BBi All New Head Sculpts

I just received one of the newest items on the Asian market.  Six new head sculpts from Blue Box International (BBi) or its dream works factory, Custom Craft.  To be honest, I not sure who made these heads.  However, since the advertisement said BBi and they seem to be designed to fit on to BBi’s 3.5 bodies (They came as a set with BBi feet and hands), my bet is on Custom Craft.  These heads are great and have a natural realism to them.  MSRP for this set with shipping was $40.00.

Product Info: General

The set I purchased from E. T. Corp of Hong Kong came with six heads.  There are two African American and four Caucasian head sculpts.  The neck posts for each of the head sculpts are of the newer BBi 3.5 casting.  Also include in this package were six pair of hands and feet that fit the BBi 3.5 bodies.  With a little modification on the hand attaching post these hands will fit a G1 body.  The heads will fit a G1 body with out a any modifications.  Yes, the set came with African American hands however, the insertion/attaching post were Caucasian (see picture below).  Each right and left hand has a rifle grip profile.  The hands are a bit oversized and are similar in style to the hands that came with BBi’s Dusty Rhodes (W. W. II USMC) figure set in 2002.  All six pair of feet in the set have a Caucasian skin tone. 

Left and Right AA Hands

What makes these heads so great?  The detail in the head sculpt and the paint job.  Absolutely wonderful is all I can say.  Could a better job have been done on the paint job?  Perhaps, if you require a little more weathering in the face for a given look to support your project.  However, if you are talking plug and go, these heads are wonderful.  Additionally, the level of detail with these head sculpts are what is needed for those persons who are not very adapt at detail painting of faces and heads.

All of the six heads sculpts are mature looking and are profile to be within their late twenties to mid thirties.  That would put them as senior Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO) at E-6 (Staff Sergeant) or above; or as Officers: Captains or Majors in rank.  Each head sculpts has a serious look but is styled general enough to fit a variety of seniors.  The head sculpts are not over sized and look good on either a BBi 3.5 or G1 body.  There are no names with these head sculpts only identification number on the back of their necks.  Each head bears the standard BBi neck post that comes with the 3.5 bodies.  So lets go with that as I give you a review of each head.  First in the line up is head A01. 

Product Info: Specific

Head A01

A01 is a meanest looking one of the bunch and comes with a high and tight military style hair cut that is starting to grow out a bit on the sides.  A01 has a very focus look with a slight wrinkle in his brow.  Facial features remind me a bit of a Latin or Spanish American actor who played on an HBO series about a family with a legacy in the boxing business.  This figure has a bit of a five-o’clock shadow on the chin. Facial coloring is consistent with a natural fading and blending of colors under the eyes and on the ridge of the brow.  Eye detail is very detail and is a step above the dark dot in the white circle.

Head A02

A02 is an African American head sculpt.  He has a baldhead and is very clean shaving except for the goatee that is starting to grow out.  BBi added a little darker paint to help the goatee standout a bit.  BBi has done a great job of painting this head.  Even though he has dark skin, there are different skin tones to accent his facial features such as his forehead, cheeks, and chin.  His lips bear a nature color that is consistent with his other skin tones.  Not overly pink like some vendors have chose to do.  A02 has a very focus look and from the redness in his eyes, he looks like he has been up for over 24 hours straight.  There are a good blending of colors throughout this head sculpt.  The nose with this figure is somewhat pointed as opposed to flat and there is good sculpting work around the nostrils. Eye detail is a cut above and makes the eyes look a little watery.

Head A03

A03 is has a fresh military high and tight haircut.  BBi has given him a two-tone paint job between the razor tight haircut on the side of his head and his face.  This is done to show the shadow created from skin tight cut and the coloring of his face.  He has a softer look to his face with a serious worn out stare.  BBi has given him a five o’clock shadow in the form of a goatee, which is lightly shaded.  This head sculpt has more of a redness to his face that looks to come from sun exposure.  His face has the look of someone you have met before.  He has a mature look about him that seems to verbalize “lets get the job done.”

Head A04

A04 is the second African American figure in the set.  He sports a very serious look and a worn façade standard for being up to long and carrying a heavy rucksack.  His eyes are deep and somewhat red in the corner from a lack of sleep.  His eyes also seem to have a bit of sadness in them.  This figure has a darker complexion then that of A02.  The texture of this head sculpt also seems a little ruff.  However, BBi, still manage to give the figure various skin tones to accent his facial features along the forehead, under the eyes, and around the cheeks.  He also has a five o’clock shadow in the form of a goatee.  The goatee is shaded a bit darker so that it can stand out.  However, it blends in nicely to the other skin tones associated with this figure.  His eye detail is painted to provide a little watery look.

Head A05

A05 has the look of “here we go again.”  He also looks a little worried but confidant at the same time.  He sports a crew cut that has grown out with a thickness of hair on top that gently starts to fade out on the sides.  He is also has long side burns that are neat and with regulations.  You can also tell, as with all the head sculpts, that he has been in the field several days unable to part take in a shave.  The head has a small mustache and hair on his chin that is starting grow out.  He has signs of wear in his eyes by the red paint applied to each corner of his eyes.

Head A06

A06 is the head sculpt that looks down and dirty.  He has a distance stare that seems focus on you.  Not only does he have a five-o’clock shadow in the form of a goatee, but it also extends around to his side burns.  BBi has shaded this area with a heavier paint tone to give a darker look.  His mouth is open to expose his upper teeth however; he does not look as though he is speaking as much as he looks like he is just taking in a little air.  This head sculpt also sports a crew cut that is starting to grow out.

Conclusion

I am not sure when or if this set of heads will hit the US market.  I really hope they are ship here.  I would love to get another set of these heads.  This is a great set.  And since BBi fans have been waiting in the wings for the company’s next figure release, these heads are a welcome sight.  BBi or Custom Craft has done a good job of sculpting and painting these heads.  At forty bucks for the set (including shipping), these heads are a good deal.  That is $6.67 a head (including hands and feet)!  Not bad at all.

Sick, Lame, Lazy, and Airborne Crazy;

T. R.