If a cockroach, a flea, a lobster, and a nightmare could somehow have a kid together, the resulting unholy creation would be a Garthim.
The Dark Crystal was a PG movie created by congenial muppet-master Jim Henson with the sole agenda of absolutely creeping you out. I didn’t see the movie until I was an adult and even at an advanced age I can admit that there’s a lot of disturbing stuff going on during the 93 minute running time. Chief among the disturbing creatures roaming this fantasy landscape are the Garthim
You can’t have a satisfying Dark Crystal figure collection without at least one Garthim. Two would probably be ideal, but stupid me only bought one so maybe at some point. After decades without toys, Funko dove into the Dark Crystal property pretty heavily, pumping out a selection of Pop Vinyls and a set of ReAction-styled figures in their signature throwback style.
Veebee has already taken a look at the main, readily available ReAction figures. The Garthim was a potentially frustrating figure, appearing as a 2016 NYCC exclusive along with a winged Kira and an open-mouthed Fizzgig. Fetching high prices on eBay, the Garthim seemed out of reach, and I was somewhat hesitant to start a Dark Crystal collection knowing that if I wanted a Garthim — potentially the coolest figure of them all — I’d be paying a steep premium. Luckily, Funko announced that the Garthim would be getting a wider release, sans Kira and Fizzgig. Where and how they would show up was, for a while, a mystery.
Eventually, the Garthim was finally released as a Toys ‘R Us exclusive, and I jumped on an order as soon as they hit their site. Now all I need to do is track down an affordable Landstrider set.
In hand, the Garthim is suitably impressive. For a line that carries a retro feel, it doesn’t feel like a figure out of time. The ReAction Dark Crystal figures each carry a nice sculpt, so there was wiggle room for the Garthim to really get nuts, and while the sculptwork is toned down to match the aesthetics of the other figures, it doesn’t feel dumbed down. This is still a quality-looking toy with a high degree of faithfulness to the on-screen counterpart.
There are plenty of different textures to keep it from looking too plain. The armored parts feature various segments and raised pieces to add interest there, and there are bumps and nodes along the arms and on the back of the shell to further give it some interest. The face and “chest” also have a nicely layered sculpt. Finally, there’s sculpted fur jutting from various joints and around the outer shell.
The Garthim features five points of articulation, so it doesn’t really break any new ground there, but for a big mass of disturbing that chitters along like a Giger horror come to life, those five points actually give him a decidedly broad amount of expression.
His legs allow him to crouch or “stand,” and will support his weight. His arms are articulated on a slant so he can bring his arms together or spread them wide.
Finally, his head pivots. Not much, but enough for him to look side to side. The head didn’t technically have to be articulated, but it’s nice that it is.
The pain is very minimal, with most of the Garthim molded in a dark burnt sienna. The paint is limited to some fur and those disturbing eyes.
The size is appropriate enough when compared to Jen. It suitably dwarfs the Gelfling, and has a thick presence. That makes the smaller figure feel way outmatched, just like in the movie. The claw is big and wide enough to fit a figure in it.
If you’re a Dark Crystal fan, this is a must-have for your collection. And it’s cool enough so if you’re not a Dark Crystal fan, it will serve as a great monster for other 3¾-inch figures to fight.
The Garthim appears to be not available for shipping at TRU, but store pickup is still available.
