Abe Sapien/Sammael

Mezco's Hellboy line has hit a major hurdle right at the outset: the line has proved too popular, and is selling too fast. Stores are completely tapped out within days of arrival, so fans can't find what they want. When was the last time you can remember ToyBiz or McFarlane having that problem? It's not just happening with the big action figures, either - there are three sets of Hellboy Mez-Itz that are proving just as popular. Mezco's own generic block-style figures, the Mez-Itz are 3" of cartoony fun. Only one of the sets doesn't include a version of Hellboy. Following the pattern of one hero and one bad guy, this set finds aquatic Abe Sapien facing off against the demonic Sammael. The best fishman since the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Abe's looking great in Mez-It form. Block figures rely mainly on their paint jobs to sell the characters they represent, and Abe's got a beautiful color scheme for the designers to work with. All tones of blue, Abe's skin (scales?) fades wonderfully back and forth to create his pattern. He's got fins glued to his back, arms and legs, and black shorts painted on. While his hands aren't webbed, they are the "clawed" version Mez-It hands that their monsters usually get. Sammael is a big evil beastie, and he varies greatly from the Mez-It norm: he's got molded rubber body parts glued to his front and back, and a humongous set of three-fingered claws instead of hands. His chest and spine are detailed nicely, far more involved than the typical smooth Mez-It body. He's tan and brown, with a few darker highlights. His right arm has a hinge to allow his big, bony spike to flip out. In Talmudic lore, the figure of "Samael" is a seductor and destroyer, often portrayed as the actual angelic entity who became Satan. In the film, Sammael is a demon of resurrection, the big bad monster for Hellboy to fight. The figure's little dreadlocks don't impair his range of motion, and his three blue eyes (two on the right, one and an empty socket on the left) are painted well. It's nice to see a creature in this type of film that doesn't take its major design cues from Giger's Aliens. The slightly egg-shaped Mez-It body moves at the hips, waist, shoulders, wrists and neck. The parts pop on and off easily, allowing you to assemble your own fun. If the regular Hellboy figures are selling out before you have a chance to get to the store, you can still get in on the action with their smaller blocky cousins. What other properties do you want to see Mezco turn into Mez-Itz? Tell us on our message board, The Loafing Lounge.

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