Review of Killer Frost - DC Bombshells statue

Introduction

While the rate of output has slowed a bit, DC Collectibles continues their terrific line of DC Bombshells statues.  The concept here is an interesting one - cross a DC hero or villain with WWII plane art. It started out very much in the vein of bomber pin up art, but has morphed a bit to include a more generalized 40's artwork style, as we saw with the Power Girl and Superman release.

The latest in the series is Killer Frost, a character who has seen lots of incarnations over the years. Her popularity has been on the upswing, thanks to her involvement on the television show The Flash. For the purposes of this statue, the only relevant point is her basic ability - absorbing heat to create cold. Yep, she's a human air conditioner.

The statue is a limited edition, although that's being a big generous with the term 'limited'. They produced 5200 statues, and the edition size and number are printed on the base.

She will run you around $100 depending on the retailer, and is currently shipping.

Packaging - ***
Nothing too exciting here - basic outer box, Styrofoam eggshell interior. While this is a numbered limited edition, the only place the information is present is on the bottom of the base. It's not printed on the box, and there's no Certificate of Authenticity.

Sculpting - ***1/2
This is the most complex Bombshell statue to date, and it comes disassembled in 6 parts.  The base is made up of 2 - the round platform, designed to look like the corrugated metal of an older plane, and the name plate, which attaches to the base by way of a magnet.

The statue itself includes the entire body, head, arms and poles as one piece, with the scarf and skis provided as separate items. Be EXTREMELY careful assembling the statue.  This is the only time I remember getting instructions with a Bombshell.  First, place the skis on the bottom of each foot, then place the metal foot pegs into the base itself.  Here's the tricky part, and the part that isn't mentioned in the instructions - the right ski pole is longer than the legs, and out of the box points straight down. If you slide the statue down onto the base without bending the left pole slightly back, you can snap it off when it hits the base. The pole is plastic, so it has some give, and if you hold it bent back slightly as you slip the metal posts into place you should be okay. Then you can release and position it with the tip against the base to your liking.

Once it's together, I'm thrilled with the outcome.  I love the complexity of the sculpt in the icy hat and boots, and the contrasting textures of the sweater and skirt. The face sculpt is beautiful, and the locks of hair slipping down on either side, along with the tiny snowflake earrings, are the perfect touch. The outfit is an interesting combination of skiing (the sweater, hats, and boots), and skating (the skirt). She looks equally good with or without the scarf, so having it removable adds a display option.

If I have one complaint, it's the pose of the head itself. The body is great, with just enough movement implied in the pose of the arms and legs.  But the neck and head don't flow as well, and look stiff. Just a little tilt or a little angle would have gone a long way.

A more minor issue is the ski poles. I get the icicle design concept, but it really isn't working for me. Instead it just looks rough and unfinished next to the detail every where else.

She stands 11 inches tall, including the base, fitting in great with the rest of the series.

Paint - ***1/2
Like the sculpt, the paint is 90% great, with just minor issues here and there.

The great parts include the clean work on the sweater design, and the icy color of the skirt, boots, and hat. The blue tinge of her skin is consistent and even, and the work on the facial features is very clean.

Easily the best feature is the eyes. They are a very light blue, and they thickened the gloss coat covering them enough to be obvious. This thicker coat makes it appear as though her eyes are iced over, and it's a very cool effect.

That's not to say there aren't a few issues. Some edges, like around the tops of the socks and collar of the sweater, are wavy and uneven. The lip edges are a little inconsistent as well, although it's certainly not as bad as we've seen.

Overall it's a solid paint job, well above average, and certainly appropriate for the price point.  The work on the eyes sets it apart from other releases, and takes full advantage of the frosty theme.

Value - **1/2
You can pick this up for around $100 or so, depending on the retailer, and that's pretty much in line with current market pricing for statues in this scale. An average value here will not alter my Overall either up or down, since you're pretty much getting what you're paying for.

Things to Watch Out For -
I'm going to repeat what I said in the Sculpting section - be extremely careful with the left ski pole when assembling the statue! If you slide the statue down onto the base without bending the left pole slightly back, you can snap it off when it hits the base. The pole is plastic, so it has some give, and if you hold it bent back slightly as you slip the metal posts into place you should be good. Then you can release and position it with the tip against the base to your liking.

Overall - ***1/2
I'm loving the overall design, although it is a bit less pin-up style and a bit more complex.  The detailing is great, and while the paint has an issue here and there, it's well above average quality overall.

Be careful assembling, however. The potential for damage is definitely there, but with a little care and patience, you should be good.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth is at $100 too.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I've covered a number of the Bombshell releases. Most recent was 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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