As weird as Doctor Who characters are (like alien-brain-squid hybrids in a business suits, skinny humanoid rhinos in armored leathers), there are some which can easily be used to enhance your other figure-displays.

Name: Scarecrow
Line: Doctor Who - Series 3
Manufacturer: Character Options
Released: 2006
Scale: 5-inch
Accessories: None

Sponsor Listings: Mike's Comics N' Stuff-$7.00

 

I have a feeling the sculpt on this figure is much crisper than it looks, being softened by a thick paint application. Even so, there isn't a single spot on this fig that isn't textured in some way. This looks like a real scarecrow! Well, like a guy in a costume anyway, but I'd belive it if this was supposed to be a scarecrow who came to life.

This is a well-made figure, the mold-lines aren't even all that visible and the articulation is either hidden or camoflauged. Rubbery bits are added where needed, like the flexible "skirt" and ragged sack-edges resting on the shoulders, to let the arms and legs move.

Ironically, even though this figure is frowing with a big unhapy mouth, it's not very scary, it looks more like a grumpy grandpa who missed a Matlock marathon.  

Sculpt Score: 9 / 10

Smoooooth! It looks like dry-brushing and washes were used with skill to reveal all the little details in the sculpt. Every ding, stitch, and scar is accentuated making the burlap-sack texture more realistic.

The colors may appear vibrant in the pictures, but that's only because I had to lighten them to show the figure's texture. The color on the torso is actually much more drab but still noticeably reddish-brown. The hay sticking-out of the sleeves are creepy because they look more like tufts of blond hair than dry grass...

What does bother me about the paint is how easily it rubs-off! And I don't mean it flakes off, I mean if you rub the figure on a surface too hard, the paint will transfer onto the surface as if the scarecrow were a giant brown crayon! I don't recommend tossing this figure in a box with others when storing it, or if you do, at least put it in a plastic baggie first.  

Paint Score: 8 / 10

Not sure what kind of show Doctor Who is, but I think the amount of articulation this figure has is acceptable, especially for a scarecrow (it's not like he's some kind of ninja-scarecrow, right?). The lack of swivel-hinges at the shoulders is always disappointing though it does keep the figure looking realistic (but I still think a double-swivel hinge could be added there and hidden by folds of "fabric").

There are hidden swivels at the ankles and wrists, and the neck is a limited ball-joint, but it moves enough to let the head tilt around and even face up and down if you pry the head off a little.      

Articulation Score: 6 / 10

It's a scarecrow! Come on, you've gotta already be clearing room on your Batman shelf for it. Of course, I have to complain about te lack of a giant-ass scythe included with the figure, what's a scarecrow without a deadly weapon or at least a sinister-looking farm-tool? He's one of those sissfied Wizard of Oz scarecrows that gets punked by flying monkies, pathetic!

I'm happy having a scarecrow puttering around on my shelf, never knowing where it's going to end up next. Maybe he'll be riding a cave troll today, tomorrow he might be having tea with Captain Britain; the adventures of a living-scarecrow are never mundane. The limited articulation in the arms does limit a lot of the fun though, you can't cruficy him, if you were wondering. 

Fun Score: 7 / 10

At SDCC, there were some guys selling Doctor Who figures for 5 FOR $10.00! I only wanted the Scarecrow though. There was a variant with a blue scarf/tie thing instead of those ropes around his neck, with that area being the only difference. Two dollars is the perfect price for an army-building figure like this (actually the perfect price would be FREE). Anyway, I wouldn't be comfortable paying more than $7.00 for a 5-inch figure with okay articulation, though according to Wes's reviews, retail prices for Dr. Who figures are as much as $13.00 U.S., no thank you!  

Value Score: 9 / 10

 78 / 100 - This is a Good Toy

I wouldn't call this an "army builder" figure, but if you can find them cheap, then why not buy yourself a horde of scarecrows? Also, it figures that a little research shows that this is indeed an army-builder figure to amass an army of murderous scarecrows. I think this figure will be my gateway drug into the world of Doctor Who.

-DrNightmare

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