Welcome to the continuing journey into the world of Todd McFarlane and Clive Barker's Tortured Souls figure line. This time we'll take a look at the follow-up to the successful series one. Tortured Souls 2: The Fallen follows closely in the footprints of the original series, but takes it in a new direction. Where series one was beautifully horrific in it's depictions of self-inflicted pain, series two brings us the other side of the coin and allows us to gaze into torture and sadism. These 6 figures are lightly smaller than the originals, and more colorful (if you call blood red a color!), and there is more of a lean towards the mechanical, and the artificial, than in the first series. But enough talk, let's check these guys out!
Just like before, I must warn all the parents in the audience (delusions of grandeur, anyone??) that the following images may be slightly disturbing to some viewers. If you are about to eat, I suggest you read this afterwards. And if you have already eaten, I suggest you keep a wastebasket close by. (This is what is called a lose-lose!) Anyway, consider yourselves warned. Here we go!
First up is Moribundi. I remember when this series was first being revealed, this guy was the last one to be unveiled. He was shrouded in secrecy for so long, and with the way he turned out, it's no wonder why. The sheer shock and awe that this figure instills when you first see him is overwhelming. This is probably the most dramatic figure in this set, which would also make him my favorite one. But I decided to present him here first to give you an example of where this new series was heading. Impailed and "crucified" on some sort of updated version of the Rack, Moribundi is flayed and dismembered for your viewing pleasure. Tubes and recepticles accentuate the sense of medical science gone horribly, horribly wrong!
This here is Zain. Keeping the "crucifiction" theme alive and well, we see this dude strapped up to this talon-like contraption which impails him and engulfs him. Much like Talisac from series one, he is suspended in air by the device that he is connected to. Already we can see how much more dramatic this series is. It has left the feeling that these are Hellraiser figures behind, and moved on to the next logical step. We've moved from horror, to shock, and, as we'll see in the weeks to come with Series 3, into something more.
Next, it's ladies night! This time around we've got two ladies, instead of just one. (See series one Lucidique). The mechanical spider-looking babe is Szaltax. With her, this series moves into the territory of genetic mutation and manipulation. Her disfigurement isn't as subtle as Lucidique's was, but again, this series is going for sheer shock an awe. The next lady is Camille Noire. Now her design is a little more like Lucidique's, disturbingly elegant, while also implementing the aspects of the new series, like technology and implants. (By the way, yes, those are wings made from her own skin!)And now we come into the realm of the truly bizzarre. (Yeah, I know, like the ones that we've seen weren't bizzarre enough, right?) Well, these two...uh...ummmm...well, they're in a catagory all their own. These two are seriously twisted.
That handsome fellow is Suffering Bob. (Yeah, even the names have gotten weirder!). I guess he tecnically qualifies as 2 figures...grotesquely merged into one! So, what twisted demented individual came up with this design?? (Oh yeah, Clive Barker...duh!!) Now, I'm not sure whether this is a fat guy with a torso coming out of his stomach, or is it a carved-up masked guy with a fat body coming out of his ass. (Tough call!) This is where this series makes a serious 180° turn from series one. But wait! There's more!
And last but not least...ugh! I mean, seriously...What the F*#k?? This is the new Mongroid for this series. The one figure that just makes you want to gag, or yack, or maybe even both simultaneously. I don't EVEN know what those little worm guys are that are having their fill of the fatty there. This almost reminds me of the guy from the movie "Se7en" who had to eat and eat until his gut exploded. Well, this is what happened to him afterwards. Talk about going from bad to worse.Well, that's it for series 2. Next up, we'll pay a little visit to the Big Top for Series 3. New Figures, New Direction, Same Funky B.O. (Sorry, haven't showered yet!) Stay Tuned.
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