Up for review are the brand new Mattel DC Super Heroes 2-Packs. This review is focused on the new figures these new packs provide: Clark Kent and Batgirl.
At $14.99 a pack are these new toys worth your investment? The answers await you inside.
This review will focus on the two new figures in Mattel’s DC Super Heroes 2-Packs: Clark Kent and Batgirl.
Sculpting:
Clark’s all decked out in a traditional business suit that gives new meaning to the term “mild mannered”. The first thing you might notice is that Clark possesses a rather small build especially when compared to his series 2 alter ego. It’s noticeable that the body sizes don’t overlap, but all around not a very big deal for me, plus imagine how much better the whole “secret identity” idea would work if Clark was able to actually shrink his proportions instead of just relying on his spectacles. The one obvious flaw is the central line down the tie. This is the first use of the upcoming Two-Face body and as such, Two-Face’s bilateral design veers its way into the sculpt. As a generic business man sculpt it works well.
Batgirl’s a bit more exciting. She’s a very slender, very feminine figure that looks great. She has no bulging proportions and even with the hip articulation manages to maintain a smooth seamless hourglass figure. Her utility belt is similar to Batman’s but unlike his, it’s not distracting nor does it get in the way of the hip articulation. Last but not least her face sculpt is perfect. I don’t think they could have done a better job of bringing out Barbara while still giving us Batgirl. It’s beautiful.
Paint:
Clark’s paint is almost flawless. I encountered no splotches, smears, fingerprints, or rubs except for some dirt stains on the back of the left sleeve. There’s not a whole lot of paint detail which is perhaps why he turned out so well, but still I have to give credit where credit’s due and whoever painted my Clark figure did an amazing job.
Batgirl on the other hand had a few mistakes on the tight details of the face but otherwise she turned out okay. There are a few nice details here and there such as the boots which have a two-tone look with the lighter yellow front and darker brown back, giving the boots a weathered leather look that’s a very nice touch. The rest of her is a simpler color scheme and I would have liked some additional paint detail on the hair, but overall she came out looking great.
Articulation:
Clark has ball-jointed shoulders and ball and socket neck. The shoulders have quite a bit of movement, but the head doesn’t have a lot of up and down give. He also has cut biceps, thighs, waist, and wrists. There’re single joints at the elbows, knees, and ankles. He has the standard DCSH hip articulation and the coat restricts movement but it’s not too bad.
Batgirl has ball-jointed shoulders and a ball and socket neck, though movement is heavily restricted by the hair. She has cuts at the shoulders, forearms, and thighs. She also has an ab hinge. There are single joints at the elbows, knees, and ankles and she’s got the standard DCSH hips. She may or may not have a waist twist, it looks like it’s there but I honestly can’t get mine to budge so use a bit of caution here.
Accessories:
Clark comes with a manila file folder. Not the greatest of accessories but honestly it fits the mild mannered reporter look. Batgirl comes with one of the batarangs packaged with Batman and yes she can hold it quite easily.
Value:
At $14.99 this set is a steal if you don’t own the single release Superman or Batman figures. If you already own those figures like me, well this set isn’t the best of deals. On the bright side those Batman and Superman figures are awesome so having a spare or two won’t hurt. Additionally the Clark body can be used to make a business suit Lex Luthor figure as I’ve done in the pictures here. It’s not a perfect fit and the head wobbles, but it looks ok from the front. The profile view doesn’t really look as nice. Overall it’s a somewhat decent swap that should appease most who attempt it.
Essentially the people who will be happiest with these sets are those that are buying them for both figures in the two-pack. $14.99 is a bit pricey for just one figure even though both of these toys are great.
If Fwoosh Ruled the World:
Well I’d always appreciate a little more articulation and paint details. In particular a waist twist (unless of course mine’s just stuck) for batgirl and double knees and elbows for them both. Additionally a little more head movement would be great. As far as sculpting goes I wouldn’t change a thing except for Clark who I think they could have enlarged a bit. My biggest complaint with this series lies with the repacks of Batman and Superman. I know they’re great figures, but a redeco would have been nice. Perhaps they could have given us a grey and black Batman or a Battle Damaged Superman instead of just re-releasing the exact same figures.
Where to buy:
Target. From what I understand these are retailer exclusives, so start haunting those aisles now as these things are moving fast.