2020 is a banner year in terms of anniversaries of some of our favorite pop culture properties. Celebrations should be in order for a myriad of characters and stories, and heck, NECA alone is marking the year TMNT, Gremlins, and well Predator.
Well, Predator 2, in fact, and if you can believe it, it has already been 30 years since the Predators moved out of the jungle in and into the urban backdrop of Danny Glover’s backyard. So, even though conventions have been canceled and so many things are generally cruddy, don’t let that get you down – we have some really cools to help make it all better.
Unless you have been living under a rock somewhere in the Amazon rainforest, you know very well that the Predator franchise is one of NECA’s most diverse and long-running action figure lines. Just about every corner of the mythos has been explored, from that original movie all the way through the classic Kenner line tributes, right up to the fact that NECA has also been able to recently design their own Predator for a figure. The 2020 Convention Exclusive (virtual, that is) goes back in time to celebrate the second film, and since it is that 30th anniversary, it all makes sense.
This new Ultimate City Demon is a great idea for an exclusive offering because the electric/lightning deco design won’t step on the toes of people needing the iconic City Hunter Predator, but it is a fun and well-executed variation that, even in this long-running line, looks nothing like previous offerings. Even the box gets in on the fun as, while it is still the same standard Ultimate window flap box, there are actually LED lights that flash and help light up the clear figure when the flap is open. It really is a cool effect even though it was difficult to capture in pictures. So, you might just need two, one to play with, and one to keep on card.
This figure matches the rest of the Predator offerings in terms of stature, but to match the more recent Ultimate releases, this one is loaded with articulation. I don’t own a ton of Predator figures as I really only have a connection with the first movie, but this is instantly the best overall Pred figure I have. NECA’s sculpting has always been industry-leading, but with the the enhanced articulation that the Ultimate line is known for, even this this bog boi moves and poses with the best of them. A lot of the pieces, like the loincloth and dreadlocks, are made with a soft and rubbery material, so the make-up doesn’t compromise the movement.
The deco of the figure is really cool, and it matches the box art well, especially with the blinking LEDs in the packaging. The figure is cast in a clear plastic, but the whites, blues, and black paint helps to bring out the sculpted details, while adding to the “electric” effect. It was fun to backlight this figure as light passes through much of the figure while accenting the paint scheme. Like I said, I don’t know of another Predator figure with a scheme anywhere near this one, so if you are just a general collector of all things Pred, this is required buying.
The accessory count is generous as well, as this figure includes swappable hands, two discs (one “open” and one “closed”), the spear in retracted and extended forms, and, of course, a skull. All of the accessories match the figure in terms of paint with the obvious exception of the skull, so it all works together. The discs and spears can be held on the figure (one at a time each), so I always like when a figure can store their weapons when not in use.
Predator fans have been living the high life for a long time when it comes to action figures from NECA, and this dude is no exception. Like all of the 2020 Convention Exclusives, NECA picked a good variation for this to be released in this manner. Speaking, check out NECA’s site to get all of the details about the release of this figure later this week. You will want to be on their site or haunting your local Wal-Mart soon. Don’t miss out!
*Thanks again to Peter and NECA team for sending this figure along for an early look!
