REVIEW: WETA's Righteous Bison Indivisible Particle Smasher Ray Gun

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[QUOTE=JessHorsley;50670]A heck of a blaster at an affordable price...

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It's something of a mystery why fans like me flock to items like this, but it's a solid fact: sci-fi nuts like ray guns. Yup, we're guilty of living our ideal lives out in the comfort of armchairs, reading, watching and enjoying sci-fi movies, books, comics and video games...and then along comes WETA with their line of Ray Guns and darn near forces us to accept the inevitable fact that we want...no...we [I]need[/I] to own a Ray Gun of our very own.

Now, the first offerings by WETA were too expensive for my blood. Though I had the opportunity to handle first-hand these marvelous works of science fiction artwork, there's no way I can afford to buy a $1k prop replica. It's just not gonna happen.

Enter WETA's new [URL="http://www.wetanz.com/the-righteous-bison-indivisible-particle-smasher/"]Righteous Bison Indivisible Particle Smasher Ray Gun[/URL]. Touting a very affordable $115 price tag, this is WETA quality at a working man's price.

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[B][U]PACKAGING:[/U][/B]
WETA knows how to attract and keep fan attention with their packaging ([I]above[/I]). The large, durable box features impressive graphics and images of the Ray Gun as well as hilarious catch phrases like "Kicking Protons in the *** since 1887" among others.

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The window box package features images of the previously released Ray Guns on the top flap and a cut out which shows the Righteous Bison through the plastic window (above).

While this cardboard package is no way near as impressive as the previously released high-end Ray Gun packaging, one has to remember the price adjustment (near $1k vs. $100). Overall, the flap-covered window box packaging will both attract fans looking for something fun as well as keep fans impressed with it's attractive graphics and display function.

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[B][U]SCULPT:[/U][/B]

Both cool to look at and easy to handle, the Righteous Bison says "Don't mess with me!" while, at the same time, says "I'm simple and don't need a big gun to blast you to smithereens."

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Featuring plenty of piping and gauges, the ray gun looks classy without being overly consumed with minute details. The pistol grip is sculpted with filigree-like detail while a small (unmovable) safety sits above the pistol grip ([I]above[/I]).

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The small satellite-like cone and circular focusing rings at the front of the gun's barrel ([I]below and above[/I]) give it a similar look to those ray guns seen in many a 1930's and 40's pulp magazines...only this time, geeks like me and hold this bad boy, which is perfectly cast in a high impact plastic. The final impressive detail on this Ray Gun is the massive fin ([I]below[/I]) which not only draws one's attention, but ensures you know you're dealing with an approved classic that's in style no matter the time period or galaxy in which you're hunting.

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[B][U]PAINT APPLICATION:[/U][/B]

The antique silver and gold perfectly compliment the plastic casting of this piece, which could actually convince the untrained eye it's metal. I give a proper acknowledgment to WETA for making a Ray Gun in plastic and painting it with these colors. It'd be easy to make this $100 prop look like a cheap version of a better made and more costly piece. Instead, WETA has made the Righteous Bison a solid display piece thanks to the high-quality paint application.

[U][B]COST & OVERALL IMPRESSION:[/B][/U]

As I said, this is every sci-fi geek and working man's fantasy: an affordable, high-quality ray gun replica that'll make the guys in your office question your motives and the ladies in the office wonder about your extra-curricular activities.

With a suggeted retail price of approx. $115 US, fans should be able to find this piece for right at the $100 mark, making it 1/10 the cost of the most costly WETA Ray Guns. Again, affordable, but detailed and attractive.

With an impressive sculpt, durable cast, and detailed paint application, the WETA Righteous Bison Ray Gun is one replica affordable to all and made for the ages. And let's not forget it's made with "Portability and wieldability" in mind...and "can be fired continuously without exhausting the sportsman. Much like a good man-servant."

Check below for the full (and hilarious!) product description from WETA and be sure to check out the photo gallery [URL="http://2009reviews.figures.com/showgallery.php?cat=746"]HERE[/URL] for 29 photos of the coolest new prop ray gun out there!

[I]- Jess C. Horsley[/I]

WETA's Righteous Bison Indivisible Particle Smasher Ray Gun product description:

[I]The Righteous Bison is no ordinary raygun. Far from it.

Where traditionally manufacturers in the Wave Oscillation genre have (some say lazily) gone down the well charted route of heft and mass, the Righteous Bison has been designed with the handler in mind. Portability and wieldability have been the guiding lights for the ground breaking team of young talent that's been put in charge of this whimsical undertaking.

It is furthermore an eminently suitable accessoire to your pseudo-victorian attire for weekending in the country or impressing your peers at parties or other large gatherings. The Righteous Bison can take a fair amount of man-handling. And even more woman-handling!

The result, ladies and gentlemen, as I'm sure you agree, is nothing short of pretty good. The gun is about the same weight as a small brown trout (or two pints of Pale Ale) and can be fired continuously without exhausting the sportsman. Much like a good man-servant.

It is despatched packaged in equally light-weight materials and should reach you at your desired destination quick-smart.

Made from Imitation Metal*

Any similarity between the Righteous Bison Indivisible Particle Smasher and the raygun silhouette in the crest of Grordbort Industries is naturally not completely coincidental. They're both rayguns, silly.

*Imitation Metal is a light-weight compound that looks and feels remarkably like plastic under Earth conditions[/I][/QUOTE]

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