I recently got a bit of the crazies and decided to order something from Shapeways. Fwoosher Strangefate started doing some digital design work and submitting them to Shapeways for printing. I watched the thread and his progress and thought it was time to buy one and review it. When he launched with some fantasy-related bodies, heads, and weapons, it was a no-brainer for me to dive right in.
I ordered:
FB01-Head-10s 6inch – or what I call Valkyrie or Female Thor head
FB01-Preset-09s 6inch – or as I call her, Ass-Kicking Fantasy Chick
ACC-02-GreatSwords 6-7inch v2.2 – big-ass sword set (I bought it for the zweihander)
I ordered everything in standard white Polished Strong & Flexible plastic, which seems to be the basic choice. In the thread mentioned above, Strangefate has some recommendations, but I decided to go into this blind with the easy-peasy default choices. The Shapeways ordering process is relatively easy, and they are good about updating you if your order is in progress, completed, or being shipped. Hell, even UPS sent me a notice saying the package was on the way.
The design of the figure is pretty solid, and I mean the artwork. I like the female base figure/buck that Strangefate works from. Granted, my oldest son was looking for something more athletic, but he’s 12, what does he know? Actually, I’ll agree to some degree; I wouldn’t mind seeing a more athletic buck, especially one designed for a runner or swimmer. But for my Valkyrie warrior, she’s perfect. She’s got all the round in the right places. It’s a good design and one that will be interesting to paint or have painted.
The engineering is also solid and conservative. And that’s not meant as a slight, but there is a bit of caution built into the design, so maybe respect is better word. Strangefate’s parts fit well together and I definitely see where his thinking is now, and I can even see where he wants to develop the figures he is making. I know there’s been talk of adding thigh swivels, and he’s looking into the possibility of rocker ankles — good choices. And challenging, considering the production material.
Shapeways prints are very solid, but I have the constant feeling I want a more robust material, some sort of smooth-on casting material, something that I’m not afraid will break. The plastic kit that you receive is a kit and feels like it’s been threaded together; it hasn’t, it’s the material that I chose. This figure will never be a toy and there was no greater reminder of that than breaking the right hand peg during assembly.
I did choose the cheapest quality plastic for this exercise. Going the cheapest route gives me a rough figure. There are no smooth surfaces, and it’s something that isn’t very strong; I’d have to go to a stronger material for that. But my goal wasn’t to have a smooth-surfaced, perfect figure for this exercise; it was the process of the exercise.
The figure assembly is as described in the online instructions, and I’d recommend taking your time and not being impatient like I was. Think of this as an action figure kit and not an action figure hot off the presses from a Chinese factory, and you’ll be golden. I did manage to break the right hand peg, but I then drilled it out and put some plastic sprue in there. Everything is golden.
Articulation was a concern. I was afraid that maybe once assembled the figure would break apart. I’m happy to report that is not the case. The figure is a good, solid figure, and, yes, I get the heebies posing her, but, again, I have to treat this like a kit and not like a Chinese-made factory figure.
I would love thigh swivels on these figures. It would be aces to have those, double-jointed knees, as well as rocker ankles. My aforementioned son demands double-jointed elbows. The ball-and-socket joints on the hips, abs, and head all work perfectly. In fact, all the joints work as expected. I was worried the most about the joints not working, and I am extremely relieved that they work.
I also picked up the two-handed sword weapon pack. I figured if this girl was going to go shieldless, then she better have a big-ass sword to carry around. Plus, I wanted the zweihander for some other figures. Again, my choice of plastic aside, these are solid weapons, and I am looking to buy more in the future.
This is a fun figure, and I can see the love that Strangefate put into. For the collector with a disposable income, this is a must have, but these are not cheap figures. I spent around $100 on the cheapest plastic quality. The price goes up after that.
Do I recommend the figure? Absolutely! The design is solid, the engineering is solid, and the production is solid. Definitely worth it.