DOOMSDAY IS COMING…
After years of bringing collectors the greatest collection of DC Super Hero action figures ever created, Mattel and Matty Collector end the series with the most asked-for figure in the DC Universe, the only DC Super-Villain ever to kill the MAN OF STEEL.
DOOMSDAY IS HERE!
Well, it took a bit longer than expected, but the DC Universe Classics/DC Signature Series is finally taking its last breath. I am still really sad to see it go as it is one of my all-time favorite action figure lines, but I suppose there is a time for everything, and, in the end, I was able to get one hell of a DC figure collection. Thus, Mattel and Four Horsemen have chosen a very appropriate character to “kill” the line – Doomsday. The alien experiment that snuffed out the Man of Steel in the 1990s is now the harbinger of the end for the DC collector line at Matty Collector. Even though we were told that this figure would not happen due to the Club Infinite Earths not passing for 2014, they have done us a solid and have produced one of the best figures that has ever come from the line.
Now, I am not the biggest fan of Doomsday, but I do recognize his importance in the history of the DC universe. He freakin’ killed Superman after all, and, at the end of the day, he has a pretty cool and memorable design. Now, when the “Containment Suit” version of Doomsday was released as the San Diego Comic Con exclusive for this year, I really thought the door was closed on the possibility of getting this figure, but here at the end of all things, I am quite pleased he is being released, even though that is a LOT of Doomsday for one year.
I think it is safe to say that Doomsday has become an iconic DC character at this point (feel free to debate that), but even if he weren’t, I am going go out on a very short limb and say you NEED to get this figure. I say that because, well, he has been executed so well that even if you are not a huge fan of the character, if you love action figures, this guy is going to certainly rate as a fantastic addition to any collection. Just speaking in the realm of Doomsday figures, there is nothing that has ever even come in terms quality and detail, and I while I am not surprised that the Horsemen were able to execute such a fantastic figure (they are the Horsemen, after all), I am a little surprised with how much I absolutely love this piece, and if he were always intended to be to be the farewell love letter to the line, they nailed it.
It is hard for me to even begin to describe everything that is going on in terms of sculpt on this figure because, like so many monstrous characters that came before him, the Four Horsemen went nuts on Doomsday. In fact, I think this might be one of those instances where a toy has captured the iconic looks of a character to my eyes better than just about any piece of source art. Sure, some might contend that this figure is too big to be completely accurate, but I don’t even care. The fact that the figure is bigger not only makes him more imposing, but it also provides a larger palette for the Horsemen to draw out every single crag and crevice in every single “bone spur” jutting out of his body. The way the sculpt has been handled actually gives Doomsday a bit of a “Jack Kirby” feel in this sculpt, and if you ask me, that is a very good thing.
For being released only a few months apart, this “unleashed” Doomsday and the Containment Suit Doomsday figures could not be any further apart in terms aesthetic. Sure, they are both well done and you can tell (if you know a bit of the back story) that they represent the same character, but there was just no chance that the containment design would be able to stand up to this new ready-to-kick-Kryptonian-ass version. Sure, there is some reuse going on between the two figures, but not anything that is going to detract from this version. So, whereas the containment version is completely valid and very serviceable for what it is, this new Doomsday is going to suddenly become the “only one you will ever need for a lot of collectors.”
This also makes for bit of joyful symmetry within the Mattel world of DC figures, and where the original Horsemen Doomsday was one of the very early figures back in the DC Superheroes days, their evolution as toy designers, and the overall growth of the “DCUC” style and execution, can be seen as you connect the dots between these two wildly different figures of the same character. I mean, I am not discounting the original DCSH Doomsday in terms of sculpt, it is beautiful and still holds up today, but this final farewell figure is something else entirely. If you think about it, that is the way it should be when you are being asked to buy an “upgrade” of a previous figure; I have never had any issues with getting something better than I already have, but the Four Horsemen have ensured that you are going to feel like your money is well spent with this, especially since it is likely the last “Horsemen” style DC figure we are going to get for the foreseeable future.
Honestly, I think I have to let the pictures of Doomsday do most of the talking. I could drone on and on about every little detail that has been afforded this rampaging monster, but the work speaks for itself. This Doomsday is absolutely rock solid, and he feels like he weighs about three times more than any other figure from the line. Don’t worry, though, all of his joints are nice and tight and I have had absolutely zero issues with getting him into any “DCUC” pose. Even with the massive upper body, the figure has a great center of balance as well, and you can make the entire DCU Justice League International hang off this guy and he will still stand tall. Not that I think we would fall over just standing on the shelf, but I would certainly place him near the back so if he does take a tumble, he won’t fall through your floor and right down into the Earth’s core under all of his weight.
Like I said, there is an insane amount of detail in this figure, especially in the bone spikes and the face. The original 4H Doomsday had a lot detail as well, but now that those corresponding areas are made so much larger, you can really see them shine through. There is no denying how dynamic the figure looks, and the color scheme is effective even though Doomsday is not the most colorful villain in the world. He is going to become a centerpiece of your collection pretty much right out of the box. The head is impressive as well, and all of the little bones and teeth bring a ferocity to design that could get lost in in the sometimes busy design. One of the most interesting parts of Doomsday’s design is the bone spikes that cover his eyes. This can lead to some tricky production challenges as you need to be able to create those and still see through to the actual eyes. In a smart take, the engineering team actually made the “face” a separate piece to overlay on the head where the eyes a sculpted. It works really well to accomplish all of the details, but I have a sick case of curiosity to see Doomsday with his “face” peeled off. I am sure the Internet will oblige me at some point.
Finally, as they are often known to do, Mattel went all out with the packaging for this figure. Starting with the white mailer box, some cool metallic font is used to tell the story of Doomsday (a sample of this is in the opening paragraph of this feature), with the significance of the figure interwoven with the origin. Inside is a display box with a slip cover with art by Dan Jurgens that helps show Doomsday’s rampaging as he takes down Superman on the streets. That affords us a little accessory with the figure in a form of a cloth Superman cape that is draped over the punching fist of Doomsday in the box. Kudos to the package designer for the work done on this because it perfectly captures Doomsday’s most iconic comic scene in a classy, well-executed fashion. Indeed, I almost wanted to leave this figure MOC to preserve the look, but with some close finagling, you can get him out put him back in the box if you want.
Sigh, with the coming of Doomsday came the death of Superman, and with the coming of his action figure, thus goes the DC Classics/Signature line. I know it is hip to hate on the line right now (for some reason), but it will go down as one of my favorite lines of all time. The sheer volume of characters in a cohesive style alone is enough to keep me happy, but the fact that no other superhero line has been able to do this makes it even more special. Doomsday is certainly a fitting end, even though I would love to get more figures, and his execution and quality shoot him right up the chain as one of the best of all time for the line. So, bravo to the Four Horsemen and Mattel – you guys made it a fun (and occasionally panic-inducing) line, so I am happy it is ending on high note. Doomsday goes on sale at Matty Collector in November.
*Thanks to the DC team at Mattel for sending who is last for a First Look, we have had a lot of fun!
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