As probably the most anticipated figure of DC Universe Classics Series 6, if not the whole DCUC line so far, Hawkman has a lot of expectations to live up to. I had high hopes as well, and amazingly, this toy just barely manages to live up to my aspirations by turning out to be a magnificent figure.
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Hawkman uses only a few of the common body parts that plague most DCUC male figures. That means he has a lot of sculpting that's unique to him, which is exactly why he looks so good and dynamic. First off, his feet and boots have the yellow talon line running down them that's sculpted in instead of just painted on. His boots are also carved out, not just painted on, which means they're not just cutting corners everywhere they can. His upper body is big, bulky, and muscular, precisely like Hawkman should look. His forearms are even veiny, like he's pretty angry and ready to use that big mace of his. All of the muscle proportions look realistic enough and his profile is just beautiful from almost any angle. The harnesses on his chest seem to be sculpted in on the back, but slightly raised and flexible in the front, so I'm not sure if you could remove them or not. Next up is his head, which has an awesome looking non-removable hawk helmet. This thing has great details, with very fine texture in the feathers. Hawkman's expression is stern and even a little mad, and that suits the character too. Although it looks okay, Hawkman's eyes would really be about where the beak of the mask is, not where the eyeholes are, unless of course he has a face the length of a horse. The biggest part of this character is his wings, and they don't disappoint either. Every little feather has every little groove for an amazing looking wing texture. The shape is also attractive with long and variable length feathers. These look really good in a variety of positions. Not to let anyone down, the Four Horsemen also did a fantastic job with all of Hawkman's weapons. They look appropriately ancient and still battle-worthy with scars and rough textures.
Sculpt Score: 9 / 10 - Not just another stock body reissue, some amazing details, especially in wings, head sculpt is good, but throws out realistic proportions, great accessory sculpting, he just looks cool.
This figure's paint may be its weakest area, which isn't to say that it's bad. First off, his applications are generally pretty good. He has pretty crisp lines on his boots, hips, and face that look good even up close. There isn't a lot of slop, although some paint has chipped off one boot and the circle on his chest is a little iffy, missing a little of the sculpt with the red paint. His wings look fantastic with a nice matte gray color dry brushed with white highlights to bring out the texture. The biggest issue I have is with a color mismatch with his forearms, in that don't really line up with the plastic color on the rest of his skin. They appear more tanned than the skin on each side of them (hands and biceps). This may not come out in the photos, and is hard to see without proper lighting in person too, but it's definitely there. I really like the color choices here, everything working well together without being too dark or muted. Hawkman is a very "in your face" kind of character, and these colors match that, holding nothing back in boldness. His accessories pretty much get the same attention as everything else, with great texture work and fine details in the paint.
Paint Score: 8 / 10 - Great color choices for the character, some amazing effects on his wings, generally crisp applications, some chipping, color mismatch with skin.
The articulation model for this figure is one that's identical to every other standard male figure. That's a pretty good thing because it's quite a few points of articulation that still manages to look good with this neutral body sculpt. Hawkman has enough joints to find some pretty interesting poses and more than enough to make him fun when pitting him against other figures. All of the articulation was very smooth right out of the package (including his hips) and everything seems to be holding up well after numerous posing sessions. Amazingly, the legs are tight enough to hold up the weight of his wings and still remain easy to use, unlike some figures with hard to move articulation. No joints are limited in their range of motion, each moving everywhere it's supposed to be able to. Hawkman adds a little more movement than usual with his articulated wings, which have the ability to go prom parallel to perpendicular with his body as well as extend out at the uppermost point. You can find some nifty looks with this and it's a welcome relief that the wings aren't just static. The one downside to this is that the big pin mechanism holding his wings in place looks a little wonky. You probably won't be displaying him with his back out, but it does draw away from the apperance of the figure.
Articulation Score: 9 / 10 - You can pose him and play with him, looks good with sculpt, added wing articulation, joints worked smoothly, can hold his own weight and stand well, wing articulation looks funky.
Here's a short section (because I've realized how long this review is getting)! Hawkman has everything needed to be a very fun toy. First off, having giant movable wings, as well as a mace, sword, and shield is a dream come true for toys. You know he's a warrior just by looking at him and that will come out in any displays or mock fights. He has all the necessary articulation, cool barbaric design, a great feature with his wings, and awesome accessories to be one of the most fun toys on your shelf.
Fun Score: 10 / 10 - Great warrior design, awesome weapon accessories, strong articulation model, and wings!
This might be the most reasonably priced 6" figure I've purchased at full price in a while. Not only is he relatively normally priced at $12, but he's a bigger figure made even large by his wings. Having some uniquely sculpted body parts and accessories really makes you feel like you're getting your money's worth here. Even is he didn't come with the collent and connect piece of Kalibak (which he does), this figure is well worth $12 because of all his accessories and the amount of plastic you're getting. Having very high production values, good quality control, a cool card design with character info, and lasting durability sure doesn't hurt either. You're getting a nice figure, a number of accessories, and a large chunk of another figure, so this guy is well worth $12, probably worth $15, and I wouldn't feel cheated paying closer to $20.
Value Score: 10 / 10 - There's a lot in the package, includes a C&C piece, loads of accessories, high quality control, feels durable and sturdy.
Summary
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Overall Score: 92 / 100 - This is a Wonderful Toy
Hawkman is one of the strongest entries into the DCUC line so far, particularly because of his amazing value and fun factor, but also because of a strong sculpt, paint job, and articulation model.
P.S. This could be the figure I'm giving away this month, just leave a comment for a chance to win (if he's the one).
-The Articulated One
