Vertigo Comics has finally come to the Mattel product offering forefront, and it has already brought Death with it. No, not sales death, the other Death, you know, from Neil Gaiman’s Sandman? Yep, SDCC is the place appropriately chosen to kick off this new corner of the wider DC master license with a brand new execution from the Matty Collector division — statues. Come on in and check the particulars of what might be an all-new format to gather up your favorite dark and moody comic characters.
If you have been about the internets for a while, you know that there has been demand for Vertigo imprint characters in toy form for a long time. Sure, DC Direct has hit some of those characters in the past, but I am not even going to evoke the quagmire that comes from trying to blend DC Direct and DCUC-style figures. So, I think it took many people off guard when the first ever Mattel Vertigo release turned out to be a statue (or “staction” as some are already classifying it). Mattel has already said that if this Death statue is successful, they will be pursuing the format for future releases, but it will not negate the chance of getting characters first featured in this execution in action figure form.
Let’s face it, Death doesn’t really need to do a whole lot of super-posing, so even though those of us that hunger for consistency miss the possible articulation, it is really not requisite for a lot of collectors. That is why I think that if this statue was scaled to be compatible with the DC Universe Classics world, it would have made a lot of collectors pretty happy. However, this piece is actually eight inches tall (not including the base), so it will be a standalone piece, not compatible with your DCUC collection.
The sculpt and likeness to the piece is actually quite good and if you are a fan of Sandman, you will probably really like the detail put into it. The look is certainly there and the outfit looks every bit what Death has worn since I met her. I particularly like the sculpt of the face, it is expressive without being exaggerated and it fits the character’s surprising perky playfulness. The piece does actually have four points of articulation: a swivel neck, hinge shoulders, and a waist (actually, mid torso) cut. So you can get some posing selection, but it is limited. The static sculpt is appropriate for the character, though, so if you’re wanting a nice statuesque representation of Death, you will probably find that this could look nice on your shelf.
I personally like the monochromatic color scheme, but that does not mean that there is not some subtle shading here and there, especially in the facial details and finish in the pants — they look pretty pleather. Her trademark ankh necklace is a separate piece and hangs on a thin thread. She does include a skull base that has two pegs to support her tall, spindly frame. It is nicely detailed (with a bit of an odd shape), and is more of a pewter color rather than the black and white scheme of the figure. Now, this particular sample has a difficult time standing on its own without the base, so I am glad it was included. I am not sure if that will be true production-wide, but it takes some finessing to get her to stand on her own.
So, what does all this mean? Well, on the surface, you actually get a very nice representation of the Death character in statue form. So if you are a Sandman fan or a statue collector, you will most certainly find some things to enjoy. As a standalone collector’s piece, she is a nice representation. If you are looking for an action figure, or, even more so, something compatible with your DCUC collection, this is not going to be the piece for you. I am an action figure collector first and foremost so I always want new figures, but I am certainly not against new executions or experimentation when it comes to formats — there needs to be something for everyone. What I DO hope this means is that if the Death statue is successful at SDCC, Mattel will stay with the format and get some more product out to match. I know a lot of Sandman fans would love to complete the entire main cast in a consistent manner. I do hope that Mattel is true to their word and ensures that this statue will not negate figure possibilities for characters in statue form, especially if the format is not successful, the character will not be discounted. While I am sad there is not a proper DCUC SDCC exclusive this year, I am very curious to see how this piece performs at the show and what we will be told about the future of Vertigo and DC characters at the fan panel on Friday the 13th. Dun, dun, dun!
*If you are going to the show, you know you can pick up Death at the Mattel retail booth. If not, she will be available in limited quantities after the show on www.mattycollector.com
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