After likely realizing that the new Bebop and Rocksteady, while totally rad action figures, were no match for those Turtle boys in the NECA TMNT line, Shredder and Krang have decided to return to redouble the threat of the Foot. They are back in a two-pack at Target stores, and they are hitting shelves now in their newly-adorned classic TMNT logo packaging.
I know it don’t have to keep saying it because it is true no matter what: this is an awesome time to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan, especially if you are also an action figure collector. NECA is straight up killing it with their cartoon, movie, and comic offerings, and we are being told that this is simply the beginning. So, as we get deeper into the mythos with more main and supporting characters, these lines are most definitely going to bring in new collectors who are going to want to be able to have full and satisfying collections. So far, NECA has been doing a great job of showing off new guys while keeping the core characters fresh and available, and this new set is a great way for people who are just discovering the line to get their mitts on the two biggest bads of the property.
The four Turtles recently got a refresh in the line with their promotional/control art lighter green decos, and if you are like me, you bought a ton of the Foot Soldier army builder packs, so with this, all of the characters previously in the first series have come back around, and that is some good timing since it looks like the release rate on the line is about to get more frequent and regular. So, if you were able to get the SDCC set from a few years ago, or you got Shredder (with Leo) and Krang (with Donatello) in the previous Target wave, you should be good to go here because, aside from the new classic box logo and the fact these two are paired together, no other aesthetic/content changes to the figures or their accessories have been made for this set.
Now, that said, I believe this set following in the FOOTsteps (see what I did there?) of the recent Turtles in Time wave when it comes to improved plastic quality and joint fluidity in this line. This mostly applies to Shredder (duh), but the plastic used on the figure overall feels much more forgiving and flexible where it needs to be, and Shredder is instantly poseable right out of the package without the need to free up any stiff or stuck joints. I am really enjoying playing around with this figure and it instantly shows how many useful joints are built into his frame and how dynamic he can be. Even with that though, this particular figure does not have any loose or weakened joints, so if you find a pose you like, you will likely have no trouble keeping old Shred Head locked right in.
Again, if you are familiar with the previous releases then the accessories will be known to you, but if now, Shredder includes three sets of hands: fists, grips, and open, his sword, mutagen canister, and communicator with Krang’s ugly mug featured on the screen. In the cartoon, Shredder was pretty split between using a traditional “ninja” weapon or a blaster, so I might give this one an extra Foot Soldier gun, but all of these accessories are great, and it is good to have options. Based on what we saw in the display at NYCC of the upcoming figures, it looks like NECA is going to get crazy with some of the obscure items being included, so I am definitely looking forward to that, but Shredder definitely has some “required” accessories, and these definitely cover most of them off. Oh, and even being the guy who doesn’t dig cloth in general, Shredder’s cape sits well and looks great in a variety of poses.
Krang is another essential, and this version of him continues to be an interesting one in terms of version. We were shown his much more ubiquitous and well-known android body at NYTF last month, so I am pretty positive that version will take over in most collectors’ displays, so that will make this version a bit more novel, and it makes sense. I mean, we are all used to this bubble walker version of Krang due to the original Playmates figure featuring it, but Krang only sported his “best suit” one time in the cartoon that I can remember (it may have been more). So to me, I almost default more to having Krang on his little stool since he spent most of his time during the first several episodes of the old show yelling at Shredder to “build me a bodyyyyyyyyyyy!” The good news is that Krang looks great either way, just depending on your preference. At least until that android gets here.
Hey listen, I admit that it is fun to just hang out with the TMNT, but without their greatest foes to fight, the pizza bellies would start to set in fast. So, if you missed out on Shredder and Krang before, this set is a great opportunity to nab them while we wait on the likes of Casey, April, Leatherhead, and Slash. As two essential personalities to the mythos, this collection is most certainly going to require them, especially when some of the more supporting characters start to show up. Krang is going to look great bossing around Traag and Granitor once they release, so I cannot wait for that. This set on Target shelves now, so be on the lookout for it.
*Thanks to the gang at NECA for sending this set along for a peek, we appreciate it!
