- Year: 1979
- Size: 3.75 inches.
- Product Line: Unproduced by Kenner (General Mills). Later released by FUNKOxSuper7 in 2013.
These are some of the prototype items Kenner were developing for their proposed 1980 release ALIEN action figures. On this page we have Ripley, Dallas and Ash. Each figure was developed with a character appropriate accessory. For Ripley and Dallas each was intended to have a flame thrower and Ash was to include his ‘micro changes in air density’ calibrated motion tracker.
More than 30 years passed after being scrapped, these prototypes served as inspiration for ALIEN figures spearheading Super7’s 3.75 inch ReAction range format in 2013, a popular line that continues to enjoy healthy growth in popularity today. Read more about the The Curious History of ALIEN ReAction Figures.
Here are a pair of photos of the only known wax sculpt of Ripley; assembled and disassembled. Along with it is a disassembled Repro10 black hard copy of the same figure. Repro10 is a robust urethane material which was used by Kenner at the time for casting test samples. The weighty material was either tan, black or grey in color and had a tendency to become brittle when cured.
Images courtesy of Derek Ho
Below are hand painted samples of prototype figures of Ash, Dallas and Ripley. Note, each character is equipped with their retail accessory and these figures would have been mass produced based on these samples. The Super7 inspired counterparts of these figures appeared in 2013, 34 years later.
Images courtesy of Tracey Hamilton
