ALIEN toys are nothing new and in all actuality can trace their ancestry back four decades since the movie, ALIEN, was released in 1979. Since then, a great many products have been released that pass themselves off as “toys” or “collectible toys”. They’re basically monikers applied to product designed to appeal to an adult market. Lanard Toys entered the market with their ALIEN Collection range in early 2020 with a distinctly different target demographic. Their range of ALIEN play things aren’t primarily being marketed towards adults.These ALIEN toys are intended for children – and the production values attest to this goal.
These aren’t expensive and frail, high end adult collectibles to be shelved and gawked at inside a glass display case, never to be handled. These are robust and made to withstand being played with extensively by little eight year old Jimi in his backyard sand pit or on the living room floor on rainy days. Sure, adult collectors will also have a ball with these items but not necessarily because they are screen accurate effigies of movie monsters they represent. Rather, the collectible appeal is there for the same reasons Kenner ALIENS toys of the 1990s have such fascination today. They are phallic headed play things based on R-rated movies – unquestionably intended for children as young as seven years of age.
Packaged in bright colored window boxes to emphasise the age group these toys are intended, this is the Wave 2 series of Lanard Toys ALIEN collection. A set of three, seven inch tall creatures taking their cues from each of the first three ALIEN movies. These are all stylised toys featuring an abundance of detail and articulation. There’s also a Queen Alien available in this set. At two feet tall, it’s huge. Unfortunately, I haven’t picked that item up. Not yet, anyway so it will not form any part of this appraisal. Nonetheless, let’s take a closer look at the three ALIEN items in hand.
First up is the “Xenomorph Drone”. Inspired by the creature from the first ALIEN movie and given a white pearl finish, this item is fully articulated throughout. Neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, hips, knees, ankles and tail base where it attaches to the torso. For the greater part, it’s a full set of movement on key joints featured on this toy. Even the jaw can open and close.
There’s no less than fifteen points of articulation on the toy and the only significant feature lacking any articulation here is the death dealing tongue. While the tongue is present, it is a minor detail, immovably molded into the back of the mouth. Nonetheless, for a child’s toy, this figure has a fantastic ability to be posed and set up in many configurations, all provided by a mostly excellent range of movement.
The finish of this figure is reminiscent of the experimental, white translucent suit briefly explored during the production of ALIEN in 1979; or the equally pallid Neomorph form from ALIEN Covenant. The toy also includes a pair of accessories consisting of an Alien egg and a facehugger. They’re basically what you would expect accessories for a children’s toy to be. Simple and without any articulation. These are welcome, nonetheless, and fully detailed.
While the egg is nothing too remarkable, the diminutive facehugger included here is fully detailed. It also includes the underside of the parasite which boasts the suggestively explicit details which have been a long established component of the creature design. Some parents of a more conservative disposition might find it challenging to explain to little Jimi what these details are should he request any explanation of them. Then again, I don’t imagine that such parents would purchase ALIEN toys for their kids, anyway.
Next we have the delightfully themed blue ALIENS “Xenomorph Warrior”. It sure is a pretty piece. It boasts an almost ceramic quality to the finish with some lighter highlights on the top of the domeless head and also upon the elbow blades that charaterise this particular version of the creature as it appears in the 1986 sequel, ALIENS.
Lacking in 100% originality here, this figure is a recast of the “Xenomorph Drone” above but demonstrating a few changes. The colour is an obvious difference. Other changes are the sculpting of the upper half of the head, the aforementioned arms, the hands and how the tail tip terminates on this figure. These minor details are all that differentiate each figure, physically.
All other body parts – the greater majority of them all – are duplicated from the paler “Drone” figure. While this range of presentation may not appear to be much, it’s still relatively compliant with what is seen on screen. All articulation from the “Drone” figure is to be found on this item as expected. As such, all of the poses the “Drone” is capable can also be achieved with this item; and vice versa.
Once again, this figure includes a pair of accessories. Firstly, a facehugger is present. This is exactly the same item included with the “Drone” figure, sans egg. Instead of an ovomorph, this accessory is accompanied by a small bio-containment canister. This item is very similar to the upright specimen collection cylinders present in ALIENS’ medlab scene. And just like those canisters, this item can be disassembled and the facehugger removed and let loose upon ususpecting victims nearby. Look out, Barbie!
It’s a great, simple accessory. Perfectly themed to the movie it is intended to help this package represent. It is easily disassembled and put back together in three simple pieces.
The third figure in this set, the “Runner Xenomorph”, is easily the best sculpt of the three. Whereas the “Drone” and “Warrior” figures are highly stylised and use a recognisably comic book language, the “Runner” bears a more screen accurate presentation in its proportions. It still boasts a toy-like finish but this is a great figure to handle and look at. It’s unfortunate then that the “Runner” doesn’t have the same level of articulation present as the other two items in this set.
In some areas, the articulation is actually improved upon. For example, instead of rotating spindles attaching the head and tail to the figure, the copper colored “Runner” uses ball and socket joints for much more satisfying range of motion in these locations. The shoulders, elbows and hands also have articulation allowing them to be moved into any position. Which is great! It’s when you look into manipulating the hindquarters of the figure is where it comes up short. A single spindle on each hip is all that is present to swivel the legs about that rotation point. There is no articulation present at the knees or ankles and these omissions make the rigid legs unmovable at these points. The terrific looking legs lack articulation below the hips and this severely hampers what can be done with the figure.
As the “Runner” is essentially a quadruped, any attempt to set the figure in a bipedal stance is immediately rendered ludicrous by the lack of articulation in the legs. Setting the figure upon its two back feet immediately reveals its shortcomings. At best, an ungainly and unsatisfying stance is achieved. Sadly, the lack of articulation in the legs forces it to primarily stand in three to four points of contact when the figure is placed on a flat surface. Easily the best of the three figures in appearance but lacking in one critical area. No articulation of the rear legs may not sound like much but this simple issue causes pronounced restrictions preventing it from achieving its full potential.
Of course, much like the other two items in this set, the “Runner” also has a pair of accessories. Present is the obligatory facehugger. It’s the same item included with both the “Drone” and the “Warrior”. You may expect the sculpt to be more along the lines of the facehugger associated with the ALIEN 3 monster. Unfortunately, no. It’s not a Queen facehugger and it’s just your standard face gripping parasite in possession of no special attributes.
What’s more impressive is the other accessory included in this pack. Murphy’s rottweiler, Spike, makes a very welcome appearance in this pack. This item is a surprise as the meticulous quality of the sculpt on this accessory is nothing short of impressive. Here, every subtle nuance of the dog’s form is represented. Its morphology is correct with all proportions being faithful. Subtle features of the face, body and legs are all accurate. The sculpt includes the musculature under the skin along with the texture, placement and direction of the fur being perfect. As a sculpted piece, it’s easily the most realistic in the entire set. Painted as appropriate.
Out of the packet and side by side with the “Runner”, the dog accessory is incongruous in its style and detail. What’s more, this is a solid cast toy sans any articulation at all. The difference is so pronounced I am inclined to believe this dog figure must have been a piece contracted by an independent manufacturer. It appears out of place but nonetheless this anomaly adds to the random “toyetic” quality Lanard have created here and makes for a fantastic inclusion in this set. A stunning and solid accessory piece despite the lack of any articulation. This one item. Spike, is so good you could gift it to a dog enthusiast who, not having any knowledge of the violently grisly demise this animal has to endure in an R-rated movie, would be delighted with it!
This is a great trio of ALIEN figures from Lanard Toys. The fact remains these are toys intended to be handed over to your child, as young as seven as recommended by the manufacturer. Collectors will love them, too. They hearken back to the popular ALIENS toys of the final decade of the last century when Kenner took steps to bring similar toys to children to play with around the world.
More ALIEN toys are coming from Lanard. I understand in about two months, this range of product is going to expand even more. Considerably, if what I have heard is true; with a world wide release instead of the staggered appearance of these items across random countries. After all, it took over a year for any of these toys to appear on Toyworld shelves here in Australia. In this regard, I’m expecting another wave of multi-fanged, slimy man-eating cosmic horrors appropriate for children to play with to appear here again very soon.
Thanks Lanard Toys. These ugly things are great.
Score: 8/10
Refreshing and yet strangely nostalgic. These toys are just as much collectible items as they are intended for children. The important difference being kids playing with these science fiction/horror themed toys will grow up with comparable cherished memories that adults today have of their childhood experiences playing with Kenner’s ALIENS toys of the 1990s. This is pure face ripping space monstery goodness for kids, setting them up to be the next generation of ALIEN fans.
And that’s where the real value lies in these lurid toys.
