It seems like it had been forever since the last assortment of NECA Gremlins merchandise was released. However, when it rains, it pours (don’t get ‘em wet!), and I have gotten two boxes delivered to my house in as many weeks filled with Gremlins goodness. The releases could not have been any more different within the confines of the property that NECA is exploiting for plastic, but that just reaffirms my personal belief that this is the best line that they have going right now. The previously reviewed Spider Gremlin is an event release, while the subject of this feature is a continuation of the on-going line — but with a delightfully fresh take. Yep, the fourth series of Mogwai is starting to trickle out, and it includes three figures of Mogwai concepts created by Rick Baker Studios for the second movie. Doodah, Penny, and Brownie may not have made it into the film, but they make for some pretty unique Mogwai figures.
We got our first glimpse at these figure last year at SDCC along with some additional Gremlins figures. We have been told that the Mogwai are a better sell for NECA than the Gremlins figures, but I still hope we get to see them continue as well; that new Mohawk looked great. So when you think about the fact that we are still without several famous Gremlins, such as the bat and “salad bar”/veggie characters, it is pretty amazing that we even get a dip into the concept pool for this line. While I actually prefer the Gremlins as figures, all of the previous Mogwai have been delightfully on-model, and this new trio takes the little fur balls several steps forward in terms of visual diversity. I mean, Penny is actually a female Mogwai, something we have never seen before. Wait, maybe they are all female since getting them wet spawns more children (dirty!)… I am suddenly feeling my entire “little green men” paradigm crashing to the ground. Anyway…
If you have been collecting this line, you will know the drill here when it comes to construction and articulation. The figures feature the following points: ears (2), neck (ball joint), shoulders (2), elbows (2), hands (2), and hips (2). Frankly, I could not imagine needing any more movement out of these little guys (they aren’t Spider-Man or anything), but the joints that they do feature have good range and are quite fluid. The figures also include the “eye roller” feature that these figures are known for. The little ball on the back of their heads rotates to control the direction of the eyes. The feature works about as well on these three as it has in the past, so it takes a little effort to get them how you want them to be displayed, but you can certainly lock in the expression with the removable white tab once you are happy. Leaving that out tends to make the eye position fall where it may, so if you are particular about a certain expression, be sure to hold on to those tabs.
It is also worth mentioning that this new set has some of the nicest paint jobs that have been produced on any NECA Mogwai so far. In the past there have been the occasional splotch or blip in the paint jobs, but these guys are nice and clean, and their scheme is not any less complicated than the figures that have come before, so I call this set an improvement over the previous series in that regard.
Let’s take a quick look at each new figure:
Doodah
Of the three figures, Doodah looks like he could fit in with the established movie Mogwai the best, especially those from the first film. In fact, if NECA would have said he was one of the five Mogwai from “Peltzer Pet” group, I would have believed it. So, in a way, I really like the fact that he can help build up a little tribe of Mogwai, but he is not quite as visually remarkable as the other two in this set. Visually, he is mostly white, but he also has the strains of browns and blacks to match the look of the classic Mogwai. His face is rounder than, say, Gizmo, so he kind of reminds me of the Haskins figure in that regard. Conceptually, I can see why this design would not have been used in the sequel, it harkens back a little too closely to the first movie designs, and I think the producers were looking to go in a different direction. As it stands, though, I find Doodah to be a fine addition to my Mogwai collection.
Penny
Penny Mogwai is notable for several things, both in concept and figure. First and foremost, Penny is a female Mogwai. I rather like this idea, even though gender definition is not really needed for a species that reproduces by (essentially) “traumatic event budding.” For an action figure, though, it makes for a good break from the norm. Penny also features a pretty unique color scheme and only feature white and grey in her fur; there are no browns or blacks. In some way, this makes her more drab than her male counterparts and that keeps with genetic patterning or most animal species, but, at the same time, it also helps her stand out amongst the rest of the group. She also features green eyes, something that no other Gremlins can boast. This subtle difference may not seem like much, but it does certainly help to distinguish her. I do feel bad for her, though. I have a feeling the Stripe and Mohawk Mogwai are going to hit on her relentlessly, and Mogwai passion is something that NO ONE needs to be witness to.
Brownie
Brownie is my favorite figure in the set, and, in my opinion, he is definitely the most striking. His color scheme is certainly the biggest cause for this, and his handle is not just a clever name — Brownie is, well, brown. Most Mogwai are predominately white with brown highlights, but this little guy is just a swath of different browns (and a touch of black) with no white to be found. I think the scheme looks great, personally, and from a marketing perspective I can see this as being very successful. I know the Mogwai from the second movie were very unique (mostly due to their faces), but using Brownie’s colors would have really set them apart. Brownie also has turned-in ears and a gentle expression, so I automatically liken him more to Gizmo than the other more rowdy offspring. He looks like he has a sweet demeanor, so I would imagine he would want to stay a Mogwai and not turn into a naughty Gremlin, though I would like to see what that looks like. Maybe he is actually the younger version of the previously released brown Gremlin.
Hooray for more Mogwai! I am thrilled to see NECA continue to support this property as it is near and dear to me, and the figures they are producing are top notch. The idea to produce these concept Mogwai is a home run as far as I am concerned, and these figures give fans a real treat with their concept origins and offer your shelf a good bit of diversity. I hope that we will get to see more Mogwai and Gremlins next month at Toy Fair because there is still a ton that they can do with this property. So bring them on – if they can continue to give us interesting choices like Doodah, Penny, and Brownie, we will be in for a great ride.
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