We’re all clones, all are one and one are all, all are one and one are all! Was Alice Cooper prophesying about the Young Justice 2011 San Diego Comic Con exclusive? Probably not, but at any rate, we are happy to bring you a First Look at our second 2011 exclusive feature: the Young Justice Superboy in Cloning Chamber. While some of the YJ retail items look to start hitting shelves anytime now, it is always fun when a line gets an unofficial launch at SDCC. It really does afford the new line on the block some pomp and circumstance to really get things going. As is the tradition, the DC team at Mattel went all out in several aspects of this brand new figure and by now you know that if it is Matty and Comic Con, you know you are going to get some killer packaging. Keeping up with the tradition, this new exclusive (well, kind of exclusive, you will be able to buy it on Matty Collector after the show) will join last year’s Starro set and a handful of other things that I actually keep mint in the box. We are only about a month away so the SDCC toy frenzy is starting now!
Let’s face it, DC (and subsequently Mattel) is really hoping that the new Young Justice cartoon is the heir apparent to the now long, long gone Justice League Unlimited. Even though that show has been off the air for like, five years now and the toy line is just now wrapping up this year? Yeah, I would say YJ has some big shoes to fill. None the less, if Cartoon Network doesn’t do a self-sabotage with the show, early buzz is that it has the potential to become something big. I hope so as I am all about having good DC cartoons on TV. Just as the cartoon hopes to succeed the JLU show, so does the toy line hope to inherit the DC four-ish inch toy category. Based upon this brand new Superboy figure, and a few others we will have a look at very soon, I would say we are already headed that way. These new Young Justice figures have the feel and similar look to a lot of the JLU items, but they are more in line with the current times. They are a *little* bigger and while the articulation scheme has pretty much stayed the same, the legs are improved and the feet are larger and heavier to help with balance. I call that good news. But I will have more on that in an upcoming Look, this is all about Superboy. Well, actually it is more about his Cloning Chamber.
When Superboy was discovered in the, like, 56th sub-basement of Cadmus, he was enslaved by little gnomes in a fancy glowing chamber. Oh, and he was all decked out in a silver-white costume. Well, Mattel did not let one detail drop with this execution. The actual Superboy figure is painted in a sliver metallic paint on an off-white base. He has the standard five points of articulation and the likeness is actually very nice to the source, especially for being rather simple. When dealing with figures in this style I think the most important aspect is to make sure everything is nice and clean and think they got that down. He is supposed to look white and pure and so he does in plastic.
Superboy is not alone in the chamber though. I had no idea they were included, but three of the little mind control gnomes are also packed at the top of the cylinder. They are in little blister bubbles that look like the tanks, but they open in two pieces and the gnomes can be taken out. They are all the same sculpt but they have a surprising amount of detail for being so tiny. If they were not used for such dastardly designs, they would make cute pets for each of the Young Justice members.
Really though, the packaging is actually the most standout part for me, and it is really cool. It is most certainly a display piece, and I as I said, I am not taking Superboy out permanently. It comes packaged in a protective outer box adorned with Young Justice art and a bio on the back to get you all up to speed on where this Superboy comes from and Project Kr. The chamber itself is hexagonal with windows on all sides. The top is round and comes off easily, but stays snug too. Once the top is off there is another panel with tabs that needs to be opened to get to the actual inner chamber. Two flaps hold the insert in place but once those are lined up, the piece with the gnome chambers and Superboy rack can slide right out. Superboy is held on to the board by clear rubber bands, but the gnomes are just pressed into the blister tray and can be removed once the front is off. The best part is that you can put everything back together nicely so you can have your Superboy figure, but put him away for a cool display.
The chamber also lights up via the button on the bottom front of the base. The lighting is blue (and pretty bight in the dark) and is positioned in such away that it almost gives a creepy effect on the figure. The light pattern blinks on and then holds a solid light for about 3 seconds before blinking off again. Like I said, I really like the effect and you can replace the batteries via a compartment on the bottom to keep the groovy lights going for all time!
I really think this is a very nice way to give an unofficial kick-off to the Young Justice line. You knew the packaging would be fun, but it is not overblown at all. It makes for a very nice display piece with a modest effect that works really well. I think Young Justice is off to a good start with this exclusive and the first series of figures. JLU is leaving some very big shoes to fill, but Mattel is brining their game to see that Young Justice delivers. This set will be available first at SDCC 2011 and then on Matty Collector on August 1st.
*Thanks for reading and thanks to the Justice League of Mattel for sending along this sample. Still more to come!
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