Toy OTD: Disney, MINDstyle Black Hole Figure: V.I.N.CENT. (2009)

There aren't a lot of Black Hole toys to be had, and even fewer modern ones. For the most part, collectors have had to thrash about in a decades-old secondary market. But fortunately MINDstyle, a formidable maker of vinyl art, seems to have plenty of nostalgic employees. What better way to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Disney's sci-fi epic than with a spiffy new V.I.N.CENT toy? I was thrilled to hear the news!

While the figure is good, the promise and the reality are different things, and I was a little disappointed. The sculpt is quite precise - it looks exactly like the character - but the paint work seems a bit looser than I would've expected.

Generally, I'm not a stickler for articulation, but there's nothing movable here at all. The head can't retract, nor can the arms, legs, or laser guns pop out. I don't think the head even turns.

When you have a character where posing isn't much of an option, it's good to add a gimmick or two to keep the buyer from feeling that they've paid a good deal of money ($130) for a large chunk of pvc vinyl (even though they have). Working lights. A voice chip with dialogue and/or sound effects from the film. Moving parts. Different materials (a clear plastic insert for the monitor, for example). Something to make the figure feel a little less - well, inert. I don't necessarily mean voice response or animation, but a few small extras can go a long way!

Aside from the sculpt, the primary pluses here are scale - it's a big figure, a little over eight inches tall (and almost as wide) - and packaging. The box is simply gorgeous, made from heavy coated stock and slathered with sexy graphics and lacquer passes. If it weren't so big, it'd make a tempting keepsake! The figure also comes with a similarly decorated I.D.-like "collector's card", but I'm not sure why - the box borders on overkill as it is!

MINDstyle did include a display stand (a good thought, since V.I.N.CENT can't stand on his own in this pose), but while nicely unobtrusive, it doesn't add much in the balance department. You'll probably need a display case and some museum putty to protect this figure properly.

The original colorway (read: film version) debuted at this summer's San Diego Comic-Con and had a limited run of 300 pieces, so doubtless it's long sold out by now. Toy Tokyo still has one for $150 + shipping (call before ordering), there's one for sale on eBay right now for $180 + shipping, and ToyArena still has one in stock for $250 + shipping. If you're not finicky about the original film colors, MINDstyle has also released a Tron-looking colorway (an exclusive for the D23 Expo) that might be a little less popular (i.e, cheaper). Unfortunately, I can't find it for sale anywhere online, so you'll have to set up another eBay favorite search if you're interested in that version. Good luck!