NECA Toys is giving the marines some back up with their newly released Space Marine Drake figure that is inspired from the vintage Kenner line of the early 1990’s. Over the years we’ve been given some great updates to the retro Kenner line, including Ripley, Alpine, and Vasquez, along with the Snake Alien, Mantis Alien, and the recently released Rhino Alien that we’ll also be checking out shortly.
Thank you to NECA Toys for providing their Aliens – Space Marine Drake Kenner Tribute Figure for review.
Availability: April 2020
Space Marine Drake is packaged in a clamshell packaging with inserts consisting of artwork inspired from the Kenner retro line. The card art is nicely done and gives you a look at other figures available on the back, as well as a brief description.
Space Marine Drake is inspired from the classic Kenner collection Drake figure and is given some modern day treatment from NECA to fit in with their current style of Alien figures. Drake comes in his Space Marine suit with a green tank top, camouflage pants with beige, brown deco and black dots. His boots are black and green, with green on the sides. His head gear includes an antenna (that actually broke off) and a communications device sculpted to his head. His head sculpt is nicely done and updated to match the current style of what NECA has been doing, and includes a nice skin tone and blonde hair with a wash. The facial expression however is supposed to look angry as it shows on the card art, but this expression looks more surprised or possibly even scarred.
The smart gun is connected to his body with one of the wire attached to his back, and is meant to be held in both of his hands as he opens fire at an Alien. The smart gun is nicely sculpted and includes a base attachment that inserts into the front. The blade has a short and long piece on the top and bottom and the smart gun can still be used to fire at an Alien while the blades are meant for stabbing. The smart gun has a piece that is connected to it that looks as though it’s meant to go around the figures waist, but instead just hands on the side and is on several hinge joints. The other piece that looks like it plugs into the figures back and goes around the side of his waist. Both pieces cannot connect and only hang. The blade attachment can also be stored on his back.
While not in use, the smart gun can be stored on his back and this saves the figure from becoming a statue that some fans call him as it only appears that his gun cannot be placed anywhere other than his hands. The absence of an instruction sheet or even something on the card back of the packaging would have come in handy to show fans how to place the smart gun, accessories, and blade attachment on his body and to each other.
Drake is also articulated with a ball jointed head, ball hinged shoulders, swivel-hinged elbows, ball jointed wrists, ball jointed chest, ball jointed hips, double-hinged knees, and ball jointed ankles. When holding the smart gun, most of the articulation does not give you the full range of motion as opposed to him storing it on his back.
Also included with Drake is a reprint of a classic Alien comic book that is reprinted in this booklet, and a sticker sheet.
Overall, Drake is finally given the NECA treatment that he so richly deserves and this figure came out great. Despite a few flaws, he meets the same high standard as other figures in this line and its surely a great time to be collecting Alien figures from NECA Toys. Make sure to grab him now at one of the stores listed below and secure yourself this beauty!
Purchase:
Entertainment Earth ($22.99)
Megalopolis: City of Collectibles (22.99)
BigBadToyStore ($23.99)
Things From Another World ($21.59)
NECA eBay Store – $23.99 plus shipping
NECA Amazon Store – $23.99 plus shipping
