• Manufacturer: Funko
• Released: 2017

ALIEN Covenant has completed its rounds in most parts of the world and has been and gone from cinema screens. In its wake we are still in the midst of a wave of movie based merchandise that is still hitting store shelves and online retailers. First off the bat for review on this site is Funko’s interpretation of the Alien’s early evolutionary stage, the fast growing, agile and aggressive Neomorph creature. This item is one of the latest additions to Funko’s extremely popular and long running POP! vinyl figure range and one of 6 items from the movie being released in this format. The Neomorph figure is Product No. 431 in a growing range of POP! figures.

This 4 1/2 inch tall stylised figure possesses an absurdly oversized head and comes in a playfully decorated box common to all POP! figures. There’s a wraparound window on the box front so the figure and its single accessory are easily observable. It’s a nice display package and comes with the benefit of not being sealed shut with tape or other adhesive thus making it an easy and inviting item to open, remove the contents as necessary and then stow the figure back into the box without damaging the packaging. Fantastic! I wish more companies would produce packaging that wasn’t subject to alteration, mutilation or be damaged or destroyed just to get at the contents. 

One of the hallmarks of Funko’s range of POP! figures is the extreme disproportionate relationship between the sizes of the head and body of the figure. Whereas a head would normally represent 1/8 of a human’s height, the POP! figure ratio dramatically increases head size to 1/2 of the figure making the head ridiculously large in comparison to the body; and frequently much larger on some POP! figures. It’s a comical treatment Funko have adopted and applied to dozens – nay hundreds – of popular culture characters and personalities in recent years with varying degrees of success.

The Neomorph figure is no exemption here and fortunately its treatment of product megacephalia actually works exceptionally well, with the ludicrously oversized head serving to add to the grotesque appearance innately displayed by the creature.  It also serves to amplify the prominent feature that matters the most on this character – the mouth. Here, the maw of this figure is disconcerting not only because of its size but also due to its familiar configuration.

The hominid like dentition differs from what we see in the movie and while it is not exactly screen accurate this version of the mouth is nonetheless disturbing with its enamel incisors, canines and molars seated in gums. It comes complete with a tongue and the entire familiar dental arrangement is mounted inside an obscenely misshapen and oversized head that resembles a swollen and disfigured cashew nut. It’s an unsettling appearance for an item among a range of toys that are otherwise known to be cute and appealing. This thing certainly is neither.

The surprising feature regarding this modest effigy is the amount of detail present on the body. There’s a lot to admire on the 2 inch tall bipedal frame that supports such an impossibly large head. The torso, muscles on the thighs, bones in the hands and feet and multiple narrow spines of varying length projecting from the creatures back are all modeled in terrific detail. Only the tail feels underwhelming in presentation when compared to the sculpted contours found on the rest of the body.

The pallid and unsightly figure is cast primarily in an off white vinyl from head to toe. Paint is minimal and largely restricted to the figure’s mouth with pink gums and grey lips along with toe nails.  This is all that’s present in terms of coatings and colour for this item. It’s a sickly looking thing – and all the better for it.

No articulation is present on the figure as all limbs are immovably affixed to the torso. It stands easily on both of its small feet assisted significantly by its tail touching the ground. These three points of contact on the ground make a confident tripod to support the ungainly proportions clearly on display here. This makes toppling a non-issue for this item despite the high center of gravity the figure clearly has due to the oversized head. A display stand of any description is not present in the package and nor is one required.

I’m not very knowledgeable on Funko POP! figures but my understanding is accessories are few and included only in select items. In this regard, the Neomorph figure comes with one of the coolest extras you could want. Inside the package is another, smaller figure. It’s the Neomorph in its juvenile stage, just after it’s emerged from its victim’s body, also known as ‘The Toddler’, sans blood and viscera. This is a neat inclusion and the fact that Funko have gone to such effort sculpting the terrific detail on this 1 1/2 inch tall extra ‘Toddler’ item is to be commended.  So let’s take a closer look at Junior as well.  He deserves the attention

This additional potato headed little figure is more or less (adjusting for proportional anomalies) correctly in scale with the larger figure. For an additional diminutive item included in the cost of the package, its appearance is phenomenal. It’s good enough to be sold individually let alone included in the cost of the featured figure. It’s the kind of thing other manufacturers would sell separately as a $10 key chain decoration – or similar item.

Possessing such a small footprint, the minuscule Toddler is very top heavy and unfortunately the tail is not used to help keep it upright like the larger figure in this box. The overly bulbous and weighty head will send it toppling with the slightest bump or vibration and the fact that the 1/8 inch(!) wide feet are even capable of standing the tiny figure upright unaided is testimony to how well balanced this neat little crater critter* actually is. In this regard, a display stand or use of the tail contacting with the ground to help support it would have been ideal. Nonetheless, despite earning its nickname of ‘The Toppler’ due to its instability and unwanted tendency to easily fall over, it is one the best accessories I’ve seen in a while and is a superb inclusion for the Funko Neomorph.

The package is badge rated at ‘AGE 3+’ but this item should be considered inappropriate for youngsters. Considering the nature of the movie this product is based on, anyone giving one of these things to a 3 year old child – or even older – should themselves be considered inappropriate for children.

I’m not all that interested in Funko’s POP! merchandise, generally speaking.  I only own 2 of them but this Neomorph item is impressive and almost inspires me to buy more. It rewardingly departs from their homogenised beady eyed presentation these product items are generally known for and to top it off, it comes with an unbeatable cool accessory that is almost worthy of being a stand alone item (pun intended) in its own right.

Incidentally, Funko missed out on allocating 426 to any of the ALIEN Covenant POP! figures by just 2 items. That revered number went to their Stranger Things’ POP! figure, Will.  The ALIEN Covenant range starts at 428 with David curiously dressed in Covenant crew gear – an anomaly in itself.

SCORE: 9/10

This figure and its accompanying infant self is proof that not all specimens of hideous plastic have to be black and various shades of unattractive dark grey. Plus you get 2 great figures at a terrific price point that can’t be beat. Unheard of!

*Once upon a time, you’d find little freebie toys of these dimensions inside Kellog’s cereal packets. Crater Critters were among the most famous and best Premiums, ever made.

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