NECA Toys popular Alien 40th Anniversary figures continues with the fourth wave of figures, which is the last revealed wave of this line. This wave includes re-releases of Ellen Ripley and Joan Lambert in their Nostromo Space Suits, with using photo real face printing tech and the outfits look to include some new painted applications. This wave also includes the Big Chap Alien with a new paint scheme based on H.R. Giger’s original sketches.
Thank you to NECA Toys for providing their Alien 40th Anniversary Wave 4 Figures for review.
Availability: July 2021
Each figure is packaged in a window box with artwork that inspired from the Alien figures of the 80’s, and has a great retro style design, and we also have seen this style of packaging used for Alien figures by other companies. These window boxes include a checklist on the back to collect the entire line-up.
The crew of the USCSS Nostromo had no idea what they were up against when they encountered this species. We saw each member of the crew get eaten and die a death that none deserved, except for Ripley as she was the sole human survivor, and if they had listen to her about quarantine and the risk of contamination, the crew’s fate would have been different.
Joan Lambert is based on the first Aliens film, and depicts a great likeness to Actress Veronica Cartwright. She is sculpted in the Nostromo Space suit that has been previously used, with some updated deco as well as a brand new head sculpt that gives her the best likeness yet. The new deco includes a darker blue, darker grey and various darker colors throughout the space suit as shown in the images where we compare with the 2017 release. As far as the sculpt goes, no changes were made, only the deco and the new head sculpt. The articulation on the suit is limited, and she includes two heads, removable helmet, blaster and flashlight accessory. The helmet fits firmly on the head, and the accessories in her hand. There is also a holster loop for the blaster, which is on the fragile side.
Ellen Ripley is inspired from the likeness of Actress Sigourney Weaver and she comes in her Nostromo Space suit that she previously came in back in 2015. The suit is the same as Lambert’s and other figures offered, with nicely done details and sculpted textures. This suit is painted mostly in white, with some beige, and some dark grey deco around the front of the knee pads. She also has some painted labels on her hands, painted knobs and various labels on her tanks just like Lambert. The head sculpt is new and depicts an even better likeness, with the updated facial details. She includes an interchangeable head sculpt with updated an facial likeness, a Harpoon Grapling gun, and two harpoons. The helmet fits on the same way as other figures, and this is retooled as it doesn’t have the flashlight on top as Lambert’s has.
The Big Chap figure uses the same sculpt as the Ultimate Big Chap, which works great on him as well. The new deco gives you something different in this release, and they did a terrific job on this new deco. The Big Chap has some new updated deco and is based on H.R. Giger’s original sketches. This figure is given the same great sculpted details and attention to detail that you see on modern Xenomorph figures. The sculpt features the same great details including the ribs on his chest, as well as the high-end quality textures and all of the tiny details that NECA offers with all of their Alien Xenomorph figures. There is a lot of detail going into the sculpt and the more you look at it, the more you’re going to love it. In addition to that, he also has the tongue that pops out, a hinged jaw, a clear done on top of his head that is not removable, and a bendable tail. This sculpt has the updated articulation, which is listed below.
His articulation includes a ball jointed head, ball hinged shoulders, double jointed elbows, swivel-hinged wrists, ball jointed torso, ball jointed hips, double-hinged knees, hinged and rocker ankles, and hinged toes. He also has a hinged jaw, a bendable tail, and a tongue that pops out. Some key changes to articulation includes changes to the knee and elbows, the bicep swivel has been removed, knee joints enlarged, and the ankles allow more poseability.
Overall, Alien 40th Anniversary Wave 4 is one of the best offerings this year and it gives you such great updates to these memorable sci-fi characters. These changes are enough to warrant another purchase if you already have them, and this completes the 40th anniversary collection!
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