KR|Horizon Review #33: CoBoN 3.0 (SDCC 2025 Exclusive)

Toy prototype details

Name: CoBoN 3.0

Subtitle: armoured fighting robot-base

Line: KR|Horizon

Item type: large scale figure - Nº 5 in the line.

Character details

Name: CoBoN Mark III combining mecha

Classification: mobile suit

Home: Tahron

Era: 15 years after Foundation

Affiliation: Theriom

Rank: transport component.

Background

First appearance: KR|Horizon #2 - In the eye of the storm

Brief bio: after sustaining severe damage to its Mark II components during the final battle against Deptilion and his army, CoBoN was rebuilt into a levitating train-like vehicle. Its new form was propelled by a unique power unit, granting it enhanced mobility, access to powerful advanced weaponry, and an impressive range of defence configurations.

Concept

This prototype represents only a fraction of the incredible machine that is CoBoN Mark III. Still, it’s worth taking a moment to talk about its overall appearance in the comics, especially since I wouldn’t mind seeing the full version realised as a toy someday.

This incarnation of CoBoN is a silver-painted, levitating train-like combat vehicle with a revolutionary design, and like its previous versions, it is powered by a classified energy source and controlled by an advanced AI. Similarly to its predecessor, the Mark II, this model is composed of multiple modular units; when needed, these modules can deploy or separate as individual vehicles, each equipped with powerful jet engines and capable of transforming into other types of attack craft or even robots. There’s a clear influence here from late-70s Japanese TV shows such as Dinosaur Expedition Born Free, Dinosaur Great War Izenborg, and Dinosaur Corps Koseidon, all of which placed a strong emphasis on modular and combining vehicles.

Leading module

The front section features the signature black, nose-mounted scanner bar with red and yellow patterns (i.e., two lines that sweep horizontally and a central pulsing "eye" that allows CoBoN to "see"), while the two-seater cockpit sits beneath a partially transparent canopy (the clear areas have an orange tint). Behind the cockpit, an aerodynamic structure houses large air intakes and outlets. The vehicle is equipped with four powerful jet-engine nacelles, two mounted on the sides (each ending in a pair of missile launchers on the front) and two on the underside (each terminating in an array of five guns). At the rear, a cluster of four exhausts serves as the connection point to the second module when in fully assembled mode.

After separating from the rest of the machine, the leading module transforms into a combat aerial vehicle. The front part flips upward to form a nose cone vaguely resembling a bird's head (this also includes the distinctive scanner bar), while the cockpit slides forward, extending the fuselage and triggering two winglets to swivel outward from the sides. A pair of main wings, hinged at their centres, unfold from the rear sections of the side nacelles; each wing is equipped with a launcher capable of hurling circular saw blades. At the back, the sides of the main body pivot upward to form a T-tail configuration, with a pair of rotating laser guns mounted on either side.

When necessary, the aerial vehicle can convert into an attack mech. The cockpit retracts into the bodywork, forming the robot’s pelvis. The side nacelles swing downward on double-hinged joints to become the legs, with the feet rotating 90 degrees into position and retaining their original function as missile launchers, while the wings fold at their midpoints and flip upward (maintaining the ability to deploy the circular saw blades if needed). The lower nacelles pivot forward to form the arms, while the fingers preserve their built-in weapon capabilities, doubling as gun arrays. The chest plate/viewport (originally the aerodynamic structure) slides downward as the T-tail swings back to become a pair of rear winglets (the laser guns convert into booster rockets in the process), simultaneously revealing the head (reminiscent of CoBoN 2.0's, with the black scanner bar as a visor on the upper part and a "mouth" shield below), after which the chest plate returns to its original position.

The two transformations bring to my mind some old toys of the Diaclone series, particularly Dia-Train and Dia-Attacker.

Locomotive

Positioned behind the leading module, this module houses the engine room and the bridge for crew operations, and features a lower cargo section that can be deployed, transforming into a suit of armour capable of enveloping the attack mech to enhance its power.

The transformation happens in two stages: first from the hold into a structure resembling a gigantic gun, and then from the gun into the exo-armour configuration. The upper beams flip downward and slide forward to form the dual barrels, while the rear sections pivot inward to form the gun’s grip. Then, the grip straightens, extends and splits apart to form the legs, while the dual barrels separate and swing outward to become the arms (one transforms into a standard arm, while the other becomes a cannon arm). After combining with the attack mech, a new, larger head takes shape, featuring face protectors that extend outward to form distinctive radar-like ears and long antenna-like horns.

This transformation reminds me of some old Transformers G1 toys, specifically Ultra Magnus and Megatron.

I'll cover the two remaining modules in a future post, since they're not relevant to this review.

Description

This review focuses on the toy version of the augmented robot, which is fictionally formed by the leading module and the locomotive's cargo section, and referred to by the working name CoBoN 3.0. This huge figure stands 46 cm tall (around 18'') and features articulation on par with the standard KR figure, allowing for excellent movement and a wide range of dynamic action poses. Its body is packed with fine details while remaining true to the design of the vehicle parts it transforms from. The paintwork is impressive, with silver colour used on the bodywork components, and black (along with blue accents) on the sections revealed during transformation. The articulated head is a larger, more detailed version of the attack mech’s head.

Action feature, weapons and accessories

Apart from large faux tank treads beneath its feet, which conceal functional rolling wheels, its armament includes the following (listed in the order they appear in the comic book battle scene with the Combining Goblin):

1. a rotary-barrel cannon emerging from the lower torso through an opening (by flipping down) front hatch;
2. two three-clawed, grappling hook-shaped assault drones launched from the sides of the lower legs, each equipped with a laser rope (represented by an additional flexible, neon-green string) capable of ensnaring targets; the front of the lower legs features two multi-barrel cannon assemblies, with each barrel capable of rotating independently from fully lowered and flush with the leg, to fully raised to target a threat;
3. two laser cannons that deploy from the pivoting horns on its head when the face protectors are shut, accompanied by a gold-coated visor (to protect against the intense laser radiation, which is kind of hilarious when you think about it) that lowers via a lever during operation;
4. a punch-support thruster integrated in the left forearm for additional melee functionality;
5. a deployable freezing ray blaster housed in the left arm’s fist, which pops up and rotates into position, and features a light-piping effect; the hand itself is fully articulated, with individually jointed fingers and thumb (plus splaying index and little fingers) and can detach via a side-mounted release button;
6. four missile launchers concealed within the upper torso, revealed by two hatch doors that flip open above the shoulders; each rocket is shaped like a drill bit, featuring a blade-like tapered screw thread, and partially ejects revealing a blast effect extending from its tail when pulled (it can also be fully removed for play or display); a subtle light pipe shoulder detail adds visual depth to the chest reactor placed between the two pairs of missiles;
7. a powerful, massive plasma cannon replacing the right arm and featuring a sliding ribbed panel that extends the barrel tip and a number of side hatches; an integrated light-piping feature gives the appearance of it "firing" when deployed.

Furthermore, in the comics, following an intense battle, the augmented robot (or rather the full CoBoN vehicle) must recharge using geothermal, solar and wind energy before it can resume operations. To achieve this, the robot transforms into a ground base station, allowing the other modules to connect and collectively gather sufficient energy. This transformation is also replicated in the toy and unfolds through multiple steps.

First, each leg splits from the knee down into front and back sections as the robot lowers itself into position, deploying some sturdy support stands (which are supposed to be geothermal probes) near the central hinge. The front panels on the thighs swing forward to form ladders leading to the two multi-barrelled cannon assemblies that rotate side to side (with each barrel independently able to tilt up and down) on the front sections of the lower legs. Additionally, the unfolded feet can deploy two tunnelling drones (each consisting of an included tracked body connected to one drill-missile and resembling the side modules of CoBoN Mk2) through opening hatch doors: each foot has two side doors that swing outward (each revealing six red-painted missiles on its inner side), while a front tab flips downward to complete the play feature. The sides of the lower legs are also equipped with the above-mentioned rotating grapnel-drones, each mounted on a side hatch that flips up to reveal two 3×3 missile clusters pointing sideways, along with a front-and-rear rotary gun system. Alternatively, the lower legs can unfold to create dual runways for the two grapnel-drones, which are detached and converted into jets with a few twists (two variable-sweep wings, each equipped with a hook at its tip, are formed by flipping down the sides and swivelling the attached flukes outward, while the top fluke swivels backward to form a sort of tail; this design is slightly reminiscent of the central module of CoBoN Mk2). Each cannon array must be rotated backward, after which the runways (originally folded in half) are unfolded; the cannons are then slid beneath the runways to lock them in place. A dial under each runway activates a flight deck lift system, allowing the drones to be stored and deployed from internal hangars. The rear sections of the lower legs feature two aft hangars, each with a heel-mounted door that opens downward and has a ramp that slides outward to allow another tunnelling drone deployment.

The upper limbs reconfigure by rotating the arms backward and bending the forearms 180 degrees forward. In this configuration, the shoulders function as helipads for the two grapnel-drones converted into helicopters (this time, the side flukes swinging back to form the tail boom, while the top fluke unfolds to become the rotor), each capable of 360-degree rotation and forward-backward sliding. Each upper arm features a lift-up panel revealing an integrated hangar system that deploys or retracts a drone to and from the helipad using a tab-operated eject/retract mechanism. The left hand retracts by rotating into the forearm through an opening panel on the sleeve, while the outer punch-thruster pivots forward to reposition as a secondary cannon.

The rear features an infantry section composed of interconnected platforms, stairs, ramps, rotating guns and satellite dishes, as well as solar panels and wind turbines, all of which can fold in and out from the base's walls. A manually operated lift platform (mounted on a shaft that rests vertically against the back in robot mode and extends diagonally in base mode) raises a figure into position at the back of the head, which tilts forward, with its horns reconfigured into independently rotating twin cannons forming an anti-aircraft gun turret. The platform is normally stored in a rear compartment, accessible through a double sliding door that can be opened by pulling two tabs once the lift shaft has been positioned diagonally. In addition, when the shaft is repositioned horizontally, opening its front hatches reveals a hidden, giant rear cannon. A section of the head, including parts of its back and sides, can also be deployed as a gunner drone, with its wings formed by flipping the horns/cannons side panels upward (this small aircraft is reminiscent of both Tang-Lha's little head-spy drone and the rear module of CoBoN Mk2).

The entire robot-to-base transformation reminds me of some classic toys from the Diaclone series, particularly Great Robot Base and Robot Fortress X. It also appears that the slots at the front, back and top of the ground base are designed to accommodate future attachments. We'll see!

Final thoughts

Overall: I absolutely love this figure. As many know, the KR|Horizon line has been on a mecha kick with recent releases, and this one delivers in full. It's big, shiny, heavy with die-cast, and a ton of fun! Sure, it doesn't quite fit the typical KR play pattern, and even other high-tech looking figures would struggle to interact with it. Still, I see it as a key step toward the eventual release of a super-droid figure in the KR|EoF line (I know it's coming). It’s pricey (probably $500), but with a little wallet courage, I’ll be picking this up at SDCC.

Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺ / 5

KR|Horizon Review #32: Combining Goblin (SDCC 2024 Exclusive)

Toy prototype details

Name: Combining Goblin

Subtitle: bionic giant trooper

Line: KR|Horizon

Item type: large scale figure - Nº 4 in the line.

Characters details

Names: Destructomorph Goblins

Classification: bio-robotic hybrids

Sex: undefined

Home: Tahron

Era: 15 years after Foundation

Affiliation: Destructomorph

Rank: drones.

Background

First appearance: KR|Horizon #1 - The Destructomorph legacy

Brief bio: with a surge of power, the dreadful Destructomorph Goblins possessed the ability to expand to giant size and morph into terrifying insectoid behemoths, wielding immense strength boosted by their mechanised bodies.

Articulation
Standard (new scheme) plus a hinged clawed finger on each hand.

Description
As we know, the Destructomorph Goblins are insectoid, bio-robotic droids (part organic, part technological) that in the comics can merge to create larger armoured robots. These combined forms include the three-unit droid that serves as the basic figure in this set. Standing at an adequate 30 cm (approximately 12'', the same size as the Combining Cyborg), this figure boasts a remarkable construction, incorporating numerous die-cast metal parts. It draws inspiration from the design of its three individual components (one Goblin forming the legs, another one forming the torso and the arms, and another one forming the head), featuring an impeccable paintwork, with silver coating on the plate armour elements contrasting with the glossy black of the exposed organic parts beneath.

Head: the figure's silver, ball-jointed robotic head evokes the regular Goblin's visage, but with a distinctly short-muzzled appearance that deviates from the iconic Ankylosaurus skull theme. Borrowing elements from the Sangheili (Halo) head design, this portrait's most distinguishing trait is its bug-like jaw structure, which consists of a frontally compressed beak-like upper jaw and four separate lower mandibles arranged in two tiers. Each of these mandibles has a sharp edge and a number of small teeth, as well as an additional larger fang at the tip, while a series of broader teeth lines the upper jaw. Furthermore, the head is characterised by various mechanical and electrical components (including three small blue LEDs on the forehead resembling eyespots), a pair of thread-like, segmented black antennae pointing backward, a pair of menacing, shiny green compound eyes, and two horns projecting backward and down from the back of the head. Completing the look is a golden-yellow removable headgear reminiscent of a segmented hood, featuring a long silver horn atop, two holes for the antennae and a pair of large, bulbous black goggles, each displaying a red glowing horizontal slit and a central beady eyespot

Body: intricate sculpting embellishes every inch of this figure, from the strikingly designed machinery/circuitry patterns on the spiky (particularly on the thighs) metal plates protecting its body to the cracks on the shoulders and hips, the large overlapping scales on the forearms and lower legs, and the bumps on the extremities, accentuating its segmented, chitinous sections. The torso is composed of silver metallic segments that are ring-shaped and joined by seemingly flexible black membranes. The four limbs are slender and feature a pair of pincer-like grasping hands, each with two primary claw-like black fingers (one slightly longer and spiky, the other shorter and toothed) and two smaller side fingers, as well as a pair of four-digit feet ending in claw-like black toes, with one split to form a pincer in front, two on the sides, and one in back. Metallic dark-red and golden-yellow accents further enhance the figure's visual appeal, including two pairs of narrow metallic dark-red bracers with silver studs, two metallic dark-red shin guards (each adorned with a double row of silver spines and a silver spur near the lower end), a tech-inspired metallic dark-red belt with a triangular buckle, and a laminar golden-yellow crotch piece.

Action feature

The Combining Goblin comes with several additional/alternative parts. First off, one pair of bracers on his forearms can be swapped out for a pair of spiked variants, where each menacing bladed silver spike is fictionally deployed from a stud on the bracer.

Moreover, the set includes multiple extra pieces to build larger versions of the character, which are fictionally formed by the combination of up to a hundred Goblins, as seen in the comics. While not quite that large in toy form, the assembled variants are indeed taller than the standard figure. The intermediate version is created by replacing the regular head and lower legs with larger, alternate parts. The head is characterised by a scaly, glossy black hood that seamlessly blends into a silver face with an imposing look (it reminds me a bit of Bayformers Megatron). A pair of antennae emerges from between the solid green glowing eyes, lying flat against the scalp rather than projecting upward, while a wicked, broad grin shows a finely serrated upper labrum, a two-tusked lower labium, and a pair of short, segmented appendages (or palps) extending from the chin. The elongated digitigrade legs require bent knees to accommodate the feet with the heel sections high up. Each foot ends in four claw-like black toes: one massive front toe, two side toes that curve forward forming a pincer, and a single rear toe. The set also includes a metallic dark-red one-shoulder harness with golden-yellow accents. This features a single strap crossing the left shoulder (with two more passing under each arm), connecting to a chest plate adorned with a triangular, yellow glowing piece reminiscent of a reactor core and echoing the design of the belt. Completing the ensemble is a silver back armour that attaches to the rear of the harness. This impressive piece resembles a hybrid of the head shield of Marrella and the peculiar thorax protuberances of Bocydium globulare, bearing a series of elongated, curved spine-like projections (the rearmost featuring a serrated keel) adorned with globular translucent magenta appendages, fictionally capable of firing lethal spheres of lightning.

The largest version is further augmented with more additional parts. The first addition is a translucent yellow helmet that fits over the alternate head. This is characterised by a segmented texture, a pair of long, antenna-like silver horns, a frontal ornamental crest with seven small blue LEDs arranged in a star shape to resemble eyespots, and a thin, curved riveted silver visor with eye slits and nasal. Two more pairs of horns project backward and down from the back of the helmet, just below the antennae, while two heavily toothed maxilla-like cheek guards, each accompanied by a pair of black palps, descend along the sides of the face. A second harness is provided, consisting of a laminar metallic dark-red chest plate studded with golden-yellow rivets and embossed with the iconic Destructomorph emblem. The chest plate is flanked by a pair of golden-yellow box chains (i.e., made of cubed links) serving as shoulder straps, as well as a shoulder guard piece equipped with a pair of angular spikes that point forward like additional insectoid, one-clawed limbs. Completing the harness are two detachable, swivelling wings, each sporting a sharp-cornered translucent magenta membrane (creating a neat see-through effect reminiscent of solidified energy) with circuitry looking veins, and sustained by a long, blade-like silver structure shaped like a stag beetle mandible. Next, an additional torso piece, designed to fit between the upper and lower body sections after they've been detached, is included. This is painted in silver, with metallic dark-red circles on the sides and a golden-yellow opening door in the front, and its design looks a bit like a honeycomb with a densely packed hexagonal prismatic cells pattern. With this torso piece, which looks like it is held up by the chained shoulder braces, the figure also gets a swivel point of articulation on the top and bottom. When the abdominal iris diaphragm dilates (in the toy, this is recreated by opening the hinged door and removing an hexagonal translucent magenta piece at its centre), the Combined Goblin emits powerful concussive blasts (represented by an included translucent magenta plug-in effect) from a reactor in his belly, echoing a bombardier beetle's defence mechanism.

Weapons and accessories

In the comics, the Combining Goblin possesses the ability to generate deadly weaponry from his hands. To mimic this weapon augmentation power, the figure features detachable hands that can be swapped with a variety of included golden-yellow armaments, namely a buzz-saw axe, featuring two broad, spined blades that spin around an axis perpendicular to the arm (each blade is reminiscent of a mole cricket's foreleg), a ball-and-chain flail with a striking head covered in spikes that resemble scorpion telsons and connected to a "handle" by a length of box chain (a retracted, solid ball version of this weapon can fit to the end of the handle by popping off the ball-and-chain attachment), and a barbed, sting-like lance.

Finally, the figure also comes with a shield that clips to either forearm. In its normal form, this shield resembles a beetle with folded wings - the golden-yellow disc forms the body, while two large silver forewings (detailed with intricate tech-mech designs) overlap it. When needed, these forewings swivel to reveal a secondary set of smaller, silver hindwings (marked with dark-red veins), which also swivel outwards, significantly expanding the shield's defensive area.

Final thoughts

Overall: the Combining Goblin is a phenomenal figure that fans will surely want to add to their collection. It is tons of fun and looks great on display! With perfect articulation and a menacing look, this figure is easily one of this year's best prototypes, and really shows that PoliganToys has definitely put some real time and thought into it
Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺ / 5

KR|"Echoes of Future" Review #14: Tan-Ah-Kros

Toy prototype details

Name: Tan-Ah-Kros^TM

Subtitle: hard-shell warmonger

Line: KR|Echoes of Future

Item type: large scale figure (oversized action figure) - Nº 1 in the line.

Character details

Name: Tan-Ah-Kros

Classification: arthropod with barnacle-like traits

Sex: hermaphrodite (but he vaguely appears as male)

Home: Cereutis

Era: 570 years before Foundation

Affiliation: Bogthropod

Rank: colonel general.

Background

First appearance: KR|Echoes of Future #1 - The secret origin of chaos

Character summary: a hulking warrior who surged through the portal ripped open by Silef between Cereutis and Idakarr. This feral colonel general served as the vanguard of the Bogthropod invasion alongside his fellow soldier Ah-Rak, spearheading the first wave of attacks fuelled by a hunger for destruction. Ruthless and cunning, his thirst for conquest and eagerness to carve a bloody path through his enemies ultimately led him to forge his own faction, the Mal-Ah-Krills^TM, paving the way for future domination.

Articulation

Standard (new scheme), with the addition of multiple interchangeable hinged chelae, two fully articulated forearms, two ball hinged appendages, and two fully articulated legs.

Description

Head and body: his massive head is encased in a dome-shaped carapace, which is whitish in hue with a greenish-yellow (which I'll simply call green from now on) wash and is composed of six large calcareous plates. His multiple limbs surround this imposing structure, giving him the appearance of a face with arms and legs (he's like a crustacean version of MODOK in that respect), and making him look pretty big and bulky compared to most of the other figures in this series. A metallic green crest, shaped like a spiny fin, runs across the top of the dome from left to right, while his reddish face sports a bumpy texture, showing off every bit of chitinous detail (I'll get into the specifics of the face later).

His multiple limbs are protected by a reddish chitinous exoskeleton, featuring a textured surface characterised by cracks, bumps and a number of pointed, spike-like projections here and there. Additionally, each of his two main arms and four legs bears a line of fin-shaped appendages (whose fringes and folds detailing suggests a respiratory or sensory function) that runs down the side. Each of his two primary double-handed arms (i.e., bifurcating below the elbow) ends with a slender, four-clawed hand on one forearm and a small, articulated chela on the other. Emerging from the two calcareous plates that form his back are two additional cirri (i.e., long, feathery or hairy tendril-like arms), each dividing into two branches towards their ends, while the edges of the plates themselves show several spikes, two of which are notably large. Each of his four digitigrade legs is bent at the knee to accommodate the foot portion with the heel section high up, and boasts three large claw-like brownish toes in front and one in back. The forelegs exhibit two extra pairs of short arthropod-like limbs extending from the sides of the thighs, each terminating in a small, non-articulated chela, while the hind legs carry two pairs of thin cirri in corresponding positions.

Wearables: a segmented metallic green crest (similar to the abdomen of a shrimp or lobster) running longitudinally between the two calcareous plates on his back, one armband (adorning the right arm) and four knee guards equipped with spiked metallic green laminar plates, four narrow studded green wristbands, two green laminar shin/instep guards (each featuring a bumpy texture and ornamented with metallic green rivets) on the forelegs, a large green armoured waist belt embellished with metallic green studs and featuring a Bogthropod emblem on the buckle (which consists of a translucent blueish gemstone that looks like a stylised trilobite crossed by three horizontal wavy lines), and a lamellar green leather skirt embellished with metallic green studs and complemented by a metallic green tail fan-like flap in the front (whose dented and chipped edge adds a distinctly barbaric touch).

Action feature

In the comics, Tan-Ah-Kros possesses the ability to molecularly alter his facial and hand features at will, allowing him to transform his appearance and to resemble a multitude of creatures akin to his own kind. The figure's head actually includes two separate inner cylinders that rotate horizontally, each featuring differently shaped eyes and mouths. By spinning these dials with your finger, you can create multiple monstrous face combinations, offering a ton of fun, great looking display options. The dial for the eyes (which all have a greenish hue) includes the following options:

• two relatively large compound eyes positioned laterally and flanking a smaller central eye spot, all three situated above another row of four structures resembling eye spots
• a pair of empty dark orbits that can be fitted with interchangeable bulging or pop-out eyes, featuring large round black pupils and short brownish horns atop them; this option includes both "standard eyes" and an alternative pair of stalked, bloodshot eyes, each as a separate plug-in piece (thanks to the horns, swapping between these eye types is quite easy)
• a single, menacing-looking pupilless eye with an eerie glow; this eye is shaped like an upside-down hyperbolic triangle (i.e., whose sides curve inward) and is set beneath a jagged brow ridge.

The mouth dial offers the following choices:

• a vertical mouth flanked by three pairs of whitish jaws, with the uppermost pair larger than the others, and a short, bifurcated chin adding to the features
• a wide mouth featuring four arthropod leg-shaped, sharp brownish teeth in the centre, flanked by two large and two small ivory tusks protruding upward; additionally, there are two long, seemingly articulated appendages that are equipped with serrated spines and can be plugged into a slot on each side
• a round, heavily toothed mouth (formed by multiple layers of whitish plates and razor-sharp tooth-like structures) accompanied by two hooked whitish bony side spikes and a single whitish bony chin spike; additionally, there's an optional large and long, seemingly articulated organ that plugs into the mouth and terminates in a box-shaped, yellowish specialised chela equipped with well-developed ivory teeth (which is slightly reminiscent of Mal-Ah-Kros's one-eyed monsters).

The nose, featuring a single round spiracle bordered by a thick fringe of black hairs and roofed by overlapping brownish scales, is positioned between the two spinning dials. This part doesn't move, but functions as a slot for attaching either one of two additional components: an arrangement of six tentacles surrounding a short syphon-like nose, or an elongated proboscis ending in six lengthy, whip-like appendages, some equipped with spines.

Moreover, in the comics, his calcareous armour, similarly to an acorn barnacle, features a retractable operculum made of four additional smaller plates. These plates close defensively, acting as a face shield against his foes while also concealing the sorcery that enables his face-switching ability. To mimic the appearance of the closed opercular plates, the figure comes with an ivory-coloured snap-on piece designed to hide the face.

Regarding the main arm extremities, there are four appendages of varying shapes and sizes that can be interchanged with the smaller hands or chelae, partially fitting over the forearms: a heavier, bulbous ghost crab-like crusher pincer, a longer, toothed fiddler crab-like cutter pincer, and two organs that look like goose barnacles, each equipped with a short, brownish leathery stalk, a series of whitish calcareous plates resembling a small elongated cone, and an extended cirrus dividing into two branches towards its end. The large chelae are reused from Mal-Ah-Kros, but the new black-and-red painted pattern on the claws evokes a scaly appearance; each one exhibits a gripping movement and includes a spring-loaded snap-back feature (in the comics, Tan-Ah-Kros can hold approaching opponents tightly with these frightful pincers and then spin like a hammer thrower to knock them down).

Weapons and accessories

Apart from all the face and hand extras described above, Tan-Ah-Kros also comes with a couple of truly awesome weapons. First up is a cool-looking, three-barrelled metallic green cannon, which the figure can grip tightly in any of his smaller hands/chelae. I love the retro sci-fi aesthetic of this gun with its rounded design, while the intricate rivet detailing adds a touch of authenticity. What truly sets this gun apart is its barrel, featuring three vertically aligned, forward pointing prongs, each equipped with its own bell-shaped muzzle. There are also three separate blast effects, which easily attach to the weapon's muzzles. In addition to its function as a gun, it can also transform into a sort of steampunk trident thanks to an included long green pole (terminating into a tail-fan-shaped ornament reminiscent of his loincloth on the other end) that attaches to the butt of the cannon. And that's not all! The figure's back is a detachable component (though underneath he maintains a whitish calcareous appearance), which includes a small handle on the inner side, allowing it to double as a shield; two of the gun's barrels are detachable and can be mounted to an included tech-mech silvery structure, which can then be plugged into his back when the shell is removed, effectively equipping the figure with two vicious "shoulder" cannons.

Tan-Ah-Kros's second weapon is truly unique. It's a plastic chain capable of binding together any two of his spare extremities, whether it's the large chelae or the goose barnacle "hands". Even if it may seem very impractical as nunchucks, it's incredibly cool and I absolutely love it!

Final thoughts

Overall: Tan-Ah-Kros is definitely a standout with his badass design. The metallised paint applications give him an extra edge, and the functional claws and rotating head parts all add up to one awesome toy. It's no contest – he's easily the top KR|EoF figure of 2024 so far. And the fact that he comes with an array of extras just seals the deal

Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺ / 5

KR|Horizon Review #30: Combining Cyborg (SDCC 2023 Exclusive)

The Combining Cyborg made its debut in the first issue of the KR|Horizon comic book series as a transitional character, introducing fans to the mecha-centred atmosphere of that line. When combined, the Cyborg itself takes on the appearance of a mecha and consists of three individual characters: Xonedar, Tang-Lha and Wrapthur.

Now, fast forward to the present time, when PoliganToys has decided to release a large-scale Combining Cyborg action figure at SDCC 2023! Up until this point, we only had the three separate figures I mentioned earlier (with only a few Horizon-accurate alternative parts for Xonedar). Having put my hands on this new figure, I can honestly say it is i-n-c-r-e-d-i-b-l-e!

Toy prototype details

Name: Combining Cyborg

Subtitle: hyper-technological giant warrior

Line: KR|Horizon

Item type: large scale figure - Nº 3 in the line.

Characters details

Names: Xonedar, Wrapthur and Tang-Lha

Classification: partially humans

Sex: males and female

Home: Tahron

Era: 15 years after Foundation

Affiliation: Theriom

Rank: colonel and lieutenant colonels.

Background

First appearance: KR|Horizon #1 - The Destructomorph legacy

Brief bio: two former Troopers who had displayed unwavering loyalty to Senior Minister Tir-Hing, Tang-Lha and Wrapthur were among the most valuable members of the Theriom Armed Forces thanks to their intelligence and incredible fighting skills. Always eager to carry out their mission without question, the two soldiers were seriously injured and almost killed during the first battle of Ra-Hal. They were eventually healed by their mentor and, in a way, adoptive father Colonel Xonedar, who transformed and grafted their bodies with cybernetic parts by encasing each of their cells into a microscopic robotic structure, a technology previously invented by and applied to Xonedar himself. By adjusting the properties of those techno-elements in their bodies, Tang-Lha and Wrapthur gained the ability to shape their physical forms into a plethora of highly advanced devices for use in battle. Equipped with multi-optic visors that could effortlessly see through any structures and a wealth of built-in capture weaponry that could subdue any adversaries, the two warriors were soon back in the forefront of the defences of the Republic of Tahron, now providing an outstanding service to Senior Minister Desion. When confronted by particularly tough opponents, Tang-Lha and Wrapthur could even merge with Xonedar to form a towering mecha endowed with tremendous robotic strength, which would allow the Therioms to win in any combat situations.

Articulation
Standard (new scheme).

Description

With an adequate height of 30 cm (approximately 12''), this figure displays an extraordinary construction that incorporates numerous die-cast metal parts. Its articulation is equally remarkable, allowing for seamless movement and posing to recreate a wide range of dynamic battle scenes, giving the figure a lifelike appearance.

Speaking of meticulous attention to detail, this figure takes it to a whole new level. Every inch of its body is adorned with intricate sculpting and impeccable paintwork. From the amazingly designed circuitry patterns on its limbs to the prominent bolts accentuating its shoulder and elbow articulation, this figure captivates the eye with its awe-inspiring look. It faithfully replicates the appearance of the three individual figures that serve as its components (a detailed description of how they combine is in my review of Tang-Lha & Wrapthur), featuring armoured forearms, thigh pads and lower legs complete with knee guards. The paint job is also exceptional, with metallic red coating on its legs, glossy black on its abdomen and arms, and metallic blue on its head and chest. The addition of silver accents throughout (mostly on the mid torso, hips and the above-mentioned armoured parts) further enhances its visual appeal, adding a touch of brilliance to this already impressive masterpiece.

The figure's ball-jointed head draws inspiration from the iconic mouth-shielded face of Xonedar, but with a more mecha-like twist. Borrowing elements from CoBoN's robotic head design, this portrait exudes a coolness factor, complete with a crown of silver horns that make a bold statement.

Action feature

In my previous review, I described how the three cyborg characters, Tang-Lha, Wrapthur and Xonedar, combine to create this ultimate mecha warrior (their fusion reminds me a lot of Saikyo Robo Daioja). When they merge, their respective chest reactors are placed in unique positions: Wrapthur 's reactor finds its place on the waist/groin area, Tang-Lha's one is split into two parts, positioned on the inner sides of the feet, and Xonedar's one dominates the chest region, its appearance enhanced by its larger size. The real showstopper, though, is the amazing light-and-sound feature embedded within this large chest reactor. Powered by a battery and activated by a button on the back, the Combining Cyborg comes alive with dazzling red-and-green lights and futuristic blasting/whirring sounds. For those who prefer a different experience, the cyborg comes with the option to replace the LED chest reactor with an inactive one, featuring a lenticular sticker instead. The process is simple - by detaching the chest plate, you'll unveil an internal arrangement of colourful non-moving parts such as gears, turbines and tubes, and will be able to disconnect the electronic assembly and attach the alternative piece.

Weapons and accessories

Similarly to its smaller counterparts, the Combining Cyborg also includes multiple silver-coloured (with a dark sheen) interchangeable weapon attachments that can replace its left hand. These consist of a rocket-shaped cannon, a grabber with four gripping jaws arranged in an X shape, and a cylindrical drill bit. It also comes with two handheld weapons such as a sort of trident-halberd, which is made up of a long dark-blue shaft and a double bitted silver battle-axe topped with a silver spear spike, and a round, fan-like laser shield with a mostly translucent yellow disc, which is seemingly produced by the unfolding silver blade of a machete-like sword. All these accessories are reminiscent of some of the weapons that came with Tang-Lha & Wrapthur, but they are of course much larger and more detailed.

Last but not least, there's an alternate faceplate that bears an exposed steel mouth, i.e., without the regular mouth shield. Replacing the faceplate is a piece of cake, but popping off the head from the ball joint takes a bit of effort. Even though all these pieces are included, most of them are never seen in the comics.

Final thoughts

Overall: this is an exceptional toy, a true marvel of engineering and design. Standing tall and boasting awesome articulation, sculpt and paint job, the Combining Cyborg is a must-have for any KR collector or fan. This figure seamlessly combines the best of three characters into a masterful creation. The light-and-sound feature elevates the play experience to another level, and the ability to switch to an alternate chest reactor is a thoughtful addition. Update: I heard rumours that there may even be a rare chase variant with switched colours of the chest and legs (inspired by the incorrect colour scheme appearing in a concept design), making this collectible even more desirable!

Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺ / 5

KR|Horizon Review #29: Muvaran (Extra Armoured Forms)

Toy prototype details

Name: Muvaran^TM (Extra Armoured Forms)

Subtitle: warring sorcerer

Line: KR|Horizon

Item type: large scale figure (dual figure) - Nº 2 in the line.

Character details

Name: Muvaran

Classification: the reanimated corpse of a human

Sex: male

Home: unknown

Era: 15 years after Foundation

Affiliation: Destructomorph

Rank: sorcerer priest.

Background

First appearance: KR|Horizon #2 - In the eye of the storm

Related character(s): Muvaran.

Articulation
Both figures have the standard articulation.

Description

In the comics, the mummy form of Muvaran controls a human-sized armour made of metal (these were the two figures I reviewed back in 2020). Moreover, each time he needs more power, Muvaran jumps into an additional larger coffin-like armour made of painted wood; for maximum-strength amplification, he can further enclose himself in an even larger sarcophagus-like armour made of carved granite. These are the two items included in this new set, and both have a similar appearance to the metal-armoured form. Although it's not possible to place one armour inside the other, the two figures are in scale with each other and with the older figures: the wooden version is 23 cm tall (around 9''), while the stone version is 30 cm tall (around 12'').

Heads: each head sports a helmet painted/carved with intricate details, which is seemingly composed of a sculpted headcloth (covering the ears and the nape of the neck) and a ceremonial headgear: an atef feathered crown in the wooden armour, and a hemhem crown in the stone armour. The atef combines a tall bulbous hedjet with curly blue-painted ostrich feathers on each side of the crown (the feathers are identified as ostrich from their curve at the upper ends and a slight flare toward the base). The hemhem is an elaborate triple atef set on top of a pair of long spiral ram's horns and ornamented with various feathers, a cobra on either side of the crown and three bronze sun discs on the top. The face slightly resembles the mask of Tutankhamun, with chiselled details such as a pair of evil wadjet-like white glowing eyes and a spiky false beard. In the wooden version, the mouth area is covered by layers of plastered scraps of linen decorated with geometric shapes and runes, while the stone version appears to have a sculpted mouth guard

Bodies: the limbs (specifically the upper arms, hands, thighs and knees) are covered in hieroglyph-like ornamental inscriptions with mysterious or magic significance. In the wooden version, such inscriptions are painted on plastered scraps of linen, while in the stone version they are engraved on the surface. Each figure wears four bands (made of silver in the wooden version, bronze in the stone one) around the upper arms and the thighs

Wearables: each figure displays a wesekh-like broad pectoral, two large spiked, reinforced spaulders, a sort of apron, two bracers with spikes sticking out of the sides, two sandal-boots with fan-shaped tops, a belt with a triangular buckle, and a short shendyt painted/carved with four-pointed stars all the way around (and seemingly fringed edges in the stone version). Many details, namely the torso underneath the pectoral/apron, the bracers and the sandal-boots, show sculpted ornaments imitating criss-crossed straps, while the few inlays in the pectoral/apron, the spikes on the spaulders and bracers, and the belt buckle are made of silver in the wooden version and bronze in the stone one.

Weapons and accessories

Muvaran's armoured forms have no action feature and don't come with any proper weapons, but the set includes an awesome accessory - the mummy's "unwrapped" bituminous inner body that in the comics is capable of shapeshifting powers, including the ability to form spikes or expand his size. This item has no articulation whatsoever and comes in the form of a demonic dark-taupe bust emerging from a puddle of tar mixed with some loose ecru bandages. This piece is smaller than the standard KR figure, but has a pair of outstretched arms ending with ghoulish, large clawed hands.

Final thoughts

Overall: of all the KR|Horizon figures that were missing from the original wave (we still need quite a few mecha characters...), I was looking forward to Muvaran's extra armoured forms the most, and now that they're in hand, I can happily say they do not disappoint. I could make a few minor nitpicks about the paint, but otherwise these figures are excellent. In either case, the sculpt is great, the colours are beautiful, and the figure is loads of fun to pose and play with

Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺ / 5

KR Review #96: Deptilion's Legacy Demon (One-Horned)

Toy prototype details

Name: Deptilion^TM's Legacy Demon (One-Horned)
Subtitle: cruel leviathan
Line: KR|Foundation
Item type: large scale figure - Nº 8 in the line.

Character details
Name: unknown
Classification: spirit
Sex: uncertain
Home: Tahron
Era: Foundation
Affiliation: Destructomorph
Rank: demonic entity possessing Geel-Ber.

Background
First appearance: KR|Foundation #12 - Dawn of a new past
Related character(s): Geel-Ber, Deptilion, Three-Horned Demon.

Articulation
Standard, with the addition of a ball jointed tail.

Description

Head: sea serpent-like, covered in warty dark blue-green skin and characterised by a spiky grey-brown sagittal crest, a pair of deep-set solid purple glowing eyes, a pair of small pointed ears, and one dark-grey forward-pointing horn on the beak-shaped, orange-tipped muzzle. The slightly open mouth shows some sharp whitish teeth

Body: the figure is 23 cm tall (around 9'') and displays a body covered in warty dark blue-green skin, with large scales occurring especially on the neck (thanks to a rubbery removable neck piece that fits right on top of the body and mimics a horny collar with a sequence of extended, spinous grey-brown processes running down the middle of the upper back) and shoulders (the latter are also equipped with two pairs of curved grey-brown spikes), and sharp grey-brown spikes sticking out of the elbows. He also has clawed hands and feet (including one claw protruding from each heel) as well as a fairly long dark blue-green scaly tail with grey-brown spikes projecting from its upper side

Wearables: none.

Weapons and accessories
The Demon has no action feature and doesn't come with any proper weapons, but includes two interesting accessories. The first piece is an alternate head that shows a screaming, much angrier expression compared to the regular portrait.

The second accessory is Demo-Rha's sceptre as it is shown in the 10^th issue of the KR|Foundation comic book series Evanescing act, where it is used by Deptilion to teleport his enemies to Cereutis. The staff is moulded in purple plastic and is topped with a modified version of the Destructomorph symbol, i.e., a square-shaped black spider, whose back resembles a human skull. The only difference with Demo-Rha's standard sceptre is that two red gemstones are embedded in the skull's eye sockets. As another option, the staff can also be grasped by the Demon and wielded as a weapon.

Final thoughts
Overall: of course PoliganToys couldn't deny us the perfect companion of the Three-Horned Demon. He is tremendously sculpted and looks great on my monster shelf or with the rest of my KR prototypes
Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺ / 5

KR|Horizon Review #28: Nemhetra (Robotic Avatar Forms)

Toy prototype details
Name: Nemhetra^TM (Robotic Avatar Forms)
Subtitle: battling leader
Line: KR|Horizon
Item type: large scale figure (dual figure) - Nº 1 in the line.

Character details
Name: Nemhetra, aka Iron-Face
Family name: Amhalgaard^TM
Classification: uncertain, seemingly human
Sex: female
Relationships: daughter of Demo-Rha and Ir-Ash, cousin of Desion (Masq-Lor), Herrion, Rhadiel (Fai-Rha) and Mor-Rak, half-sister of Sei-Lha
Home: Tahron
Era: 15 years after Foundation
Affiliation: Destructomorph
Rank: chief marshal.

Background
First appearance: KR|Horizon #3 - The last horizon
Related character(s): Nemhetra, Destructomorph Goblins.

Robatar mode
Description
In the Horizon comics, it is revealed that each prodigious helmet holds a sample of liquid alloy, which was hidden by Galamars after forging the enchanted artefacts. When the liquid metal is combined with a tiny amount of the helmet wearer's blood, a small ball lightning (which in Nemhetra's case is magenta and not cyan, probably due to her blood being purple) arises and creates a statue (called totem and made of the same material as the helmets and halberds) of a creature, behind which there is a sort of chair. When the helmet wearer introduces their halberd into a slot on the side of the totem, and sits in the chair with their hands and feet positioned on apposite rests, a connector automatically inserts into the helmet's socket, i.e., the hollow left after extracting the liquid alloy vial. The wearer appears to lose consciousness, when in fact their consciousness is relayed into a robotic avatar (called robatar) that forms from the totem moments later.

Nemhetra's totem is a monstrous spider-reptilian demon hybrid (it reminds me a bit of Spider-Mohawk in Gremlins 2) and her robatar, which is the first figure included in this pack, can be described as a giant mechanical spider, whose abdomen carries a large machine-like, demonic skull on top; two mechanical arms are attached to the sides of the skull and each arm ends with a large chela-like pincer that can open and close for capturing enemies. The silver-coloured (with a dark sheen) robatar has plenty of tech-mech details (including several boosters with magenta glowing propulsion effects on the underside) and all the limbs (the eight legs plus the two arms) are swivel-hinged at various points, so the range of motion for each limb is pretty good. The spider head bears a black visor with eight magenta glowing eyes, two steel chelicerae and two large mechanical pedipalps, which have pear-shaped ends.

Action feature, weapons and accessories

In the comics, this fearsome robotic creature can both knock down opponents by stomping its legs and ensnare prisoners with its powerful pincers, to whip them around and around with a wild, whirling action. The toy is able to grab and hold effectively on to two figures at a time thanks to the claws being articulated with spring hinges that snap closed, while the skull section can rotate 360 degrees.

Additionally, to simulate the retractile laser-like fangs seen in the comics, a long magenta glowing blade can snap into each chelicera. Finally, the pedipalps can transform into a pair of vicious ball-and-chain flails by disconnecting the bulbous pieces from the ends of the appendages and replacing them with an alternative pair of chained striking spheroids covered in spikes.

Super-Robatar mode

Description
When Nemhetra's silver mask is activated, the evil robatar metamorphoses into the torso of an even larger super-robatar, whose body is completed by the addition of several Destructomorph Goblins. This figure is 30 cm tall (around 12'') and has as much articulation as the standard KR figure. The different body parts have some moving details (such as small wings) and can even detach to mimic the assembling process seen in the comics. Actually, the best way to describe this figure is to sum up the way the robatar mode fictionally transforms into the super-robatar, and to appreciate all the cool details:

1. The skull-abdomen slides forward revealing a robotic, skeletal bust lying face upwards (with the head being the "tail" of the spider)
2. The spider's eight coxae pivot up and back and connect to the robot's back
3. The robot's bust rotates face down, while the skull's mechanical arms fold and compress
4. With the robot's bust in upright position and facing forward, and the skull-abdomen positioned on the robot's lower back and facing upward, the spider's legs swivel and combine together two by two, forming four larger arthropod-like arms that project from the back
5. The skull-abdomen opens and spreads out, and swings upward and forward to envelop the robot's bust: the back of the skull covers the back of the robot, the front of the skull covers the chest of the robot, and the sides (with the collapsed arms) of the skull connect to the sides of the robot, to become its shoulders
6. Ten transformed Destructomorph Goblins merge with the robot, to produce its limbs: two pairs form the upper and lower arms, while two triplets form the upper and lower legs, and the feet
7. The monstrous visor on the robot's head moves up to reveal the super-robatar's humanoid, bright-eyed face, which strongly resembles Nemhetra's visage.

Action feature, weapons and accessories

In addition to two pairs of interchangeable hands (two fisted, one weapon gripping and one splayed open), there are two sets of not-spiked and spiked arm bracers for the four articulated arthropod limbs (the latter type can fictionally spin). Then there's her arms - each one of the eight silver nubs on her gauntleted forearms pops off and can be replaced with a long, forward-protruding magenta glowing blade called "hand-slicer".

Furthermore, to mimic her ability to fire energy tentacles from her chest and energy orbs from her additional arms, the figure comes with two bundles of threadlike magenta glowing flexible appendages, which plug into the skull's eye sockets and fictionally stretch out, twine round and grasp her opponents, as well as two magenta glowing spheres, which can be placed between the tarsi of each pair of arthropod arms (these fictionally generate charges of extremely high voltage that are discharged and shot as spherical bolts of lightning).
Finally, the package includes a huge tech-mech version of Nemhetra's halberd (fictionally dispensed by the unfolding back armour) as well as an equally large weapon composed of the four halberds joined together, which is meant for the three heroic siblings' super-robatar.

Final thoughts

Overall: this set is, in a word, insane! My review only began to scratch the surface of this amazing toy, because the playability aspect of it is pretty high. The two large scale figures were created for the passionate KR fan, one who wants to recreate - in precise detail - every possible mode, pose and action of the last Destructomorph chief marshal in her robotic avatar forms. This set delivers on all accounts with two toys worthy of a legend

Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺ / 5

KR Review #89: Seutron & Deutron

Toy prototype details
Name: Seutron^TM & Deutron^TM
Subtitle: multiform henchmen
Line: KR|Foundation
Item type: multi-pack (2-pack) - Nº 18 in the line.

Characters details
Names: Seutron and Deutron
Classification: poriferans
Sex: males
Home: Tahron
Era: Foundation
Affiliation: Destructomorph
Rank: sergeants.

Background
First appearance: KR|Foundation #13 - The ultimate curse
Related character(s): Pleutron, Xonatron.

Articulation
Standard, except that in each figure the connection points at the waist, shoulders, wrists, hips and tail are ball&socket (but the shoulders and hips are also hinged), and the neck features a double ball joint.

Description
Both figures are 23 cm tall (around 9'') and display a richly porous skin. Each has a short, thick segmented (i.e., formed of a longitudinal series of similar parts) tail emerging from the trunks, which is reused from Pleutron and is painted in a more greenish colour on the upper side.

Seutron

Head: characterised by an irregular chanterelle-like shape, light-blueish skin, human-like ears, a pair of bulging orange eyes (with slit-shaped dark vertical pupils and thick black vertical lines over and under the eyes), boar-like nose, a human-looking mouth exhibiting plump lips and white gnashing teeth, and a prominent cleft chin

Body: light-blueish skin. The arms bear a pair of spiked copper armbands and have human-looking hands with black nails, while the legs wear armoured copper knee guards

Wearables: a large metallic dark-green collar with copper inlays (which holds a tattered red cape on the back, and is connected via copper chains to two spaulders showing layers, from bottom to top, of reddish fur and shiny dark-green metal), two studded metallic dark-green manacles with broken, loppy copper chains, two armoured metallic dark-green ankle boots, a studded metallic dark-green belt (with dangling copper chains and a copper buckle displaying the Destructomorph emblem, i.e., a square-shaped spider whose back slightly resembles a demoniac face), and a torn red fabric loincloth. It is worth noting that only the chains attached to the shackles are real and not sculpted, and that the cape splits into two parts towards the lower back.

Deutron

Head: characterised by an irregular sea anemone-like shape (with a ring of tentacles around the top part, three of which are longer and resemble loop-shaped antennae), purplish skin, pointy ears with golden earrings, a pair of bulging bloodshot yellow beady eyes, boar-like nose, two sharp-pointed ivory tusks that protrude from the lower jaw, and a prominent square chin

Body: purplish skin, a large hump on his upper back. The arms and the legs wear laminar blueish-grey steel rerebraces and thigh guards, respectively. Each hand has four ivory claws as well as four dark-grey spikes emerging from the knuckles, while each foot has two dark-grey claws plus an ivory one

Wearables: a dark-green furry garment worn over the left shoulder and under the right (secured by a large blueish-grey steel pauldron showing the Destructomorph emblem), two dark-green leather bracelets with jagged ridges and knuckle protectors (the latter allow the dark-grey spikes to come through), two dark-green leather shin guards with jagged ridges and instep protectors, a dark-green leather tasset belt, and a light-blueish furry loincloth.

Action feature
In the comics, Seutron and Deutron are depicted, like Pleutron, as shape-shifting giants who can rearrange their cells to acquire countless monstrous forms, as well as stretch, squeeze and tear apart their jelly-like bodies, and then recover their original forms. In each figure, these transforming abilities are well recreated by a modular action feature that involves several snap-on body parts, namely the head, neck (double ball jointed), torso, pelvis, arms, hands, legs and tail.

The figures are not only fully modular with themselves, but they are also fully modular with Pleutron and the Xonatron; as they all share the same ball&socket joints, parts can be swapped back and forth between them at random, and they can be combined into a vast array of creatures, including a single crazy enormous monster.

Weapons and accessories
Each figure comes with a tech-looking, gun-like hand-held launcher, which fits in the figure's right hand and has no spring-loaded mechanism. Seutron's metallic red launcher fictionally allows him to fling two included bladed discs. The weapon's "barrel" ends with a hook, into which a fan-like four-bladed (actually, eight-bladed, but four of the eight blades are smaller) clear, glassy disc can be slotted. Either disc can alternatively be clipped onto the left bracer, acting as a sort of shield, or stowed on the back of the collar. Deutron's metallic light-blue weapon has two side-by-side barrels and two separate drill bit-like whitish, chalky projectiles. The butts of the two weapons bear pairs of slots and plugs, respectively, which allow them to connect to each other and form a larger weapon.

The set also comes with two different weaponized attachments to replace hands: a double-bitted light-blueish axe for Seutron and a giant purplish mallet for Deutron.

While I find that I prefer having the two figures separate, thanks to an additional cube-like abdomen piece (which has two balls and two sockets, and whose colour fades from light-blue to dark-blue to purple end to end) plus two extra dark-blue legs (wearing studded golden thigh bands and dark-green furry boots) it is actually very easy to place them into the combined configuration shown on the back of the box, with six legs and a torso and head at each end.
In addition, there are nine additional organic-looking (i.e., with a porous and segmented texture) dark-blue pieces for bigger and better builds. That includes five Y-connector joints (one of which is larger than the others) and four extension pieces (one male-male/neck piece, one female-female piece, and two male-female pieces), which make it possible to form double shoulders, hips and neck, and generate, for example, amazing double-headed, multi-limbed creatures. They’re all solid and a lot of fun to mess around with.

Last but not least, the package includes an alternate, taser cannon-shaped dark-blue-and-silver head for the Xonatron, which briefly appeared in The ultimate curse comic book.

Final thoughts

Overall: Seutron and Deutron are excellent figures with tons of accessories. PoliganToys improved on the interchangeable concept of Pleutron and Xonatron to release an even more technically impressive set. However, I don't like them as much as I like Pleutron, partially due to the design and the colour scheme, but they are still very, very high quality figures
Rating: ☺☺☺☺ / 5

KR Review #87: Deptilion's Legacy Demon (Three-Horned)

Toy prototype details
Name: Deptilion^TM's Legacy Demon (Three-Horned)
Subtitle: cruel hellhound
Line: KR|Foundation
Item type: large scale figure - Nº 7 in the line.

Character details
Name: unknown
Classification: spirit
Sex: uncertain
Home: Tahron
Era: Foundation
Affiliation: Destructomorph
Rank: demonic entity possessing Herrion.

Background
First appearance: KR|Foundation #11 - Herrion's ordeal
Related character(s): Alterok, Herrion.

Articulation
Standard, with the addition of a ball jointed tail.

Description
Head: werewolf-like, covered in short red-orange hairs (however, the hairs on the cheeks are elongated and form tufts) and characterised by a pair of solid yellow glowing eyes in the centre of two Spawn-like diamond-shaped light-blue plaques covering the face, two large dark-grey backward-pointing horns where the ears would be, and a rather smaller dark-grey forward-pointing horn on the long, blunt muzzle. The slightly open mouth shows some whitish teeth, including two large sharp fangs protruding upward
Body: the figure is 23 cm tall (around 9'') and displays a body covered in short red-orange hairs, with longer hairs occurring on the neck (thanks to a rubbery removable neck piece that fits right on top of the body and mimics a woolly collar with a strip of fur that runs down the middle of the upper back), forearms, back of hands, lower legs, insteps, and from the lower part of the abdomen down to the pelvis. All these furrier parts show some hairs that are white. The additional neck piece gives the impression that especially long hairs grow on the shoulders and almost form a crest on the upper part of the back. He also has clawed hands and feet as well as a fairly long red-orange furry tail with white hairs on the tip

Wearables: none.

Action feature

The Demon comes with an alternate head that shows, apart from an angrier expression, a roughly circular stump on his snout, which is left behind after Masq-Lor cuts off one of the Demon's horns. The package also includes a detached horn piece.

Weapons and accessories

The Demon doesn't come with any weapons, but includes two interesting accessories, namely two wooden sticks, each of which is ignited at one end. These torches are shown in the second issue of the KR|Foundation comic book series Hunt for the energy stone, where they are used by the Theriom warriors as a light source inside the labyrinth-cave in the Bay of Sortok. These pieces are moulded in translucent orange plastic at their heads and, aside from being utilised as portable means of illumination, they can also be grasped by the Demon and wielded as arms. They are really neat looking accessories and something that we haven't seen before.

Final thoughts
Overall: the folks at PoliganToys knocked this long-awaited prototype out of the ballpark
Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺ / 5

KR|Horizon Review #17: Kiroah

Toy prototype details

Name: Kiroah^TM

Subtitle: ravening chimera

Line: KR|Horizon

Item type: creature - Nº 1 in the line.

Character details

Name: Kiroah

Classification: bionic insect-reptile hybrid

Sex: hermaphrodite

Home: Tahron

Era: 15 years after Foundation

Affiliation: Destructomorph

Rank: steed.

Background

First appearance: KR|Horizon #2 - In the eye of the storm

Brief bio: while conducting her horrific bio-engineering experiments to forge the new Destructomorph army, Nemhetra accidentally created a hideous beast, which she called Kiroah. Made out of an assortment of animal body parts and machine components, Kiroah became so violently out of control, Nemhetra had to add computer-integrated brain implants to control it, until it had no will of its own except to obey its mistress. Wishing to claw and maul any enemies who stood in her way, Nemhetra unleashed and rode this fiercely loyal, ultra-evil creature into battle with Masq-Lor. Initially underestimated by the Therioms, Kiroah proved a true menace to Tahron and one of the heroes' deadlier foes.

Articulation

The figure has nearly 40 points of articulation: multiple hinged jaws, ball jointed upper necks, swivel-plus-double hinged mid necks, double-ball hinged lower necks, swivel-hinged shoulders, hips, elbows, feet and extra head, hinged knees, "hocks" and telson, ball hinged front appendages (i.e., two grasping pedipalps with hinged claws, and two wings), and ball jointed abdomen.

Description

Heads: each head of this double-headed creature is characterised by a scaly glossy black hood that surrounds and merges with a silver snout; it displays a pair of pointed dark-orange scaly ears, a pair of large shiny purple compound eyes, three smaller blue eye spots on the forehead and a complex copper-jawed grasshopper-like mouth composed of a finely serrated upper labrum, two heavily toothed mandibles, two maxillae with cutting edges and a number of small teeth (flanked by two pairs of black segmented appendages or palps), and a two-fanged lower labium (also flanked by a pair of short palps). Because each mandible-plus-maxilla mouthpart and the labium are independently hinged, the mouth opens and reveals a forked reddish tongue that can extend outwards. Additionally, each head is connected to the rest of the body by a fairly long snake-like dark-orange scaly neck with lozenge-shaped black markings; each neck features a double-ball hinged joint at its base, a swivel-plus-double hinged joint halfway down its length and a ball joint at the end, where the head attaches

Body: characterised by a slender, segmented black chitinous appearance (bearing numerous details such as cracks, bumps and dark-orange scaly stripes), except for the abdomen, which is covered with a longitudinal series of large orange scales that received a nice dark-red wash. A number of body parts, especially in the forelegs and the hind digitigrade legs, are protected by silver metallic plates, which show some spikes and machinery/circuitry patterns. Each foreleg ends in a leaf-toed dark-orange scaly foot, which shows five large toe pads equipped with curved, pointed black horny nails. Each hind leg is characterised by a robust thigh, and ends in a five-toed webbed dark-orange scaly foot with massive black claws. The body terminates in a hinged telson, which is characterised by silver metallic segments that are joined by seemingly flexible black membranes, and two long dark-orange bendable appendages, each resembling a lizard tail and ending in a silver pinching weapon for grabbing and crushing foes

Wearables: a removable battle barding characterised by an orange copper chain mail texture with silver trim, which includes a saddle (with a Destructomorph emblem-shaped copper button closure on the bottom) as well as additional multiple plates and lames riveted to it, such as two flanchards protecting the flanks (equipped with integrated stirrups) and a croupiere protecting the hind quarters. The pommel/handlebar of the saddle seemingly extends forward forming a silver structure, which resembles an Ankylosaurus' skull, and is characterised by a wide and low shape, a few mechanical and electrical components, evil-looking bulbous black eyes (each featuring a yellow/green glowing horizontal slit plus a beady-eye spot in the centre) and the front part of the jaws ending in a beak. Two silver horns project backwards and down from the back of this structure, right below an additional pair of larger horns pointing backwards and up; also, a pair of long silver robotic pedipalps featuring pincer-like grasping organs (each composed of two hinged black claws, the longest of which is spiky, while the shortest is toothed) as well as two pairs of large silver posable wings (each hind wing, which is patterned with dark-orange veins, is connected to the fore wing, which is covered in ridges where different metallic surfaces join, forming a single structure that shows several tech-mech details on the underside) emerge from its sides.

Action feature

Apart from featuring jaw-smashing and claw-ripping actions thanks to its hinged jaws and claws, and being capable of carrying a warrior into battle on its back, this beast also has the ability to stand on its hind legs, and use its forelegs, two heads and grasping appendages as multiple pairs of brawling arms. Also, in this upright configuration, the tech-skull swings forward to become the new creature's head, while the telson folds up. The nice and tight articulation allows for displaying the figure in such a pose without too many problems.

Weapons and accessories

The figure comes with an impressive set of removable weaponry, which includes:

• A long, lance-shaped silver side-mounted missile launcher that attaches to the rear-right of the saddle, can pivot up and down and is equipped with a spring loaded triggering system for a barbed copper stinger-rocket
• A rear-mounted silver gun that can pivot left and right
• A weapon storage that attaches to the rear-left of the saddle and is equipped with holsters for an included spare stinger-rocket (slightly differently shaped and more similar to a scorpion's stinger) and for Nemhetra's halberd and wand
• Two copper battle chanfrons for the two insect-reptile heads, each with four claw-like serrated steel spikes sticking out from the brow
• A gunmetal (i.e., a grey colour that has a blueish-purplish tinge) overhead cannon, which plugs onto the tech-skull (but is fictionally produced by the skull itself) and is equipped with a separate five-warhead copper missile

Additionally, the package includes two tail attachments, which are designed to replace the pinching weapons and make each tail end in a black stinger that resembles a scorpion's tailpiece.

Final thoughts

Character value: ♦♦♦♦♦ Kiroah is only seen fleetingly in the second episode of the KR|Horizon comic book series. By reworking the sculpts for previous creatures and for the Destructomorph Goblins, and adding some awesome new pieces, the greatly skilled folks at PoliganToys were able to create a brand new mount for Nemhetra, which stands out not only as a magnificent KR toy, but one that would appeal to other collectors as well, as a spectacular sci-fi/fantasy beast formed from parts of various animals and machinery, and brought to life in plastic

Articulation: ♥♥♥♥ What really sets this prototype apart from previous creatures is the articulation. This guy is articulated everywhere and most of the articulation is excellent. The two lizard necks feature double ball-jointed bases... not every figure’s sculpt can work with that kind of joints, but combined with the other points of articulation, theses necks can pose pretty much anyway you want them, which is especially great when they become arms in the upright configuration

Sculpt and paint: ♣♣♣♣ The detail is amazing throughout the figure. I love the bendy tails, they are absolutely essential to making this figure work, but I do worry about the wear and tear where they connect to the body. Oh, and there are those nasty little slide-out tongues! The dark wash on the orange parts affords the figure some slop here and there, but you just wouldn’t really notice it along with everything else

Accessories: ♠♠♠ While it is great to get all those weapons as add-on extras, I still miss a bit a pair of inactive, total-black alternative eyes for the tech-skull when the figure is in a quadrupedal mode

Playability: ♪♪♪ Yes, the articulation is fantastic, but I occasionally have a hard time keeping the figure standing upright. Perhaps I don’t know where the figure’s centre of gravity is, but it’s mostly due to the knees, I think. You’ll just have to work a little to get the poses you want out of the figure

Overall: ☺☺☺☺ I love every creature prototype produced this year, but if I had to choose one, I’m pretty sure this would be the one to have. I’d like the legs to be a little stronger, but otherwise the sculpt and articulation are superb.

KR Review #83: Queen Holopodian (SDCC 2020 Exclusive)

In a tweet directed at potential attendees, the organisers of San Diego Comic-Con gave the impression that this year’s convention (scheduled for July 23 – 26, 2020) could still happen. This despite warnings that the Covid-19 pandemic could last well into summer. Update: soon after I had drafted this post, the organisers behind the annual pop culture celebration, announced with deep regret that there will be no Comic-Con in 2020.

If that “show must go on” approach is serious, PoliganToys' SDCC 2020 exclusive release will be the Queen Holopodian^TM!

Now, this large scale figure, officially the sixth in the KR|Foundation series, really makes for a visually stunning addition to the line.

Details

Name: Queen Holopodian

Subtitle: thorny protector

Classification: holopodian*

Relationships: creature venerated by the inhabitants of the island city-state of Semhadar^TM; holopodian mutants' biological mother

Sex: female

Home: the depths of the sea between Tahron and the island of Semhadar

Affiliation: Theriom (temporarily)

Rank: ally.

*Holopodians are fictional large-sized echinoderms with some characteristics that are shared with crustaceans.

Articulation

The Queen Holopodian's articulation includes a ball jointed upper neck, a hinged lower neck, a swivel-hinged tail (the end of the tail is made of bendy rubber with a sturdy wire inside for posing) and 14 swivel-hinged legs (four of which feature two additional swivel-hinged joints at the elbows/knees and at the wrists/ankles, plus double hinged fingers/toes parts).

Description

Holopodians are marine, crawling/swimming creatures, though capable of dwelling on land and standing upright over short distances. When upright, the Queen is bipedal in form and her most prominent feature is her greater size compared to other characters, standing around 23 cm (around 9") in height, one and a half times the height of a normal KR figure and double the height of most other holopodian creatures seen in the comics. However, most of the time she either adopts a more hunched stance or remains vaguely "quadrupedal" when walking or sprinting.

The creature's head at first glance appears to be enclosed within a double, roughly spherical black hinged shell covered with long, thick sharp glossy-black spines and partially open, which seems to lack facial features (apart from a pair of green glowing eyes that peek through the serrated opening), until it unfurls like a flower to reveal a star-shaped, bumpy blueish face. When spread out, her head is larger than those of other individuals of the same species and is protected by a broad, crown-shaped carapace, which is composed of spiny, black bony plates derived from the above-mentioned shell. The five "face arms" radiate from a central disc that has a single round nostril, and are connected by a blueish, seemingly muscular membrane. The two top arms exhibit a pair of menacing pinkish eyes (they change colour to adapt to different light intensities), each surrounded by rough, brownish calcified outgrowths, and bear two flat membranous lobes resembling "bat wing"-shaped ears. Below the eyes on either side of the head are tentacle-like fleshy tubes, which inflate when breathing. The bottom arm is a snout-shaped mouth, which can open extremely wide, revealing a threatening upper jaw and four other side/lower mandibles, which are lined with several large, fang-like sharp whitish teeth in the front, followed by circular rows of many small dreadfully jagged teeth. The monster’s complex, large segmented maw is powerful enough to smash through bone and metal and is filled with a black prehensile tongue that can extend from it. The figure is packaged with the spread out head (with mouth closed) as the standard portrait.

With the exception of her face, which is blueish (although you can see some pink flesh on the back of each arm), and underside, which is covered by a series of overlapping, articulated brownish calcified plates that give protection while also providing flexibility, her skin is pinkish and slimy, and bears a number of projections in the form of porous warts. Her back displays four dorsal ridges that run down its length and bear comb-like bands of seemingly vibrating translucent light-blue hairs (which are probably gills), and is equipped with unconnected black armoured shell fragments, which have the same spiny, bony appearance of the head piece and are the remainder of her egg-form's shell (the "eggs" are actually inactive immature forms of adult individuals). An extra Y-shaped, light-blueish chitinous shell on her chest is present in the form of another armoured carapace, which is fictionally so resilient that it's even capable of repelling sustained gunfire. Similar chitinous outer cases protect the penultimate segments of her elongated limbs, which comprise three pairs of forelimbs (one digitigrade and two insect-like) and four pairs of hind limbs (one digitigrade and three insect-like). The two primary arms are long and thin compared to the body core and have webbed, six-fingered hands with four long skeletal middle fingers and a pair of stubbier opposable thumbs. The two primary legs are stocky and end in five-digit webbed feet, with three toes in front (the middle toe has a much longer claw than the other two) and two in back. In addition to her primary limbs, four secondary, much smaller arms and six secondary legs, each ending in a claw-like finger/toe, extend from the centre of her underbelly and tail, respectively. Each primary limb is equipped with three feathery, tendril-like pinkish prehensile appendages fringed with little filaments and terminating in bony teeth-like talons, which are fictionally sticky and can be used for offensive attacks. Finally, she has a long segmented, blade-tipped prehensile tail; the blade design closely resembles a bifurcated telson and acts as a slashing weapon. The tail also has a flat ridge of spines at the base of the telson, which helps the creature swim efficiently.

Action feature

Aside from having great physical strength, holopodians are equipped with wide, armoured carapaces on their heads, into which they are able to withdraw their face and mouth as a means of protection. This structure is also thought to serve as a sort of sensory antenna, allowing the creatures to detect thermal, bioelectric and biochemical signals with great sensitivity. The Queen figure comes with three interchangeable heads: furled, spread out with a closed mouth and spread out with a gaping mouth.

Additionally, these creatures have a fluid maintained under pressure in a water vascular system between a double layer of tissue: an internal layer of bony plates and an external layer of skin. This system is connected to their facial tubes, through which powerful jets of water are expelled from the vascular interspace by alternately contracting their muscles. So, the Queen comes with two spurting water effects that plug into the ends of her muscular siphons snugly.

Weapons and accessories

Apart from the three alternate portraits and the water attachments, the Queen Holopodian only includes two accessories, one of which is another head. However, this head is meant to be used with Kinod in his generic holopodian mutant form. We know that, thanks to a few additional pieces, Kinod can also be displayed as one of his soldiers; these pieces include an alternative head that consists of a spherical bivalve black shell covered with spines and partially open, whose serrated opening allows a pair of evil green glowing eyes to peek through. In the first issue of the KR|Horizon comic book series, we meet Tenophar^TM, the last surviving member of Kinod's army and unauthorised guardian of Dekropolis, who shows that, like the bestial holopodians, he can spread out his head-shell to reveal a star-shaped, bumpy face. This unfurled version of the head looks different from both Kinod's and the Queen's heads. While its back is still protected by a spiny black carapace, the five "arms" are connected by a pinkish, seemingly muscular membrane and radiate from a central disc that has an anthropoid brownish calcified nose. The two blueish top arms exhibit a pair of evil pinkish eyes, which are topped by rough, brownish brow ridges and bear two elongated lobes resembling sensory appendages. Below the eyes on either side of the head are bunches of tendril-like pinkish filaments, which look like the stinging tentacles of a jellyfish. The blueish bottom arm is similar to a protruding chin and carries a humanoid mouth, which is slightly open and reveals several sharp whitish teeth. It's interesting to note that this head was originally depicted as similar to the entirety of a shell-less, green-eyed pink jellyfish, with a number of tentacles surrounding its supposed mouth; this concept design was finally discarded because considered too similar to Cthulhu.

The other accessory is a repaint of Xehrea's trident, which has been retooled slightly in order to be grasped by Tenophar. This weapon is a metallic dark-blue staff that has a trishula-like trident at one end and a swordbreaker blade at the other end, and features a translucent light-blue gem at the base of the central prong.

PoliganToys usually excels in the sculpting category, and the Holopodian Queen is no exception. Every little crevice of bony carapace is rendered beautifully, and as far as I can tell, looks exactly like the comic book version. Some might argue that the Queen, though big, is still too small; I'd say that compared to the standard figure, the scale looks right. The paintjob really brings out the intricate sculpt, displaying an appropriate salmon-pink skin tone with washes of shiny slime and brownish sand all over her. Apart from several heads, there's not many accessories here - you don't get much in quantity, but the quality is there. In the comics, the egg-laying queen possesses a large brood chamber attached to her lower torso; the inclusion of this egg sack would have definitely been great. The figure is only hurt by use of soft rubber pieces in several areas of articulation to allow movement, which may decay over time. Even with these minor problems, it's edging extremely close to a 10/10 rating, and really has the potential to be a crown jewel for any collector of KR figures. This is (hopefully) popping up at SDCC 2020, so be sure to check it out if you're attending.