Crime lords better cower in fear, because the Sideshow Exclusive Punisher Premium Format Figure is packing a tiny knife! [/sarcasm] After releasing the teaser photos last week, Sideshow unveiled in full and opened pre-orders for their brand-new Classic Punisher Premium Format Figure this week. But while fans had been salivating in anticipation of the full reveal, once collectors saw what they were getting with the Sideshow Exclusive version of the Punisher Premium Format Figure (and for what price), there was a definite air of disappointment and anger…

Weeks ago Sideshow showed off a sneak peek of the development of their upcoming Punisher Premium Format Figure statue. This preview prominently featured an in-progress prototype of an insanely-cool extra head for the statue–a beaten-up, battle-damaged Punisher head. Naturally, fans expected that that was going to be the exclusive item included with the Sideshow exclusive Punisher Premium Format Figure. Well, turns out that assumption was totally bogus. That head isn’t going to be included with any version of the Sideshow Punisher statue, and the only extra is going to be a switch-out knife.

Yes, you heard me right: the exclusive edition of the Punisher comes with a bonus knife. Because, you know–all of those mob bosses and criminals the Punisher takes down will be quaking in their boots when they see the Punisher poses mightily with his little knife. It seems really bizarre to me that this is the item Sideshow gave the Punisher, as you’d think he’d at least get a second gun so he could be displayed dual-wielding like the Deadpool Premium Format Figure, but it just was not to be.

Rumor has it that the issue with the extra Punisher head not being included is that while Sideshow Collectibles’ artists were very pleased with the beaten-up, battle-damaged extra head, Marvel Comics itself may not have given approval on the head. This is not altogether shocking, as Disney may not want to market a 1/4 scale statue of a bloodied and pulpy-faced version of one of their properties. Regardless of the validity of this, it appears that the battle-damaged head is officially not part of the package.

I’m not the biggest fan of the Punisher personally. He wouldn’t even rank in my top 200 favorite Marvel characters, so I was never going to be purchasing this statue myself. But as a Marvel collector and fan, I can genuinely say that this Sideshow Punisher Premium Format Figure statue seems like a bit of a ripoff. With so few accessories and nothing particularly intricate or complicated about the statue, it really doesn’t look like it’s worth $360 (closer to $400 after shipping) to me. If the exclusive had come with the originally-shown extra head or an extra bazooka or something, maybe, but as it is, the piece seems overpriced.

The Punisher Premium Format Figure Exclusive edition is up for order at Sideshow Collectibles now. The Punisher is a pretty popular character, so I expect the statue to sell out at a decent speed despite initial disappointment in the exclusive item included.