Weekly Set Review: Karzon

[architect]

Join the weekly Classic Castle set review discussion. Please post your opinions on the set play ability, piece selection, design, etc. Which sets stand up to our catapult of critique and which ones crumble in shame!

This week’s set is 8706 Karzon.

Karzon was released in 2006 for Knight's Kingdom II. This brick built rogue knight has moving joints, a serpent shield, and a flail.

[DARKspawn]

In many ways I prefered the original line of KK2 "action figures" due to the fact that incorporated alot more generic elements which were fairly reusable. That aside the special armour pieces do make this figure look like a real action figure compared to the first range.

I only ever bought the first version of Valdek, well at least the joints & modified slopes were useful

[Spongey]

I can't stand any of the action figures. That is not what LEGO stands for.

[g2]

The simple fact that this guy (knight) has a flail makes him very cool. I also like the fact that he has moving joints. But having said that I like my characters to be minifig scale – anything else simply does not interest me.

[lil Jon]

Wow, we must be really running out of sets to review. I don't own any of the action figure things, but I do have some of the elements like the "armor" from that came with other sets. They are pretty much useless to me and I'm debating throwing them away.

[Rubberchickenknight]

I don't really like the fact that his leg armour is a different colour than the pauldrons. I don't really like the breast plate, the original maxi-fig breast plates are much better in my opinion. The helmet is okay, though I don't particularily like the KK2 action figures. The flail I find looks a bit weird, thanks to the double chain. Single chain would look much better.

[architect]

Wow, we must be really running out of sets to review.

We actually have a decent amount of minifigure scale sets which were released in the last few years to review. I was interested what the reaction would be to an action figure.

While I usually do not like these knight action figures, I do like this fig because of his flail. With practice you can actually spin it around in the air. I also like that it uses an actual chain. I wish that the new minifig scale flail had chain links.

Ben

[Lord Felix]

While I usually do not like these knight action figures, I do like this fig because of his flail. With practice you can actually spin it around in the air. I also like that it uses an actual chain. I wish that the new minifig scale flail had chain links.

That is about the only think I can think of that is positive.

These things are like the Bionicle. Not really like lego, yet still fly their flag under the Lego banner.

Hate them. Hate them. Probably will be worth a lot some day because so little people buy them. I was at a store, and they had the ORIGINAL KKII action figures, still unbought. Urgh. WHY lego WHY?!?!!

Sorry for the rant. Just these things are almost bad enough to be jibbily.

If I can even call them "things."

OH BTW, Why do you have to have the Front page soiled with this... um... action figure...

[Zacku]

I don't own any (but I plan on getting -one- for an Ultraman parody), but I think as ACTION FIGURES, these guys are cool. But as LEGO, they're... yeah. Nothing really nice can be said (although the shields are kinda cool for castle wall decorations).

[Athos]

Wow, we've had to start reviewing the mega-figs (or whatever it is we're calling them)?

I haven't bought any of them, but this guy looks to be about the best of the lot.

Steve

[wunztwice]

If I was ever to buy one of the maxi-figs (not very likely at all...), this would be the one I would get. The cool copper-speckle is the main reason, plus he is kinda cool looking, for a KKII big-un guy...

[Troy T. Moore]

Well, believe it or not, I actually bought Karzon and Dracus

Not at full price mind you.

The moment I saw these two "bad" big figs I was excited for the minifig possibilities (helms, weapons, sinister appearance). Once the minifigs were revealed, my hopes were dashed (no new helms, nor flail).

The colour scheme of this fellow is easy on the eyes. Though he is only fit to sit on my desk, he still looks "cool". LEGO, IMHO, would have been better off not making the big figs, a discussion that has been had before.

[zac_schmitt]

hopefully we can all view this guy for what he is - an action figure (albiet made out of lego [technic] pieces) and not a minifigure scale set. to judge it as any other set wouldn't be very fair, as, needless to say, the minifig ratio is rather poor.

does anyone know how these things actually sell? i don't see too many kids buying them. i think they're generally kinda neat, but not what i'm looking for at all. too legoish for a proper action figure (which i like) and too action figureish for proper lego. problems like that are indicative of the entire line, aren't they?

[LORD DOOM]

I hate to hate anything...but unless they're gonna (Which I assume they aren't.) build large-scale/technic KK playsets, these figures, (IN MY OPINION) are worth about as many studs as they have on their peices.

To me they're just toys. Action figures. I've got no problem with action figures, but I i have no real interest in them. The creative aspect of LEGO© toys is what makes them special to me and more than just a child's play-thing. I think to buy these figures would feel like buying a lonely minifig with no place to live and there never being a place for him to live period. I would love to see somebody build a castle on a large enough scale for these figures to fit in, then they would seem more interesting to me.

On the flip side, I do love the wonderful craftsmanship and imaginative ideas that are the life and blood behind any good action figure and these figures are no exception. Mike Rayhawk is a wonderful artist and although I dislike minor elements to the product line, he did an excellent job in designing the Knights Kingdom from an aesthetic standpoint. I look forward to more imagery from his incredible imagination. (I can't forget the rest of the TLC team as well and the role they played in it's creation.)

Too sum it all up, I think they're nice action figures. They just don't feel much like LEGO's to me at all, but I don't hate them.

[Jargon]

This thread asked me to review Karzon, rather than the whole line of "maxifigs." So, I will reserve my opinions on them for a leter time.

In my opinion, Karzon was one of my favorite maxifigs. His color scheme did not bring to mind Power Rangers and his shield design and flail look positively menacing. His face pattern, however, was lame. Instead of looking cunning and devious, he looked more oafish and brute-like.

I don't buy the maxifigs, so I cannot comment any further. However, if LEGO continues doing this in the future, a neat idea would be to include the minifig with said maxifig.

- Aaron