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Toys of Steel Review - DC Collectibles: Superman (New 52) Action Figure

By Chris Meaux

Hi, I'm Chris Meaux (the last name is French and pronounced like "Moe" of Three Stooges fame!)

I want to begin this first column by thanking "Super Steve" Younis, the heroic guardian and "editor in chief" of the greatest Superman webpage in the world. I approached him via email to ask if he'd be interested in having a regular feature on the "Toys of Steel," the multitude of Superman action figures, toys, and other merchandise available to Superman fans. Steve was generously open to the idea, and I am honored and grateful to be writing for the Superman Homepage. I will primarily discuss action figures, as they are my primary focus when it comes to collecting Superman memorabilia (outside of comics and graphic novels, of course!).

Since you aren't reading this article to learn about me, I'll keep my bio brief. I live in the southernmost portion of Louisiana. My lovely wife Ali and I have two "Supergirls", Ava, who's seven, and Camille, who's four. I've been a teacher for the last nine years but have decided to pursue my dream of being a broadcaster. I'm currently training at a local radio station, but also host my own Internet talk show, "The Big Radio Show with Chris Meaux," on BlogTalkRadio.com, also home to "Super Steve" and "Mighty Mike" Bailey's "Radio KAL Live!" I'm also a writer with one self-published book under my belt and other works on the way.

I'm going to write "Toys of Steel" in a context that will hopefully be accessible to both the already-active action figure or toy collector and the complete neophyte who has been "toying" with the notion of extending their love of Superman beyond comics and into the realm of plastic. As a result of this approach, I'll sometimes be reviewing past Superman action figure releases as well as current ones.

For my first review, I'll be taking a look at the recently released Justice League: Superman The New 52 Action Figure produced by DC Collectibles. DC Collectibles was previously known as DC Direct, which has offered up some truly amazing Superman action figures over the years, many of which I have and some of which I'll reference in this review as comparisons with the New 52 Superman.

I'll be using the standard S-shield rating system already employed by those who review comic books here on the Superman Homepage to make things easier for us all.

Packaging - 3 out of 5: Since I'm not primarily an MIB collector (Mint In Box), I don't usually care a whole lot about the outer appearance of an action figure's packaging. I do, however, care how well the figure is packaged and displayed within the package. I want to be able to see the quality of the paint applications (more on this later) and to be sure the figure isn't broken or otherwise damaged. The packaging used here with Superman is the same DC Collectibles packaging we've seen since the release of the Batman action figure in the New 52 Justice League line. Thankfully, the figures are well-protected and displayed within the package. However, the outer appearance is a little on the bland side. As I said, it's not a huge deal for me, but if you're an MIB collector, you might not be too impressed with the design of the package. If features the new DC Entertainment logo (which I am not a fan of... what was so bad about the last "new" logo that put a spin on the classic one?) as well as an image of the figure on one side, a silhouette of Superman as drawn by Jim Lee on the other, and photos of the other figures currently available in the line. It also features a pic of all the New 52 Justice League together, but features no information about this new incarnation of Superman. I suppose the assumption is that if you're buying this figure, you already know about the new Superman, but if Mattel can put a three-sentence summary of who Superman is on their packaging, it seems to me DC Collectibles could do the same.

Sculpting - 5 out of 5: As regular collectors of DC Collectibles figures know, the sculpting is where the figures really shine. This is a great likeness of the New 52 Superman. The hair and face look youthful, but not so much so that Superman looks more like Superboy. All of the lines in Superman's armor are cut in stand out nicely. The S-shield is raised and detailed instead of simply painted on. Honestly, I was not the biggest fan of the Kryptonian armor as far as the comics go. In three-dimensional form, however, I really like the look of the suit. I'm still not a huge fan of the design of the shield and the boots, but that's not the fault of the sculptor and designer of this figure. They took a design that I didn't care for all that much and made me like it more as an action figure. That is, in my opinion, no small feat and a big compliment.

Paint Application - 4 out of 5: This Superman figure features the usual excellent paint work that collectors have become accustomed to with DC Direct/DC Collectibles. The lines are clean overall, there's no overspray, and the colors are vibrant. So why not a perfect score? Because my figure has two problem areas with regard to paint, as you can see in the photo. The paint application is sloppy on the edges of the chin, and there's an unsightly brown spot on Superman's right boot. Considering that this is a collector's action figure made by a company that is known for the quality of its paint applications, it's frustrating to see these two errors. I know that mistakes can be missed by even the best quality control people, but it's still an annoyance. Nevertheless, the overall quality of the paint work convinced me to deduct just one point.

Articulation - 4 out of 5: It would be easy to write a lot about the lack of sculpting that DC Direct/DC Collectibles action figures generally have, but that's a topic for the message boards. Suffice to say that this latest Superman action figure has the standard DC Direct/DC Collectibles level of articulation. There's nothing new here, which for most collectors won't be a problem, as they know what to expect by now. I like articulation, but it's not a deal-breaker for me like it is for other collectors. If you prefer more articulation, there's Mattel's DC Universe Classics (recently renamed DC Unlimited), Mattel's Movie Masters (it's confirmed that Mattel will release some for "Man of Steel"). This Superman has all the articulation I need with a Superman action figure that I will be setting in one pose and then displaying. If you prefer more, you'll probably want to look for Mattel's version of the New 52 Superman, though it will cost you almost twice what you'll pay for this one.

PlayAbility - 2 out of 5: This is an action figure in name only, intended for adult collectors. Though the box doesn't have "adult collector" on it as some figure packaging does, it does feature "For ages 14 and up." This makes sense because DC Direct/Collectible's figures do occasionally have problems when it comes to durability. I've heard horror stories of limbs popping off or even worse, snapping off or being broken in package. I've never had these issues, and I am careful to appreciate my DC Direct/DC Collectibles figures from afar. So while you could buy this for a child, I wouldn't recommend it. It's likely it would break with rough play, and I don't imagine many kids want to simply pose and display their action figures. That's what we big kids prefer to do.

Unfortunately, there are also no extras with this figure, like accessories or even the usual display stand. This is frustrating for me, as I've come to expect the stand with these figures, and its inclusion somewhat makes up for the price and lack of accessories. I think DC Collectibles needs to get more creative in their thinking when it comes to accessories they could feature with Superman. I'd be happy to see an extra head, a chunk of kryptonite, or even a small copy of the Daily Planet with a headline about Superman. Sadly, this is not an area that DC Collectibles seems to be overly concerned with, as they don't even manage to include a Batarang with most of their Batman action figures.

Overall - 18 out of 25:

I ended up paying around $25 for the two copies of this figure that I purchased. That is expensive, even for a collector's action figure. I don't regret the purchases and I'm happy to have added this figure to my collection. However, I expect more at this price point and had there been one or two other defects with this figure, I probably wouldn't have purchased it. If I'm dropping $25 for an action figure, it should be completely free of paint flaws and at least have a display stand. The lack of a stand with this figure, as well as any other accessories, is a problem I think DC Collectibles should work to correct going forward. I would recommend this figure to someone who wants to add this version of Superman to their DC Direct or Mattel Superman collection, or their Mattel or DC Direct Justice League collections. Before buying, be sure to carefully inspect the paint applications to make sure your figure doesn't have the flaws mine did.

Where to buy:

You can find the DC Collectibles: The New 52 Justice League Superman action figure in the Superman Homepage's Online Store.

The price is right around what you can expect to pay at other sites online, though you might save a few bucks with shipping by buying the figure at your local comic book store. I found my second copy at FYE located in our local mall. If you don't have a local comic book store, visit Comic Shop Locator and enter your zip code to find the store nearest you.

Thanks for reading this inaugural edition of my Toys of Steel review. Stay super!

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