Brainiac is one of Superman's most famous enemies, and in this two pack from Mattel, we get him in one of his goofiest costumes, right alongside Superman in his iconic look. Can a pair of red eyes keep people from buying this Clash in the Cosmos Figure Pack, or will Brainiac and Superman win you over with their classic stylings? Read on to find out!
Name: Clash in the Cosmos Figure Pack, Brainiac and Superman
Line: DC Universe Classics
Manufacturer: Mattel
Released: 3rd Quarter 2009
Price: Online: $24-$32
Scale: 6.00 (Both figures are 6.25 in. tall)
Accessories: Futuristic pistol
Brainiac: 7 / 10, Superman: 7 / 10
Brainiac is made almost completely of reissued parts, except for a unique head and collar piece added; there is nothing new with Superman, as all pieces have been seen before; both characters have very basic body sculpts, but Superman at least has a sculpted belt and boot-tops to differentiate him, Brainiac has nothing but his collar; muscle groups look good and fit the expected body type of each character; Brainiac's collar isn't a smooth sculpt, with a few rough edges and wavy cuts; Superman's cape looks good but features a spot where the plastic is warped and thin, plus it doesn't reach his costume at the shoulders; both head sculpts look very iconic with crisp details and perfect expressions; Brainiac's gun isn't a new sculpt, and just comes off as a generic weapon thrown in for good measure; the hands of both characters feature cloth wrinkles, even though they should be representing bare skin.
Brainiac: 5 / 10, Superman: 6 / 10
A lot of people have received a Brainiac with arms and chest that are different colors, but there is only a very subtle difference on mine, so maybe you'll get lucky too; the purple, white, black, and green color scheme is certainly ugly, but does capture the costume as intended; Superman's colors are as iconic as possible and avoid being too light or dark like many Superman toys; cut lines on both figures are mostly sharp but there are a few fuzzy edges; Brainiac's boots are different heights; the white of his feet is much brighter than the white of his calves and arms; both faces have very crisp features; Superman's hair might have a bit too much blue dry-brushed on; both characters feature subtle dark brush effects on their bodies that are just too inconsistent and thin to add anything to either figure; Brainiac's face is extremely glossy, which might work for an alien, except that the rest of his skin doesn't match; most people are disappointed by the decision to make Superman's eyes red, but they do look okay despite the questionable design choice.
Brainiac: 8 / 10, Superman: 9 / 10
Both figures have identical articulation models that are the DCUC standard (pictured above); none of the points are limited by sculpt or assembly problems, and all points are actually surprisingly tight as well; Brainiac does have an issue with his right biceps swivel, where the peg isn't sitting well in the arm and the joint feels very fragile; these guys are fun to pose on their own or together; both hold their weight and balance easily; articulation looks okay with the sculpts of each, but no steps were taken to hide it either; they could always use just a couple more points to max out the options for posing and play.
Brainiac: 7 / 10, Superman: 8 / 10
Superman may be the most recognizable character in all of comics, but this rendition of Brainiac isn't a design that a lot of people will clammor for; both figures feature a solid articulation model than makes them great for play or display; there is a single accessory, but it's not especially entertaining in any way; being a two pack allows for an immediate story and play scenarios to emerge; biography and statistics on the package add to the time spent; there's nothing frustrating or broken to pull their scores down; there's also nothing exciting enough to move them up.
Brainiac: 5 / 10, Superman: 5 / 10
Pack costs at least $30 to arrive with shipping, so each figure is $15 plus; both are just average sized figures and only include one accessory total; they're comprised of almost entirely reused parts which lowers perceptions of value; nothing about their design screams "expensive"; packaging is just standard; they're fun but not entertaining enough to warrant the cost; Brainiac's problematic arm might be an issue with durability.
Brainiac: 63 / 100 - This is an Okay Toy
Superman: 68 / 100 - This is an Okay Toy
Clash in the Cosmos Figure Pack: 65 / 100 - This is an Okay Toy
Neither of these figures is great on their own, meaning the two pack isn't going to stun you either. If you're totally new to DCUC, you might find enough new product here to make it worth your while, but otherwise this figure pack is reserved for the completists and monster DC Comics fans.
-The Articulated One
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