[He] is a real beaut! He’s a Pony Express rider, and as such is, as far as I know, unique…
Period detail is spot on, a Replicants trademark…
But what is truly remarkable about [this figure] is the pose. Somehow Peter Cole has managed to capture the sense of urgency not just in the horse, but in the rider too – quite astonishing! Amazingly for a figure not in a more usual ‘all action’ pose like firing or fighting, I would put this in my All Time Top Ten figures.
Together the pony and rider give the impression of flying across the prairie with the horseman’s coat and neckerchief blowing in the wind…
The rider is superb. There is no flash and the mould lines are practically non-existent.
The figures are exquisitely done, with real action poses, sharply featured faces and excellent detail – not just amongst the best Peter Cole has done, but amongst the best plastic figures ever by anyone. They are real gems, paint up beautifully and look great on the deck of my Playmobil frigate. They will do for any country of course, not just RN.
This is by far the best set of figures from Replicants so far. They really show what can be achieved in animation in plastic. The sailors are clearly storming an enemy ship, one racing across the deck with cutlass drawn; the other wielding a fearsome blunderbuss. A senior officer watches gravely, telescope behind his back, while a junior officer stabs with a dirk, his hat falling to the ground. A petty officer stands cutlass in one hand – clubbed pistol in the other. However, pride of place, in my opinion, goes to the Royal Marine firing at the enemy rigging – a superb piece. Replicants has really reached new heights with this set – metal has its charm, but when you see what a good sculptor can achieve with plastic, you have to admire the fluidity and dynamism of the poses.
— The Minature Soldier Gazette
The guy with the axe is my favourite. The look and style of the young man is so striking – the casualness with which he strides forward engaged in doing something wicked… a really terrific artistic job you’ve done, Peter – there is such a flowing naturalness to the figure.
Finally, there is a magnificent headsman with axe and executioner’s block. This is the kind of character piece that puts Replicants in the top league: a lot of thought has gone into the sculpting of this figure, and it just shows that artistry, detail and fun can go together.
Details of costume are just right: draped jacket on the teddy boy, braces, jeans and boots on the skinhead and elaborate tartan, leather and bondage gear on the punk. But what appeals even more to me with these figures is that the stance is absolutely right for their subcultures: the hippie girl really does look off this planet, the skinhead swaggers menacingly, the Teddy Boy struts, the Rastafarian lounges and the punk postures. How true it all is. It’s enough to bring a blush if you belonged to one of these groups.
The man with four heads comes from Replicants. I would describe him as the “universal rider”. He comes with a caped greatcoat typical of mounted military (and civilian) riders from any time in the Georgian through to the Victorian period, and from any country. The coat also conveniently hides most of the horse furniture! To make the most of this anonymity Replicants have entered “swoppet” territory by producing a set of plug-in heads to go with the model. This may have been technically quite tricky, but they’ve got it just right. Not only do the heads fit snugly and cleanly, but the figure will also take Britains and Timpo heads, further expanding the range of possibilities.
These are amongst the best figures I’ve seen – without doubt Replicants have hit a new high. I have been itching to get back to my ACW Reb and Union cavalry and now have the incentive to do it. And the conversion potential for Old West figures is enormous – I can see these guys turning up in all sorts of guises all over Pima county. This time [Replicants] have really lived up to their logo “Plastic Makes Perfect”.
… I didn’t think it looked too good in the pics the dealers were displaying. I was surprised at how they looked when they arrived. I was told that Replicants are produced for the figure collectors who like to paint. I am a use-it-out-of-the-box collector. These guys meet my requirements. You get six interesting poses. The first is a re-issue [not true], a Reb cavalryman standing firing. He wears two pistols and two carbine ammo boxes and has that Jeb Stuart hat complete with plume. The next is kneeling firing with his hat on the ground. Third we have an officer complete with the gold braid on his sleeve. He is moving forward in a crouch with pistol drawn and cautioning his troops with his right hand. The wounded pose isn’t bad either but is perhaps the most plain of all the poses. Another pose is advancing forward carrying a double-barrelled shotgun loosely in his left hand. The last pose is the highlight of the set: he is Jeb Stuart’s banjo player! He is wearing a pre-war cap and firing what has been described as a blunderbuss and has a banjo slung across his back. I think he is really firing a cut down 69 cal musket or maybe something larger. All in all a nice set. These guys are a welcome addition to my diorama.
