Deadshot is a small-time villain but a big-time favorite in the DC Universe, and a lot of fans (including yours truly) are thrilled to finally see him released. DC Universe Classics Wave 9 is a stong wave so far, and Mattel has continued that streak with Deadshot. Read on to see how he hits the mark so consistently!

Name: Deadshot
Line: DC Universe Classics, Wave 9, Figure 2
Manufacturer: Mattel
Released: Summer 2009
Price: Retail: $12.50-$14.99, Online: $13.00-$19.99
Scale: 6.00 in. (figure in 6.50 in. tall)
Accessories: None
Collect & Connect Piece: Chemo's right arm
Sponsor Listings:  Past Generation Toys-$16.95, Amazon-$18.95

     First things first, Deadshot is a nice looking figure. The standard DCUC body fits his character well, especially with the various pieces of new tooling he's showcasing. He has a silhouette with flourishes that make him stand out, like the gun ammendments on his hips and the gun attachments at his wrists. It's always welcome when a character features unique sculpts to match his costume and Deadshot delivers in that department, including the various gun elements, but also new boots, a new head, and a fresh upper torso. His proportions and height seem natural standing alone, but also across the line within the consistent scale. Deathstroke and Deadshot look great posed next to one another thanks to the spot-on proportions and muscle sizes of the Four Horsemen. Even as smooth as he looks, there are still a load of details worked in too. I particularly like the sculpted lines on his chest and neck, as well as the raised plates on his boots, but those aren't the only nice touches that were snuck in as extras. His head is pretty basic but allows some facial details to come through the "cloth" mask, and it's a nice effect along with his eye-scope. There might be a few spots here and there that could use an ounce of improvement, though nothing stands out, and it's pretty obvious that Deadshot is well above average in this department at this scale. As far as I'm concerned, it's hard to find an angle from which this figure looks anything but amazing. They just got every little aspect right and it comes together so very well.

Sculpt Score: 10 / 10

 

     Deadshot's paint isn't stellar, but it does get the job done. The only problems are a few application issues around some of the more complicated areas, and unnecessary washes that end up lessening his appearance. Specifically, there is a ton of red bleed on his boot-tops leftover from the painted knees, the golden bands on his biceps are lazily applied, and there's a poorly done black wash on his wrist-guns which makes them look mistmatched and dirty instead of just a basic color that would have looked fine. Smaller problems include some overspray on the thin stripes across his costume, as well as some weak paint on his chest emblem and scope-face. Everything else looks good or great, including the color choices ranging from gray to silver, a rich red, and a warm yellow with a hint of orange. Some might be bothered by the gray versus silver difference, but it's pretty clear which parts of his costume areintended to be cloth and which are metal, and each is appropriately colored. The reds and yellows match well across plastics, and there isn't any excessive slop other than small dabs close to where they're supposed to be. Some of the tighter applications are perfect, like his boots top edges or the pinstripes at his abs, and those clean areas do help to counter the messier spots. This is by no means a perfect example of painting; it's an acceptable job for a mass-market release at this price range and helps to preserve the aethetic of the sculpt. 

Paint Score: 8 / 10

 

    Continuing the good vibes, Deadshot's articulation is a fine example of the DCUC standard (seen above). He has all the joints that most DCUC figures have, and thankfully Deadshot is a +1 in the tight joints category for this wave (some figures are way too loose below the belt). His joints are actually really tight (particularly the elbows) and that makes posing him a real breeze. He can hold his weight splendidly well and looks good doing it thanks to a mostly unobtrusive set of points. You might think his hips would be restricted by the attachments at his side, but since those are so flexible, they don't slow him down at all, and neither do most other joints, because the sculpt stays out of the way of his movement abilities. That is, except for one spot: his neck. The neck itself is much too big around for his head to fit over it with excess space, and that reduces any vertical movement to zero, essentially leaving poor old Deadshot with a swivel neck. Other than that, this is a fine set of articulation and could only be improved by the addition of a few more, and well hidden points.

Articulation Score: 9 / 10

     Deadshot seems to be quickly becoming one of the more recognizable and much-loved villains in the DC Universe. Something about a cocky assassin makes him an entertaining character to watch, especially since he's occasionally working on the side of good. Guns are always fun too, but just looking at Deadshot, it's not blatantly obvious he even uses guns. For someone's who's not familiar with the character, those things on his forearms could be telescopes, water-guns, or even cake icing dispensors. A couple other gun accessories (like those packed with Deathstroke or Vigilante) would have added to the appeal here and clarified his role. That doesn't mean he's not enjoyable, because his articulation is a joy to work with and makes posing him a fret-free experience. Playing with him should be a joy too, especially reenacting old west bow vs. gun fights with Deadshot's wave 9 companion, Green Arrow. The costume is bit contrived, but that's not a fault of the figure, and it is still distinct enough to make people notice him and allow him to pop on your shelf. I just wish at least one accessory other than the Collect & Connect piece had been included, but that C&C inclusion is in fact a positive, because collecting the necessary pieces and assembling Chemo is an enteraining prospect too. The packaging has some biographical information to steal your attention for a moment or two, and it's a relief that nothing frustrating or deal-breaking happened with this figure to lower the levels of fun you can have with him. 

Fun Score: 8 / 10

 

     Deadshot is one of the more sturdy DCUC figures I can remember playing around with. None of his joints hang freely and the plastic feels more solid than some releases. There's a lot of new tooling here too, so it's obvious that time and money had to go into his production, and knowing that always makes the extra dollar or two a little easier to lay on the counter. The convenient thing is that this figure isn't especially overpriced, competitive with others in his scale at around $12-$13 at retail. Again, the lack of an extra gun or two is a real bummer, because I'd love to see Deadshot with a long range sniper rifle, and that'd really add to the value too. He does come with the enormous arm of Chemo, which is a huge chunk of plastic that's either a real boon or totally worthless, depending on the buyer. If you want to complete Chemo and intend to purchase other figures in the line, then it's a great bonus, but otherwise the money and plastic is just wasted when it could be used on elements for Deadshot himself. Personally, I totally approve of the C&C concept and think it adds a lot for what is spent. The real measure of what something's worth is how you'll use it, and I imagine a lot of people could find a place for this figure in a display or in a toy box, because he definitely has some positive qualities and seems reasonably priced (although a dollar cheaper would always be nice), despite the lack of an accessory. 

Value Score: 8 / 10

10 / 10 - A great looking figure with unique parts.

8 / 10 - Small problems hamper an otherwise strong paint job for a mass-market release.

9 / 10 - His neck swivel is the only limiting element of otherwise diverse and functional points.

8 / 10 - More weapons would have really helped here. 

8 / 10 - The lack of accessories again holds him back, but the C&C piece and durable construction certainly do help.

88 / 100 - This is a Great Toy

Deadshot is another fantastic entry into the DC Universe Classics line, primarily thanks to a great sculpt and strong articulation, without having any major deficits. Just a few more additions here and there like some of the more accessory-packed figures in the past would have nudged Deadshot up one more level. 

-The Articulated One

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