Every time a 1:4 statue of Odin's son is presented, the comparison with the old Sideshow Premium Format, sculpted by the master
Martin Canale and dating back to 2008, comes naturally to me. And, to be honest, the new one systematically loses the challenge,
so much so that (to date and in my opinion) only Bushi's one, inspired by a famous table by Romita jr., is able to compete "on an
equal footing" with what I have always considered the statue of Thor par excellence. Well ... I think with the release of this
custom piece by the Sidekick group, the role of the "best Thor statue ever made" can be finally put into question!
Based on the cover of The death of Odin by Dan Jurgens, published in 2002, and sculpted by Angad Singh, an indian freelance 3d
character artist, this piece of art was released in 2021 with a very limited edition size of only 30 samples worldwide. The
"concept" of this statue is one of the most original and evocative ever realized in the fascinating world of Marvel statues!
The piece depicts the god of thunder sitting on a stone throne, finely decorated and characterized by a well defined geometric
shape: he is absorbed in a melancholy and worried expression, which points out well the pain and the weight of the
responsibilities related to the death of his almighty father...
The hero's physique is sculptural, to say the least! The muscles of the arms and legs are really huge and modeled with great care, while
imposing pectorals and abdominals shine through the black costume, embellished by the classic silver buttons. The large red
cloak is interposed between the figure and the throne: it appears stiff behind the back and softer at the hero's feet,
where the drapery is carved with incredible care and greatly increases the polychromy of the whole, thanks to a bright red and the
perfect use of shades. Frontally, the figure is also characterized by the wide and black knee pads, the thick ocher-colored
leather bands wrapped around the long boots and the mighty Mjolnir resting on the left leg, putting in clear evidence the mythical
engraving realized by the Gods' father! The use of textures is perfect both on the legs, characterized by a deep blue, a lot of
shades and the perfect modeling of the seams in the inner part of the thighs, and on the arms, where the deep muscular contours and
the veins scattered everywhere underline the hero's impressive strength.
Another clear feature of this extraordinary collectible is the stone throne, which can "compete" with the famous Doom Premium Format
by Sideshow for beauty of the sculpt, richness of details and refinement of the decorative elements. The seat has a well-defined and rather
complex geometric shape, made up of different polygonal and pyramidal elements that overlap with each other. The background color is a dark
gray, but in every corner the throne is enriched with golden decorative elements and symbols that recall some important peculiarities
of Norse mythology. On the back, the stylized face of Odin is represented on top, with a long beard, the blind left eye and his two
ravens (Huginn and Muninn) on the sides of the head; below, a large oval coat of arms depicts Yggdrasil, the immense and sacred tree of life
that supports the nine worlds with its branches. On the sides of the seat there are two other images surrounded by friezes: on one side, a
further, smaller representation of Yggdrasil and on the other a stylized face, presumably depicting Lady Death.
The statue offers two interchangeable heads, both depicting the face of Thor with a long beard and a thick blond hair. The first
exhibits the classic helmet with well-carved wings on the sides and painted with a shiny (almost chromed) silver, while the other shows the
naked hair, as it appears in the aforementioned Cover. The hero's head rests on the semi-open left hand, in a very facinating pose,
so that two interchangeable hands are also provided, as to adapt to the corresponding heads (with and without helmet).
This piece is the first of an Asgardian trio announced by the Sidekick group, which should include Loki and Odin and probably form one of the
best diorama ever made. The evocative originality of the pose, the beauty of the sculpt, the richness of the details and the perfect coloring of
this statue really do justice to one of the most fascinating characters of the Marvel world and, in my opinion, make it one of the most beautiful
collectibles in the market. An extraordinary "must-have" for all Thor fans!