Limited to only 140 this is Marka27's 8" tall Half Dead Buddy produced by the folks over at BIC Plastics. This guy comes in at least three colorways that I know of (including an elusive glow-in-the-dark version). The artist makes "cool designer vinyl for serious nerds" - and we couldn't agree more.
Today we will take an in-depth look at the black n' white version - otherwise known as the "Silver Edition" - which balances a skeletal fleshiness with the beyond - combining a touch of ye olde lucha libre for good measure! This is the final of the variants in this series. The artist, of Mexican heritage started making graffitti back in '93 and has lived in Boston where he got his art degree and Dallas where he mostly grew up. Since then he's worked for Levi Strauss, Disney and Kidrobot among others. Heavily influenced by street and pop culture it is evident in pieces such as this one, so let's have a look:
The packaging is a lil' black box, cubic, and uses just enough metallic to keep it classy. The die-cut of the shape of the figure inside is also a nice touch for the window box.
The details are quite good, not frivolous, unshy. I'm particularly fond of the fleshy chest tat' applique and the addition of the cloth cape as well as the articulated arms. The paint/decal work is spot-on, though his face is a slight bit over-detailed making for some slight confusion of continuity. His opposite arms have either a tattoo of bones or are actual 'bones'. Part of the figure is made from a clear, tinted vinyl.
This Half Dead Buddy puts new meaning in life after death - with a blend of comedy/tragedy - though you will have to create an imaginative backstory. He was certainly a tough guy to withstand the limbo that he is. My favorite part of the figure is the skull, and the KISS-like silver bird brows bring you fluidly to the back of the figure as you can see in the profile picture above and below.
RATING
Paint/Decal Work: 8/10
Sculpt: 8.5/10
Packaging/Design: 7.5/10
Get yourself a new buddy from the artist direct here. You can also find the purple and yellow version through our friends 3D Retro here. Put 'em up, put 'em up!!!