Background
Ridley Hooper is the reluctant protagonist of Bob K.'s cult black and white horror serial - Elsie Hooper. The character’s main objective is to find his younger sister, Elsie, and battle the shadwomen along the way. Ridley is the first character in a limited run of figures from the Elsie Hooper serial that will be produced and released by Patch Together.
The Facts
Ridley Hooper
Series: Elsie Hooper
Manufacturer: Patch Together
Artist: Bob K.
Material: Resin
Dimensions: 7” tall
Points of Articulation: Zero
Accessories: Shotgun, pink lawn flamingo, sidewalk base
Packaging
The Ridley Hooper figure is packaged in what’s become Patch Together’s standard packaging. It’s a blank white box with Styrofoam on the inside. (Styrofoam is a personal enemy of mine...it always seem to get everywhere)
Our Opinion
I had never heard of Elsie Hooper or Ridley Hooper or even artist Bob K. It’s a shame that it’s taken so long for me to find out about this black and white serial (it’s been around since 2002). Apparently, there have been talks about producing a film based on the cult comic.
The Ridley Hooper resin figure is packaged in four pieces: Ridley Hooper, hot pink lawn flamingo, shotgun and sidewalk base. The Ridley figure can fit into pre-cut slots in the base, but it’s a balancing act (I guess you could glue it in there). The shotgun can be held in his hand or slung over Ridley’s shoulder. And the flamingo can be placed in the base (there’s a hole for it) or stowed in Ridley’s clenched right hand.
This sculpt is based on the “changed” portrait of Ridley Hooper – I won’t give it away, in case you’re interested in reading the story. But the sculpt is a fairly good likeness of the character – from the face to the sweat suit. The only issue I might raise is the flamingo. The entire comic is done in black and white, so the flamingo isn’t “true” to the material. But it probably looks better than a white or gray flamingo would.
As far as the price goes…$49.95 seems to be a lot for a 7” tall production resin piece. I know that the artist has addressed this and Patch Together will be selling subsequent figures from the Elsie Hooper line around $29.95. That sounds much more reasonable. But if you’re a huge fan of the black and white serial, I’m sure you’ll pony up the cash to get the only Ridley Hooper figure out there.
You can pick one up at the following:
PatchTogether.com: $49.95
Ridley Hooper Grades
Figure Quality: 8/10
Sculpt: 8/10
Paint: 8/10
Accessories/Outfit: 7/10
Packaging: 5/10
Durability: 6/10
Fun Factor: 8/10
Value: 5/10
Overall: 7.1/10
