DC Multiverse Superman (Action Comics #1,000) // Review
With the DC’s action figure licensing with Mattel expiring in 2018, and the rights transferring to Spin Master, fans of the larger collectible market began to wonder what would happen to the higher-priced six to eight-inch figures made for adults and “serious” collectors.
Luckily, McFarlane Toys would swoop in to alleviate collector concerns with an announcement of a line of action figures dedicated to the entire continuity of DC comics, going back over 80 years. Featuring figures from the popular Arrowverse, modern comics, and the ever-beloved DC Animated Universe, the toys shown off in previews looked incredible. Now that they’re starting to come out, do these figures hold up?
In a word, yes.
Action Comics 1000 Superman comes in a delightful package. The box is simple and direct. It’s DC, it’s Superman, and the liner of the box has a bunch of classic DC art rendered in blue and white line art. The back of the box uses the cover for Action Comics 1000, the source of the figure design, and the bottom is also lined with art for the other figures as well. It’s a very no-nonsense design that relies more on the figure to sell the toy than the packaging
In terms of the sculpt, this is possibly the best “basic” Superman figure released in the last decade that wasn’t incredibly expensive or a massive figure. As this is based on Superman’s most recent costume design, it features the return of the red trunks, the modified belt with a middle dividing line, and even the sleeve ending chevrons. The S-shield across his chest is also raised, sculpted into the chest rather than painted on like figures of the past. While the S seems a little large, it matches the art for the cover of Action 1000 perfectly in that respect. The artist who designed this Superman clearly put effort into making the little curly bit of hair separated from the head, which adds a touch of realism without sacrificing the integrity of the figure.
The figure beyond the sculpt is also excellent. The cape is molded from a softer plastic, which lends itself well to flowing behind the Man of Steel. The 22 advertised points of articulation have a fantastic range of motion, but can be a little stiff out of the box. We recommend slow movements at first or warning the figure up slightly to prevent accidents after first opening the figure. Most of the joints are plastic on plastic, but the feet use small steel rods to prevent breakage on smaller joints, like those on the feet. Another nice touch with the figure for ease of collector use was the peg size for hands. Often with collector figures, the pegs are small or made of more fragile plastic. McFarlane Toys has opted for a larger peg that does not have a tip, making it easy to swap hands without worrying about them sliding off or breaking the hand or peg.
The paint job is also spectacular. The blue hue chosen for the bodysuit is a good approximation of the modern Superman blue. The red and yellow are also tone-perfect for Superman as well, though the choice to make the red on the S-Shield shiny is certainly an eye-catching decision. This stage is the place where quality concerns may exist, however. The sample we obtained did have a smudge of blue above the collar, but this is a minor issue and won’t be found on most figures.
When it comes to accessories, Superman is a little lighter than other figures in the line. A pair of alternate hands is all he comes with, but other figures in this line do come with accessories natural to the character. There is also a trading card, which is made of thick material and looks very snazzy, featuring a brief biography of the character. The standard collectors stand also has a slot to hook up the included claw-grip flight stand add-on, which allows Superman to be displayed while in flight rather than just while standing. Another minor issue is that the peg for the collectors stand isn’t off-center enough, resulting in a standing Superman who is either off-balance or off-center. Luckily, the flight stand fixes the issue entirely and doesn’t seem to have any stability issues.
McFarlane Toys has a legacy of some fantastically sculpted figures, ones that either don’t move much or are incredibly expensive when it comes to standard releases. These DC Multiverse figures straddle the line perfectly between those two realities. A fantastic sculpt alongside some incredible ranges of motion, and a $20.00 MSRP price tag has made for a bargain that almost everyone is going to jump for.
