Review of Starfire - DC Bombshells Statue

Introduction

Okay, I'll admit it. I've never been a huge fan of Starfire...until the current Teen Titans cartoon. Yea, she's adorable on there, and I love her pattern of speech and naive innocence combined with tremendous violence and anger when you piss her off. The show is amazing in general, but she's a highlight.

I'm a completist on the DC Bombshells series, so picking up the Starfire release was a no-brainer. Like the rest of the series, the design is by Ant Lucia, and has just started shipping. She's limited to 5000, and will run you around $100 - $125, depending on the retailer.

Packaging - ***
Nothing special here, but the edition size and number is printed on the interior foam trays, as well as the bottom of the statue itself. No Certificate of Authenticity however, and the statue comes in three pieces: base, name plate, and Starfire herself, all packed safely.

Sculpting - ****
The basis for the series is pretty simple - Ant Lucia takes a DC character (there's been a couple men, although most have been women) and re-envisions them as a 40's pin-up character, much like you would have seen on the side of a B-17 Bomber during WWII.

I have a pretty specific expectation with the line. My first priority is recognizing who the character is immediately. I shouldn't have to pause and wonder. In this regard, Starfire is just about perfect. From the flaming hair and fiery eyes to the color of her skin, I know this is she.

But it's not just supposed to be Starfire - it's supposed to be 40's style Starfire. Again, she crushes it. The best statues in this series play off the powers of the character to create interesting concepts. Here, they've used the 'fire' aspect with the old school fire fighter's costume, including the suspenders, coat, and especially 40's style fireman's hat, to full effect.

Not only did they hit on both the character depiction and 40's design, but they managed to create an amusing dynamic look - she's a firefighter who creates fire, and she's attempting to put herself out. Does she not realize the flames near her foot are coming from her? I'd buy that. The pose, expression, and extras - like the flowing water coming from the bucket, and thin, flapping belt on the coat - drive home the idea that this is a split-second in time.

There's an appropriate amount of sculpt detail in everything from the water to the fire, and there's some nice smaller details on the costume as well. She stands about 11" tall with the stand - which you have to use, since the metal pegs are protruding from her foot - but she's about 10 1/4" on her own.

Paint - ***1/2
At first glance, I was extremely happy with the paint work. The translucent material they used for the hair and water helps a lot, capturing your eye, and the bright colors across the costume really pop. But on macro inspection, I did notice that some of the edges, particularly those involving white, are a little sloppy.

It's particularly noticeable on the cuffs of the jacket and arms, the edging on the coat, or along the black suspenders. It's not atrocious, and in hand is more subtle. But the quality could be a smidge better, even if it is an improvement already over some of the past releases.

Value - ***
While the original retail on these is still $125, you can find this one for around $100 or so at many retailers. That's a very good price for the quality you're getting here, and deserves a slightly better than average rating in this category.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing. The only assembly is placing the foot pegs into the base - always be careful since the pegs are metal, and could damage the softer polyresin - and attaching the name plate to the front. The plate is held in place with a strong magnet, but when you're moving the statue around you should still keep in mind that it's a separate piece and can be knocked off.

Overall - ***1/2
This is *almost* a four star statue, and I have no doubt that I'll be nominating it next year for the Poppies ballot. I do wish the paint work was just a squeak cleaner, but it's a minor nit compared to the overall look of the statue on the shelf.

I am curious as to whether collectibles like this are waning in popularity in our current environment. I can certainly understand an aversion, and I'm very much in support of the MeToo and TimesUp movements. This particular statue design avoided any overt or silly sexualization, but there's a different aspect to it that I find slightly disturbing - she's a bit ditzy. There's a real Chrissy Snow vibe coming off her, at least for me, and while that doesn't speak to the sexual harassment of women, it does touch on their marginalization. I believe that both comic book publishers, and the corresponding collectibles based on their characters, should start shifting their portrayals of their female characters to the same concepts as their male characters - strong, heroic, competent, and yes, attractive but not sexualized. And that's my soapbox for today!

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ***1/2
Value - ***
Overall - ***1/2

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth are at $100, and they have free shipping.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I've covered a number of the Bombshells, including Jessie Quick, Killer Frost, the Superman/Power Girl statue, and prior to that we had Mera, Hawkgirl, Stargirl, Black Canary, Batgirl, Harley, Poison Ivy, Supergirl and Wonder Woman.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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