Happy New Year! Here’s a close-up look at what’s likely to go down as one of the top toys of ’09 — MINDstyle’s 9″ Two-Faced Hazel from Kathie Olivas. This larger figure is based off of the chase figure of the same name from Scavengers Series 1. It’s the first larger format Scavengers figure. The regular edition of Two-Faced Hazel will drop worldwide on Tuesday, January 6th 2009 from your favorite toy shop for $89.99 and is limited to 500 pieces.
While based on the original chase figure, the larger design is slightly different most noticeably in that she’s sporting a crown instead of dunce cap and has chosen to consume here lollipop. The differences between the two figures are quite welcome — we’re all for bigger versions of smaller figures as long as it feels there’s some attention paid to making it special beyond simply ‘going big’.
The figure comes in one of the nicest vinyl boxes we’ve seen to date. Building off of the elaborate gift boxes for the Scavenger minis, this new box impresses with a clever magnetic latch design which opens on the side panel and folds out across three panels to reveal the figure. The glossy box features two images of Hazel and carriers over the slick embossed printing found on the mini-fig sleeves. Beyond the swanky features, the best aspect of this box is that it’s made for the long-haul. It’s durable and will survive multiple uses unlike most art toy boxes which show wear around the top and flaps.
The figure is impressive — the visually arresting design which features two very different faces is even more visually impressive thanks to the larger scale. Sometimes the move to a larger size creates problems — this is definitely not the case here, the increase in size builds on a proven and loved design. Intricate details from the smaller figure shine on this bigger piece — such as the rivets on the gas mask and Hazel’s delicate bows. The paint application is quite good, equaling the clean work seen on the mini. If you’re a fan of Kathie’s art — this will be a welcome addition to your collection.
Given the tremendous popularity of the Scavengers line and the overall coolness factor of the split personality design, there’s no doubt that this one is highly anticipated by collectors worldwide — from the USA all the way to Taiwan which is one of the hottest Asian markets.
Be sure to click through for plenty of exclusive pics of Two-Faced Hazel including the box after the jump.
