"Hellboy” bust review - Pathos Miniatures makes us see red

Pathos Miniatures are a few releases old now – they have several creative and diverse busts already in their cannon and an interesting one planned in a scarred German soldier – but today we thought we would start you off with the kid of the family – to be specific a teenager – “Hellboy” – also known as “Big Red”

“Big Red”

Pathos Miniatures
Resin bust
1/10^th scale
Three parts in grey resin
Available from: www.pathosminiatures.com.

Hellboy is a comic book and now film and video game character originally devised and drawn by writer-artist Mike Mignola. “Big Red” as he is known (– and the title of this sculpt) first appeared in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 in August 1993 and his interesting child in the body of a demon storyline gathered a lot of attention from fans, especially as well from the two live-action feature films in 2004 and 2008 that starred Ron Perlman as the demon. He has the body of a demon and a right hand made of stone for clobberin’ “The hand of Doom” - and in the other Hellboy carries a very large pistol called “the Samaritan” when he is beyond arm’s length. Hellboy has supernatural healing and regenerative powers but  even though he has been written into comics in a sixty years span he does not age beyond the plateau of physical maturity. This is the subject for this sculpt.

This bust arrived from Pathos Miniatures in a zip-loc bag inside a secure box – I am not sure if this is a departure as the other two kits we have their own attractive boxes – the resin figure was supplied covered with more than enough bubble wrap to keep him safe – I would always prefer a box but it might come down to cost – not sure but boxes stack better on my shelf than bags, and they give that “special” feel when you get them as well.

The resin comes in three parts. Grey in colour and not at all smelly, there is the bust of Big Red and the two cigars attached to a small pouring block. There is I suppose on for spare!  Maybe he should tuck it under his ear?

Bubble free resin combined with a ready-made stand that is attached to the figure is very welcome and easily removable if you want to fashion your own.

The figure features Big Red in a typical trench coat – smokin’ a cigar in the side of his mouth as is his trademark, he also features his top know hair-do and roughly sawn off stumps of horns on his head. His rippled muscles feature in the opening of his coat as do his large thick sideburns and pointy ears.

To me he looks a lot like the film version of the character – I know Ron Perlman had to be put into make up for the role with prosthetics, but this sculpt really does resemble him in the role in most ways. The hair is a little thick for my tastes but you can easily put some more lines in there. There is also a vertical seam on the rear of the bust which took me all of five minutes to remove. No big problem at all.

 

His nose is hawkish, his brow is furrowed and he does have a mean but cartoonish look on his face even though he does not look like the animated character. He looks like something not from this world but more of a place for demons - which is great as he IS a demon.

The cigar fits into the hole provided in the right side of his mouth - it gives him just so much more of a grimace and a bad-a$$ look I really think captures his character.

Putting him together as you can imagine wasn’t a chore as it took ten minutes (mostly for the seam and superglue to dry on the cigar – so you can spend more time getting your red paints out!

All in all this is a simple bust – a mile away from the complex pieces we have been seeing recently seeming to try to outdo each other with how much you can stack on a bust.  I suppose you could add your own horns, pistol or large stone fist – but it is nice to see something for a change that focuses on the character and not the layers of resin around it. (although  I do love lots of extra bits when the mood takes me as well)

He looks the part and is easy to make – a great piece for a quick build and paint!

Thanks to Pathos Miniatures for sending “Big Red” for us to review

Here he is is painted up by Pathos..