A few years ago DC Comics made sure that fans would never forget Black Adam, and maybe in part thanks to that increased exposure, today we're looking at a figure based on him from Mattel's ninth wave of DC Universe Classics. We've already seen Shazam in Wave 6, and now we've got the villain counterpart, but can Black Adam top his nemesis as as toy? If that mean head sculpt has anything to say about it, probably so.
Name: Black Adam
Line: DC Universe Classics, Wave 9, Figure 4
Manufacturer: Mattel
Released: Summer 2009
Price: Retail: $12.50-$14.99, Online: $12.99-$19.99
Scale: 6.00 in. (figure in 6.50 in. tall)
Accessories: Pendant necklace
Collect & Connect Piece: Chemo's left leg
Sponsor Listings: Past Generation Toys-$15.95, Amazon-$21.69
Black Adam almost receives top honors on his head sculpt alone; the Four Horsemen captured the real essence of this character with a technically superb face and perfectly portrayed expression. This is without a doubt one of the strongest head sculpts in the entire DCUC line so far. The rest of the figure isn't quite so outstanding, but still really good. Muscle groups and proportions are convincing for the character, with lots of details worked into his costume. Not many unique pieces grace Black Adam, but we've only seen his boots and forearms once before, plus he comes with a new accessory pendant to spice things up (speaking of which, the chain for it is hilariously big). Thanks to a body without any major flaws and a head that's above and beyond expectations, Black Adam is an amazing looking physical piece.
Sculpt Score: 10 / 10
Black Adam's face is also painted really well, but unlike the sculpt, the rest of him isn't quite so acceptable. The clean eyes and hairline, along with the subtle airbrushing on his cheeks make the face stand out and complement the mold so well. His body is mostly a basic black plastic that's just the right level of matteness and actually seems to photograph rather well. The gold bands add a nice touch, while his chest emblem and neck-line are both perfectly straight on all sides. Most of the problems are actually below the knee, where the cut line at the top of his boots is ridiculously messy, paint just globbed everywhere. The yellow also does a poor job of covering the black underneath in some spots, causing a matching issue with the feet as well. Add in a ton of milkiness on the back of his calves too, which is ugly, but thankfully on the back. His pendant features various colors and they're all applied quite dextrously.
Paint Score: 7 / 10
Black Adam is another figure with the normal DCUC articulation model, and that's generally a good thing. While he won't be in hyper-poses of any sort, he can find a lot of natural looking stances in battle or just posing solo. All of his joints are plenty tight to hold his weight and there are no gummy or weak points to be seen. His neck joint is extremely limited thanks to the thick neck underneath, basically reducing it to a swivel with a tiny amount of vertical angle options. None of the articulation seams are excessively big or distracting visually, in part thanks to his dark color scheme, so this is an attractive set of joints with lots of posing options. But there could always be a few more points worked in to add just that little bit more diversity.
Articulation Score: 9 / 10
Black Adam is definitely a derivitive villain that's relies heavily on the visuals of his hero. That's not the most exciting way to do things, but he has a recognizable and simple design that clarifies his darker tendencies. There is enough articulation here to make him fun to pose, and thanks to his sturdiness, he shouldn't be any problems on the carpet/field of battle either. The cardback reveals enough information to provide story and play ideas, and although it's kind of lame, there is an accessory. I personally think a giant Egyptian column for him to pound people with would have been more enjoyable, but donning him with a tiny pendant might be fun for some. The Chemo C&C piece helps a lot too here.
Fun Score: 8 / 10
Black Adam retails for about $12-$13, and if you can find him at the price, he's not a bad deal. That doesn't mean he's a bargain either, but it's a reasonable and competitive price for this quality toy at this scale in the current market. He's relatively well made, especially compared to past waves, and doesn't appear poised to crumble anytime soon. There is one tiny accessory, but it does have some metal, and despite being way oversized, that's a nice attention to detail. The sculpting is top-notch, but a lot of parts are the same ones we've seen over and over again, making this a cheap figure for Mattel. The piece of Chemo adds a lot to the value as well, especially given how large that figure is.
Value Score: 8 / 10
84 / 100 - This is a Great Toy
Oddly enough, Black Adam scored one single point lower than Shazam, but that's not too surprising, because good guys always win! Black Adam is another great looking figure within the DC Universe Classics line, and even if you're not a huge DC Comics fan, this one might catch your eye.
-The Articulated One
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