin City (2005) and this year's Sin City: A Dame to Kill For . These stories conjure a dark oil-slick metropolis by moonlight with a comic-ink-come-to-life feel. Simultaneously futuristic and retro, the stage is set, and its mostly abandoned, and populated by drunken hoods, "Faster Pussycat" ladies of the evening, and surly gangster-types in the mood for stirring up some trouble. It's rock n' roll, really - you can almost smell the wreak of exhaust in the night air.

Now, from Diamond Select Toys, comes what many collectors had hoped for, a trio of 7" scale action figures that seriously delivers on truly representing characters that jumped right off the screen and on to your top shelf. Each "deluxe" figure comes with a diorama base and accessories, which makes it even more fun to collect 'em all!

First up there's Hartigan (played by Bruce Willis) and man, has DST nailed it on the sculpt here (thumbs up to Jean St. Jean)!

The paradigm here is to take something that looks like a b/w comic from a movie and bring it into a 3D figure that boasts the "effects" touted in the flick - as in the way certain things glow with white from the murkiness of the grayscale.

In this figure, there are many things to consider - including the fantastic facial expression which is gruff n' tough but gets it right down to the pupils and lips. And doing this in subtle tonalities, sans color is a tall order in my estimation. Hartigan's hair has a textured true-to-life feel about it, and his wafting bright-white tie is killer in action, krinkles and all. He wields a gun and metal baton with a wooden-look platform base for atmosphere. Marked with a signature 'X' - for us it's stands for eXcellent! 8 of 10

Nancy (Jessica Alba) is central to the story as the once young girl who was kidnapped by Senator Roark's son and saved by Hartigan -- "my hero!" -- but that's where the story goes awry (no further spoilers for any Sin City newbies out there!).

Her figure is far less a sex-pot than the film portrayal, however that does not discount the figure, which is probably the most intricate of this series.

She comes double-holstered with guns up! Complete, wearing leather chaps and a studded bikini, her role as a dancer is represented well in this format. The face is a bit more generic than the actress or the other two figures, but the leather armband fringe in motion is cooln enough to make up for it, as are her leather stitched cowboy boots. Also, Nancy's saloon-style arched backdrop is the most elaborate in the set, perfectly representing scenes from the film. 7 of 10

Lastly, but not leastly, is the protagonist, Marv (played by Mickey Rourke). As the back of the box says "most people think Marv is crazy" - but honestly we know he's just completely misunderstood.

He's intense and out of his own time, but the blockhead with the gristly exterior is no simple street thug - he's an anti-hero with zero fear. And boy, has Diamond Select Toys gone all out to get this one right.

The facial sculpt melds Rourke's Marv with a Wolfman hariness (in the form of beastly wrinkles) meets Frankenstein's squareness. But this is no Universal Monster - it's by all means a damn decent representation of Marv. Though his hands are a key to the comparison he's ultimately poseable to match the cool brick/mortar outdoor street scene (complete w/pipes, broken glass and rat!). His leather trench flows in the wind as he fists a pistol (w/a side axe and jug of gasoline).

Donning a believable white tank with worn wrinkles and some chunky black construction boots, it's a smart design. The only thing I could have asked for is for his cross-bearing necklace to have been made as a separate element somehow (though it's not really a foreground accessory). Yes, I saved the best for last. 9 of 10

Leaving you with an image from the set with Marv and the directors. You can get them all directly from Diamond Select Toys!

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