Martina – An In-Depth Review (Nuts Planet)

Martina – the PRELUDE

The latest release from Nuts Planet, Martina, sees the third 1/10 bust in the Ghost Company Series, the first two being Anti Robot Squad Sergeant and Expo Suit PMC. The bust comes in The instantly recognisable packaging, contained within a sturdy blue box adorned with the box art by Ki Yeol Yoon. This is a five part, Polyurethane resin kit, the parts nestled between shaped layers of foam, comprising torso and head, left arm, right upper arm, shoulder guard and a pedestal arm for mounting to your plinth of choice. Under the foam we also find a sheet of some very nice looking decals.

Martina

The Kit in Full

SCULPT AND CAST

Straight from the off you can see the various design elements that are synonymous with the Ghost Company, hi tech equipment, stylised body armour, multi layered detailing and sweeping lines. Martina is presented holding aloft the severed head of a robot, confirming her status as a Robot Hunter.

The sculpt consists predominantly of one main piece, the torso and head. The head is partially covered by the masked headgear which displays some innovative touches. The hair is wonderfully sculpted with a nod towards anime styling and is realistically cinched beneath the head strap. The facial features portray a determined and attractive young female Hunter, with high cheekbones, straight nose, a pout to the mouth line with slender jawline.

Martina

Wonderful detailing and the facial features are superb

The neck is covered by the body glove that sits beneath the armour and at the top of the breast bone we are given an indication of how this interacts with the neoprene looking armour. This sits above the breast plate armour, the multi layered nature of the armour gives an insight into how the wearer benefits from protection and mobility.

The detailing throughout is superb with crisp casting, deep panel lines and micro detailing such as screw heads, stud fasteners and textured straps. The casting to the main mode is very good indeed with a small mold line between the shoulders and the casting block that will need cutting away and filing smooth. The area to receive the arms, is smooth, indented, with two distinct holes, one above the other. The right upper arm continues with the multi layered armour and you can see the body glove beneath, displaying natural looking creases and folds. Once again we have a casting plug that will need removing and there is a soft mold line to the rear of the arm itself. The left arm is more extensive and holds aloft a Robot “head”, whenever I look at this bust, the positioning of the arm, oreeenting he trophy looks a little unnatural.

Martina

The multi layered armour and mechanised joints

Holding the “head” from above looks a little clumsy and cumbersome yet I can not think of another way that it could be done, perhaps with the arm outstretched and the “head” held in the palm, perhaps that would have broken up her composition too much. The level of detailing again is stunning with the jointed fingers another clue to the strength and mobility of the armoured suit. The “head” has a dented and crumpled look at the top, I’m not sure if this is battle damage or the damage being caused by the mechanised glove of Martina, either way it is a nice touch! Finally we have the shoulder pad that sits atop the upper arm and matches the design of the right arm. There are some casting plugs that need removing from the “head” and the elbow of the arm, casting of the details throughout is crisp and sharp, displaying sharp undercuts to the various armour panels.

Martina

The unfortunate Robot, note the crumpling to the “head” under Martina’s fingers

DESIGN AND ORIGINALITY

The design is well considered, with an attractive composition and dynamic silhouette. The concept is clever, post modern, displaying open spaces, sleek curves and sweeping lines, in keeping with the Ghost Company remit. Ki Yeol Yoon whomsculpted this piece has cleverly merged his own design concepts with influences from the sci//fi genre, a kind of space opera meets Chappie meets RoboCop feel, which I really like! NutsPlanet produce an eclectic range of busts and figures, always looking to bring something new to the table, but I believe it is their Ghost Company range that really hits home on the Originality front.

DESIRABILITY

NutsPlanet are without doubt a major player in the Figure Painting community who have developed over the last couple of years a solid reputation for quality and originality, there is literally something for everyone!

This bust will appeal to those with a sci/fi interest for sure but will appeal in many other levels too, the open spaces to the armour are perfect for practicing your weathering, wear and tear techniques. Then there’s the possibility of implementing some freehand if you choose not to use the decals. The simplicity of assembly and the modest size of the bust should also appeal to those looking to take the plunge from small,er to larger scale figures/busts.

AFFORDABILITY

At $60 I believe this kit offers excellent value for money, when you consider the quality of sculpt, Cast and presentation, even more so when you consider this is a original design and concept and not just another dwarf or chaos warrior, archetypal character.

Dates, Figures and Stuff

Cost                               $60

Material                         Polyurethane Resin

No of Pieces                 5 including pedestal plus a sheet of decals

Release Date                Available Now

Where Can I Get It?     HERE

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