Todd McFarlane's Tortured Souls

Todd McFarlane is probably best known for his work on the hit comic book series, "Spawn." The popular line of mature comic books evolved further into a cartoon and a movie - and as popularity waned, several action figures were created by McFarlane, as well. And this evolved even further into action figures of other genres, as well as collaboration with some other notable individuals. For his "Tortured Souls" line of action figures, Todd McFarlane would team up with none other than the master of horror, Clive Barker himself.

And these figures are just as dark and twisted as anything Barker has put out before this - if not even more so. Released in July of 2001, the entire set consists of six highly detailed, six-inch action figures that have obviously seen some misfortune in their lives; to say the least.

The first figure of the Tortured Souls series is Agonistes. Described as "the secret face of genesis," Agonistes wears a mechanical crown of torture; this is held onto his head with various screws, nut, bolts and medical instruments.

Next is Lucidique, the only female figure in the series. Known as "the avenger," she is a brilliantly designed and painted figure, and even somewhat sexy in a dark, twisted kind of way. Draped in chains and covered in gaping wounds, she too has seen her fair share of the dark side.

Mongroid, "the second coming", has been through perhaps the most torturous conditions of all the Tortured Souls. This is evident by the fact that he has 4 hands instead of 2 hands and 2 feet, and his stomach is opened up with a disgusting, toothy maw as he crawls around on all fours.

The Scythe-Meister is next, and is known as "the assassin transformed." He is a hideous abomination as well, with the skin on his head pulled taut with a series of hooks and chains - this is connected to a unit carried on his back.

Talisac is in a very compromising situation himself. Several hooks pierce his mouth and face, which are attached to chains that hang his misshapen body high off the ground. From his stomach grows a large, clear egg-like sack; obviously the results of some unimaginable experiment gone wrong.

The last figure in the Tortured Souls series is Venal Anatomica, "the haunter of Primordium." A clear mask is attached to his head via a large railroad spike, and many other large nails and spikes protrude from various locations on his scarred body.