Something sort of new from Imex (sort of)

Honeymooning last week in Gettysburg found my bride and I at one of our favorite places, Gettysburg Pa (did I just repeat myself?).  While there, we swung by one of my favorite shops "Gettysburg Miniature Soldiers" to see what was new.

Much to my delight I found a very inexpensive bag of 40 soldiers, soldiers that I don't have, but which were vaguely familiar.

Though the label touted these as an Imex product, it was immediately clear that the plastic armyman industrial slave laborers deep in the bunkers of Red China have resculpted many superior Imex figures in a rather haphazard way. 

 Note that this one looks like he's right out of a Red Chinese  revolutionary poster, with the light of the Chairman's wisdom shining brightly on his upturned face.

This officer is very much a "B grade" version of a better Imex figure.  But there was another surprise contained in this delightful assortment. (oooh, very Tron-like background, notes co-worker Meg)...

Look, its a redone MPC figure.  Finally, a mediocre figure redone in an even more lackluster fashion.  One must wonder why the Imex name was attached to such a substandard figure.  I'm  certain many malcontents will blame it on Obama.

Odd knee, BTW.

Advancing flag guy, with upturned face, is actually quite nice though the tiny flag would be dwarf-like in any battle scene.  Otherwise the sculpting is quite pleasing.

Anyone familiar with Imex figures will recognize standing pistol shooting guy.  The detail is a little clumsy, but he is a welcome addition to any battery being threatened by advancing graybacks.

I think bugle guy is an Imex redo, or perhaps Marx? hmmm, seems I've seen him somewhere before, but I just can't place his face.  Nonetheless this is one of the better figures in the bag of 40.  I especially appreciate the musicians piping on the front of his shell jacket.  Though why buglers are nearly always sculpted with unholstered pistols is quite beyond me.

Another Imex resculpt.  Of particular note is the enormous trigger guard on the rifle.  Not sure what's going on with that.

This prone shooter is another incarnation of the same pose in the MPC stable of originals.  Prone shooters give me a pain.  Makes me want to shout "Hey buddy, good luck reloading!"...dope.  Prone shooters are my second least favorite type of ACW figure.

And here's my number one least fave...

Stealthy crawling guy.

 Please, such a waste of plastic.  When did one Civil War soldier turn to another and remark "Hey dude, let's start fighting like they will in World War Two, that way historians  will criticize us less in the future." Dopes (historians, that is).

Crawling figures are nearly worthless, unless paired with another nearly worthless pose; the downward-bayoneting guy.

This clearly works.  Never stop thinking like a nine-year-old boy and everything will start making sense.  "Take that you slave-freeing blue-belly scumdog!"

This dopey-looking guy smacks of MPC though I've not exactly seen him under that brand.  From the waist up he looks quite similar to the MPC mounted bugler.  I'm at a  loss to explain his flag-bearer's harness and the enormous aquebus he's toting.  On closer inspection his bugle looks more like a misshapen wine bottle.  Cheers! Johnny reb.

Rock and heroin legend, Pete Townsend as Confederate soldier.  Interesting pose, great hat. I do like the chunky bases on these soldiers.  They're solid. won't warp, and will stand up on an uneven surface.

Of note is the fact that in this entire assortment of 40 figures there is only one conventionally firing figure.  This standing rebel, who seems to be having some difficulty fitting his trigger finger into the trigger guard (odd, considering the above-mentioned trigger guard) is the sole firing-line figure.  The paucity of kneeling or standing firing figures is perplexing.

This son of the south is either calling to the attention of his comrades that he's about to shoot his toe off...

or directing their attention to his enormous trouser-fly.  An interesting Asian perspective on American anatomy.

Oh my!  It's Charles Bronson.  

n'est–ce pas?

This hapless chap appears to have just realized that he left his ammo back in camp.  This is a pose quite unknown to me, neither Imex, MPC nor any other that I can identify.  Perhaps a reader can help out here.

It's another example of the very clumsy sculpting of the rifles among these troops.

Confederate soldier, or simply Saturday night in my mountain neighborhood?  Relax, it's just another frightened redneck. 

.

Not yet mastering the manual of arms, this rebel GI seems intent on not loosing his rifle.  Hang on tight pal.  I wonder when Charles Nelson Reilly needs his scarf back?

This Confederate officer is clearly a fan of the "Hell-Boy" saga.  The outsized gun is a dead-ringer for The Samaritan.

This pose is utterly inexplicable...

from any angle.

At $7.99 for 40 soldiers this is a good deal.  New, and new-old poses means plenty more reinforcements on the cheap.

Here they all are at the company party talking about how Imex has really gone to the dogs since the early days.

Evident in this shot, you'll take the good with the bad in this grab-bag, and fortunately there's plenty of good and even the bad makes adequate cannon-fodder in a pinch.

Next trip to Gettysburg, be sure to swing some business into Gettysburg Miniature Soldiers, a really nice little shop, in a great little town.

Soldier on!

Mannie