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Toys of Steel Review - Mattel: DC Superheroes Kal-El Superman

By Jasper Lloyd Tan

For this entry, I'm going to back track on Mattel's chronological release of their toy line by featuring an action figure from their DC Superheroes toy line. Released as part of�this toy line, this Superman variation is simply called Kal-El in the packaging. I don't recall seeing this version in the comic books but the closest I could remember is the Hunter/Prey Superman from the Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey mini series. We can also make a case for the Birthright Jor-El version as the inspiration for this figure. More about this figure below.

Mattel's DC Superheroes was notorious for their Superman costume variations and repaints, but despite this notoriety, they managed to come up with great representations of the various Superman costume changes in the 2000s. Chief among them was the post Our World's at War Superman costume which featured Superman sporting a darker red "S" insignia with a black background (in exchange of the yellow one). Unfortunately I don't own that figure. That figure is an awesome figure because it got the right suit colors that is very much faithful to the comic books (unlike the regular Superman). Mattel also released an Emperor Joker Superman in this toy line which features Superman sporting a black suit with silver colors in exchange of the red colors of his costume. Their last repaint was this one, which they simply named as Kal-El. I don't really recall seeing this version in the comic books, though there were instances in the comic books where Superman acted more Kryptonian than human (see Krypton Man). I do have my reasons why I purchased this figure even though this is just a repaint with a new a head sculpt. I'll reveal it a little later. But honestly, the figure looks great. He can actually work well as an Elseworlds Superman in your display.

The Action Figure:

This is a straight repaint from the basic DCSH Superman figure. The only difference is that it sports a newly sculpted head. The new head sports a head suit that makes this figure look like a space man. The face is sculpted better when compared to the DCSH Superman figure as it features a less angular/chiseled look and is more proportionate and smoother. The articulation is your standard Mattel DCSH fare. This figure features a ball jointed neck, ball hinged shoulders, swivel biceps, wrists, waist, and thighs, pivot torso, hinged elbows and knees, double pivot hips and ankles. I also love the metallic paint wash that this figure sports, it looks like Kal is in a suit of metallic armor. He's actually a great figure in my opinion. Though it would be hard pressed to see where they derived this costume design from but the closest I could find is from that of the Kenner Hunter/Prey Superman way back when Kenner/Hasbro still owned the merchandising rights to Superman. As seen in the photo below, the closest similarities between the two figures is the head suit. But apart from that, nothing else. The Hunter/Prey Superman sported multiple belts, pouches, hand gloves, and others. This one appears to be a trimmed down version of that suit.

Kenner Hunter/Prey Superman and DCSH Kal-El

Jor-El, Lara, and baby Kal

But really, who am I fooling? This can't be the Hunter/Prey Superman. I don't treat him as such in my collection, and I also don't call him as Kal-El (as my Kal-El is the one from the DC Direct New Krypton Kal-El). In my collection, he stands as Jor-El, Superman's biological Kryptonian father. As a huge Superman action figure collector, I want to own the entire Superman cast of characters from Jor-El down to the most obscure villain. But unfortunately, chances of seeing that happen is close to nil. But this Kal-El figure is a perfect stand in for Jor-El because of the Kryptonian feel to it and looks very similar to the Birthright Jor-El design. Though I do have the Marlon Brando Jor-El figure from the Superman Returns toy line, but that figure only stands at five inches tall. I needed a 6 inch Jor-El figure so this one fitted the bill. Of course as seen in the image, that Silver Age Super Lois figure stands in as Lara Lor-Van, Jor-El's wife and Superman's mother. Personally they look good together. I also purchased a miniature baby figurine which will represent baby Kal. The three of them are my default El family.

Defining Comic book in my collection featuring this figure:

Though there's no clear indication where this figure is based from, I'm picking the story line Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey as the story feature because it runs compatible with the story order of my past comic book features. This story line is the return bout of Superman and Doomsday since Superman's resurrection from death. Doomsday was last seen in the early adventures of the impostor Cyborg Superman (Henshaw) during the Return of Superman story line. Henshaw hauled Doomsday off from planet Earth and threw him in the vast reaches of outer space. In this story, Doomsday reaches Apokolips, home of the New God Darkseid. He begins a path of destruction, facing Darkseid for the first time. Doomsday injures Darkseid as Henshaw plans to takeover Apokolips during Doomsday's rampage. Meanwhile, Superman goes to Apokolips to investigate Doomsday's attacks. This sets the stage for their return bout, with Superman now armed with the Mother Box (a sentient computer), which gave him weapons in battling Doomsday. But despite the help of the Mother Box, Superman fails to beat Doomsday as it is revealed that every time Doomsday is beaten, he just comes back better and stronger. Superman was only able to beat Doomsday by returning to the past and trapping Doomsday in the end of time. It is also in this storyline where Doomsday's origin story is finally revealed. This storyline also featured the return appearance of Henshaw since his defeat from Superman's hands in the Return of Superman story line. I'm still looking for issue number 1 and 2 of this mini series though. I'm hoping I can find one soon. More photos of the Kal-El figure below.

Visit Jasper's personal blog for more action figure reviews.

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