The Good: Wonderful sculpt, Excellent balance, Cute, Collectible value, Decent coloring details
The Bad: Nothing that I can find!
The Basics: The 2017 "I Claim This Planet" makes it worth going out to chase after a Marvin The Martian Hallmark ornament!
Hallmark's annual Ornament Preview Weekend is upon us at last! I usually try to commemorate the season with a review of an ornament that actually hits a perfect rating and this year, I was pleasantly surprised to find one without having to look too hard. I've never been much of a fan of Looney Toons and I'm not entirely sure that I've ever reviewed a Hallmark ornament from the Looney Toons line-up, but for the kick off of Ornament Preview Weekend, the breakout ornament forced me to! This year's first perfect ornament is the Marvin The Martian I Claim This Planet Limited Edition Hallmark ornament!
For those unfamiliar with him, Marvin The Martian is an armored diminutive alien who frequently visits Earth in the Looney Toons cartoons and attempts to take it over. His attempts to subjugate Earth are often thwarted by Daffy Duck (or his alternate persona Duck Dodgers), but Marvin tries again and again. Not being intimately familiar with the cartoon series, I assume that "I claim this planet" is Marvin The Martian's catch phrase when he lands on Earth and plants his flag.
Despite being less familiar with the source material, I was quickly forced to concede that there was truly nothing Hallmark could have done better with the I Claim This Planet ornament!
Basics
The "I Claim This Planet" ornament recreates the mostly-obscured alien character in solid plastic as a limited edition ornament for the 2017 season. The ornament is 3 1/4" tall by 1 3/4" wide by 3" deep and features Marvin The Martian on his own, in his armored helm and flared skirt, holding his A-1 Disintegrating Pistol in his right hand.
The sculpt of Marvin The Martian for the I Claim This Planet ornament is instantly recognizable. Hallmark sculpted the helm so it is oversized and makes the black head appear - especially within the context of a Christmas tree - like it is deeply shadowed. Despite that, Hallmark did not scrimp on the sculpted details. The laces on Marvin The Martian's shoes are subtly sculpted in, as are some lines for the plume on the helmet. The most impressive aspect of the sculpted detailing on the I Claim This Planet ornament are lines within the black forehead that imply a heavy scowl for Marvin The Martian. This sculpted aspect is creative and exceptionally well-executed.
On the coloring front, the source material for Marvin The Martian easily justifies the monotone coloring for the I Claim This Planet ornament. Marvin The Martian has bright green, red, yellow and white clothing that contrasts the deep, solid black of his face. The shoes feature fine lines for the seams painted on and the writing on the A-1 Disintegrating Pistol is immaculate and clear.
Features
As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, I Claim This Planet could have a sound or light function, but Hallmark opted to make a less-expensive ornament option for fans of Looney Toons. While it is a little disappointing that we do not get to hear Marvin The Martian delivering the ornament's titled line, Hallmark kept the price on the limited edition ornament reasonable as just compensation for its lack of a feature.
Balance
As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake I Claim This Planet Marvin The Martian ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Looney Toons Christmas Tree, one has to figure a Marvin The Martian ornament is an essential addition and the I Claim This Planet might be the best way to go.
The ornament has the standard steel hook loop embedded into the top center of the back of Marvin The Martian's helmet plume. From that point, the ornament is perfectly balanced and the angle is just right so the hook loop cannot easily be seen! This is a wonderfully-balanced holiday ornament.
Collectibility
Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Within a few years, every major franchise from Star Wars to A Nightmare Before Christmas to Indiana Jones started making Hallmark ornaments. I Claim This Planet is one of a couple of Looney Toons ornaments produced for 2017 and the only Limited Quantity one from that line. Given the general popularity of Marvin The Martian and the ornament's rarity, one has to figure that it will appreciate in value from its original $15.95, especially as it sells out at Hallmark Keepsake stores. Given the ornaments inherent quality, it seems like a safe bet for ornament investors.
Overview
Fans of Marvin The Martian, Looney Toons and Hallmark ornaments alike are liable to see that Hallmark is kicking off the 2017 ornament season well with the 2017 Limited Edition I Claim This Planet ornament!
For other 2017 Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
Ursula The Little Mermaid (Limited Edition)
First Order Stormtrooper FN-2199 Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Limited Edition)
Lavender Luxe Barbie (Member Exclusive Limited Edition)
U.S.S. Franklin Star Trek Beyond
10/10
For other ornament reviews, please visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!
© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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