It’s Goin’ Down!

LEGO Harley VS FLego Harley

So, were you waiting with bated breath all night to find out what happens next? Since this blog is pretty new, and no one is really reading it at this point, probably not… But, here goes anyway!

 

First, lets have a look at the purchasing experience. I was happy to have the opportunity to get a mini-fig without having to buy a set I did not want, so that was a plus. I got my little FLego baggie and proceeded to inspect the contents before getting too far from the booth. You pay more for FLego-figs at a convention than if you ordered them off eBay from China, but in this case I was glad I did. My FLego Harley had only one hand. In place of the other was a deformed peg. The vendor seemed surprised by this, but gave me no hassle when I asked for an exchange. Obviously, ordering a FLego-fig from China will be more difficult to exchange if something is wrong with it. So, if buying at a convention, inspect your merchandize carefully before leaving.

Next, let us consider the overall look of the mini-fig. The Flego-fig came in pieces that needed to be assembled, and I mean completely in pieces. The arms were not attached to the torso, the hands were not attached to the arms, the legs were not attached to the waist piece, nothing. Now, I do not really consider this to be a negative point. It actually adds a little to the experience. But, you have to be careful opening that baggie so as not to lose any of those tiny pieces. This also might be the cause of one of the major differences between the real mini-fig and the FLego-fig. LEGO Harley’s joints are tighter than FLego Harley’s are. The FLego version is by no means loose, but I would image she could become so faster through extended play if that is the purpose behind the purchase.

 

The second major difference in the overall appearance of the figs is that LEGO Harley comes with one red hand and one black hand in true Harley Quinn style. Flego Harley has two black hands. Not a major deal-breaker for me, but a point worth mentioning all the same.

 

Taking a closer look at both figs, the next thing I noticed was the paint job. The colours on LEGO Harley are more vibrant and thicker, if you will. What I mean by this is that the coat of paint on FLego Harley is thin in places, and you can faintly see the underlying colour. This is particularly true of anything in white.

Taking a look at FLego Harley’s torso also reveals a few inconsistencies. For example, the curved contours on the front and back of her body are different colours. The lines on the paintjob of her back also do not match perfectly.

 

My next point concerns the head piece. Again, LEGO Harley’s paint job looks nicer. FLego Harley’s face has a porcelain quality to it, she also only has one face. LEGO Harley comes with two faces. FLego Harley’s expression is a little bland, whereas LEGO Harley can sport either an evil grin or a sly smile. The mask on FLego Harley is kind of reminiscent of the 2006 Harley from the Hammer Truck (7886) set, but the similarity ends there.

Overall, what do I think? The differences are minor. LEGO Harley is definitely a higher quality product though. Standing next to each other, the differences become clear. But, otherwise, FLego Harley is an acceptable facsimile of the real thing. If you are looking for a cheaper play alternative, FLego Harley would fit the bill. She would not pass the scrutiny of a true collector though. You also want to keep in mind that there is clearly less quality control in the production of FLego, so you might not get what you expect. Also recall that the joints are looser on FLego Harley, which might not stand up to long-term play very well. But, kids’ interests change so quickly that might not even be an issue.

 

Will I buy FLego again? Maybe… probably… if only just to compare them with real LEGO again in order to make a more sound opinion. I would be lying if I said Indominus Rex at $10 did not appeal to me. There are also some mini-figs out there that LEGO has not made yet that do exist as FLego. I wouldn’t necessarily mind having those (like Black Canary from the Arrow TV show) until the day LEGO does make the real thing. Feel free to politely let me know what you think.