Out of the Box: The X-Files Alien (Funko Pop)

One of these days I'll be getting back to articulated figures and dolls, but before I do, I have yet another Funko figure to talk about.  This time it's the X-files alien.

I've mentioned a few times that I'm a huge X-files fan, and with the new miniseries and season 11 of the comics in the pipeline, it just seemed like the perfect time to pick up a new collectible.  Unfortunately more the main characters in the franchise just aren't physically unique enough to make for interesting Pop! figures, so this is the only one I'll be picking up, but it's still a cool addition to my X-files shelf.

The Pop! figures are all quite similar, so this one isn't distinct enough for a full review, so it's all photos from here:

Out of the Box: Mulder & Scully (McFarlane Toys' Fight the Future series)

Scully and Mulder

I've talked about my deep and abiding fondness for The X-files before (when I was excited to find the Sideshow Autopsy Scully for my sister), and yet somehow I've never shared my standard-sized figures before outside of a few group shots with them in the background.

The alien.

 These figures were part of a 1998 McFarlane Toys release that tied-in to the decidedly mediocre The X-Files: Fight the Future film.  In addition to the traditional suited Mulder and Scully, the line included parka-wearing variants (which I quite like, although I don't have them myself  - my sister owned them at the time, and they were nicely done), an alien and a couple of semi-developed alien and corpse-gestating-alien figures.  Personally, I was always baffled by the inclusion of the corpses and pod-aliens - they were so specific to the film rather than the show, and so limited in terms of display (and play, although clearly the line wasn't marketed for that), that I've never understood the appeal of them.  I've met a multiple people who own (or once owned) these figures, but I've only once met someone who isn't a MIC collector who actually did anything with those parts.

The figures also included some small accessories including flashlights, cell
phones and ID badges. That I've managed not to lose the flashlight that you can see in the photo above is somewhat miraculous, given that these guys have been out-of-box for more than a decade (I'm usually not that organized!).

As is standard for McFarlane's releases of the time, the likenesses are solid and the details are fabulous.  The resemblance to the actors is significantly better on these than on the much larger Sideshow line.

I used this photo for a Christmas card one year.
Yes, I know that's silly, and no, I don't care. ;)

Size comparison: the McFarlane Mulder doesn't
quite reach the Sideshow Krycek's waist.

Visiting toys: Mulder, Scully and Krycek (Sideshow Toys X-files)

Krycek's ready to stab some shape-shifters

My sister and I were huge X-files fans back in the day.  Even now, when the show's been off the air for more than a decade, when we get together we randomly insert quotes into our conversations.

But even so, back when Sideshow toys released their X-files line we passed on them - the $65 price tag seemed steep when there were still $15 movie tie-in action figures floating around. 

And aside from that, my sister isn't much of a collector - being more of a minimalist, a doll would be out of place in her house. But as a pathologist, the ghost of Scully has haunted her:  When she finished med school, a surprising number of people asked her if she was specializing in pathology because of CSI;  "No, because of X-files" she'd joke.  The joke was repeated often enough that we started joking that it was too bad there wasn't a figure of Scully in scrubs that she could put on her desk at work and point to.

"But I don't wanna do an autopsy!"

Fast-forward a couple of years, to 2013, when I decided to pick up the Krycek doll on the secondary market (I wanted to add him to my "evil amputee" shelf, which is a story for another day).   And while I was checking out the ebay listings, I noticed that there actually was a version of the Scully doll in scrubs - "Autopsy Scully"!  So of course I decided I'd found the perfect Christmas gift for my sister.  And when I found a listing for both that doll and the Mulder one, I went for it.  Unfortunately they didn't arrive early enough for me to take along on my holiday visit to Toronto, so the dolls are still with me for now.


On the doll quality: The likenesses aren't great - they all look vaguely like the actors, but are all just a little off.  The proportions are also a little strange, although I think if they had slightly longer necks and legs then they'd all look a little less blocky.  That said though, the dolls are very well articulated and have nicely detailed outfits.  My Krycek doll was still in his original box and came with a branded stand and some nicely detailed accessories.