Every year around Halloween – when most tourists have departed, replaced by cosplayers of every stripe – the medieval Tuscan city of Lucca transforms into an eldorado for comic book fans, gamers, and collectors. It is time once again for
LUCCA COMICS & GAMES, Europe's largest pop culture festival, which took place last week for the
60th time!INFINITE & KAUSTIC PLASTIKHaving their own booth at the convention has long been a tradition for our Italian friends at Infinite Statue and Collectibles and Kaustic Plastik. For us, it is always exciting to see the developments since the Nuremberg Toy Fair earlier in the year and San Diego Comic Con in summer. What
progress has been made, and what
new items might we be catching a glimpse of for the very first time?
Classic horror figures, such as Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's monster or the Mummy, are core themes in
Kaustic Plastik's 1:6 scale lineup. As was already evident in San Diego, the manufacturer is going the extra mile with a fantastic
sarcophagus diorama for »The Mummy«, promising a truly impressive display.
Joining these Universal classics is another horror legend:
Vincent Price from
»The Abominable Dr. Phibes«. We first saw an unpainted sculpt in Nuremberg; since then, development has progressed significantly, and the fully painted prototype was on display in Lucca. In addition to a head sculpt featuring his "collodion" makeup, there will also be a version depicting the gruesomely disfigured face seen on the film's theatrical poster.
We also noted progress on the figure of
Regan from
»The Exorcist«. Two different head sculpts were shown, representing various stages of her possession. Furthermore, alongside the previously revealed blue nightgown, a second costume – a pair of yellow pajamas – was also on display in Lucca. Behind the bed, the Pazuzu statue from the film was included as well – likely a part of the Deluxe or Exclusive version of the figure.
Conan the Barbarian, the third entry in the
Maestro Line, looks incredibly realistic. We can hardly wait to finally hold this high-end masterpiece in our hands. We will open the
pre-order on
November 9.
Another impressive highlight – and yet another world premiere – on display in the Infinite showcases was the latest
Plus Format Statue: David Bowie as
Jareth the Goblin King from Jim Henson's
»Labyrinth«, presented in 1:4 scale atop his magnificent throne! Die-hard collectors and fans of the film might be thinking, "Wait a minute... Jareth on his throne in quarter scale? Didn't that come up before?"... Exactly! Back in 2018, the American manufacturer Chronicle Collectibles announced their own take on this scene, but the piece was never released due to the company going bankrupt. Looking back – and this is not meant maliciously or with any sense of schadenfreude – one might almost say "thank goodness," as Infinite now has the opportunity to produce a version that is surely far more detailed and elaborate. It serves as a fantastic crowning achievement for their
»Labyrinth« license, following their
1:6 scale Maestro figures. As always, this new release will be available in our shop as soon as our Italian friends open it for pre-order.
In the
1:6 scale anime series based on
»Lupin the 3rd«, the gang gets its first female addition:
Fujiko Mine. Speaking of Anime: A new line from Infinite Statue, dubbed
Animetion Club, features
small PVC figures and dioramas based on various anime productions. The series kicks off with several figures from
»Future Boy Conan«, including Conan, Lana, and Captain Dyce. Elsewhere in the display case, we also spotted Lady Oscar from
»The Rose of Versailles«.
Since Lucca Comics & Games is basically a home game for the Italian manufacturers, numerous figures from the
Cine-Mini Line were also showcased. These small, mostly around 12 cm tall
PVC figures are dedicated to
classic Italian comedy and feature characters that may be less familiar to audiences outside of Italy. Among them were several figures from the »Fantozzi« universe, characters portrayed by Carlo Verdone and Diego Abatantuono, as well as Renato Pozzetto from »The Country Boy« (»Il ragazzo di campagna«).
In addition, two absolute legends have joined the
Cine-Minis lineup:
Bud Spencer and Terence Hill! Following the recent announcement of a new
1/12 scale PVC statue of Bud Spencer as Commissario Rizzo (which, incidentally, is already
on its way to S.P.A.C.E Headquarters), these two giants are now arriving in a slightly smaller scale and at a more accessible price point. At their booth, Infinite showcased
various pieces inspired by films such as »They Call Me Trinity« and »Watch Out, We're Mad!«, as well as a new 1/18 scale die-cast version of the
dune buggy, complete with Ben and Kid. It may be a while before pre-orders for these new items open – but rest assured, we're keeping a close eye on them! ;)
IRON STUDIOSAlongside veterans like Infinite and Kaustic Plastik, the Brazilian manufacturer Iron Studios made its debut in Lucca with its own dedicated booth. A major highlight was their
lineup for »Avengers: Doomsday« – previously unveiled at SDCC and available for
pre-order through our shop.
It was a bit of a shame that the brand-new statues from their latest release weren't on display; that would have truly rounded off Iron Studios'
first appearance at Lucca Comics & Games. You can, however,
pre-order these new items in our shop right now.
FORMO TOYSFormo Toys used the event to unveil new figures from their three toy lines: Warriors of the Galaxy, Legends of Dragonore, and The Savage World of Frazetta. The new
Warriors of the Galaxy Wave 4 includes
Dino Man, Skull Man, and Centurn. These are reissues of classic figures, inspired by »Masters of the Universe«, from the Galaxy Warriors, Warrior Beasts, and Galaxy Fighters toy lines. The
fourth wave of Legends of Dragonore features three new, as yet unnamed figures. Additionally, two more characters from
The Savage World of Frazetta –
Warrior with Ball and Chain and
Flesh Eater – were introduced. As soon as we have more detailed information, we will, of course, add these figures to our shop.
Furthermore, Formo Toys had a small, early-release quantity of the
Executioner (in both versions) available for purchase. Consequently, we expect to be able to ship these figures later this year.
Did you follow the Lucca Comics & Games event, and which of the newly showcased items are your
favorites?