Sculpting - ****
Mongul is another stand out in the overall DCSH line. The sculpt is
extremely well done, with a ton of cool detail in the gritty expression and
sharp suit.
The quality of this sculpt is not what you expect from a mass market toy,
but rather something you see in the specialty market world. This guy can
stand toe to toe with anything produced by DC Direct for the comic shop
market, and do it at a price 30% cheaper.
The figure isn't super articulated, so the selected sculpted pose is pretty
critical. Mongul has his weight shifted to one leg more than the other,
giving him a cocky appearance in a straight up stance. Fortunately,
there is enough articulation in the arms and body to allow for some variations
on this basic pose, but the even in a simple stance he looks excellent.
The hands are both sculpted in fists, so he'll never be holding any
accessories. He doesn't come with any, so I suppose this isn't a major
loss.
He's also very large for this line. This is a 6" scale line, but
Mongul is a big bad at about 7 1/4". That's good because it gives
him some size and bulk against Superman, Steel and others.
Paint - ***
While the sculpt isn't mass market, the paint job is. Oh, it's still
high quality stuff, but there's a more toyish feel to that quality.
The best work ins on the head and hands. There's some wonderful
detail work on the eyes and teeth, and a nice wash that brings out the texture
of the skin.
The rest of the body is pretty standard Mattel fare. There's a lot of gloss
finish, some of the parts are cast in the color, and while cuts are clean and
sharp, there's not a lot of small detail paint work.
The one area where the glossy appearance works really well is the
boots. The color might not be to everyone's taste (clearly, Mongul is a
man confident in his manliness), but the slightly metallic, gloss paint job is
very eye catching.
Articulation - ***
As I mentioned, these figures aren't super articulated, but most (including
Mongul) are a nice combination of just the right articulation with just the
right sculpt.
Mongul has a ball jointed neck, which you know I love. There isn't a
terrific range of movement, but it's a damn sight better than a simple cut.
The shoulders are also ball joints, jointed only at the torso, and there is
pin elbows and cut wrists to aid in arm poses.
The torso has a chest joint and a cut waist, both of which can be quite
useful. There's also the standard DCSH hip joints, but the funky belt
restricts some of the outward movement. He also has pin knees and
ankles, along with cut thighs, to finish off the leg articulation.
While that's not as much as, say, a Marvel Legends figure, it is enough to
do quite a few poses and not hurt the overall appearance of the figure.
Accessories - *
He comes with the now standard exploding Krypton diorama. Calling this a
diorama is stretching things a bit, since it's just a cardboard background and
base, but that's what the package proclaims it to be. I gave Parasite
two stars for having one of these - I don't know what I was thinking. At least
the Mongul name is printed on the front.
Fun Factor - ***1/2
Yep, this is a terrific figure for kids. It's always nice to have
villains for Superman to battle that can match up to him, and once you've
given the little tikes some background on the character, they'll be good to
go. Actually, Mongul made an appearance on the Justice League show, so
if they're watchers of the cartoon they'll have some idea of who he is.
Value - ***
After just spending $15 a pop for DC Direct figures last week, this guy comes
as a welcome relief. Without any accessories, ten bucks is still not an
amazing deal, but it sure as Hell beats the bejesus out of what we've been
getting from DC Direct for a whole lot more.
Things to Watch Out For -
While mass market toys have some shortcomings, one of their strong points
(generally) is consistency. What you see is what you get, whether you
buy the figure off a peg in Anchorage or Australia.
Overall - ***1/2
I had thought that Steel was my favorite of the line, and that Mattel would
have to go a long way to out do him. I was wrong, so very wrong.
Mongul is now the top of the list.
It's also important to note that this figure proves that DC Direct could -
and should - be doing a better job with the more expensive figures from their
various lines. With a 30% or more higher price tag, I expect top notch
sculpts and paint. DC Direct continues to have issues with consistency,
something that Mattel seems to have right.
Score Recap:
Packaging - **
Sculpt - ****
Paint - ***1/2
Articulation - ***
Accessories - *
Fun Factor - ***1/2
Value - ***
Overall - ***1/2
Where to Buy -
Regular retailers are getting these in right now, in the same
assortment as the Kal-El Superman, repainted Bizarro, and repainted Supergirl.
Online options include:
- Amazing Toyz and CornerStoreComics
has the mixed sets of this wave for around $58 for six figures.
Related Links -
I've covered quite a bit of the line so far:
- last up was the Parasite and Steel.
- don't forget the 12" version of the smaller Batman.
- in this smaller line, the fourth series was Superman themed, with Brainiac and
Darkseid. There's also the Batgirl and
Superman from the two packs.
- there's the guest review of series 3 Batman and Azrael.
- a guest review of series 2 Doomsday, and another of the series 2
Superman.
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