Undying Carcass - review

Some call it a virus, others a genetic experiment gone awry. Whatever it is, the hospitals and triage clinics were overtaken weeks ago. Infected have escaped the makeshift quarantine barricades in droves, and survivor strongholds are beginning to falter as desperation sets in. The end is near...Be Ready.

I'm not sure what's more ominous, the impending attack of the undead or Sideshow's continuous assault of their in-house zombie line, The Dead. Those familiar with Zombies & Toys already know of my love of this particular line of toys... er... adult collectibles. I will post some previous Sideshow Collectibles links at the bottom of the review. To no surprise, Sideshow's trademark quality and attention to detail shines through yet again. Read on for the details!

Sideshow Collectibles' "Premium Format" line of collectibles are 1/4 scale and feature real cloth and stitched clothing. I am constantly amazed at how accurately the scale of their clothing is. Stitches, ties, buttons, patterns are all reproduced to scale on a micro level. Clothing looks and fits naturally which is not an easy task.

Of course, all of the fleshy details are accurate as well. The sculpt is top-notch and every deliberate application of color is clean and natural. It is easy to look at this statue and declare that it is amazing looking. However, where it really shines is the attention to details that you may miss without truly studying it. In fact, these details are so seamless and subtle while still being vital that you really don't pay attention to them. It is this fact that makes it so remarkable. The exposed muscle fibers and protruding bones make you cringe. Blood stains on the figure, base, and clothing are meticulous while still appearing very natural. The corrugated cardboard sign even makes you doubt that it is not actually a piece of real cardboard. Veins are visible and flesh hangs from the body. Even the wounds show realistic and natural changes in the shades on the skin. It is fun to study these areas of decay and wonder how this zombie came to be and what happened prior to its transformation.

The pictures shown are of the Sideshow Exclusive edition. The difference between this and the regular version is the inclusion of an additional head. The regular, non-rotting head is also included allowing you the option of displaying it either way. Surprisingly, at the time of this post the exclusive edition was still available. Exclusive is limited to 400 pieces while the regular edition is set at 750.

My only complaint could actually be seen as a positive thing to most collectors. It is right on the cusp of being too grotesque. Mind you, it IS a zombie. While it is possible that my thoughts 0n the matter are due to my 5 and 2 year old children. Some items simply cannot be displayed in my home. This one is currently on display but has not been spotted by the young eyes and is on a shelf high enough and at an angle that it may not be overly scaring. As of yet, Sideshow has not crossed that line of making something gross just for the sake of doing so and previous releases have always been tasteful as far as physical damage is concerned. Then again, this release is probably the most rotted zombie we have seen from them.

For the sake of total and honest disclosure, this item was purchased at full retail directly from Sideshow Collectibles. While, at times, I am sent items to review this, unfortunately, was not one of those times. I would like to mention that the links in the margin taking you to Sideshow Collectibles are affiliate links. So, if you decide to purchase this or any item from Sideshow, you will be helping Zombies & Toys by following the links.

For more Sideshow reviews on Zombies & Toys, follow the links to see their first The Dead Premium Format figure, Patient Zero (pictured). You can also read about their first set of Specimens. For the full set of pics, check out the Zombies & Toys Flickr page.