“You still don’t understand what you’re dealing 
with, do you? The perfect organism. Its structural perfection is only matched by its hostility.”-Ash (Alien 1979) The alien is a perfect killing machine. The species has been the subject of 6 films and countless nightmares. Just as it is with some brides and children, the alien is so ugly it is attractive. Designed by Dutch artist H.R. Giger, the alien is a bit reptilian, a bit insect, and designed to kill. Now when you take this perfect creature have a company like NECA make the toys you get perfection on top of perfection.
The thing I love most about NECA is their level of detail. Their sculpts are spot on and they pour in as many points of articulation as are feasibly possible; both of these, in my opinion, makes a figure more desirable. Every other alien figure that I have seen from NECA has been a work of art so I had very high hopes for the Alien: Covenant line and I was not disappointed.
The first figure releases for Alien: Covenant consisted of only 3 products, The Xenomorph, The Neomorph and the Alien: Covenant Accessory Pack-Creature Pack. Sadly there are no humans (or androids) in this release but going all alien is smart. Frankly the alien is the star of every film in the franchise. Everyone seems to love the creature so I guess you can say that the alien has universal appeal.
The first figure we will go with is appropriately the Neomorph. The Neomorph measures approximately 7 inches tall with, according to the NECA website, 30 points of articulation.
The points of articulation are:
• Head
• Shoulders
• Elbows
• Chest
• Wrists
• Hips
• Knees (the bending joint for the knee is below a joint swivel joint)
• Ankles
• Toes
• Tail
The Neomorph actually comes with a second head which can be swapped out with a little coaxing. When NECA puts a figure together they really do stay together. Fortunately I was able to turn to NECA to help with the problem. Customer service at NECA suggested using a blow dryer on a low setting to loosen the joint or soak the area in hot (not boiling) water. This figure is highly poseable and some of the joints are very tight and hard to move. DO NOT FORCE the joint. Try the dryer or hot soak then attempt to move the stiff joint again.
One of my favorite parts on the Neomorph is its tail. The tail is rubber over wire and this allows you to do more with this appendage. One of the most useful things you can use the tail in place of a stand. When I posed the figure I was able to utilize the tail to keep the figure from falling over. Personally I would prefer using the tail instead of a stand especially if I am taking “realistic” photos. The stand would need to be taken out of every photo digitally which can be time consuming.
Also included with the Neomorph is the second stage of the alien’s lifespan, the chestbuster. If you saw the movie you know this isn’t a chestbuster as much as it is a backbuster. The newborn isn’t the worm shaped chestbuster we have seen before. This creature emerges from the area near the character’s spine and it is about the size of small dog.
The Neomorph is a very poseable and it looks great thanks to the sculptors Kyle Windrix and Alex Heinke. They produced a great looking piece. Also, and I can’t stress this enough, this figure is delicate so take your time setting up poses. At the end of the day you should still be smiling.
Next up is the Xenomorph. This is the figure that most closely resembles the original alien from 1979. Measuring in at almost 9 inches tall the Xenomorph is quite impressive. Unlike the Neomorph the Xenomorph is bulky and doesn’t look fragile. Just like many other NECA figures the Xenomorph has a massive amount of poseability. NECA’s website says that the figure has 30 points of articulation.
The points of articulation are:
• Head
• Jaw
• Tongue
• Shoulders
• Elbows
• Chest
• Wrists
• Hips
• Knees (secondary bend point as well)
• Ankles
• Toes
Just like the Neomorph the Xenomorph has rubberized tail over wire which is perfect for photos or just posing. The one thing that this figure had that was not on the Neomorph is a movable jaw with a tongue that needs to be pulled out manually.
The Xenomorph is a very sturdy looking and looks quite formidable. I believe that this might just be the best alien figure NECA has ever produced. The sculptors for this piece are the same 2 talented artists; Kyle Windrix and Alex Heinke. I really do like this figure; I just need to find some Marines to send into action against it.
The last “figure” from the Alien Covenant release is not exactly a figure; it is a box of living accessories. Called the Alien: Covenant Creature Pack, this accessory pack is basically just an army builder for the bug side.
This Creature Pack includes:
• Facehuggers (2)
• Alien Egg (2) One opened and one closed
• Small Neomorph (slightly larger than the one that came with the full sized one)
• Medium Neomorph
These accessories are perfect if you want to make a diorama. The open egg has plenty of room for you to put a facehugger inside. The biggest surprise for me was the fact that the Medium Neomorph has approximately 5 points of articulation.
Overall I was pleased with the figures in this release but I never suspected I would be disappointed. NECA knows what they are doing when it comes to figures, as well as everything else they produce. These figures have great poseability, amazing sculpts and are damn near perfect.
The Alien: Covenant figures and the Accessory Pack are sold separately and retail for $24.99. These and other NECA products are available wherever cool shit is sold. Do yourself a favor pick these up for yourself and keep an eye on the NECA website for upcoming releases.
