Mad Max: Fury Road 1/6 Tom Hardy Action Figure
First off for those looking to score a Fury Road Mad Max 1/6 figure...and honestly why wouldn't you (??) there isn't a licensed figure out there for you to have, but that doesn't mean you're SOL. There are two unlicensed figures released one by Art Figures (labeled AF in my article) called the Mad Racer and one by Virtual Toys (here on out referred to as VTS -- which is the sister company of DamToys) called the Wasteland Ranger. There is also a third party head sculpt out there by a company called Brother Productions. So which one do you get? Or should you get? Which one is best?? Well you can go to the different forums and collector websites and read through all the posts....or maybe I can just cut to the chase for you.
First off if you do go to these different websites to read all the different reviews and posts to determine which figure you want to buy...you might want to pack a lunch cause you're going to be there awhile. Plus reading posts where people go back and forth at each other kinda reminds me of every time a new game system comes out and you got people that pit Xbox vs. PlayStation.
"This one is great and that one sucks!!!"
"....NO! This one is best and you suck!!!"
And this goes on and on and on....page after page. You get the idea. It really doesn't do anything for those of us who are trying to make a inform decision and just find out which figure looks the best.
Anyway that's where your Uncle Jase is here to help! Having both the VTS and Art Figure and the Brother head sculpt I can honestly say they all have amazing points to each and they are also lacking in certain areas. If I could have only bought one....it would have been the VTS because of the head sculpt is outstanding. With that said and having multiple items come through MMC (Marshall Made Collectibles) I didn't have to choose....so, I ended up with a mash-up of the AF figure with a Brother head sculpt along with having a VTS figure with some tweaks. This will show you different routes you may want to go if you want a Mad Max of your own. First off I think the accessories and outfit on the AF are the best hands down. The color and the look is more movie accurate, but that body and head sculpt? They are simply terrible. I know a lot of people love it and defend it, but having it in hand there is no defense for it. There was not an angle or lighting or self imposed vision impairment that I ever could ever see Tom Hardy's likeness emerge....ever. Owning the piece....it didn't take me long to decide to put the head and body on evilbay as I ordered the Brother Production Mad Max head.
So my mash-up is a AF outfit minus the scarf. Why?? The AF outfit had a net type looking scarf made with a shimmering shiny type material. If you saw the movie the scarf is a ripped up dirty black type material. Which makes sense since Mad Max is set in a post apocalyptic world....that shiny net scarf that AF gave you out in the box looks more like it was from Barry Gibb's closet. I also used a spare VTS bracelet, scarf, Med kit, stand, a pair of binoculars, and Brother head sculpt. Is it perfect? No but I love it. The VTS is pretty much straight out of the box. I did ditch the UnderArmor boots...I just didn't dig the look. The figure was already taking liberties with the black outfit with the leathers looking more Road Warrior then Fury Road. So I gave him some weathered harness biker boots. Are they movie accurate?....no but again - my figure and I dig it. I added a leather strap to the sniper rifle and I still might take a little off his neck cause he does have a serious giraffe thing going on even with the scarf hiding it. Lastly I will weather his right arm so it matches the hand better and I will also weather the vest...which just looks too clean especially on the pouches.
Anyway for those wondering about the Brother head sculpt. I really had to check it against the VTS because I thought it was the same sculpt just a recast without the neck and with the damage added, but it is a different sculpt all together. The paint work is amazing, the wounds are perfect. Which is the only thing lacking in the VTS sculpt. Despite thinking the Brother head sculpt is pretty damn amazing I do feel like the eyes (pupils and irises) are just slightly too big for this scale and make it look a little off if you look at it straight on. Either that or Mad Max is rolling and I don't mean in his Interceptor. Anyway hope this information helps for those of you interested in getting a Mad Max of your own.
Take care ~ Jase Marshall / Marshall Made Collectibles