Released at the beginning of 2014 in 1500 copies, the Thor Strike Down is yet another example of the talent of Randy Bowen as a sculptor and his ability to literally materialize (to perfection) the classic tables of the Marvel Comics! The God of Thunder, in fact, is represented in one of his most usual poses, bent over and striking the ground with the mighty Mjolnir; a gesture which usually allows him to transform from his weak human form (the lame Donald Blake) or also to hit his enemies with the unusual power of a thunder storm. The dynamic balance of the pose is perfect: the legs are in full flexion, his right arm outstretched to grasp the magic hammer and the left stretched back (with the clenched fist) to balance the body weight in the best way. The physique is statuesque, with a very broad chest, a lean and well-defined abdomen, muscular and slender legs and astonishing biceps, characterized by the presence of veins, carved here and there with great skill. The sculpt, in my humble opinion, shows a marked disproportion of the forearms, overly stubby and swollen, which, however, do not clash too much and even enhance the distinctly cartoony feature of the whole. The costume is the one of the classic hero, with silver circles on a black background, blue pants and wide leather belts pointing out the high yellow boots and the large, black and rhomboid shin guards at the knees level. As often happens when the Prince of Asgard is concerned, also the Strike Down exhibits a large red cape, with a flexuous shape which extends upwards behind the figure, thus notably increasing both the size of the piece and its aesthetic impact. Nevertheless, the weight and cantilevered position of the large cape prevent the perfect alignment of the same cape at the junction point near the neck, and in spite of a double attack at the sides of the head (a metal pin on one side and a magnet on the other) the cape remains slightly detached from the body of the character. The coloring is great, with excellent shades on arms and legs and the classic bright tones of Comics.The head is sculpted and colored to perfection, in an amazing Buscema style, with the wrinkles and thick eyebrows outlining the frowning expression of the hero, the beautiful and richly carved wings at the sides of the silvery helmet and the classic, thick blonde hair shaken by the wind. The base, elliptical in shape, depicts an elongated rock and is characterized by the presence of well shaped thunders (made of a translucent resin with a pale blue color), radially placed around a sort of central cup, used to ideally simulate the point of impact of Mjolnir. The only aesthetic shortcoming of this incredible piece is the lack of the bombastic note carved on the hammer by the Father of Gods: due to its perfect position in foreground and the large area available, in fact, it could have been accomplished quite easily and it would have been an additional touch of class on a statue already equipped with a breathtaking aesthetic appeal. The Thor Strike Down really represents another small masterpiece realized by Randy Bowen within the set of his wonderful statues dedicated to the fascinating God of Thunder: an amazing collectible for all Marvel fans!