An insectoid being with compound eyes, Zuckuss was a Force-sensitive male Gand born on his species' homeworld of Gand as one of the planet's traditional findsmen. Using the findsmen's mystic traditions, dating back centuries, Zuckuss operated as a tireless tracker until the planet's findsman traditions began dying out. After failing to retrieve a T'karra flower from the nesting grounds of a charon, Zuckuss was deemed to have failed a traditional findsman rite and was cast out of his clan. He became one of the first such to leave the planet's thick and toxic atmosphere, and wore a respirator to breathe ammonia while operating in oxygen-rich atmospheres in the wider galaxy. He worked as a bounty hunter on lucrative jobs that made use of his particular talents as a highly sought-after hunter with renowned tracking skills, and he often paired up with 4-LOM on many occasions. Although Zuckuss's uncanny abilities made some uneasy, he and 4-LOM remained a formidable team. They flew aboard the Mist Hunter, which Zuckuss filled with gasses to remind him of his homeworld.
Zuckuss is a character in the vast Star Wars lore that appeared for mere seconds in the 2nd Star Wars movie outing of <The Empire Strikes Back> in 1980. Part of the ensemble of galaxy bounty hunters hired by Darth Vader to locate the Millenium Falcon and its crew.
Collectors are obsessed (some) and obligated to own all 6 OG bounty hunters - Boba Fett, Bossk, Dengar, IG-88, Zuckuss & 4-LOM - in the collection. It is almost blasphermy to have one or the other missing. Just for the articulated action figure range and there are the 1/18 scale (3.75"), 1/12 scale (6"), and my main collecting line, the 1/6 scale (12") being the most difficult and most expensive to complete.
Zuckuss is a character in the vast Star Wars lore that appeared for mere seconds in the 2nd Star Wars movie outing of <The Empire Strikes Back> in 1980. Part of the ensemble of galaxy bounty hunters hired by Darth Vader to locate the Millenium Falcon and its crew.
Collectors are obsessed (some) and obligated to own all 6 OG bounty hunters - Boba Fett, Bossk, Dengar, IG-88, Zuckuss & 4-LOM - in the collection. It is almost blasphermy to have one or the other missing. Just for the articulated action figure range and there are the 1/18 scale (3.75"), 1/12 scale (6"), and my main collecting line, the 1/6 scale (12") being the most difficult and most expensive to complete.
Zuckuss is the least favorite of mine amongst the lot and believed a lot of other SW fans are with me on this. And it is also the hardest one to find. For the sake of the gang, it has to be bought but I am not too excited at owning it but more excited to find it and buy it. Nevertheless, lets run through the categories.
DESIGN - 3/5
For the first time, I am stumped on how to comments on a figure's design. There is really nothing much to it for Sideshow's Zuckuss. Pehaps the only worth mentioning is the material used for the coat. It is not pleather, not leather, not fabric... I really don't know what material it actually is. Something like a nylon bag material which is hard and made crisping sound when you tried to articulate the figure.
Underneath that "NASA" type material is a long sleeve tunic and a proper pants with a pair of nicely sculpted boots. Sideshow is not cutting any corners on this.
Flaps of the pouches are also magnetized for lead sealing which is a nice touch.
Hoses are sculpted soft vinyl material which looks durable.
So except for the chosen material for the cloak, everything else are within expectation.
SCULPTING - 3/5
Zuckuss is an insectoid being and the expectation is a wealth of skin texture details to be had. This sideshow version seem a bit subtle in my opinion. Texture on the head can be a bit more profound I think. However "skin' around the mouthpiece is sculpted nicely gives a very believable "bunch up" when the mouthpiece is mounted on.
The hands are also nicely sculpted 3 fingered. Boots are split toed and top off with sculpted patterns drop down from the boot seam. Sideshow could have just use a generic boot since it will be covered by the cloak perpetually. Kudos to that.
PAINTING - 3/5
Because of the conservative sculpting of the skin texture, it presented a lost opportunity for this department to excel. But still there are enough to bring the details out with good applied painting. Alas, Sideshow is also being conservative here. A paint wash with darker colour would have pop whatever details available but it is not done. Because of no paint washes, the colour on the head seem fairer than it should be. I'd prefer a darker skin shade that doesn't show such a contrast with the dark brown cloak as it is now.
However, effort were made on giving the hoses a secondary brush of a darker colour to show texture.
The "electric" panel attached at the back of the figure is also nicely painted with metallic bronze with weathering. Made it looks classic old bronze. That is a nice touch.
Sideshow even do a proper paint job on the boots pattern with proper wash and weathering even though it is almost always out of sight.
ARTICULATION - 2/5
Mere looking at this figure you can already tell articulation is not its forte. To top up on the hard material cloak, there is another layer of clothings underneath. There is almost no chance for a more dynamic poses. Some higher degree of poses can still be achieve if we persevere to tweak and turn the articulating points. But a grave concern that it could tear the cloak. Risk is too high on damaging this expensive figure.
I let it rest. Just slight arm movement, head turning and tilting, hold weapon, no weapon etc. Perpetual standing still pose. Zuckuss bombed at this department.
ACCESSORY - 3.5/5
Sideshow figures sell point is the character itself. Accessory is never their strength. No different for Zuckuss. It came with what it suppose to have. The blaster, 1 pair of spare hands and a figure stand and that's it. Fortunately I'm not an accessory guy and am satisfied with what it came with.
However, more hands gestures would be nice to give Zuckess more personality given its lack of poseability.
OVERALL - 3/5
It is Zuckuss, it is there on the Executor's bridge, it is the OG bounty hunter. Buy it!
That is what I am thinking when making the purchase. This is the best representation of Zuckuss in 1/6 scale till date. Sideshow has done quite a good job on it. But there are areas of improvement still to be achieved.
If and when HT eventually offer one down the road, will I buy another? I probably would - but it is a big IF.
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