UofMUSCLE.com – M.U.S.C.L.E. Figures from Mattel

Universe of Violence – Hell Chicken
By Ironhaus Productions, Ironhaus Productions Oz, and Eric Nilla

Objective:
Some of the details of the second wave of UOV figures has already been discussed. Those details will not be repeated.

The Hell Chicken was sculpted by Jimmy of Ironhaus Productions. When the figure was ordered there were several possible coloring choices (eg, Black, Glow-In-The-Dark, Pine, Neon Red, etc.). There was also an option to select a random color; which was selected and resulted in the ashy red figure. The red figure is also a color changing figure. It changes from red to yellow when it is heated. Hot water appeared to be far more effective than a hot hand.

Like the Venus Maneater a baseball-like card was packaged along with the figure. Unlike with the Venus Maneater, a set of Deathmatch game rules is now easy to find on their website.

Subjective:
When Elephunt was reviewed it seemed like a posthumous event. At the time it sounded like UOV was forever dead. Then Venus Maneater, a figure I love, brought UOV back as UOVII – but it did not feel like a 100% UOV figure; just an awesome minifigure.

I feel like Hell Chicken is a full resurrection of the original UOV aesthetic. Hell Chicken simply feels like he fits better with Elephunt. I struggle to fully articulate that feeling. Maybe that highlights my need for the subjective section.

Angle 1

Front

Angle 2

I love the idea for the Hell Chicken. It is a great name too.

The figure is striking. It was difficult to capture the full glory of this figure in a picture. This is a figure that is even more impressive in person. In fact, this figure has a very important (and often overlooked) trait. It is striking enough to be attractive when displayed on a shelf, but it also holds up upon closer inspection. You start to pick-up little details you could easily over look when placed on a shelf.

As I was looking at many of my other minifigures I realized this trait does not always exist. Many minifigures thrive as either a “shelf” figure or an “inspection” figure. Being one or both of those things is not intrinsically good or bad. I simply found it interesting.

The part of the figure that I was especially enamored with was the head. Again, the pictures do not do it justice. I attempted to capture the details of the head, but I never found the angle and lighting that properly worked. I loved the raging chicken head, reared back but blending into the chest face.

I also have to add my sons’ reactions to this figure. My oldest wouldn’t let go of it when I opened the package. He is a very talkative kid. When he is excited he literally can’t help himself; words come pouring out. He wouldn’t shut up about the Hell Chicken. He talked about the color, who he would fight, where it could go in his room, which team he would be on, and probably 100 other topics and comments. The Hell Chicken is truly an amazing toy, which I think is the ultimate high honor for a minifigure.

My boys have never helped me take pictures for the website. The Hell Chicken and the other second wave figures were the first time they asked to help. A cynic would say it is because they are getting older. I saw the look in their eyes; they loved the figures and wanted to play with them – even if it meant taking pictures with Dad.

If I had to offer one faint criticism, then it would be the color changing feature; only because I don’t really care for it. A color changing feature is not bad, but I don’t think it is practical. The figure doesn’t really change color in your hand. As the warning on the package states, it is not truly a toy – which makes a mostly playable feature useless. This criticism is very minor. It is like complaining of being too full after a delicious meal.

The Hell Chicken should be added to every collection. If you haven’t purchased one, then please order your figures right now. You don’t want to miss adding this figure to your collection.

For more information about Ironhaus Productions, check out these links:
– Ironhaus Productions on UofMUSCLE.com
– Ironhaus Productions’ Store
– Ironhaus Productions’ Blog
– Ironhaus Productions on Facebook

For more information about Ironhaus Productions Oz, check out these links:
– Ironhaus Productions Oz’s Store
– Ironhaus Productions Oz’s Blog
– Ironhaus Productions Oz on Instagram
– Ironhaus Productions Oz (Justin Gadze) on Facebook

For more information about Eric Nilla check out these links:
– Eric Nilla on UofMUSCLE.com
– Eric’s Blog
– Eric Nilla on Instagram
– Eric’s Store
– Eric Nilla on Facebook