Today we reviewed Blitzway and 5Pro Studio's "Megahero Series" figure 002 - Inspector Gadget Deluxe Version, a toy with no short name.
There was an Inspector Gadget toyline in the '90s (a full decade after the cartoon premiered, which gives you an idea of its staying power), and that line famously released a figure of the otherwise-unseen Dr. Claw which revealed his face... once you opened it, that is.
That design (shared with the Super Nintendo game) was not created by the show's artist, Bruno Bianchi, however, so it doesn't really count. But did you know Bianchi did once reveal Dr. Claw's face?
Back in the day, a magazine contest was held for readers to submit their own drawings of Dr. Claw. To promote the contest, they had Bianchi do a drawing of his own:
«How Bruno Bianchi imagines Doctor Claw! Some sort of toad-like mutant... but, Doctor Claw can take on different aspects. He is sometimes a woman, sometimes an animal, sometimes a robot... he changes without stopping according to his fantasy or that of Bruno Bianchi, or even thousands of yours!»
Clearly that's just a joke, but now you know: Inspector Gadget's creator did at least once draw Dr. Claw's face for everyone to see.
Huh. Considering the voice Frank Welker gave him, I can totally see Dr. Claw having the appearance of a toad-like mutant.
And since Welker is *also* a man of a thousand voices, I can also see Dr. Claw having multiple forms according to his whim.
I always just figured Dr. Claw was Chief Quimby, having developed a psychotic alter ego due to dealing with Gadget's BS for so long.
(They never show up at the same time, so I think that passes muster.)