- Year: 1993
- Size: 7 inches wide.
- Product Line: Produced by Kenner (Tonka).
Definitely one of Kenner’s ALIENS oddities is the 6 limbed (!) Arachnid Alien. This figure is constructed to be low to the ground and very much tank-like with its fully rotating ‘turret’ head. Aside from the head turning ability, this figure possessed 2 other action features of note. A trigger on the back of the figure allowed the legs and pincers to move while the rubber cast head acts as a squeeze bulb which would squirt water from its mouth when filled.
This Arachnid Alien prototype head piece would eventually become the figure’s fully turning 360 degree rotating head. Note the relatively wide circular point of attachment on the underside of this piece designed to freely permit such rotation.
Images courtesy of Cesar AV Rarámuri
Below is another pair of test samples of the figure’s head. Like the one immediately above, these rotocast samples are made for easy rotation upon the figure’s neck.
Images courtesy of Derek Ho.
As with many Kenner action figures, the Arachnid Alien started its path to full production release as a kit bashed conceptual prototype cobbled together from extraneous parts. The scratch built prototype sample below is an excellent example of other figures being used to create a new item. Sharp eyes may be able to discern the improvised head of this piece is comprised of a pair of modified 1992 Kenner Gorilla Alien heads fitted together. The 4 limbs of the Arachnid Alien prototype are also arms cannibalised from Gorilla Aliens with the hands removed.
Here is the scratch built Arachnid Alien item alongside a retail sample of the actual figure. Notable is the general morphology of the early concept piece as it has translated comparably into the finished version that became available on toy shelves in 1993.
