SUPERMAN

DC UNIVERSE CLASSICS (MATTEL)

It’s time for more of the review subject gift that keeps on giving, DC Universe Classics.  I’m taking a break from this month’s general theme with DCUC of Hal Jordans and Green Lanterns, because why not.  Also, because it’s Superman, and I realized all this time in I hadn’t reviewed the basic DCUC Superman, which seems like something of an oversight.  So, let’s fix that particular oversight and get him done now!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

There was a strange path of release to this particular figure, and I’m gonna break that down here.  Since DC Universe Classics spun out of the somewhat similarly designed DC Super Heroes line, Mattel didn’t immediately put out a new classic Superman.  The first Supes was in Series 2, and it was Superman Blue, with a Superman Red variant.  Eradicator got released in the exceptionally hard to get Walmart-exclusive Series 5, and had some more classic Supes vibes, but his classic Supes head had red eyes.  Series 6 was set to have regeneration suit Superman as the standard and classic suit with the long hair as the variant, but those got swapped before release, so we had something slightly approximating a classic Superman.  Then we got a two pack release with the standard costume and the short haired head from Eradicator, but the eyes were still red, so still not classic.  Classic costume with classic hair and classic eyes would finally get its release in the first Walmart Exclusive five-pack in 2009.  That same figure later got a single “World’s Greatest Super Heroes” release and two-pack releases with a repack of the DCSH Parasite and a recolored MOTUC He-Man, all in 2010.  So, finally a standard Superman, and four ways to get him.  I bought mine loose, so I couldn’t tell you which particular release it was, but they’re all effectively the same.  The figure stands 6 1/2 inches tall and he has 23 points of articulation.  He used a variation of the standard-most male body, with the Eradicator head, and the Superman specific cape, belt, and calves.  Generally, they’re pretty good parts.  The head’s maybe a touch long, and the cape sits a little odd on the shoulders, but that’s really all I’ve got on those fronts.  He certainly reads well as a classic Superman.  The color work is okay.  The paint gets a little sloppy, especially on the yellow/red change-overs.  The logo is a little thin, I feel, and the blue always struck me as the slightest bit too dark.  I believe the WGSH release gave this guy one of the blue oval stands, but otherwise, he was never given any extras that I know of.  Mine’s got nothing, but it’s Superman, so I guess your options are a bit more limited.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I wanted this figure, but I didn’t really want a multipack to get him, and I managed to never see the single release at retail.  I ended up finally getting a loose one off eBay, back in 2011 I believe.  I was trying to fill out my JLA roster, and being as close as I was the the Satellite era roster, I really needed this guy.  Ultimately, he’s not a crazy good, defining piece for the character or the line, but it was a solid version of an essential character, filling out the roster of a pretty solid line.