The big feature here is the slimeblower. So much of this line is about the gear and this is a pretty important piece of it. The slimeblower never quite achieved the fame of the proton pack, but I like it and I’m happy with the recreation here. Mattel even managed to teach me a thing or two. You’ll notice the hazard strip running down the tank is crooked in the picture. Think that’s an errant tampo or a movie-accurate detail? If you said errant tampo, you’d make the same mistake I did. That’s why I research complaints before I make them – so I only look partially inept when they’re read.
Anyway, I love the slimeblower. The details all seem to be spot on and he looks great holding it… which he has to do. There’s no harness! That may be a movie accurate detail (I thought it had a nylon strap though), but I wish there was a way to stow it on the figure besides him holding it. But if it were going down a “wishlist” path, I also would’ve liked a slime-stream attachment. The lack of both isn’t that big of a deal to me though. The figure works as is.
Winston always seems to get the shaft when it comes to pack-ins. He’s yet to snag a ghost, Mattel opting to give him traps both times. This time around he comes with a somewhat odd accessory. During the “We’re Back” Montage in the second film, the Ghostbusters used four of these to clear a psychic disturbance out of a crystal gift shop. It’s not a very well featured piece of equipment.
In fact, they’re not even uniquely associated with Ghostbusters as props. If you’re a crazy, wide-eyed GB fan you might’ve spotted them in Lois & Clark, Seaquest or other shows as background props. (Yes, Seaquest collectors, you can grab one more accessory for your old Playmates line). Anyway, it’s a serviceable recreation of the prop, but for two things. One, it’d be cool if they had some type of light effect and two, we need three more of them. I know the accessories are an important part of the value of the figures, but I still think Mattel would be benefit from putting together an accessory pack of 3-4 each of various accessories from the first couple years of the line. I’d buy it.
Articulation is standard for the line – ball-joints for the neck, shoulders, elbows, and wrists, Mattel hips, swivel joints on the waist, thighs and calves. Hinge joints on the knees and ankles (with rocker joints). Everything works okay, but, like all the figures, the ball elbows can’t straighten completely and the wrists on the gloved figures don’t appear to turn outward, only in.
The paintwork on the figure is stellar with the apps being particularly clean on the equipment to give an authentic feel. The logo is a clean tampo and along with crisp details finishes off the uniform. The only area where I’d like to see some paint improvement is the head. The lines on the hair are straight, but they don’t quite line up with the sculpt between the scalp and hairline. Thing is though, that’s my only nitpick on an otherwise great figure.
Overall, I think this might be one of the best Ghostbusters figures to date. He got the new parts he needed to be movie-accurate. He looks great with sharp paint apps and plenty of articulation. And beyond the number, he also demonstrates some willingness by Mattel to treat the fans right and that’s pretty cool. Yeah, he’ll standout a little less come October when Slimeblower Ray is released (by sticking Ray’s head on this body and calling it a hard day’s work), but I don’t think that cheapens what this figure is. I love Winston and I’m happy to get a great GB2 representation of him on my shelves.
So, here’s the rub. Slimeblower Winston & a 20″ Stay Puft Marshmallow Man have rehooked me on Ghostbusters. I’ve gone back and picked up a few that I skipped like Walter Peck and the figures that come with important gear or a cool ghost. But here’s my question to you, my readers – would you like to see reviews of those? I may work them in regardless when I run out of current stuff to look at, but with DCUC18, Batman Legacy, some MUs, etc., it might be awhile unless you guys want to see ’em sooner. We haven’t covered Ghostbusters in awhile and though we’ll cover it again (mostly) going forward, I’m not sure if we should feature reviews on the previously released GBC figures. What do you think?
Check out our Ghostbusters Classics Collector’s Guide.
As a huge collector of the line, your original reviews & checklist are what got me hooked on the site. As I don’t collect the other items you review, I’d love to see a return of Ghostbusters! I have everything Matty’s released to date & think the stuff on the horizon may be some of their best yet. In the next year they’ll be completing the “Ready to believe you” line & giving us Vigo & Possessed Dana. I’d love to hear your thoughts on those!
I think I’m finally as caught up as I want to be. I’m still wavering on Vinz Clortho, but I have everything except him and the slimed figures. (I sold Egon and have no need for him now that I have 4pk Slimer. I don’t think I need Slimed Peter either).
Anyway, glad to hear you’ve enjoyed the reviews and I did buy a Ghostbusters sub for next year, so keep an eye out!
DO the Ghost Containment Unit Review (With Walter Peck Accessory)
LOL. I have it now, so I’ll get to him before too long. 😉
I really enjoyed the review and the pictures as always, great job.
What you were talking about with the likeness on the last paragraph of the page, it reminded me of how annoying I found it that the Horsemen couldn’t sculpt a decent likeness of faces as detailed as Bill Murray or Harold Ramis. I mean, we’d been having celebrity cameos in DCUC since the beginning, and we see this more and more with each new MOTUC (can anyone really say that Battleground Evil-Lyn doesn’t look just like Colm Feore?) and then there was that sense of betrayal, even though I hadn’t purchased any of the figures when Mattel revealed that the Four Horsemen had naught to do with Ghostbusters.
I can’t really ever see myself buying anything non-second hand from Mattel related to Ghostbusters, but I’ll read whatever you review, honestly, hehe. I know I’ll be entertained.
Thanks!
I’m never sure about the celebrity likenesses in DCUC, but thats’ probably because I’m not always good at picking them out. And wait… isn’t Colm Feore a dude? 😀
And, yeah, telling us about the change in sculptors almost a year after the 4H quit working on the line was pretty crummy. I’m still not sure exactly what they did and didn’t. I might have to shoot ’em an e-mail and get the scoop.
Yes! Do it! That way you can review all the stuff I can’t. I couldn’t afford Stay-Puft or the sub, so no Rookie for me… 🙁
I couldn’t really afford Stay-Puft either… If my birthday weren’t so close to the day the Mattycollector SDCC stuff went on sale, I would’ve likely been screwed. He was a lot of money.
I don’t know if I would’ve bought the GB sub other than I was cutting down from 2 MOTU subs to one. I figured I was still coming out ahead and getting the GB figs out of the deal.
Yes please! Review the older figures! I love reading them.
Roger that. 🙂
Yes please!! Do the reviews! That’s what some people need in order to decide whether to pick them up or not.
Amazing review!
Thanks, Jota.
I have em all already but I will gladly read your reviews, go for it!
Thanks, Nik!
I would like the reviews to return. Always a fun read at work!
Thanks, FF. They’ll be back. I’ll get caught up on the ones I missed and then hopefully go the new ones on-time!
It really seems simple to me, guys. If you buy it, review it. You spent hard earned money on something, and clearly it created an interest to cause you to spend that money, so it’s nice to hear the thoughts about it.
I don’t come here to read specific reviews of specific lines, I read for the fun, for the goofy pics, for the knowledge.
I’m probably going to have to sub up to the BBS side soon, otherwise I can’t tell Vault to start hitting Big Lots because excess Monster High stuff is showing up in bulk there… 🙂
We do for the most part, but sometimes – because previous reviews drew so little interest (Vault’s Monster High or my JLU for example) – we buy stuff and don’t always feature it. Some stuff just falls by the wayside too. I think I have 25 toys to review at the moment… and more stuff is coming… 😛
Yes!!!!! Please make a review of them!
And could you check my review of Ray?
http://izaguirre.webs.com/raystanz6figure.htm
Please coment!! And thanks!!!
Nice review on Ray! Great job on the close up shots. My photos always tend to get grainy when I get too close.
Yes make more Ghostbusters reviews!
Will do! 🙂
The biggest qeustion about these (for me) is are they worth the price? The 20 price tag plus s&h has been what has scared me away. I picked up the 4 pack for less than 60, and I think it’s a great deal at around 15 per figure but Iwouldnt be as warm to It at 20-25 each. I get that price isntthe focus of a review. That said 18 bucks a figure has turned a Dcuc into a hohum line where as 4 for terminator salvation figures (10 for the hunter killer plane) turn crappy figures into a good buys. So no matter what price figures into the “fun factor” and while I would love to own a Walter Peck with containment unit Matty make a bearded Harvey Dent
with an oversized accessory less fun than say a 15 dollar toys are us find.
having watched the newest Torchwood: Miracle Day the other night and now seeing the “head swap” gag, if you swap GB1 Ernie’s head/hands onto Peck, you have a custom figure of his character in T:MD or Heroes! LOL