We know NECA’s Series 11 ALIEN figures have been coming for sometime but we now have exact details.  Of most significance to me is the Lambert figure, which is the first time an official likeness has been granted by Veronica Cartright; and even better, Lambert has 2 heads!

Well, 2 interchangeable heads, that is.  Not 2 at the same time.  I don’t think Lambert is some kind of chimera.  The facial details and 1970s hair style looks very well sculpted and is my preference while the snoopy cap replacement head looks like Lambert is, well, a little constipated.  I guess fear can look that, huh.  Aside from the 2 heads and helmet, the figure comes with the same accessories common to the Dallas and Kane compression suited figures: a flashlight and pistol.

Anyway, the other figures that round out the set are a pair of Aliens. The snappy translucent polar ice Alien is another Kenner tribute item.  This figure is NECA’s interpretation of the VICIOUS ALIEN ATTACKER!  Wow… this does look sweet.

This one is definitely on my want list.   The final member of this trio is an Alien from the Dark Horse  comic book series, ALIENS: Defiance.  I haven’t read the comics so the significance of this item escapes me a little.

This is quite an eclectic set of figures with none of them sharing much in the way of common ground in terms of how they relate to each other.  Each one of them has a different origin.  Lambert is based on a character from the first movie that kicked this all off in the first place.  The polar ice VICIOUS ATTACKER! has an origin in the 1992 Kenner toy range and the Defiance Alien is inspired by a more contemporary comic mini series.

Aside from being based on characters in the ALIEN universe, there’s at least one other common thread woven into this set of figures.  They are each re-purposed sculpts from previous NECA figures.  The Lambert figure is a fresh treatment of NECA’s compression suited Kane figure, the VICIOUS ATTACKER! is a straight recasting of an earlier Big Chap and the Defiance figure with its digitigrade legs owes its origin to Stompy, a very popular figure based on the ALIEN: Isolation video game Xenomorph (a figure, that in turn also owes its origin to the earlier Big Chap.)

Is this repurposing of older NECA figures a good thing – or not?  Is it necessary?  I like that the Lambert figure uses a completely different color scheme that matches what was worn in the movie.  Why would you not use the same compression sculpt for the character?   As for the blue alien figure..?  It looks neat and certainly adds a different expression to NECA’s previous translucent treatment of the figure.  As to the Defiance Alien? This one probably does jump the shark for me.  Then again, I haven’t read the comics.  Maybe I should do that and development a better appreciation of it.  I don’t think it’s bad – it just lacks appeal to me.

Either way, Series 11 look great!  Who cares if they’re re-purposed sculpts when the end result is this smashingly good?

-Windebieste.