It seems like there's at least one figure in every wave of the DC Universe Classics line that is a basic repaint using standard parts, and it seems that Wave 8 is no different with its Commander Steel. Mattel has created a very simple figure here, but that doesn't necessarily make him a bad one. Read on to see if Commander Steel can escape the repaint woes, or if he just ends up too boring to be worth your time.
Name: Commander Steel
Line: DC Universe Classics, Wave 8, Figure 1
Manufacturer: Mattel
Released: Second quarter 2009
Price: Retail: $11.99-$14.99, Online: $12.99-$16.99
Scale: 6.00 in. (figure is 6.5 in. tall)
Accessories: None
Collect & Connect Piece: Giganta's upper and middle torso
Sponsor Listings: Mike's Comics N' Stuff (Single)-$13.50,
Ka-Razy Kings of Toys (Single)-$15.99
8 / 10 - Basic body with no new parts; muscles look heroic without being too exaggerated; good proportions with head, hands, and feet; costume wrinkles at ankles and hips may be misplaced with this character; new head sculpt with crisp features and an appropriate gritty expression; mohawk on head is nice and straight.
5 / 10 - Colors are a little off, except the blue which is perfect and has a cool metallic glitter effect; the red looks a shade too pink to me, and the white has an almost gray nature to it that bothers me as well; applications on costume are straight and clear in some place, but super messy in others; there are some costume detail alignment issues across articulation points; blue boot-tops are different heights and distracting; his face details are pretty much perfect, even if his eyes aren't exactly circles upon closeup view; there is some slop on the back of the figure that doesn't belong.
9 / 10 - Commander Steel is the perfect example of standard DCUC articulation; you can pose him in a variety of interesting ways; everything works smoothly, and is just the right tightness; no stuck or gummy joints like past figures; this basic body blends in relatively well with articulation to preserve an attractive sculpt; his left thigh cut is attached a little weirdly, creating an ugly gap; he has a full range of motion on every joint; this is a great model, but there's always room for more points too.
5 / 10 - Pretty boring figure without any dynamic elements; Steel is not exactly state of the art in costume; he's not big, small, pointy, or anything else to grab attention; articulation model is definitely easy to play with or fun to liven up displays; he doesn't include any accessories; does come with a Collect & Connect piece of Giganta; packaging has cool photos and information; no one knows who this character is outside of DC Comics superfans.
6 / 10 - Costs about $12-$15, which is about average for a 6 inch figure these days; just a normal sized figure, so there's no extra plastic on offer here; doesn't include a single accessory; does include a C&C piece to up his worth; comes in a personalized package (even the bubble is personalized now); only one new piece for this whole figure, which is his head sculpt; feels like something you've seen 50 times before (you have if you collect DCUC), relatively high stability and durability under normal conditions, but that wonky leg joint might be susceptible to damage; probably won't hold your interest for too long.
Overall Score: 66 / 100 - This is an Okay Toy
Commander Steel is a simple figure that only offers a new head sculpt and paint job as unique features. Unfortunately that paint job isn't a good one, and he turns out a pretty boring figure without a lot to offer in the package.
P.S. This could be the figure I'm giving away this month, just leave a comment for a chance to win (if it's the one).
-The Articulated One (thearticulatedone@articulateddiscussion.com)
Looking for more DC Universe Classics reviews? Find them right here.
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