Blitzway - Mask of Zorro - Zorro Collectible Figure

[Indyfan1234]

Says now in stock at sideshow but my order still says pre order and nothing about shipping soon.... interesting

 

[Jedi_Knight]

My order is through sideshow and it shipped on Friday.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[Asta]

SpeedPAK's tracking updated this morning to say "Successfully delivered".


But it wasn't delivered to me.


I don't have the tracking number that Royal Mail would have assigned to it so I can't check with them. Apparently Orange Connex can supply the number, so I sent them an email. Also contacted KG Hobby, of course, to see what they say.


SpeedPAK tracking will usually display "Royal Mail Received" when they hand it over, but that didn't happen this time.

 

[Asta]

I went down to the local delivery office on an outside chance they might have had the parcel come back to them, and it was there awaiting a customs charge.

For some reason KG Hobby put a higher value than requested on this one, but the charge only amounted to ?10 VAT plus ?8 Royal Mail fees.

First impressions of the figure are that he looks a bit cheap. Cheap rubbery belt and dagger scabbard, cheap plastic clips, cheap rubbery boots, horrible second sculpt which looks okay if lit from below or above.

The masked sculpt is a lot better, but overall it reminds me of a third party figure that would've cost around $160.

 

[Sassafras]

I went down to the local delivery office on an outside chance they might have had the parcel come back to them, and it was there awaiting a customs charge.

For some reason KG Hobby put a higher value than requested on this one, but the charge only amounted to ?10 VAT plus ?8 Royal Mail fees.

First impressions of the figure are that he looks a bit cheap. Cheap rubbery belt and dagger scabbard, cheap plastic clips, cheap rubbery boots, horrible second sculpt which looks okay if lit from below or above.

The masked sculpt is a lot better, but overall it reminds me of a third party figure that would've cost around $160.

Can he at least stand up by himself? I figure from 3 feet or more maybe the overall effect might be pretty good. Maybe Blitzway figured collectors read "metal sword" and don't care about anything else. Maybe the rubbery boots will allow for posing? But it's too bad; some third parties put out some really great stuff at less cost.
Pics?

Says now in stock at sideshow but my order still says pre order and nothing about shipping soon.... interesting

Huh. Waiting on a ASMUS fig due Friday. Never showed and then tracking via UPS changed from Friday delivery to "in transit". No updates. Tried to call UPS and was told thanks to Covid there is no phone support. If there's no change by Tuesday gonna start contacting Sideshow. They should know if UPS isn't even bothering to update their own system.

 

[Asta]

I was looking forward to getting this Zorro, and now that he's finally here I feel deflated.

He's the most disappointing arrival since that awful bait and switch Toys Works Jessica Jones.

Rubber belt; rubber dagger scabbard; rubber sword scabbard straps; bendy rubber knuckle-bow attached to the sword grip; rubber one-piece boots (that limit posing); rubber hat (hence why the brim's often bent in photos); horrible second sculpt; stiff puffy shirt (that I fixed down with electrical tape to prevent it riding up).

The masked sculpt is very effective though.

While it says Blitzway on the box and the stand I can't help but think of Triad's Zorro from 2012. I'm hoping he'll grow on me.

 

[Asta]

Can he at least stand up by himself? I figure from 3 feet or more maybe the overall effect might be pretty good. Maybe Blitzway figured collectors read "metal sword" and don't care about anything else. Maybe the rubbery boots will allow for posing? But it's too bad; some third parties put out some really great stuff at less cost.
Pics?

The boots are rubbery and plastic in appearance, but don't lend themselves to posing. The metal sword blade is probably the second best thing in the set, after the masked sculpt. But the knuckle-bow on the hilt is so soft and rubbery it was bent out of shape, and the impressed detail looked like a recast. Blitzway fixed it to the hilt at both ends, though the upper end should be open. But if they hadn't fixed it, it would've been impossible to tame. While getting the sword into his hand the pommel broke away, or at least the glue broke and it became unpegged. This allowed me to turn the knuckle-bow straight.

I'm not sure he would stand securely by himself. When I first put him on the stand he kept wanting to slide off as the boots had no grip.

 

[Sassafras]

I was looking forward to getting this Zorro, and now that he's finally here I feel deflated.

He's the most disappointing arrival since that awful bait and switch Toys Works Jessica Jones.

Rubber belt; rubber dagger scabbard; rubber sword scabbard straps; bendy rubber knuckle-bow attached to the sword grip; rubber one-piece boots (that limit posing); rubber hat (hence why the brim's often bent in photos); horrible second sculpt; stiff puffy shirt (that I fixed down with electrical tape to prevent it riding up).

The masked sculpt is very effective though.

While it says Blitzway on the box and the stand I can't help but think of Triad's Zorro from 2012. I'm hoping he'll grow on me.

Sounds *cheap*. Which would be OK if there was a high price for this one. But re your pics the shelf effect looks good; masked sculpt looks good.
Maybe when I get him will try rinsing shirt in vinegar/cream rinse to try to soften up - rewatched movie and the cloak, shirt should be "flow-y".

This is so great! Pay for a fig and then turn around and start ordering 'bash supplies to upgrade the materials $$$$ Luv this hobby!!!

The boots are rubbery and plastic in appearance, but don't lend themselves to posing. The metal sword blade is probably the second best thing in the set, after the masked sculpt. But the knuckle-bow on the hilt is so soft and rubbery it was bent out of shape, and the impressed detail looked like a recast. Blitzway fixed it to the hilt at both ends, though the upper end should be open. But if they hadn't fixed it, it would've been impossible to tame. While getting the sword into his hand the pommel broke away, or at least the glue broke and it became unpegged. This allowed me to turn the knuckle-bow straight.

I'm not sure he would stand securely by himself. When I first put him on the stand he kept wanting to slide off as the boots had no grip.

Thanks for response! From the sound of it, this is really gonna suck after getting used to ASMUS figs. They may use vinyls/plastics but within the price range their attention to details is superb. Guess I don't need to fall over myself paying off the PO.

Sad part is, even ordered a special backdrop for him but Zorro needs to be able to stand alone. Guess I need to add magnets to the list.

 

[Asta]

Sounds *cheap*. Which would be OK if there was a high price for this one. But re your pics the shelf effect looks good; masked sculpt looks good.
Maybe when I get him will try rinsing shirt in vinegar/cream rinse to try to soften up - rewatched movie and the cloak, shirt should be "flow-y".

This is so great! Pay for a fig and then turn around and start ordering 'bash supplies to upgrade the materials $$$$ Luv this hobby!!!

Here's one I took with the flash closer:

The cape is soft and drapes well. The pattern is more muted than in the promo photos, so you need to hit it with light to get it to stand out.

I tried simply tucking the shirt in at first, but it wouldn't stay there. So I pulled it down and wound electrical tape round it.

Even the sword scabbard straps are poorly designed, and that's evident in the promo photos though I didn't notice it. The short strap doesn't want to hang like this:

But tends to stick out horizontally.

I need to go back and futz him properly and see whether it can be improved. But at the moment I don't have the will.

 

[davejames]

Damn, that sucks that he seems so cheap in hand. I've definitely been getting that cheap rubbery Sideshow vibe from the pics.

 

[Asta]

Damn, that sucks that he seems so cheap in hand. I've definitely been getting that cheap rubbery Sideshow vibe from the pics.

I can see why they didn't make the boots out of pleather, as they have such an intricate design. But there's something cheap about the appearance, especially with the painted straps and buckles. I guess you could argue that the less pleather on a figure the more confident you can be of its longevity, but I just get the feeling Blitzway were cutting corners with this one. The way they cut corners with ECTO-1, or with Winston Zeddmore's paintwork, or Hannibal's paintwork for that matter.

I did go back and futz him some more. The shorter sword strap does want to stick out sideways rather than hang. While I was trying that I found a pose I liked:

There's a limit to what you can do while trying to keep one boot flat on the ground. A two-part boot would literally have added flexibility for some more flamboyant poses.

As I walked away and looked back though, I began to feel better about him.

 

[davejames]

Yeah I can already tell those solid boots are going to be the most frustrating part for me, much like with X-Wing Luke. Even if you don't like super dynamic poses, you still need at least a bit of posability just so you can have him standing in a natural way.

 

[Asta]

Yeah I can already tell those solid boots are going to be the most frustrating part for me, much like with X-Wing Luke. Even if you don't like super dynamic poses, you still need at least a bit of posability just so you can have him standing in a natural way.

Yes, even the slightest poses need a little movement at the ankles to look really natural.


I just found this site with photos of the props from the film.

Zorro's rapier, showing the open knuckle-bow that Blitzway fused to the pommel:

The leather belt:

Boots:

 

[Sassafras]

I can see why they didn't make the boots out of pleather, as they have such an intricate design. But there's something cheap about the appearance, especially with the painted straps and buckles. I guess you could argue that the less pleather on a figure the more confident you can be of its longevity, but I just get the feeling Blitzway were cutting corners with this one. The way they cut corners with ECTO-1, or with Winston Zeddmore's paintwork, or Hannibal's paintwork for that matter.

I did go back and futz him some more. The shorter sword strap does want to stick out sideways rather than hang. While I was trying that I found a pose I liked:
***************
There's a limit to what you can do while trying to keep one boot flat on the ground. A two-part boot would literally have added flexibility for some more flamboyant poses.

As I walked away and looked back though, I began to feel better about him.

Description of the shirt being stiff (suggests polyester vs cotton) and cheap looking boots suggests corner cutting, and not in a good way. From the pics tho he does look good on a shelf.

I might be OK with it re shelf presence - it's Zorro. Anthony Banderas' Zorro. Tho am sure the not-split boots/lack of posing will drive me crazy.

Thank you for pics and comments! And the original costume details in case I try to 'bash belt with real leather. Maybe.

 

[Asta]

Description of the shirt being stiff (suggests polyester vs cotton) and cheap looking boots suggests corner cutting, and not in a good way. From the pics tho he does look good on a shelf.

I might be OK with it re shelf presence - it's Zorro. Anthony Banderas' Zorro. Tho am sure the not-split boots/lack of posing will drive me crazy.

Thank you for pics and comments!

I'm not sure what the shirt is made of, but it was frustrating trying to keep it tucked down. The trousers aren't very tight so it just sprang back out again. It was an easy fix to pull it down and wrap it once tightly with electrical tape. I remember Sideshow used to add a 'crotch loop' to the bottom of shirts.

He does have more shelf presence now. davejames mentioned the "Sideshow vibe" earlier, and that reminded me of their Snake Plissken. I've always liked the figure on the shelf, but he has a really rubbery belt and holsters. The sort of thing Gabriel used for their Lone Ranger series in the 1970s. Yet I always found he had a shelf presence (in spite of the bad press he got!)

 

[Sassafras]

I'm not sure what the shirt is made of, but it was frustrating trying to keep it tucked down. The trousers aren't very tight so it just sprang back out again. It was an easy fix to pull it down and wrap it once tightly with electrical tape. I remember Sideshow used to add a 'crotch loop' to the bottom of shirts.

He does have more shelf presence now. davejames mentioned the "Sideshow vibe" earlier, and that reminded me of their Snake Plissken. I've always liked the figure on the shelf, but he has a really rubbery belt and holsters. The sort of thing Gabriel used for their Lone Ranger series in the 1970s. Yet I always found he had a shelf presence (in spite of the bad press he got!)

LOL a case for slapping underwear on a fig add to list $$$$. Crotch loop a good idea.

Not sayin' it's OK but - shelf presence. I always enjoy finely crafted details but guess I won't be getting that here. Still, IMO iconic character from a movie I really like.
And it's not a "eat the NRD" for sure - still will be happy to have him.

 

[Asta]

LOL a case for slapping underwear on a fig add to list $$$$. Crotch loop a good idea.

Not sayin' it's OK but - shelf presence. I always enjoy finely crafted details but guess I won't be getting that here. Still, IMO iconic character from a movie I really like.
And it's not a "eat the NRD" for sure - still will be happy to have him.

I keep opening the collection room door and looking in. He looks good from across the room, and closer too if you just don't dwell on the materials.

I still don't like the second sculpt. There's something really off putting about the eyes. But with a light directly above it transforms and picks out the contours of the face, and his eyes really come alive. Instead of a dead, doll like expression he becomes meaner and determined.

 

[davejames]

LOL a case for slapping underwear on a fig add to list $$$$. Crotch loop a good idea.

Not sayin' it's OK but - shelf presence. I always enjoy finely crafted details but guess I won't be getting that here. Still, IMO iconic character from a movie I really like.
And it's not a "eat the NRD" for sure - still will be happy to have him.

Problem is that even if a figure can look decent enough on a shelf, you're still always aware of the cheap quality, which makes it hard to really love it as much as you'd like.

But like you say it is an iconic character and one I didn't expect to ever get made, so I'll still be happy to have it in the collection.

 

[Asta]

There's something funny with SpeedPAK deliveries, and I've noticed it before with Ebay purchases from China: they always look like they've been sent from Germany.


SpeedPAK had the parcel leaving Hong Kong on 2nd June. The Royal Mail number (the label on the other side of the parcel) had it both leaving from and arriving in Germany on that day - the tracking number ends in DE to denote it came from Germany. This must be a German SpeedPAK office creating labels?


The big **** up today was SpeedPAK recording "Successfully delivered". If only I'd had the Royal Mail tracking number I could see where it was, and that it was "Available for Redelivery or Collection" (i.e., awaiting customs charge payment).

 

[Sassafras]

Problem is that even if a figure can look decent enough on a shelf, you're still always aware of the cheap quality, which makes it hard to really love it as much as you'd like.

But like you say it is an iconic character and one I didn't expect to ever get made, so I'll still be happy to have it in the collection.

Yeah, and I'm one of those who'll sit and wallow in the *miniature perfection" of a well-done figure - for instance, ASMUS' Thorin's dwarf sword Orcrist - beautifully made, even has finely sculpted script and flush of "mystical teal" - or the multiple layers of AOU Scarlet Witch or the engineering of HT diecasts. A pleasure to own and work with.

Was expecting the same of this Zorro - ESPECIALLY the sword. Go figure; ASMUS' Gimli came with FIVE beautifully done weighty axes and he was cheaper, too.

Kind of a bummer that the sword sounds a bit tin-like, or something. Also the rubber hat which I wish were cloth. But it is what it is.

Tho over the long run that kind of corner cutting can alienate first time customers like me.