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Review of Man of Steel Superman sixth scale action figure
Hot Toys
Date Published: 2014-02-29
Written By: Michael Crawford
Overall Average Rating: 3.5
out of 4
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Introduction
For the fans of the Man of Steel, the Hot Toys line of figures has been a source
of extreme interest. Oddly, their first release was not Superman himself, but Jor-El.
Thankfully, they didn't wait too long to get the man in red and blue out on the shelf - Superman is now shipping.
There *might* be two versions of this guy, a regular and the 'special edition' which includes one additional
accessory, but it's looking like there's actually only the special edition. I'm looking at that version here, and it's the
only one I've seen. The descriptions on the pre-order websites are incomplete and don't list the extra accessory, but it's
quite possible Hot Toys did the replica as a late add, after realizing he was a tad light in the accessories department. EDIT: Hot Toys confirmed there is only the one version with the extra accessory!
This figure is extra special, since this is the 200th MMS figure from Hot Toys. They've included the aforementioned 1:1
scale replica of the Krypton Command Key in celebration of this fact.
The figure will cost you any where from $190 - $220, depending on the retailer. As always, I have some suggestions in the
Where to Buy section. Remember, the sponsors make the site possible - please patronize them when possible.
Click on the image below for a Life Size version
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Packaging - ***1/2
This is a slightly higher quality Hot Toys box, with the wrap around cover and interior window. It has the large Superman
logo, and is very similar to what we saw with Jor-El. It's all collector friendly of course, and the interior plastic trays
keep everything very safe.
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Sculpting - ****
I'm quite happy with the choice of Cavill as Superman, and I think he did a great job on screen. This is an extremely good
likeness as well, capturing his stern demeanor without going over the top with a ridiculous expression.
The hair has the usual fine stranding and sharp detailing, and the realistic eyes and textured skin looks amazing.
Scale is good too, with the hands coming in at about the right size. The various sets are done in sensible poses that will
work well with most of your desired stances.
Remember, this is a sixth scale figure, and he comes in at just a smidge over 12" tall. He'll fit in great with other
figures in this scale from Sideshow, Hot Toys or Enterbay, including the Christopher
Reeves Superman.
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Paint - ****
This is Hot Toys - you've come to expect perfection in their paint work. Once again, they manage to pull off a truly
life-like skin tone, perfect lips and eyebrows, glassy, sharp eyes, and a perfect hairline. The skin tone on the neck, face
and hands match well, and there's no slop to speak of.
There's not a ton of additional paint operations here, however. Since there are so few accessories (and what is here is
either skin tone or black), this score is almost entirely based on the work done on the portrait.
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Articulation - ***
While the underlying TrueType is one of the best on the market, the restrictive suit drops the score in this category.
This body is newly designed for this character, with some very specific musculature. He looks great in the tight fitting
suit, although I suspect a lot of people will point out his obvious endowments. There's a reason Superman and Batman once
wore their undies on the outside, and this is it.
While I've seen some photos with his arms raised entirely above his head, I sure didn't risk it. The suit is very tight,
but I think that you could manage it by working the arms up slowly and then adjusting the costume as you go...but it takes
some patience. With the problems that were reported with the Spider-man shoulders, and with the simple fact that this
uniform is NOT removable, I figure it's safer to leave the arms low.
Of course the neck works fantastic, and is a critical joint for poses with personality. The ab-crunch and waist joints work
well too, but the boots restrict the ankles quite a bit, and it's tough to get a good pose with the feet above the ground.
If you could get just a little more tilt in the ankles it would go a long way.
I'll mention it more than once, but I managed to snap a wrist peg this time around, something I haven't had happen in a
very long time. I was able to fix it and use one of the backups they include, but keep it in mind when working with the
wrists.
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Accessories - **1/2
There are far fewer accessories here than we usually see with any Hot Toys release.
There are 4 pairs of hands, including the set of fists he comes wearing. There's also a flat palm set, a gesturing pose
set, and a relaxed palm set. There are two extra wrist pegs, but I really wish Hot Toys would follow Sideshow's lead and
have a wrist peg for every hand. I snapped one of the small pegs the second I handled it, and had to swap in one of the
extras. I didn't have any additional trouble, but take care as always.
He also comes with a small and large version of the Krypton Command Key. Be extra careful with the small one - it's very
easy to lose. The large version, done in a 1:1 scale prop replica style, is made from metal, and is quite heavy.
Finally, he has one of the newly designed posable stands. This includes four pieces - a very detailed base, complete with
the suit texture and logo, a bendable metal rod that screws into the base, a clip to wear around the waist, and a cap that
then screws on to hold the clip in place.
This is a very sturdy base, and allows for some great flying and jumping poses. While it's not a great fit for every
character, it's particularly useful with Supes.
That's it though...and that's mighty light for a Hot Toys figure of any kind.
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Outfit - ****
While this is a figure light on accessories, he has one of the more complex costumes we've seen in awhile, due to the
patterns and adornments.
The texture is very cool, and provides that alien look and feel to the uniform. There is also black tattoo like patterns,
which are a separate material glued to the body suit. The belt-like pattern around his waist is also made of of several
separate pieces, each attached individually to the costume. That's a costly piece of manufacturing, much more expensive than
simply dressing the figure in pants and a shirt.
The boots are removable, as are the wrist cuffs, but why remove any of it? The body suit and cape are not removable, and I
wouldn't suggest trying.
However, this means that the fit is fantastic, and the cape is designed to drape back over his shoulders beautifully. The
soft red cloth is pleated to hang naturally, and it looks terrific in almost any pose.
There's no wire in the cape though, which might surprise you since some of the marketing shots of this figure would only be
possible with some sort of support for the cape edge. Still, it's a gorgeous design, and sets the figure apart on the shelf.
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Fun Factor - ***
This isn't a toy for kids - unless you're talking about that big kid inside you. The adult collector will have a great time
getting just the right pose for the shelf, but with the lack of accessories and rather limited articulation, I don't see a
lot of reposing in your future.
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Value - **
The figure can be had for under $200 with a little effort. That's $20 - $30 cheaper than most recent releases, and although
the accessories are very light, the costume is much more complex than usual. That's keeping it from being a terrible value,
but let's be honest - it's still not quite up to average in this category.
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Things to Watch Out For -
As I mentioned, I snapped a small wrist peg this time, something that hasn't happened in quite awhile.
Also, the normal command key is VERY small, so it takes some effort to keep track of it.
Finally, the instructions warn you of damaging the suit from bending and posing the figure in extreme ways. I think the
clamp on the stand could damage the costume too, if you don't take a little care when using it.
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Overall - ***1/2
I know nerds are torn over this film - was it a great addition to the DC stable of movies, or a geek tragedy? I enjoyed it
quite a bit, and was able to overlook the issues some of my brethren had. That makes this figure - along with the Jor-El and
upcoming Zod - all the sweeter.
This figure is more than just a little light in the accessories department, but does make up for it a little with the more
complex outfit. I also like the inclusion of the prop replica with the special edition, but the regular version lacks this
positive. Fans of the movie will be very happy with this figure overall - those that hate the flick will have one more
reason to complain.
Of course, with the second film we'll get a new costume and a new figure. I doubt I'll go after another version of the same
Supes, but I am looking forward to the Batman design, based on the early rumors. Bring it on!
Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***1/2
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ****
Articulation - ***
Accessories - **1/2
Outfit - ****
Fun Factor - ***
Value - **
Overall - ***1/2
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Related Links -
Hot Toys has also released the Jor-El figure in
this series.
You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case
any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.
Discussion:
Want to chat about this review? Try out one of these terrific forums where I'll be
discussing it!
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This product was provided for the review by the manufacturer. Photos and text by Michael Crawford.
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