Action Figure Spotlight: Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig Vintage Figures by Super7 (and more!)
- R.A. Daunton
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
I love me some Danzig. If you know me in any way whatsoever, then this will come as no surprise. I have been a diehard, obsessive fan of all things Glenn since I was in high school, and it is safe to say that his musical output has in no small part shaped who I am today. From helping me delve further into the world of punk, introducing me to the world of horrorpunk, opening the doors to myriad cool, obscure old horror and sci-fi movies, or just showing me that it’s ok to be that weird horror and comic book kid at the back of class, The Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig paved my way towards many of my most beloved interests. And it didn’t hurt that the music kicked ass as well. Without these bands, I genuinely don’t know if I would ever have pursued a path towards writing prose, screenwriting, or engaging with fandom to the extent that I do. For that, I must say, I am eternally thankful.
Count me excited, then, when Super7 announced that they were producing a line of Masters of the Universe-inspired 5.5” figures based on some of Glenn’s most iconic looks through the years. I knew immediately that I needed to get my hands on them. I want your skulls. I need your skulls.
Released in three waves, with one for each of his iconic bands, they show him in his most well-known attire and looks. With the Misfits line also including a Fiend and Jerry Only companion, Super7 have really pulled out all the stops, making these must-have pieces for fans and collectors alike. It also helps that they are modelled on a toy line that those of us of a certain age (as most fans of Danzig these days no doubt are) remember with a great deal of nostalgia.
Join me, then, for a look over the many faces of Glenn Danzig, moulded and set forever in indestructible plastic, as eternal as the music he has graced us with for decades. Stick around; there may even be a little extra surprise at the end. He has the power. Let the day begin!
Misfits:
First off the bat is, of course, Glenn in his Misfits regalia, all jack-booted, devilocked, and skeletoned-up. The blister pack is awesome, with the plastic window actually being moulded into the shape of the iconic Fiend Skull, with the back showing off the rest of the Misfits line (the Fiend and Jerry Only).
What I find interesting about this particular line is that it appears to be promoted differently from that of the Samhain and Danzig figures. Now, all three lines are described as being Wave One of their respective bands, but these Misfits boxes do not mention the Samhain or Danzig figures at all. The backs of the Samhain and Danzig boxes show us the other Glenn figure, respectively, with a “Collect Them All!” tag, yet they do not mention the Misfits figures. It makes one wonder whether the licenses were contracted as such, perhaps because a certain bass player didn't want to be associated with Samhain and Danzig, or because the man himself didn't want his post-Misfits bands associated with his old group.
Speculation aside, this figure is awesome. It, and indeed all figures Super7 has done for this range, feature 6-points of articulation – in the head/neck, shoulders, waist, and hips: the same as the original MOTU figures from the 80s. While this limits the poses we can give little Glenn, it still makes for some badass action poses and allows us to position him in several battle stances that make him look both ready for a fight and to bellow his lungs out (which often become the same thing during old Misfits shows!).
It’s great to finally own a figure of one of my favourite frontmen from one of my all-time favourite bands. If this truly is only wave one, and we are due for more figures in this line, then count me in! I would pre-order a mini-Doyle yesterday.
Samhain:
The most underrated of all of Glenn’s bands, Samhain, is also the first time in this line that we get some accessories. Donned up in his blood-soaked look from the cover of their debut album, Initium, this is probably my favourite figure from the entire line. I mean, come on, how awesome is it that we get a figure based on SAMHAIN? You can’t even buy their music anymore (legally)! What a world we live in.
Coming with a mini-microphone that fits snugly into his clenched fist, Glenn looks great here, covered in blood with his shaggy, face-covering devilock. This is where the line really starts to come into its own in terms of how you can pose the figures. It’s amazing how much one single accessory can do! The limited articulation really ceases to matter when you can make Glenn look SO much like he is on stage with Samhain, with nothing more than a little twisting, turning, and a manipulation of the legs. This is also the first time we get a peek at the famous "Wolfs Blood" tattoo on his arm!
Particular note needs to be given to the continued moulding of the plastic on the blister pack; this time, taking the form of the face of the iconic (I am using that word a lot in this article, but we are talking about Glenn Danzig, after all) post-Misfits skull logo Glenn used for Samhain and his subsequent band, Danzig, which he had “borrowed” from the cover of Marvel’s 1984 comic book The Saga of Crystar # 8.
Danzig:
And here he is! Glenn, as he first exploded onto the metal scene with his solo band, Danzig. Now with longer hair and again equipped with a nifty microphone accessory, this figure has some really fantastic extras that set it apart from his previous appearances. I am, of course, talking about THAT belt buckle and necklace!
Sculpted to take on the look of the skull logo of the band, the buckle Danzig wears here looks so freaking cool and really makes him stand out from the other figures. That, alongside the giant inverted cross necklace he wears, really completes the look of the figure. No attention to detail has been ignored, and I personally think it’s really great of Super7 to have added these little extras when they were not present across the line. It shows that they care about the authenticity of the individual figures and haven’t just copy/pasted the sculpts across all of the models.
The blister pack this time takes on the same inverted cross look as his necklace, and this again shows how much care and attention these figures have been given.
I have managed to pose Danzig here in a few ways that also feel very true to his live-action poses and feel quite different to how I have wrangled the Misfits and Samhain variants - which is quite impressive, given their limited articulation. They aren’t about to stand in many other ways than I have shown off here, but I can quite easily say that I am happy to have them on my shelf the way they are, with them all having their own unique looks and poses.
BONUS FIGURE! NECA Toony Terrors: The Fiend:
I have had this figure sitting around for a while, waiting for the perfect opportunity to rip open and display – and what better time than now to go alongside these deliciously retro Danzig figures! The NECA Toony Terror figure line is fantastic; a budget-priced, 6” Saturday morning-inspired collection of monsters, creatures, and icons from across the entire horror genre!
What we have here is a non-articulated (other than the hands) stylised depiction of the classic Fiend character, nowadays most famous, of course, as the mascot and logo of The Misfits. Originally appearing in the 1946 film serial The Crimson Ghost, Danzig would coopt the character and propel him to punk rock stardom for generations to come. Though you already know that.
With badass packaging that makes the figure look as if it is standing outside a matinee in the sickest grindhouse you’ve ever seen, the back of the pack even includes a nifty little cut-out scene to prop up and display behind your new plastic pal. Coming with equally cartoon-inspired accessories in the form of a candelabra and a mysterious potion, the figure is solid, pleasing to the eye, and a great companion piece to display beside my new group of Danzigs – even if they are from a different company and line!
I definitely want to delve further into the world of Toony Terrors and actually own a few that I have been meaning to write up at some point. So keep your eyes peeled, as after this, that article may be coming sooner rather than later!
I have to say that I couldn’t be happier with this line. It feels great to finally get my hands on a series of figures that represent three of my all-time favourite bands, and the way they are based on MOTU makes them a really interesting oddity and conversation piece. Yes, I know we got Medicom’s 3 Faces of Danzig vinyl figures back in the day (with matching Jerry Only, Doyle, and Fiend), but they are loooong out of print and go for crazy prices on eBay these days. Until a day comes along when I can also add those to my collection, I am very content to have these little hell raisers on my shelf.
Being promoted as “wave one” raises the question of whether or not there may be more figures down the line, and I, for one, could not welcome that enough. As previously stated, a mini-Doyle would be fantastic, but could a little Eerie Von or tiny John Christ be somewhere down the line? I know there is more chance of the moon turning into Ursula Andress and serenading the earth with an acapella rendition of Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer, but hey, The Misfits did get back together, so stranger things have happened.
Until next time…
Here’s to horror(punk)!
- R.A. Daunton
Comments