It's a bird...it's a plane...it's a $90 action figure!

[chamildav]

DC Direct's first 1/6th (more or less) offering. He is quite tall as advertised and extremely buff. Articulation is good although not as good as Medicom's offerings. Costume is very well done except for the boots which have a zipper in the back and are extremely clunky. They need replacement and I'm going to have to figure something out. Sculpt is good, alternate Clark suit is pretty decent but is never going to be used by me. He even comes with blue boxers. The cape is a midi-length silver age type. The trunks though look like speedo's which is a little incongruous with the rest of the modern age costume. The insignia is the modern age Alex Ross type jumbo shield and looks great. Don't get me wrong, it does pretty much all work together anyway but maybe could have been better.
Overall very happy but I'm pretty concerned about the Green Lantern and Luthor figures that will use the same body. This guy is HUGE and with the exception of Superman, Capt. Marvel, maybe Batman, Hawkman and a few of the other "big guy" hero's and villians these figures are not going to look very good displayed with SSC or Dragon figures etc.. They will pretty much only work with each other.

 

[creecher]

So, you guys get 13" Superman? I did

I ordered it, way back when FrankenFan posted the link to the discount price. Haven't heard a thing since. Thanks for posting. I expect to see something in my inbox, or going out from my bank account shortly. Cheers for the forewarning, and the review.

I thought Batman was the first. Have the Green Lantern on order too, but not sure if I will order Luthor just yet.

 

[Darklord Dave]

It's a bird...it's a plane...it's a $75 action figure!

I'm a sucker. I have this on order with DCBS, but knowing how slow to ship they are and how likely my order is to get lost, I had to rush to my neighborhood comic shop and buy one fresh out of the box. I've been waiting for this thing for over 30 years.

So 13" Superman has landed!

First off - I'd like to say to DC Direct - why do you have to reinvent the wheel? They could have gone to SSC and had these figures done by them without having to figure out everything from scratch.

First, the bad - these beltloops are a crime against costuming everywhere! The shots are a bit small - kinda like Super speedos. The belt buckle is too thick, the belt is too thin, the cape is too short. There are honking huge zippers on the backs of his boots. The spit curl is supposed to be articulated, but it only swivels and without gluing it down, you aren't going to get the Clark in disguise look.

But I love him!

Great paintjob, great 'S', suit fits well.
I have to say, the body is great for Superman. Same body as Batman, but here you can actually use the articulation. It's not stiff, but still holds a pose very well. Wrists only twist, but I don't think we'll be having Kal assuming the sniper pose. His 2nd set of hands are bendy, but wouldn't hold any of the 1/6 weapons anyway.

They really went all out on the Clark suit too - laces on the rubber shoes, a leather belt, buttons on the shirt and coat. Even has Clark shorts with a working fly! I miss the other accessories that originally were going to come with him - no kryptonite, no Kandor, but he does have a rubbery steel bar, a plastic chain and a newspaper.

I'm still playing, pics later.

 

[creecher]

It's a bird...it's a plane...it's a $75 action figure!

Chamidav beat you to the super punch. Maybe you could combine threads.

https://sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5398

I don't like the way you said 'lost' Dave. Especially from way over here. Too bad they dropped the ball on so many issues. Zippered boots is so 70's, not silverage at all. At least there is room for improvement should Sideshow ever do a deal with these vandals. Might have to set up a play pen sometime, super.

 

[Darklord Dave]

The Clark suit really isn't meant to be worn over the supersuit. He can't bend his arms close enough to do the famous pose...

 

[Aerosmith]

That doesnt look like Dean Cain!

 

[Darklord Dave]

I just investigated all the boxes left for me - I also got today - MR Willy Wonka, Ignite Greek Hoplite II, Buffy Chosen set, and would have the Medicom Spiderman but the mailman wouldn't leave it without a signature. Wow, it's raining men...

 

[chamildav]

I never know if I'm off topic or not when I post this stuff so I went with the safe department. Thanks for putting it where it belongs.
The boots are horrible, plain and simple. They could have made a much simpler type and should have spoken to the kids at MWD or bbi for correct instructions. Stupid, expensive cumbersome design. Whoever decided this was the way to go needs to be beaten severely about the head and shoulders. It's also funny that they numbered the figures boot sole with the edition size and individual production #. I guess I'm used to seeing stuff like this on the body if at all.
I don't think the belt loops look that bad. I agree they made an error in the way they are sewn but it's not a deal breaker. I'm less happy with the speedo effect although it isn't horrible, it could be better.
I don't have a problem with belt or buckle either. I think they are okay.
The cape is too short for the modern age and is more typical of early silver age or golden age and is wrong with the rest of the costume. They also should have made it lined and placed a wire in the hem for posing. That part I can and will do myself but it should have come this way.
The body itself is cool as hell and I hope it will be made available as just a corpse for customs. SSC Hellboy would look fantastic with this body (As would the not yet announced Vader) but I can't see spending $70.+ on a complete figure to get a corpse. Lets hope they do offer this at body seperately at some point.
I agree with Dave that DC Direct would have been better off farming this out to a partner with greater experience to produce the line. Certainly the "Batman Begins" figure would have benefitted greatly and the Superman figure would have to a lesser degree. But I think they view this as a type of offering with future potential for them and prefer that more of the design be done in house and with there regular contractors. They are learning and based on the quality of "BB Batman" compared to the just released "Man of Steel" I'd say they have picked up a few tricks along the way. SSC. Dragon, bbi, Medicom, etc., all have vastly improved over the years and I believe DC Direct has and will continue to also. I hope so anyway.
All that said concerning the figures positives and negatives, I LOVE this figure. It's amazing. Shortcomings aside it's one of the neatest figures in a while and compared to other similar offerings a good value to boot. A completely new and interesting body type, a very well tailored costume, a nice if not fantastic sculpt, quite a lot of accessories (I wish it had had Kandor though as announced also) and two very complete costumes, it's well worth the price. And it is Superman in 1/6th for goodness sakes. It's awesome!

 

[Ironman1188]

Are the clothes and supersuit too large to convert to another figure? And chamildav, if you aren't going to use the Clark suit....

 

[Bonehead15]

I just investigated all the boxes left for me - I also got today - MR Willy Wonka, Ignite Greek Hoplite II, Buffy Chosen set, and would have the Medicom Spiderman but the mailman wouldn't leave it without a signature. Wow, it's raining men...

Ouch!! Dave you must be a millionaire.

I'll be picking this figure up eventually but right now the $$$ is kinda tight. I was planning on maybe skipping Supes but with the announcement of Luthor I know that I just have to have both.

Oh well.

MORE PICS!! PLEASE!!

 

[EVILFACE]

I've seen these for 60 bucks on ebay, is he worth it?

 

[chamildav]

IM, the suit is huge. I think it is actually meant to fit over the supersuit if you so desire and this figure is already ginormous. I actually bought two of the sets because I wanted to display him as Clark and also in his secret identity of Superman. I gave one to a fellow geek though so I won't be doing it. Might still order another one though. I love this thing. Anyhoo, there is not another figure out there that this suit would fit besides supes himself so even if I were parting with it, and I'm not, it wouldn't be good for much to someone else. IM, you need to break down and pick one up. You will not be sorry.
And if they start offering this DC Direct body seperately I will have the better part of a "Spirit" figure bash using the suit etc.. He's a big guy too. Sometimes at least.
And I'd like to see Dave take a picture of his collection one day which I imagine is stored in a warehouse the size of the Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. He makes me feel like a terrible piker.

 

[Darklord Dave]

See, I have more of a problem with the beltloops than the boots. The fact that the zippers on the boots won't close is a problem though.

And that picture I posted shows the Clark suit over the supersuit - it's an extremely tight fit. The cape is sewn to the body suit and becomes a problem trying to put the Clark suit on.

As for size - he's a good inch taller than my Reeve Superman which is on a Dragon football body. So nothing DC makes will be in scale with other 1/6. Ironically they call it a 1/6 scale figure on the back of the box.

And I have to say that despite all the shortcomings, I love it too. I'll keep the 2nd one I have coming to display Clark and Supes together. I'm really looking forward to Lantern and Luthor. Wish they were coming faster - we really need a traditional Batman like this.

 

[chamildav]

Yeah, Batman would be swell. But do we really know figure # 4 won't be that comic book Batman?
Really, it would be funny if i# 4 was GL baddie Sinestro following the hero vs. villian theme of the Superman Luthor release. Kind of a Superfriends motif. It makes a scary kind of sense.
They do really need to up the release speed though. I'd like to be alive at least long enough to see the big seven of the JLA, Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Hawkman & Martian Manhunter. And that doesn't even begin to fulfill my wish list.

 

[Darklord Dave]

And Flash!

I hadn't even thought about the Hero/villain thing. This body would REALLY be outsized for Sinestro though.

 

[screamingmetal]

I just got a DHL shipping email from Discount Comic Book Service for Superman!
I now have a ton of stuff coming, Comic Spidey, Superman, Aliens Apone and some RMC Sterlings, and my Fantacular prize! Then hopefully tomorrow or next week, Metaluna Mutant.

 

[FrankenFan]

I'd like to be alive at least long enough to see the big seven of the JLA, Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Hawkman & Martian Manhunter. And that doesn't even begin to fulfill my wish list.

Ah, these kids today.

The real Justice League of America was comprised of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter and the Flash. And let's not forget Lucas "Snapper" Carr — imagine him in DCD 1:6!

Anyway, Chamildav, you'll probably live to see it. Me? Maybe not. Or I may be too old to care.

 

[thamesvalidude]

you'll probably live to see it. Me? Maybe not. Or I may be too old to care.

Come on Frankenfan, you're not old. Just a bit more ripe!

 

[FrankenFan]

Come on Frankenfan, you're not old. Just a bit more ripe!

Look who's talkin'.

 

[Collector Freak]

This is actually the 2nd DC Direct 1/6 figure. Batman was first.