In the movies, it’s frequently known as the Gill-man. But to casual fans, this monster is best known by the title of his movie, the Creature From the Black Lagoon, or sometimes just the Creature. Whatever you choose to call him, he’s finally getting the NECA figure he deserves, after many other companies have taken their turns over the years.
The Creature originally appeared in black-and-white movies, so there’s room to take liberties with the color scheme. And indeed, NECA has. The iridescent finish on top of minute painted details probably creates a much more elaborate color scheme than would have been possible or practical on the original suit. It had to operate underwater, after all. No dry-for-wet or motion-capture tricks existed back then in any convincing way.
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While many of Universal’s monsters derive from literature, the Gill-man remains an original in-house property. Though he’s not immune to imitators — Guillermo del Toro’s Academy Award-winning The Shape of Water paid obvious tribute to this original amphibian man. And of course, in that one he finally got the girl, as opposed to the typical abduction routine most of the older monsters tried.
Per official announcement, the NECA figure “comes with three extra pairs of hands, and three interchangeable head sculpts. Display-friendly window box packaging with opening front flap.” Expect more preorder information at a later date, but August is the release target.
Does this figure make you want to own him? Let us know in comments!
Recommended Reading: Universal Horrors: The Studio’s Classic Films, 1931-1946, 2d ed.
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