The Marvel community has Build-a-Figure. The DC community has Collect-and-Connect. And for one moment in time NECA had their own versions with the Puzzle Box, Leviathan, and Pillar of Souls from the Hellraiser movie franchise. Such sweet suffering! That’s not a movie quote, I mean building and collecting these things was such sweet suffering…
I had to build the Lament Configuration (aka the Puzzle Box). What would be the point of having the others if I didn’t have the #1 prop from all the movies? It’s hollow and fairly light when put together, which is why I put a baseball inside of it – to give it some heft. It’s the pride and joy of my NECA collection.
I’m not so crazy about Leviathan. I’m proud that I tracked down all the necessary figures to complete it, but I’ll tell you, it’s not the sturdiest thing. If any of them were to take a shelf dive it would be this one. Imagine meeting your demise because Leviathan stabbed your skull! Okay don’t imagine that. Just keep it low enough to keep an eye on it.
Okay I lied when I said the Puzzle Box is my pride and joy. Of course I love Puzzle Box, but this piece surpasses it. What a work of art! A must-have! Such exquisite detail. My only problem is, that last piece, the one on the very top, does not click into place. It mocks me! I must have watched five different YouTube vids – still nothing. What the hell is going on?!
I had to include this pic of Pinhead, singing a ballad. What a crooner! (McFarlane’s Jimi Hendrix diorama serves him well here.)
Sal Rodriguez pounds the pavement in Los Angeles as an actor, comedian, and writer. He began collecting figures upon discovering UFC and WWE figures by Jakks Pacific. He lives with his two cats, Fluff Daddy and Little Mister, and over 2,000 action figures. Subscribe to his YouTube channel.