Mattel: DC Universe Classics Series 3 Nightwing

I’ve found a new level of love for Nightwing after doing this review, especially this costume. I used to think the all black with blue was really simple and kind of boring, but after taking pictures on the “infinite black” setup, I really love this design.

The black of the costume really disappears into the shadows and that big blue bird design really stands out. I don’t know how scary the bird design is, but for that to pop out of the shadows first, followed by the fella wearing it, would scare the shit out of me. All of a sudden the costume works for me, and this shoot became fun.

Dick Grayson, Nightwing, once upon a time Robin, occasionally Batman, is a great character. He’s one of the “first sons” trying to break from the shadow of his father and become his own thing in the superhero world, yet he never truly succeeds. The call of his father’s legacy constantly drives him, and even his adopting the “Nightwing” mantle is really just him adopting his father’s legacy, kind of on his own terms. Dick’s an interesting and conflicted character and boatloads of fun to read.

The action figure is also a ton of fun, it first appeared in 2008 as part of DCUC Wave 3. Working off that Orion base introduced in Wave 1, Nightwing has a new head, new forearms, and new shins. He’s also got a holder on his back for his night sticks, batons. DC Universe Classics’ design team, Four Horsemen Studios, kept things very simple in this line, adopting a few bucks (base figure types) that could be reused ad nauseum. It was a system that worked very well and brought back that “Super Powers” feel to the action figure line.

The articulation is super on this action figure. Everything works, there were no stuck joints, and no paint rub. While many of the DC Universe Classics figures feature a rocker ankle, it never worked that well; the design did not allow for much rocking and was pretty useless. On Nightwing, I would love to see a strong rocker as most of his posing is acrobatic or ninja-like, and good, strong rocker ankles would go a long way in stabilizing those poses. I know that there is a lot of demand for double-jointed knees and elbows in these figure, but I often wonder how much improvement there would be.

The figure comes with few accessories: a Collect and Connect piece for Solomon Grundy (head and torso), and two night sticks. Solomon Grundy will be handled in a separate review, but it should be noted that there is a lot of plastic with the inclusion of those parts in this package. The night sticks are solid, they fit in Nightwing’s hands and back holder, and the plastic is durable and won’t break if you look at them.

This is a great figure to have in your collection, he fits with just about any team that you want to build and if you are a Batman Family aficionado, then this is a must-have figure. If you are just now getting into DC Universe Classics or filling out holes, you can still find Nightwing on the aftermarket — for a price:

eBay

Amazon