Oddly enough, I did not read many issues of Deathstroke the Terminator when I was younger. That sounds odd. In 1991 when the comic came out, I was ending high school/starting college. Going further back, I did not read much Teen Titans either, so when Deathstroke made his appearance in 1980 I missed it. In time I got to know the character and loved the Punisher-like concept.
The DC Universe action figure represents Deathstroke in his classic costume. In “recent” times his costume has had some changes/modernization, but the overall look and feel are the same. He still has body armor and the same coloring, blue and orange, and the mask hasn’t changed outside of being more of a helmet. This figure is the classic look, which still looks great! I love the chain mail (reverse “Captain America” style), the boot cuffs, the buccaneer gloves, and the kit. Deathstroke has a ton of swag to carry around.
The sculpt is, for the most part, a unique sculpt. I think the thighs, crotch, and hands are the only reused parts, and everything else is unique to this figure. And, if memory serves, none of these parts were used again. The chain mail sculpting is exceptional and there are a ton of other details on the thigh straps, belt, and bandoleer that are simply beautiful to look at. I might be so bold as to say this is the best sculpt in the entire series.
There were two different Deathstroke figures released in this series: one masked and one unmasked. Having taken my figures out for this archive, I realized that my masked version has all his kit, while the unmasked version has none. This shouldn’t be as both figures were packaged with the same exact kit. Also, there seems to be a lot of paint work on the unmasked version. I don’t remember there being that much paint work on this figure, leading me to believe that I picked these up off eBay and they might be customs or knock-offs. But they seem to match the figures that I find online from other reviews, and this will do for this archive.
At the time this figure came out, a lot of companies weren’t packing extra heads as an extra accessory. Instead, a variant was offered. You’ll still find this done today if the variant is different, otherwise a removable head pack in is added. Deathstroke is also known as Slade Wilson, and having an unmasked version of this character is excellent. While I didn’t read much of the comics, I do know that Slade like to take his mask off and show off his glorious one-eyed face to the world. And collectors and fans can display him masked and unmasked in their collections.
The articulation is the same as the rest of the DC Universe Classics line; however, like Nightwing, Slade could benefit with more articulation. It would help in some of the poses, especially when posing him with his rifle. Again, the rocker ankles don’t give a great range of motion.
The accessories may be the best part of the figure. A hand gun, sword, staff, and rifle make up the complete list. Each one fits snugly in their hands, and if you are having problems with loose hands, hit them with a hair dryer — they should close tight by themselves or you can help them close as they cool. It’s a ton of kit and it all works great.
Deathstroke is a must-have action figure and a must-have character. It’s crazy to think that you don’t need him in your collection. You have to have him, he is required. And luckily enough, you can still get him on the aftermarket, for a price …
