1993, Kenner (Giant) Queen Facehugger.

  • Year: 1993
  • Size: 7 inches
  • Product Line:  Kenner ALIENS (Tonka). ALIENS

This see through Queen Facehugger prototype figure is believed to be a hard copy cast in clear resin with visible metal pins used for holding the tail pieces together and also used to secure the complete tail in place on the figure’s thorax.  Being clear is unusual for Kenner and it is possible this particular hard copy sample may have been intended to investigate such a version being considered for retail purposes. 

While the tail is the only true point of articulation on the figure, the retail version of the Queen Facehugger was blessed with three action features: a hooked tail attached to a length of string for winching in Marine action figures, eight long trigger operated legs that could be closed  around hapless Marines giving them a full body hug and another trigger operated feature of the mouth and retractable tongue for head biting them.  None of these action features are present on the prototype due the fact no internal mechanisms are present to operate any of the figure’s relatively abundant action features

Also of note are the spines projecting from each of the eight legs.  These leg spines appear to be very sharp when compared with the actual retail figure, most likely due to safety concerns.  Another curious deviation is the number of spines on each leg.  This sample displays three spines on the rear pair of legs and two spines on each of the other remaining pairs.  In the retail version of the figure, the opposite is true.  The front pair of legs possess three spines apiece and all pairs of legs to the rear boast only two spines.

The Queen Facehugger figure may have been intended for retail release in a clear version similar to this sample as photos of the piece exist in literature Kenner distributed in the mid 1990s.  Clear cast figures usually age poorly and they yellow with age giving them a ‘smoky’ appearance.  This 20+ year old clear cast hard copy is free of such signs of deterioration and still looks fantastic today.

Images courtesy of Marc Cawiezel