It's taken me forever to get through all of my DC Universe Classics Wave 10 reviews, but the end is near. Imperiex is a big bad event-villain in the DC Comics universe, and he's a huge, awesome Collect & Connect figure in the DC Universe Classics toy line. This is one of my favorite figures of the year, and you can find out why by reading on!
Name: Imperiex
Line: DC Universe Classics, Wave 10, Collect & Connect Figure
Manufacturer: Mattel
Released: Fall 2009
Price: Online: $35.00+ on Ebay
Scale: 6.00 in. (Figure is 9.50 in. tall)
Accessories: None
Imperiex is a clean-cut action figure featuring lots of sharp lines and angular design elements. That's sometimes a curse, because it's tough to pull off crisp edges like that, and figures can look bland without some spice, but Imperiex manages to work in some textures and smaller details to keep from looking too bland. So really, he's a perfect combination of styles that looks great as one piece altogether. The various gold lines on his costume are raised (not just painted), and then the horizontal lines on the red areas of his costume are recessed, meaning that Mattel didn't skimp on sculpted details in favor of paint, ensuring that this fellow looks convincing. All these details also turned out flawless, from the small emblem on his chest, the wrinkles in his clenched hands, to even the zig-zagging lines on his arms (which line up across different pieces). There is even glove stitching visible along the sides of his fingers, which looks amazing, and shows that people were really putting their time into this figure, as seems to be the case with every Collect & Connect in the DCUC line so far. His face continues the super detailed trend, with some well-carved teeth and texture worked in, along with a distinctly defined helmet and deep-set eyes. He definitely won't be winning any "sexiest man alive" competitions with this zombie-like mug, which is a testament to how well the Four Horsemen sculpting team can do ugly, and really make it pop.
Along with the awesome details, Imperiex gets everything else right too, including his size, which feels right to me. Most of the C&C figures so far have been a little too big (Grundy) or too small (Chemo, Metallo, Giganta, Atom Smasher), but Imperiex is a flexible enough character that this height works with the standard size figures. I looked at some resources which list him at less than 7 feet tall, but the comic images I pulled up make him appear considerably larger than Superman. Whatever the case, the scale here works for me, moreso than usual at least, but you might think differently. Either way, he's an imposing figure that stands up to even the biggest figures in the line so far, and has a huge presence on the shelf alongside them. His giant fists look like they could send Grundy to the ground in a heartbeat, and Superman might as well not even show up. And the fact that he's 100% unique tooling only adds to his pop on the shelf, making him extremely visually engaging. His proportions may not exactly be natural (the fists are enormous, his arms might be a little too long and thick), but he looks dangerous and impressive from a lot of angles and in pretty much any pose (ballerina moves excluded).
I was a little worried about the way in which is cape and skirt would hang, but they hold their shape nicely and make him look even bigger thanks to his now wide shoulders and thick middle. Some of the issues I have with standard figures (like the flat crotch and oddly shaped feet) are totally absent with Imperiex. Admittedly, the flat crotch is there, it's just more hidden than usual, so it's not a problem. And his feet are much thicker and more shapely, allowing him to retain all the points he gets for being fantastic everywhere else. This is a stunning looking action figure and another toy that looks like he just jumped off the page of a comic book onto my shelf.
Sculpt Score: 10 / 10
When a toy has an abundance of painted lines that have to be perfectly straight, it's just asking for distaster. Imperiex may have caused a number of disasters in the comics, but he does his best to avoid them here. For the most part, all the various gold lines on Imperiex's outfit are straight and clean, especially from far away. The close you get and the more inspecting you do, you'll start to notice little spots of overspray here and there, and the occasional spot where they didn't quite make the gold line up with the sculpt perfectly, but all things considered, I think this is a great attempt at an intricate paint job. There aren't a lot of different colors, though the ones in use certainly look good. The gold is just shiny enough without looking ridiculous, while the black plastic that a majority of the figure is composed of looks consistent and appropriate across the entire figure. His chest is cast in red plastic, unlike the red spots on his arms and legs which are just painted, but the shades seem to match well. The small dab of blue on his chest has a metallic glittery effect that's probably intended to make him look a bit more cosmic in nature, though I can't find an example of the emblem ever appearing as anything other than gold; the change to blue isn't necessarily a weakness.
Imperiex's face is where the paint really starts to shine, and not because he's too glossy, it's just very well done. The flesh color is a sickly pink, while the teeth and hideous marks on his face are brought out with various washes. It all comes together to make him look menacing and gross, especially with the wrinkles around his eyes, which almost seem to have blood caked in them. You'll probably notice his red eyes, a nifty look with clean applications (Sure the color spills over a little, but that's only detectable with the giant image at the bottom of the review, and not in person.). The rest of the head looks great too, with colors that match the body spendidly and crisp applications on all the various edges and color switches. It's mostly all positives with this guy, as the only big problems I have with Imperiex's paint are a few messy spots where some paint is mysteriously dabbed on, and the previously mentioned occasional sloppy line work.
Paint Score: 9 / 10
I'm glad Wave 10 signals a return to the standard DCUC articulation model for Collect & Connect figures. Chemo had me worried given his static nature, but Imperiex has the full complement of joints, including a relatively functional ball jointed neck. If you're not familiar with the usual joint layout for this line, they're all detailed above, and each and every one of those joints works effectively on this figure. I thought his skirt would limit the hips pretty severly, but it's actually very flexible, and I haven't noticed it getting in the way yet (this is probably due in part to the fact that they had to include room to actually plug the legs into their sockets). There's not a single loose joint to be found, and getting him to hold dynamic poses is a breeze, even so much as to allow me to hold multiple figures on his arms at a time for cool fight scenes. The thing that impresses me most is how well his appearance is maintained despite all these joints, because all of the torso joints are completely hidden, and even those on his arms and legs are subtle looking too. There isn't a lot I would change on this fellow, except potentially increasing the range of his elbows (they only close to about a 75 degree bend) and adding a few points here and there, like more functional rocker ankles or swivel/hinge wrists.
Articulation Score: 9 / 10
Imperiex can only be obtained by purchasing all of the figures from DCUC Wave 10, and then assembling him from the parts included with each (well, aside from buying him on eBay). Some might think that's a little frustrating, hunting down each and every piece that's needed to put together a toy, but I think it's a blast and it creates so much more enjoyment when the figure is finally completed. And now that Wave 10 is finally starting to show up in large numbers, the frustratind element is lessening, making him even more entertaining and relieving. And then once he is complete you have a humongous action figure that looks cool, is a joy to pose, and makes a natural enemy for all the superheroes you've got sitting around. There aren't any accessories included for Imperiex, but he doesn't need anything more than his gigantic fists anyway to lay out punishment on Supes and the gang. He's got such a commanding presence both physically and visually that even collectors who never play with their toys will enjoy seeing him on the shelf every night when they get home. And if you do play with your toys, then you've got a brand new villain to fight against (or with). The quality control seems consistently high considering all the people I've spoken to about the figure, so it should be easy to avoid any disappointments or problems that would limit your fun, which is always a nice thing to know. Even though he may not be a classic character that you grew up reading in your favorite comics, but Imperiex is nonetheless a very entertaining action figure.
Fun Score: 10 / 10
If you're a person who is going to buy every single figure in every single wave of DC Universe Classics (like me), then there's little doubt that Imperiex here is a great deal, because he's like a free bonus. On the other hand, a lot of people are going to feel pressured to buy extra figures or hunt down individual pieces of him at higher prices in order to complete him. That's why it's almost impossible to accurately gauge value for this figure, since there is no defined price. Instead of basing the score on price, I'm instead going to look at quality factors, and thankfully, Imperiex is great in that department. He's well made, feels totally sturdy, and I suspect could withstand some rough play. I didn't have any problems assembling him, and unlike some past C&C figures, his limbs are all staying in his body nicely no matter how he's posed or jiggled. The fact that he's all new tooling is also a plus on value perceptions, because Mattel obviously had to spend some money to create and design this fellow, and it's easy to appreciate thanks to how well he turned out.
Value Score: 9 / 10
10 / 10 - An accurate, attractive, and imposing sculpt.
9 / 10 - Good colors and clean applications, even in difficult spots.
9 / 10 - A working articulation model that doesn't steal away from his looks.
10 / 10 - He's big, fun to assemble, and poses/plays well.
9 / 10 - A nicely constructed and expensive looking toy.
95 / 100 - This is a Wonderful Toy
Imperiex is a wonderful action figure no matter what you value most in a toy. He's one of the best C&C figures in the DC Universe Classics line yet, and a perfect example of what superhero toys should be.
-The Articulated One
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