Wednesday 2 November 2011

Reaper Civilian Geeks

Amongst the humans featured in THW's All Things Zombie game I've reviewed figures from the Survivors, Gangers, Cops and Military categories, but never any Civilians. If you're prepared to look around there a lot of figures of civilians out there... and just like zombies, you can never have too many of them! Today I'm going to start off my reviews of civilians by featuring these three from Reaper Miniatures - set 50231 Townsfolk: Geeks.

To some, the word "Geek" is an insult, to others it's a badge of honour. I'm a geek myself and I have no problem in being called such. These three figures, sculpted by Gene Van Horne, represent three types of geek. First up is the pretty one. I've painted her as an Asian student. She is carrying a book in one hand and a laptop computer in the other. Her denim jeans are very tight-fitting and low-slung. The squiggly white writing on her T-shirt is meant to say Mayhem City University but at that size is totally illegible. Hey, I'm a good painter but I'm not that good! She's cute and pretty and probably more interested in her academic studies than dating boys.
Next up is the fat geek. There's always one, isn't there? He also carries a book but in his other hand he holds a bottle of fruit juice/energy drink/magic potion. The goatee beard and ponytail marks him down as such an obvious object of ridicule. Have you seen the excellent movie Shoot 'Em Up? Clive Owen's character, Mr. Smith, echoes my own opinion on men wearing ponytails - "I fucking hate ponytails!" he says as he shoots the offending piece of hair off an unnamed mook. How I wish I could do that! This thoroughly irritating character will undoubtedly be majoring in useless trivia.
Finally, we come to the nerdy geek. This guy is destined to be the next Bill Gates and become a multi-millionaire when he leaves university. However, at present he's still a rabid bookworm. Yes, he too is carrying a book. Just like his other two colleagues in this set, he'll be a virgin, lacking in social skills that allow him to interact with members of the opposite sex. All three geeks will have phenomenally high IQs but this guy will probably match that of Reed Richards. (Note comic book reference to denote my own geekdom!)
These are three excellent figures that perfectly capture their geekdom. Seeing as I'm reviewing them in conjunction with the ATZ game, the question has to be asked, how would they survive a zombie apocalypse? I'd guess, not very well, unless they can team up with a bunch of kick-ass Survivors, although to be honest, they have victim written all over them.
I am indebted to my good friend, Roger (aka Rogzombie) for gifting me these figures. The Reaper website has them listed as costing $9.99.

25 comments:

  1. More great work as usual, vampifan

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  2. You're quick off the mark to reply, WarRaptor, but mant thanks.

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  3. Great figures, thanks for posting.
    I've eyed them before and am considering picking them up. I am just pondering how much I actually need pure civilians for ATZ. (That is, unarmed and likely, not major characters).

    I would have liked to have seen a less gorgeous female geek. This one may be studious girl more interested in books than boys, but I still think she'd be quite popular in any group she was in. Her style of dress (exposed mid rift) also exerts confidence. Id have preferred this chance to get a chubbier female miniature (there are so few) or at least have her a little more fashionably awkward.

    Still, a very side rant about great figures.

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  4. Fair comment about the pretty geek, Adam. Although speaking personally from my time at college (many decades ago, ahem!) I knew a few girls just like her. Good lookers, sexy dressers (mini-skirts and hot pants were in vogue back than!) but with all the personality of a plank of wood. But, yes, someone more "plain Jane" would have been a good choice. And definitely in less revealing clothes.

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  5. Yeah, I know that there can be many hot geek girls, they are very visible out there. I was just thinking, the majority of miniatures are already sculpted to be quite hot, I thought the one included in the geek set could stand to be a little more real, as it were.

    Still a great set.

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  6. Nice one! I know all 3 of these in real life! Though she is not asian....And a bit smaller....

    Still....

    I am currently looking around for civillians,so thanks for this review.

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  7. The chubby guy with the ponytail is awesome!

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  8. Great looking figures, just one thing though, would it be possible to re-paint the larger than life chaps hair and beard ginger, then its the spit of Fran!!!!!

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  9. Nice figures.

    I wouldn't be proud to call myself a geek though :-P

    "Formerly, in 18th century Austria-Hungary, Gecken were freaks shown by some circuses. In 19th century, in North-America, the term geek referred to a freak in circus side-shows (see also freak show). In some cases, its performance included biting the head off a live chicken"

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  10. @Adam. Agreed.

    @Johnny. You know all three? Wow, awesome!

    @Sub-Radar-Mike. Thank you. He does stand out from the other two.

    @Ray. My God, you're right!

    @Shelldrake. I never knew that! Great knowledge, sir!

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  11. lol, the fat guy looks like comic book guy from the simpsons.

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  12. Yet another great paint job of would-be victims Bryan.
    There are a great number of excellent civilians and others (including 6 children) in the Reaper Chronoscope range which I've been cosseting for a while now.

    When I first encountered the zombie genre of gsmingI always thought there would be a greater number of unarmed civilians in the game - a British viewpoint probably.

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  13. Ah, but all three of these geeks have probably spent countless hours thinking up their own zombie apocalypse survival plans and, as such, will probably outlive most of the "jocks" (in the athletic, rather than the Scottish sense) they went to school with.

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  14. @Shintokamikaze. Yes, I can see a resemblance, LOL!

    @Joe. I shall certainly be putting in an order for more Reaper Townsfolk from their Chronoscope range. "Cosseting" - that's a nice word!

    To be fair, I think unarmed Civilians should be far more prevalent in any setting in the world, especially during the first month or so of the apocalypse.

    @Dangerous Brian. I am reminded of one of the supporting characters in Rhiannon Frater's novel "The First Days" who was a zombie geek. He thought he knew everything about them until the apocalypse happened and he discovered that the undead could run. It completely threw him a curveball, LOL! Still, you make a valid point.

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  15. Yes, these are very nice Bryan, good colour choices.

    @Ray - very nasty, very nasty!

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  16. @The Extraordinarii. I thank you.

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  17. Those are great. I think they could make
    some great grad students working on the cure, who now require rescue.

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  18. Great figures and paintjobs Vampifan. Nice to see some Civilian figures for objectives rescues etc.

    If your after plainer civvies what about Hasslefrees scooby gang

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  19. @Luckyjoe. That's a great idea for a scenario.

    @Brummie. Many thanks. As for the Scooby Gang, I already have tham and I reviewed them not so long ago - http://vampifansworldoftheundead.blogspot.com/2011/09/hasslefree-scooby-gang.html

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  20. I forgot I sent these too, lol. Very nice job Bryan. You did me proud on these. Your comments on this group were especially humourous, lol.
    Yeah, the reed richards guy might be helpful but the other two would just be extra drama in a syfy zombie flick!

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  21. Sigh...another case of me seeing these unpainted online, and going "Hmmm, I dunno, maybe..." But seeing your painted figures has once again tipped the scales and I will be ordering some. You know, Reaper and Hasslefree and others should be paying you for increasing their sales!

    Great work as usual Bryan!

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  22. @Roger. It pleases me greatly that my paintjobs have made you proud. It would be interesting to see how all three would get on in a zombie scenario.

    @Mike. Admit it. You were going to buy them anyway! LOL! A discount or some sort of payment for reviewing a company's figures? What a great idea! Seriously though, painted figures ALWAYS look better then unpainted figures.

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  23. I think it would be interesting to make new characters you meet sort of into a mixed bag, like opening a magic chest in D&D. Do you get a back stabber or psycho, a really smart person, someone totally useless. There could be a chart for them. "Hey look I got an ex marine with 15 years experience!"

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  24. That's a good idea, Roger, and one that is well worth considering.

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  25. The only thing missing is 28mm Cheetos.

    Did I ever tell you about my character? This one time...

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