If you had any doubt about how far Mattel was willing to dig into the DC Universe, then you won't need look any further than Wave 8 of the DC Universe Classics line. Vigilante might very well be at the bottom of the hole, because he's a pretty obscure character, especially in this outfit. The question is; did Mattel pick the right fellow to produce, or would another nobody have proved a wiser decision? Read on to see if Vigilante climbs up, or is forever doomed to obscurity!
Name: Vigilante
Line: DC Universe Classics, Wave 8, Figure 4
Manufacturer: Mattel
Released: 2nd Quarter 2009
Price: Retail: $11.99-$13.99, Online: $12.99-$16.99
Scale: 6.00 in. (figure is 6.50 in. tall)
Accessories: Magnum, sub-machine gun, and assault rifle
Collect & Connet Piece: Left leg of Giganta
Vigilante is another well-sculpted figure coming from the Four Horsemen, despite one quality control issue, which is another misassembled lower half. In fact, he has two left legs below the knee, just like my Mr. Terrific figure reviewed previously. It's an ugly issue, although not a totally unforgivable one. It does seem like it's becoming a consistent problem though (it definitely is for me), and that's a terrifying prospect. Even if it's not super hideous, it's still hard to see anything else when I look at this toy, which is a shame, because there are some strong qualities to be found here. He features accurate proportions in the hands, feet, and head when compared to his body size, and his muscles are also appropriately sculpted, not too big for a human character like Vigilante, though still clearly visible and athletic. This standard DCUC body just looks good, and he doesn't change that in any way. Atop that body is another brand new head sculpt, a masked face complete with goggles, and even sculpted eyes underneath them. There are wrinkles around his mouth and nose, showing a penchant for attention to detail, but I'm a little disappointed by the goggles, which don't seem to sit that well on his face, and just look messy.
There are also some unique
and details on an otherwise basic figure. For instance, he exhibits new tooling at the belt, forearms,
and of course the new head. These pieces are great additions
to the mold-options for Mattel, and work really well on Vigilante. Sure
he might come off as somebody on the slopes in those goggles (see
comic), but it's a cool design, and instead of just relying on paint,
costume elements are sculpted in, such as his gloves indentations, boot
tops, and grooves on his mask). His belt has non-functional pouches, a working holster, as well as non-removable nunchucks on the back. These items all look great and bring the sculpt to life. Other small details we've seen before
include cloth wrinkles at the hips, ankles, and gloves. And then there are some fantastic looking weapons. All three accessories have all the lines and shapes you'd expect to see in a gun, and seem to be the right scale for a 6 inch figure. They're molded in a very soft plastic and don't hold their shape well, which limits how well they look posed with the figure. There is also an issue fitting the weapons into his hands; the assault rifle and magnum fit well enough into his left hand, but the right hand is really only good to use the sub-machine gun. The holster does hold the pistol snugly, and the rifle hangs on his back naturally too.
Sculpt Score: 7 / 10
Vigilante may be almost entirely black, but he does have some other colors in small portions. There is the very bright, clean white, as well as a royal blue, and "yellow" belt with gold highlights. You'll notice the questioning quotations, because his belt is a shade too green. It doesn't look too bad in my photos, but it's definitely more of a lemon/lime tint in normal lighting conditions. It's not a huge problem, just something that might irk you rom time to time. The other colors are just right and look great together. Applications of the costume lines on his costume are crisp and straight, but the lines on the shoulders don't line up in a neutral position. The black stripes on his boots and gloves are only moderately good, with a few crooked spots and curved edges. The gold on his belt looks almost perfect, and is a good touch, that I think saves the appearance of his belt. His face details are much less impressive, with a significantly messy white line around his goggles, and off centered stripes on his forehead. It's hard to tell how good they are, but it's an extra bonus that his eyes are painted underneath the goggles (I think). His weapons are all molded in an appropriate gray color (the magnum is a lighter shade), and their details are brought out with a great dark wash. The handgun also features some blue coloring on the handle.
Paint Score: 6 / 10
Vigilante has the same articulation model we've seen in most every other DCUC figure, and as it feels like I've mentioned 100 times, that's a pretty good thing. He can find a lot of interesting and dynamic poses, but maybe not every pose you can imagine. There are a couple problem areas, particularly his elbows which don't want to lock into their fully open position. It's also almost impossible to turn his waist; you can only get him to turn about 15 degrees either way. All of his other joints work well, with full ranges of motion too. The articulation looks just fine with the sculpt, but no extra steps were taken to hide it, which is okay, because the costume doesn't lend to this. All things considered, he's still fun to play with in either a display or play scenario, and he's able to hold his weapons as expected, including his assault rifle with two hands. The small problems he has aren't enough of an issue to bring his score down in comparison to the strengths.
Articulation Score: 9 / 10
Vigilante is a pretty random DC character that not many people could identify from memory. There's not much that's inherently exciting about his costume, "power-set", or backstory to grab attention and hold it. Sure, fans of the Teen Titans have some nostalgia kick in, but for the average buyer (and myself), Vigilante has to rely on his qualities as a toy first, and character second. Thankfully the figure does have some redeeming qualities, such as his strong articulation model and bevy of accessories. Using him in shootouts with Deathstroke, Deadpool, Punisher, or other comics characters of a similar style should be a blast, but you'll notice from that list that he's not exactly a unique breed. Being able to store weapons on a figure is always an interesting gimmick, and Vigilante can hold both his assault rifle over his shoulder and his handgun in his holster. The packaging has statistics and a biography that help bring Vigilante to life a little more. There are also some new additions to the bubble he sits in; little bullet holes shaped into the plastic. That's a fun touch, and when combining that with the included Collect & Connect piece of Giganta, Vigilante turns out to be a reasonably entertaining figure.
Fun Score: 8 / 10
At roughly $12-$15, this is a pretty standard priced 6 inch action figure these days. There is a normal sized figure, three accessories, and a C&C body part included in the package, so you're getting a decent amount of plastic for your price. There are a few new molds being utilized as well, so he doesn't feel like the same exact figure you already have 30 of, yet with only a new paint job. But then again, there are a lot of parts being reused, so that feeling might sneak in. Having the C&C piece really makes him feel worth more, as it's like you're getting a chunk of a figure for free (and a big figure at that). On the other hand, there are some assembly problems with his leg, and the paint is of questionable quality too. Since the following behind this character is admittedly limited, some people might see him as a necessary evil for nothing more than his Giganta piece, and that will definitely lower his value.
Value Score: 6 / 10
Summary
7 - He looks decent with some unique sculpting and cool accessories, despite having a standard body and a nagging quality control problem.
6 - Wonky coloring on the belt, some screwy applications, and misaligned costume details hold back the otherwise great colors and attractive accessories from greatness.
9 - Enough articulation to play with and find cool poses on your shelf, but there are a couple spots with limited mobility.
8 - Might be a tedious character, but has a very playable articulation model, entertaining accessories, an included C&C piece, and packaging to hold your interest.
6 - Includes three accessories and a C&C piece, but there are some QC issues and he's a little-known character that isn't at the top of many's wishlist.
Overall Score: 72 / 100 - This is a Good Toy
Vigilante has a quality control problem that holds him back from greatness, though he still manages to come off as an enjoyable figure despite his issues.
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)
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