Maleficent

From the back, the cape pretty much covers up everything which is fine because there is no back printing to speak of. A character this well done doesn't need that - nor does she need the actual Sleeping Beauty figure (which is good because Maleficent is the only figure from the Sleeping Beauty movie in this series)! more less

There were quite a few characters that I really liked such as Stitch, Buzz Lightyear, Maleficent, and Donald. However, there were also some that really didn't hit the mark for me like Mr. Incredible, Syndrome, Captain Hook, and Genie. The main reasons for that is because the characters just didn't translate well in minifigure form. Some of those characters have larger features that didn't come out too well the way they currently are. more less

I think LEGO did a really great job with Maleficent and I'm glad that they included her alone since she's such an iconic sorceress. Fans who own the Sleeping Beauty set will be glad to finally own a villain who will be able to torment her. If only her horns were made of better material. more less

Maleficent is resplendent with a double-sided cape, black on the exterior, and a rich purple on the inside. She also has a second, small double-sided cape which forms the shroud. Maleficent has a black head with a printed-on face, and her hands are light aqua, making her only the second minifig to have light aqua hands (the previous was last year's Monsters series Ghost). The horned helm is rubber, and I can easily see it being used for other, non-Disney dark wizards. She comes with a pearl gold staff with a yellow jewel on top. more less

I would like to quickly comment on the figs themselves: they are fantastic. They have great features, ensuring none is particularly dull or mundane. Eight figures with 2 tone moulded legs; 3 moulded ‘leg/fin/ gaseous genie' pieces and 3 sets of short legs. Eight new hats/hair pieces; Five new head moulds (7 characters). Five pearl gold accessories; two hairbows, duck tales and 2 different skirts, one set of blueprints and a propaganda poster! more less

71012 represents a big step forward in the detail that designers can endow minifigures with; and there's no better group of iconic characters to implement these advances on. The 18 characters of this collectible figure series represent their original versions quite well, for the most part, introducing a bounty of new molds to fill the unique needs of their designs... but, from the point of view of a MOCer, that very specificity goes somewhat to waste in terms of reapplying the new parts. I think this series will be a real treat for Disney fans, whether or not they're into LEGO. more less

I will just say it: this is an extraordinary series. It might be the best Collectable Minifigures series of all time. For a Disney geek like me, this is a literal dream come true! No minifigure is truly awful, but some are definitely better than others and there are true standouts. My favorites, in no particular order, are Buzz Lightyear, Syndrome, Stitch, Ariel, Maleficent and Captain Hook. My least favorites are Genie, Alice, Daisy Duck and Mr. Incredible. But like I said, I don't necessarily HATE any of them. more less

LEGO has done a wonderful job here of taking iconic characters and transforming them into distinct plastic form. Even when the results aren't quite perfect, there's always a key aspect that's made the transition intact perfectly. If you like Disney and you like LEGO, you'll definitely like these. more less

I think the one issue I have with the look of this series is with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy. Instead of looking for like the cartoon character (like Stitch or Cheshire Cat), the size of the head sculpt makes them more like the early-day walk-around characters at Disneyland. It's a quirkiness that I don't necessarily mind, but they just seem off to me. All of the other characters I feel work well with the design and sculpt. more less