- Year: 2014
- Size: 24 inches
- Product Line: ALIEN. Gentle Giant.
Gentle Giant released a series of four reproduction Kenner ALIEN figures during 2014 and 2015. These were scaled up by 25% from the original 18 inch toy and were released as massive 24 inch tall tribute items. While these four samples saw actual release, Gentle Giant’s original product development goal was a little different. Their original intention was to release a 24 inch tall, limited edition reproduction figure resembling a “test shot prototype” and was to be cast in blue.
Creating this proposed faux prototype sample for retail purposes itself required a production development process. Early stages involved 3D scanning of all parts of an original 1979 Kenner ALIEN toy. The parts were then 3D printed for assembly to create a concept prototype. This 3D printed concept sample was then painted blue to resemble the proposed Gentle Giant limited edition reproduction “prototype” figure. Notably, the concept figure is incomplete, missing the tail. The tail may or may not have been included in the creation of this concept prototype. The jaw activation system also lacks functionality as the pair of return springs and other internal mechanism assembly for the head are not present and do not function. No floating parts are loose inside the figure which would indicate these are not broken and have never been present. The absence of these parts suggests this feature was never fully implemented in this early concept sample.
During early product development, Gentle Giant abandoned the reproduction prototype concept and shifted the project’s direction, leaving the faux prototype figure unproduced. The project would instead move towards a new goal. The figure was redeveloped to become Gentle Giant’s 24 inch glow in the dark ALIEN figure which was released in 2014. The blue concept figure was used as a stepping stone towards this achievement.
The green item below is another step further along the process to the release of the over-size glow in the dark Kenner ALIEN tribute figure. This is an artist proof or similar late product development sample. Such artist’s proofs are made before a full production run commences. This item was created and assembled to ensure the product run of the glow in the dark ALIEN figure would fully comply with all production standards.
Below is a pair of Gentle Giant glow in the dark figures, the artist proof item (Left) and the finished production retail item (Right), demonstrating subtle differences between them. Note a slight shift in colour along with sharper details are present on the artist proof sample than those present on the retail version of the figure.
It is common for production run items to lose detail and fidelity as they proceed along develpment path. Each generation along the production process means the figure becomes ever so slightly removed from the original designed and some detail is lost. As such, prototypes are often better detailed than series run pieces. This sample is no different. Gentle Giant’s retail ALIEN figures are glossy and smooth when compared to the finer details on the artist proof figure, significantly so and suggesting additional stages along the product development have taken place.
While both figures share a common ancestry traceable to Kenner’s 1979 ALIEN toy, these items are otherwise only similar in superficial ways and are not to be confused. Whereas the Gentle Giant concept piece (Right) is a true prototype while the Super7 figure (Left) is a reproduction item and at best can only claim to be a facsimile of one. Both are inspired by the original 1979 Kenner ALIEN toy but that is where their similarities end.
More information about Gentle Giant 24 inch tall Glow in the dark 2014 tribute Kenner ALIEN action figure.
Images courtesy of P.A. Wlodarczyk
