Review of Superman Man of Steel Jor-El action figure

Introduction

I really enjoyed Man of Steel. As with the Dark Knight trilogy, I appreciate a good super hero movie that looks at the real ramifications of power and responsibility, and uses the comic book framework to mirror actual moral and ethical issues.

With Hot Toys having the license, I knew I'd be picking up all the releases. I'm not sure how many more we'll get (outside of Superman himself, General Zod and this  Jor-El), but I'd be up for a Faora for sure!

Jor-El has been shipping for a little while, but you can still pick him up at most retailers for around $220.

Packaging - ****
The box is basic, for a Hot Toys release, but I love the graphics. There is a simple magnetic flap over a window box, but this flap has a great shot of Krypton, as well as the family emblem.

It's all collector friendly of course, and it lacks text, like most Hot Toys boxes. The figure speaks for itself of course, but this outer shell is certainly eye catching in its own right.

Sculpting - ****
This is an outstanding head sculpt, capturing Russell Crowe's slightly older look from the film. They have produced plenty of realistic, accurate sculpts, but this one is at the top of the list.

Obviously, getting the likeness right is key. But it's the quality of the skin texture and finely detailed facial hair that makes it look like an actual person. Considering how high Hot Toys has set the bar for themselves, it's all the more impressive when they jump over it.

The sculpted armor on the costume looks terrific as well, and while it's restrictive, it's certainly a great match for what was seen on screen.

The hands are sculpted to work with the accessories and with a number of basic poses. Swapping them is a little bit trickier this time, but it's not a major issue.

As you'd expect, this is a sixth scale figure, coming in at right about 12" tall. He'll fit in great with most other sixth scale series, especially those from Hot Toys, Enterbay and Sideshow.

Paint - ****
The surprise here would be if the paint wasn't amazing. The consistency with which Hot Toys produces amazing, life-like paint jobs is perhaps their single greatest feature. That sort of consistency makes it possible for you to pre-order with little fear of them screwing the pooch in production.

The skin tone is amazing, the eyes just about perfect, and the hair (with its slight salt and pepper color) looks amazing. Even the bronze color of the armor looks good, contrasting against the darker color of the robes.

Articulation - ***
The underlying TrueType is a terrific body, but the costume is restrictive.

The neck works well, with plenty of tilt and lean action, allowing for you to add a ton of personality to any pose.

The rest of the joints are covered in one way or another by the underlying body suit and robes. They keep the arms from rising too high, the legs from moving into deep stances, and generally limit the look.

The cape does have a wire though, giving you the chance to make it a bit more dynamic.

Accessories - **1/2
This figure is very light in this department, especially considering the price point.

There's four more hands, along with the two he comes wearing. He starts out with two relaxed hands, and also has two fists and two designed to grip the accessories. There's a couple extra wrist pegs too, just in case.

There's the cool Kryptonian blaster as well, which you can get in both hands with a little work. The sculpt and paint are great, and it's a sensible addition.

He has another key extra from the film - the Codex Skull, the codex that contains all the genetic information of the race. It looks great, and fits nicely in his hand.

Finally, he comes with a base. This is the new action base, with the steel posable rod that allows for flying and leaning poses. The steel rod screws into the large base, and can easily support a figure indefinitely.

This is the same base that Hot Toys is selling for under $30 individually at most retailers (with a generic design of course), so while it's a nice add, I'm not sure it's enough. Even with these extras, he's pretty damn light for a price tag north of $200.

Outfit - ***1/2
You can't see it, but Jor-El is wearing the nifty alien blue textured suit underneath the robes. These flow into a pair of rubbery textured boots, and both boots and suit look terrific.

Over these are the thin, flowing robes. You'll need to steam them a bit once you take him out of the package - you'll notice some weird wrinkles and folds in the photos that you should be able to get rid of with a little effort. I know I'll be steaming him for my own display.

The cape in back has a wire down both sides, but it's fairly small, so you won't be able to go Spawn crazy when posing it.

The yellow piping looks terrific too, which really highlights the look of the costume and breaks up the monotony. The thin material flows nicely, and the stitching and tailoring is terrific.

The shoulder and torso armor looks great, with a deeply etched sculpt. The one downside of all this is that the armor and robes greatly restrict the articulation, and the costume is NOT designed to be removed.

Fun Factor - **1/2
With so few accessories and not much posing potential, this guy is less fun for the adult collector than most Hot Toys releases.

Value - *1/2
This figure comes in at a whopping $220. That's for a figure with only one head sculpt, only a couple extras, and almost no accessories of note. Compare that to the just released DX14 Mime Joker, a figure with PERS, a fairly cool diorama style base, and several more accessories, all for about the same price.

Things to Watch Out For -
The hands are a tad annoying, since they want to pop off at the hand, but putting the hands back on the peg while it's in the arm is tricky at best. It's not a nightmare though, and with a little care you should be fine.

Overall - ***
This figure is quite a conundrum, at least for fans of the movie. This is an amazing sculpt with beautiful paint, a top notch life-like version of Crowe that is hard to argue with.

On the flip side, he's pretty short on accessories, the articulation is very restricted, and the price tag is ridiculous. It's also concerning - if this guy is $220, will we get hit with $300 DX figures as a regular thing in 2014? And is Hot Toys overshooting the ideal price point where supply and demand meet?

All that makes for interesting conversation around the geek table, but my reality is simple - I love having this guy with Superman and Zod. While we might not get anything else (at least until the second film releases), those three will make a great display on their own.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ****
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ****
Articulation - ***
Accessories - **1/2
Outfit - ***1/2
Fun Factor - **1/2
Value - *1/2
Overall - ***

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- you can find him at Sideshow for $220.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
This isn't the only Jor-El from the film we've seen - there's also the 6" Movie Masters figure, who goes along with the Superman and Zod.

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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