Up from the depths of sweaty leathery legends in and gallons of tattoo ink spills Eddie from the nethersphere of Piece of Mind, which some may say is Iron Maiden's swansong released in 1983. Let's get in the mood to take a bow, if only to bang our heads....Play out loud!
Eddie, is of course, the mascot of the international touring band who boast the same half dozen members since their inception four decades ago. Now, keep in mind that NECA is sorta re-releasing this particular figure here, albeit in an 8" variety whereas a previous rendition (see below) came with a padded cell diorama (nice) and measured only 5" tall. And also keep in mind that action figures have come a long way, though some have taken a few steps back over the years as well. This version of Eddie is only one of three being released to commemorate some of the UK Band's classic rock albums.
LET YER HAND DOWN: The figure is exquisitely detailed, down to the burnishing of the metal collar and tarnished/torn jeans and straight jacket. It's one thing to get the small straps in place and done so that the figure looks convincingly bound, but to add the 'dirty' and ripped effects goes the extra distance. Speaking of some painstakingly minute details have a look here:
This figure will truly make a great companion for the Freddy Krueger and Leatherface for sure, completely ghoulish and creepy. The facial expression is classic as if it popped right off the platinum selling album cover, the band's fourth record. Eddie's straight jacket is well made and stitched of a muslin-like material and the head sculpt is perfectly akin to the legends of Frankenstein and other things that go bump in the night. He's gone insane in the membrane, obviously. The beady eyes that disappear into the dark sockets, the metal enclosure that holds his skull together like a coconut, the flayed flare jeans - all scream rock n' roll nightmare.
ROCK TIES: To get to the figure the plastic blister package needs to be safely cut along the edge to release Eddie from his bonds, inside you will see he's packed with silica gel and is twist-tied thrice, along with his chains and heels neatly tucked through holes in the inner plastic. We managed to get him out and put him back and will likely use invisible tabs to secure him inside again.
If you are a fan of the band you need this (and the other few they are releasing in this series). If you are not a fan, have a listen to forty years of thrashing rock with a twinge of a gothic bent, they have thirty-eight various albums to choose from! If you are still not convinced might I advise you to take a closer look at how wildly strange this thing is, even far out of context.
FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK.....I honestly can say I think this is one of the more interesting oddities that's risen from the ashes of rock history within the realm of action figures I've seen in a long time. That said, it comes with a few minor caveats, mainly being, I wish they had either made his hips bigger or pants that fit better as these, fit with a velcro enclosure, keep falling down to expose his backside which is standard (like Barbie) and not deformed. They did go through the trouble of creating feet and lower legs that look like the skin on his face, dehydrated, partially skinless and bark-like. My biggest issue is the very limited articulation (for NECA standards). Though he IS in a straight jacket! That said, I wish he could sit up straighter and had a ball-joint or some movement in his shoulder/head.
Perfect for collectors of music or horror-based figures as I can see Eddie also alongside some of those crude beings from Bioshock for instance, he might also make a cool pairing with Gus Fring of Breaking Bad fame (after his face was altered). Take a close look at this guy, but don't stare for too long....
Get him now through Amazon, Entertainment Earth or your favorite local retailer.
AGING APEFULLY!: The most current version of Eddie sports a look as though he was split at birth with perhaps Koba of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. NECA also released superb figures from that film, and watch these pages in the coming week for the latest in the just released wave three from POTA!