Four Horsemen Studios: Mythic Legions Bog Goblin

Our Mythic Legions #HYPE train keeps thundering along, so I hope you did not think that you saw the end of it with last week’s features. No, no – while I made it clear in my previous feature that the skeletons are my favorite overall group from Legions, I might still have to call the Bog Goblin my favorite individual figure. A later addition to the initial lineup, I fell in love with this little toady from the moment I clapped eyes on him.

Now, I already have a penchant for a lot of evil characters in action figure form, but generally, when the Four Horsemen are involved, I am left with no resistance to their appeal. To me, the Horsemen plus monstrous character designs as are match made in the 10^th level of Hell (that is a compliment) because the baddies always come out so cool under their skilled hands. I have talked to Eric Treadaway countless times about the things he loves to sculpt, and it does not take long for us to find common ground in our love for the evil and grotesque. As you can easily see, the wee Bog Goblin fits that mold perfectly.

There was very little chance of me NOT liking this guy from the get-go, but I always get a kick out of liking a figure I was already partial to even more once I have it. To me, the Bog Goblin is exemplary of not only what the 4H do well, but he also stands as the pinnacle of success of the Mythic Legions line, despite his diminutive stature. He offers us one of the best takes in a lot of categories, and from sculpt to paint, everything has come together beautifully, in an ugly and gross kind of way.

As I stated before, the Horsemen have done cool lines before, but I find Mythic Legion to be leaps and bounds beyond their previous offerings. The sculpting is as solid as ever, but the paint, articulation, and overall production quality really push these to the next level. The Bog Goblin shows all of these strengths, and the love that was put into the sculpt cannot be denied. I dig the reuse of the dwarf body for this guy as I find his stature to be just as important to his identity as it is for the Dwarves, but it is his slimy little head sculpt that makes the figure.

I love Orcs and Goblins, and since they have been a staple of fantasy fiction and art for as long as time can remember, it is easy to assume there is nothing new under the sun when it comes to what can be done with their designs. But au contraire, my friends – this Bog Goblin feels very new and fresh to me. Like all Mythic Legions characters, he has a detailed biography, but I see this species as one that is shifty and untrustworthy, even within their own, so they are mostly solitary and are always looking out for themselves, kind of like Little Finger from Game of Thrones. This guy seems a lot smarter than the run of the mill orc, and his manipulations and willingness to do anything to survive are his greatest assets.

That is where the sculpt really comes into play. Yes, he has the armored Dwarf body, but he would want to be well protected, despite not often going to the sword itself very often. I could see him as very dangerous when he does though, like a little uncorked dervish. His face is very thoughtful, though, and while he is as ugly as mule’s backside, his cunning mind comes out well in his expression. Always calculating, I see the Bog Goblin capable of pulling the strings of a much more powerful (chosen) ally.

It’s the paint, though. That is where the quality and capability of Mythic Legions really shine in this figure. I have yet to see a figure with bad paint applications, but, to me, the Bog Goblin is the best example of how awesome the paints are in this line. This is not just from a detail perspective either; while there are a TON of very detailed and very cool paint applications here (on the head alone), the quality of those applications is really amazing. The production version of this guy is so close to the prototype, I almost cannot believe it. We are so used to production paint taking a hit with our action figures we usually just plan for it, but the Bog Goblin makes it so we do not have to settle. Really, just look at the pictures, the subtle details on the face are so horribly beautiful, it is hard not to fall in love it it.

Even in a year thick with amazing SH Figuarts, NECA, Marvel Legends, and other strong releases, the Bog Goblin is right in the thick of the running for the best figure of the year for me. I collect a lot of stuff, so when I see something exemplary, I am really excited to talk it up. This guy is going to reluctantly join the hero’s group to fight against the skeleton army, and he will bring more smarts than the others might have credited him for originally, much to my delight. I REALLY hope another Bog Goblin will be a part of the next Mythic Legions reveal, we definitely need more of these guys!