Well, when was the last time you saw my name next to a Mattel review?
Mattel has had a rough couple years. The DC brand has been beaten down pretty badly, and several false-starts have not helped them relaunch following the demise of DC Universe Classics. But with the reveal of the movie license, the 30th anniversary of The Dark Knight Returns, and a certain company making a mint off of that particular title, Mattel woke up, shook off the hobo-stink, and said “Hey! We can do that too!”
And so, after abandoning “Fat Batman” — no joke, someone at Mattel’s design team actually referred to DKR Batman this way — for God knows what, here we are. With an impressive lineup of new figures, and potentially more in the future, this might be a turning of the corner here. But is it one for you? Let’s check it out.
Mattel’s new Multiverse packaging — the same you’ll find on the movie line — is a nice Marvel Legends-style boxing. The box art, in this case lifted from the comic, really is a nice touch, and I actually prefer this to the monochrome one that Marvel does.
If you picked up Batman a couple years back, you know what were getting into here. Essentially, Superman is continued repurpose of some Master of the Universe parts with a few unique tools here and there, mostly in this case the chest piece, head, boots, and hip overlay.
Yeah, I know, body reuse. But that’s not a bad thing, especially considering the MOTU body is still one of the better templates available to Mattel, and using it for a larger-than-life Superman makes good sense.
The articulation is therefore exactly what you’ve come to expect, with only a little hitching on the shorts, and sadly, a loss of the rocker ankles — at least it feels like it on mine. I have to confess, it’s been a while since I’ve played with one of these guys, but they feel a bit more stiff than I remember, and the range of motion and what have you is not as nice as I remember. However, the size, heft, and overall quality of the figure are very endearing.
Paint-wise, this is back to mass-market basics, so you’ll need to be selective to get the best paint apps. Once you do though, that big red chest “S” looks fantastic and reminds me of an almost tactile memory I have of getting the Super Powers figure decades ago . . . much better than any of the DCUC Supermen. Alas, I don’t care for this same old dark blue for the suit Mattel is so fond of. Luckily, the reds balance it out better than some of the others, but this guy would have been really sharp in a lighter shade. Also, maybe not a big deal for you “put on a shelf” guys, but no yellow symbol on the cape? Again? That’s a bummer.
The sculpt work is maybe not as great as the MOTU figures, but it’s at least as good as Batman’s. The head does evoke a good amount of Frank Miller, and while there is the usual lack of additional paint, that plays a little to this figure’s strength as being a straightforward, classic costume powerhouse. And probably most importantly, he looks really good next to his friend/rival.
Overall, I am still really pleased with this figure, even though there’s not much new to be had. There is a lot of similarity to the DC Direct version from years past, right down to the kryptonite arrow accessory, but I feel like this a good successor to that one. My only complaint? We should’ve had this figure years ago, preferably in a box with He-Man. Now, it just can’t help but feel like a quick cash-in based on current events. That being said, sometimes it doesn’t need to be innovative, or even require much tooling to get the job done. This may well be one of those times.
