5 Attachment(s)
REVIEW: Little Minxies #1 - Joseph Michael Linsner's SINFUL SUZI
Mr. Moore Has Some Playful Pinup Fun...
To insure your action figure collection, contact Collectibles Insurance Services at (888) 837-9537, or click here to get a quote and apply online. Collectibles Insurance Services is the Official Partner of the Figures.com network.
To buy action figures, take a look at BigBadToyStore.com, AlterEgoComics.com, Anime-Island.com, TheToySource.com, Toynk.com, BriansToys.com, ToyWiz.com, and MonkeyDepot.com.
For hobby miniatures and all your gaming needs, visit MiniatureMarket.com.
Clayburn Moore is best known in the industry for his hyper-realistic sculpting of hyper-gorgeous women. Occasionally he lets his hair down, so to speak, and tries his hand at more light-hearted subjects, such as Dean Yeagle's Mandy and Frank Cho's Liberty Meadows. More recently Mr. Moore has been having some vinyl figure fun, his Mondo-chi being an artistic take on his pet Chihuahua, and the subject of this review, Little Minxies, a collaboration with Manuel Carrasco involving sexy pinup interpretations of fan favorite characters and original creations. While I look forward to seeing what original creations Moore and company have in mind for the series, Little Minxies is off to a strong start with some cute comic character choices. Already announced is David Mack's Kabuki and Top Cow Productions' Aphrodite IX. Joseph Michael Linsner's Sinful Suzi launches Little Minxies with some seductive sex appeal, the mischievous demon-girl available now priced at $44.95 and limited to 3000 pieces.
Packaging for the Sinful Suzi Little Minxie is an attractive lime green closed window box. Black lacy flourishes trim all sides of the pack, lending a sexy burlesque vibe to the collectible. A punch of red proudly announces the name of the series and the character in question. It's a great looking packaging presentation, the box design complimenting the collectible on display.
Stowed in a plastic clamshell tray, Sinful Suzi slides out of her box ready for display. Made of a hard PVC vinyl, the statue measures 8 inches tall and is preposed on a round black plastic base. The bottom of this base has your typical legal mumbo-jumbo along with a stamped edition number, the same number handwritten on the top of the box. Mine's 405 out of 3000. While 3000 isn't exactly the lowest production run for a figure, it's certainly not mass market quantities and it does adds an air of collectibility to an already attractive collectible.
And is she a looker! As I pointed out at the start of this review, Clayburn Moore is a master at sculpting the female form. I'd argue he's the best in the biz. Little Minxies is not only a cool collectibles concept, but the comic pinup format allows Mr. Moore to really let loose with sculpting what he's best at. CS Moore Studio describes Little Minxies as "curvaceous cuties" - and they ain't foolin'! While this exaggerated style could easily turn to tasteless, Clayburn keeps things classy.
Paint apps on the mostly bare skinned succubus are vibrant and well executed. While her body is mostly (off) white, there is some excellent dimension given to her curves with some subtle shading. To give depth to her bue hair, a black wash is applied to great effect. Most stunning are Sinful Suzi's eyes, the fiery use of reds and oranges contrasting perfectly with her pretty pale face. Sinful Suzi reminds me alot of the BeGoths in the eye department - purely a compliment. Actually, now that I think about it, Little Minxies strike me as more mature BeGoths. It's all about the sexy pinup style.
I'm a huge fan of old WWII pin-up girl art, where the style was all about hot gals, military props and fantasy dress up. With Little Minixies, the character chosen BECOMES the subject of sexy make believe. It's such a great idea that should appeal to anyone with an admiration of pin-up art. About the only thing not so attractive about Little Minixies is the price. Sinful Suzi retails for $44.95, while future releases tend to be priced higher (Aphrodite IX at $54.95, Kabuki at $49.95). While certainly more appealing than a high-end resin statue, almost $50 for an 8-inch, albeit limited edition, PVC vinyl figure is a tough sell for some collectors, especially when compared to similarily sized 8-inch articulated figures on the market priced at $20-$25. However, when you view Little Minxies for what they are - playful, fun ART pieces - and compare them to what's out there in the designer toy scene, the price makes alot more sense. Like everything in this great hobby of ours, price is all so subjective.
I really look forward to the sexy sci-fi Aphrodite IX this April. Kabuki, which will please David Mack fans, is planned for August. Little Minxies appear to have a nicely spaced release window - perfect for those eager to collect them all, yet have room to save up for the next release. What I'm super excited to see are those original creations CS Moore Studio refers to. Licensed characters are a superb way to introduce Little Minxies to the masses, but original Clayburn Moore designs? I couldn't think of a better way to let loose as an artist.
All Photos by Jeff Saylor
Review Sample Courtesy of CS Moore Studio
