{"id":17102,"date":"2014-09-19T16:20:17","date_gmt":"2014-09-19T20:20:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.oafe.net\/blog\/?p=17102"},"modified":"2016-07-31T17:24:28","modified_gmt":"2016-07-31T21:24:28","slug":"science-fiction-mystery-minis-lootcrate-mal-reynolds-exclusive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oafe.net\/blog\/2014\/09\/science-fiction-mystery-minis-lootcrate-mal-reynolds-exclusive\/","title":{"rendered":"Science Fiction Mystery Minis - Lootcrate Mal Reynolds exclusive & Jayne Cobb"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you're unfamiliar with Lootcrate<\/a>, it's a monthly subscription-based service that sends a themed box of geeky goodies right to your door. Most of the time it's... well this is the best description I've read of it<\/a>. But sometimes it's a little bit better.<\/p>\n

The September Lootcrate theme was \"Galactic,\" and one of the things in the box was a Funko Science Fiction Mystery Mini<\/i>. The real figures aren't even out yet, but Lootcrate sent a Mystery Mini<\/i> to all 100,000+ subscribers - and more than that, they sent an exclusive<\/b> Mystery Mini<\/i> - Captain Malcolm Reynolds.<\/p>\n

Mal, the studly space cowboy from Firefly<\/i>, is in the normal series, available in a 1:24 ratio. But that Captain Mal has a different pose and a different weapon. This one is armed with a shotgun - he's holding it in his left hand, with his right hand wrapped around the pump; the standard release is holding a pistol in his right hand, and his left hand is splayed out behind him in a manner most stylish.<\/p>\n

The head and body on both figures look the same (which makes sense, since the arms are separate pieces glued in at the shoulder), but the paint is slightly different: mass Mal is wearing an orange shirt, while Lootcrate Mal is wearing blue. And of course, he's got his brown coat.<\/p>\n

In a surprising level of detail, even the packaging has been redesigned<\/a>. It's not just that the Lootcrate logo is slapped on the front - all the characters shown on the box are in different positions, and the art of Mal shows him with his rifle and blue shirt.<\/p>\n

I don't know how many cases of Science Fiction Mystery Minis<\/i> Funko is sending to retailers, but since every<\/b> Lootcrate subscriber got this version of Mal, he may be one of the most plentiful Mystery Minis<\/i> around. Definitely more common than 1:24!<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Mal wasn't the only Firefly<\/i> figure in Science Fiction Mystery Minis<\/i> Series 1 - there was also the ship's enforcer, Jayne Cobb.<\/p>\n

Jayne was the hired goon for a different bunch of space banditos when Mal offered him a better deal and got him to switch sides. And though he was never the most trustworthy member of the crew, Jayne could be counted on as long as the rewards were flowing his way. He was basically a big cuddly teddy bear, who might turn on his friends at the drop of a hat.<\/p>\n

And then it turned out that actor Adam Baldwin was a political lunatic, like a cross between Ted Nugent and Alex Jones, but not nearly as well reasoned. Imagine if Firefly<\/i> was one of your favorite shows, but you could never watch it again because then you'd see the human nutball who sicced an army of Men's Rights Activist trolls on you and nearly ruined your life. Some people don't have to imagine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Funko created Jayne wearing his famous hat, because of course they did. If you have a chance to make a toy wearing a silly hat, you do it, because that's a great way to help sell the likeness. Thing is, the outfit he's wearing isn't the one he wore while he had the hat: it's a grey-green T-shirt with khaki pants, big black boots, and fingerless gray gloves. He's also carrying \"Vera,\" his fancy modular gun - again, Vera never appeared with the hat, so this figure is basically an \"ultimate\" Jayne rather than one meant to represent a specific version.<\/p>\n

If not for the Lootcrate Mal, I probably wouldn't have kept this Jayne when I got him. Adam Baldwin is just too unlikeable a person to be worthy of having any of his merchandise alone; it would be like willingly owning a Michael Vick action figure, you know? But as a pair with his captain, he's not quite as bad.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

<i>And now, some more OAFEry:<\/i><\/H5>