Mattel made October their Ray Stantz month by releasing a Ray figure in both the 6 inch and 12 inch variety. This is the first figure in the 12 inch line, and one of the first 12 inch figures Mattel has made in a while (for "boys" anyway). Is it enough to grab collectors' attention or is the price just too high to make this line a feasible one in even the most devout of Ghostbusters fans' hearts? 

Name: Ray Stantz
Line: Ghostbusters (12 Inch)
Manufacturer: Mattel
Released: Fall 2009
Price: Online: $60.00-$90.00
Scale: 12 Inch
Accessories: Goggles, ghost trap with foot pedal, alternate hands, removable proton pack, elbow pads, jumpsuit, undershirt, removable boots, belt, and walkie-talkie
Sponsor Listings: Big Bad Toy Store-$89.99, Past Generation Toys-$89.95

     For me, the big flaw here is Ray's poorly sculpted head. It's got a very soft look to it, without any crisp lines or distinct facial features, coming off as an almost animated style face instead of the realistic kind of look you'd hope for. It's not that I was expecting anything better from press pictures, but I just hoped it turned out niftier in person, and it didn't. Don't expect this to compare to the likes of Hot Toys' photorealistic offerings, because it won't. It's not even a good likeness, with the giant forehead and humongous hair, and only very slightly looks anything like Dan Aykroyd, and even then from far away and in a low light. I gave it the "ask a stranger who it is naked" test, and I got "Bob Dole" as a response, so I know it's bad.
     The boots and gloves look much more realistic, with appropriate wrinkles, zippers and other details sculpted into the plastic, and his cloth costume seems to fit rather nicely after a bit of futzing, hanging naturally and bunching appropriately.  I hate the soft elbow pads, but they look okay, and do complete the costume. Non functioning pockets and zippers are sewn into the fabric jumpsuit, while the belts and straps holding up his proton pack and accessories do fasten and work like the real thing, and still look good too. The really amazing work here is in Ray's accessories, like the proton pack, ghost trap, and various other gadgets. The intricate lines and necessary details are absolutely perfect and look like they jumped off the movie screen. They're really top-quality and wouldn't be out of place on much more expensive 1/6 scale figures.
     I think the body underneath is a good base for Mattel, because the proportions seem mostly fine to me, and I think it's a generally nice looking piece. I will admit that his calves may be too thick near the top, and that his hips are too wide in comparison to his waist, but those are minor issues underneath this figure's clothes, and it'll be interesting to see if they crop up as problems later on. One other thing is that this is just a bit too thin for a Ghostbusters era Dan Aykroyd, and I actually stuffed mine's torso with a small stash of toilet paper to fill him out (not for these photos).

Sculpt Score: 7 / 10

 

     There's very little paint actually present on this fellow, but lots on his accessories. To start with the weakest spot again, just look at his head. First off, it's too shiny, and secondly there just isn't any paint. Sure the eyes are applied pretty tightly (yet still don't look very realistic) and he has a bit of a drybrush effect to aid the sculpting in his hair, but his lips just look too pale, and I absolutely loathe the little checks painted into his hair line. Although I appreciate the effort to make his hair transition into his skin nicely, these look absolutely silly to me, and a rougher, less patterned application might have worked better. On the other end of the spectrum, the accessories look stunning. They have all the right colors, great distressed effects (just look at the silver rubbing on his pack above), and lots of clean details and decals placed onto things. This is aonce again top-notch stuff being done at what is less than a top-notch price in this market nowadays. I just wish his head had the same level of attention paid to it, because it's causing a real disconnect across the figure. His fabrics all appear pretty film-accurate in their colors, and I didn't notice any stains, problems, or inconsistencies with them. I like the name patch on his shoulder (which I'm thankful was spelled correctly, because Mattel had it wrong on their website...), and the Ghostbusters emblem on his shoulder look good too (even if it is a bit wrinkled on mine from the cloth underneath).  

Paint Score: 7 / 10

 

    Mattel didn't skimp too much with their new body, adding in pretty much every joint that you'd expect in a competitive 1/6 scale body. Sure there are a few spots that could handle an extra point or two, but overall, this is a well designed and diversely articulated base. My problems aren't with the design of the joints, but instead with their functionality. The legs are much too loose to hold up the weight of his proton pack, requiring you to balance him in odd angles and uncomfortable looking positions to keep him upright (this may not be a problem for everyone, but was for me). There's also an issue with two of my joints, each a double hinge: his left knee and left elbow, which are totally frozen in one half of the hinge. I've pushed and tugged and they still wouldn't break loose naturally. This isn't a huge problem, since there is still an single hinge working for each, though it's certainly something to watch out for and a problem Mattel should improve upon avoiding. Other than that, the joints all seem to work fine, with full ranges of motion everywhere. The neck could stand to be more limber, but I think it's acceptable, and you can still add a lot of life and personality to Ray's poses, if you manage to balance him well. As you would expect, there aren't any issues with the articulation making the figure uglier, as the clothes do a dandy job of hiding each of his joints. With some refinement and improved QC, this could eventually be a great base body for this line and others. 

Articulation Score: 7 / 10

 

     There's no doubt in my mind that Ghostbusters is one of the most fun movies ever made, but that doesn't necessarily mean that this figure is up to the same standards. The first thing about 12 inch "collectibles" such as this is that they're sometimes more fragile, particularly given the detailed accessories and soft goods included. I can't imagine throwing Ray around on the floor in a battle royale with your sister's Ken doll, or using his ghost trap to capture the family's chihuahua. On the other hand, you might find it enjoyable to pose him alongside your other movie figures in this scale. My main concern is his loose leg articulation, which required me to kind of prop him up against the wall, and although he looks natural now, it wasn't fun trying to get him to stand. There's also the frustration of the stuck joints and just the time investment to get the guy looking just right with all the wrinkles and clothes exactly how you want them, which can be tiring. If you're looking for more strictly enjoyable figures, the 6 inch line might be the way to go. And given the terrible likeness and weak paint of his face, even the types who prefer high end collectibles might enjoy the 6 inch version more. Of course, Ray does include a humongous pile of accessories that will extend your enjoyment, and there's also a nice box (which is a pain to get into) with interesting visuals, that also includes a "locker" intended to store his accessories and extras.
     And if you've always wanted a nude Dan Aykroyd figure to pose to your liking, bump this "toy" up to a 10 here. 

Fun Score: 6 / 10

     I'm a little indecisive when thinking about Ray Stantz' price. He cost about $60 originally, and you can add in at least another $8 for shipping too. bringing him to $70 at the cheapest. For a lot of folks out there, $70 is not an easy price to swallow for a single action figure, especially when there are nice ones half this size waiting at Toys R Us for $13 or so. Looking at it from another angle, Hot Toys sells their 1/6 scale collectibles for twice or nearly three times as much as this in many cases, ranging from $140 to $200, and by those standards, Ray seems like a real bargain. In order to step away from all these different numbers, the easiest way to think about the value of a figure is just to consider how much entertainment you'll receive from him. If you absolutely adore the Ghostbusters and need everything ever released with the logo, then it's an obvious buy, but if you're just a casual 1/6 collector thinking about starting a new line, Ray might be a little overpriced. The materials are a fine quality, the base body is a decent initial attempt from Mattel, and the accessories really are top of the line; but then you also have to consider the potential for some minor QC issues, and the pretty weak attempt at a likeness and head aesthetic, meaning Ray simply may not fit in with your other 1/6 movie figures. For me, I'm relatively happy to see Ray standing on the shelf every time I look over, and though I wish he'd been $20 cheaper, I can still live with it, and will definitely consider buying the next figure released in the line as well. 

Value Score: 6 / 10

69 / 100 - This is an Okay Toy

I think Mattel has a chance with this line, but it might be too late to convince collectors that it's going to work, and we might be seeing an untimely death before it even gets off the ground. Ray is an okay figure and an okay 1/6 scale collectible that might satisfy a sampling of Ghostbusters fans. If you don't fall into that category, be very careful, and take extra care before crossing the streams of your credit card and MattyCollector.com.  

-The Articulated One

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