Shocker Toys was generous enough to send out a review sample from their new Indie Spotlight series of relatively unknown comic book characters. The characters may not be well known, but I think the figures will receive some exposure, because if ShadowHawk is any indication, this is going to be a great line with a strong future. This is a stylish figure with only a few faults holding him back.
Name: ShadowHawk (Variant)
Line: Indie Spotlight, The Maxx Series (Series 1)
Manufacturer: Shocker Toys
Released: 2nd Quarter 2009
Price: Online: $14.99-$17.99
Scale: 6.00 in.
Accessories: Claw Arm Attachment, White Isz
ShadowHawk has a very comic book styled sculpt that doesn't come across as a muscle bound monster. I like to see thinner bodies used when appropriate, and this is one of those times. He has an almost anime look with smoother angles and a curvy posture. His chest looks a bit odd, with a really shallow slope from the bottom of his neck to the tip of his chest, almost as if he's displaying some female parts up there. All the same, it all comes together pretty well and he just looks good in a lot of poses. Two closed fists work just fine, although his "elf shoes" might be a bit too curved on the bottom, which doesn't allow him a solid base to stand on. I can't compare his height to other figures in the line, but right at an even 6 inches, he should fit in well enough with other comic book lines like LCBH or ML (DCUC might be a bit too big). His accessory is a good length, with a super straight pole. The hook that attaches to his arm is a great fit too, which more and more seems to be a problem for figures I buy. The little Isz fellow included also has great shapes and a simple, creepy look.
This character has a pretty simple costume (especially this variant), so a lot can't be expected in regards to details. All of the necessary ones are present at least, including lowered lines on his wrists and sharply cut wrists. Everything else is just as smooth as a baby's bottom, but it works with the look of the costume, some sort of aerodynamic and sneaky appearance. The head sculpt also gets off easy with this full face mask, although it's still really well done. The ears slide back gracefully with clean and symmetric lines, and the checkmark eyes are actually carved in, instead of just relying on paint there. The edge where the helmet meets the mask underneath is straight, and there is even a hint of a mouth poking through the cloth mask, which is a great detail. Both of his accessories have all the necessary details to bring them to life, such as individually routed teeth and flourishes on the claw. Nothing about this fellow's sculpt is outstanding; I just think he looks cool in a lot of different poses, which is really what it all comes down to.
Sculpt Score: 8 / 10
At least 90% of ShadowHawk's coloring is just black plastic. Fortunately it's got a great look that's neither too shiny or too matte. He looks sleek and dark much like his name implies. There are also silver lines worked into his costume, as well as a couple splashes of a deep red. The silver contrasts enough with the black to pop out and properly delineate the shapes of his body. The design on these stripes does a lot to add some visual clarity to otherwise muddled, solid color figure. Some of the lines are applied quite tightly, while others are fuzzy around the edges, particularly at his chest. The emblem just below his neck is a mess of blurry edges. His helmet is just barely overpainted onto the mask below, but it's such a consistent straight line that it's not too bothersome. The eyes are outlined with a very thin black line and filled with a dab of too-thin red paint. His claw is a simple silver that looks just fine, while the Isz character is molded in a nice, bright white. He also has a really well done mouth, with clearly defined individual teeth, really well done lips, and a great color for his yellow teeth. One last problem with ShadowHawk himself is that there are a few slop issues, with some random paint run on his crotch, as well as a perfect red speck on his face. It's nothing terrible, but it does detract a little.
Paint Score: 7 / 10
I was pleasantly surprised by not only the amount of articulation ShadowHawk has on display, but the range of it as well. There are so many potential poses waiting in this figure, and because of his thin body parts and simple design, each and every joint gets a full range of motion, totally unrestricted by his sculpt. Just to list everything, there are ball style joints at the neck, ankles, shoulders, wrists, torso, waist, and hips. There is so much you can do with that alone, but add in double hinge joints at both his elbows and knees and you've got an absolute plethora of options. It's so easy to fine tune every position and add life and personality to every display that this figure is in. Joints like this usually bother me when it comes to looks, but something about the tapered sockets (such as at his hips and shoulders) really eases the visual break unlike most ML figures (compare to Mr. Fantastic below). They also managed to fit the balls in a reasonably small amount of space, so that he doesn't have odd shapes at every joint. The double hinges still come off wonky when both are fully contracted, but there is little one can do to avoid that problem, so I can't complain too much. The only downfall ShadowHawk faces in this category is a pair of loose knee joints. They started out okay, but they're already loosening quite a bit, making it hard to hold him in some poses. Every other joint is still plenty tight, so it might just be a fluke, and possibly even fixable with some fiddling. His little pal doesn't feature any articulation points, but his thin arms are susceptible to some adjustment with hot/cold water treatment.
Articulation Score: 9 / 10
There aren't too many people who will spot ShadowHawk and say, "wow, I love that character." This is the Indie Spotlight line for a reason; to bring lesser-known characters into the light with their own action figure. With that, people won't enjoy this toy just because of who it is based on, but they might enjoy it because it's something totally new, with a cool design and basically appealing look. When you see this character, it's pretty obvious what he's about, and that will instantly provide a story for play or display. His articulation model supports this so well because you can put him in almost any pose you like, believably jumping off rooftops or just standing proudly next to Superman. There aren't any broken pieces or frustrating elements to the figure, and that helps preserve the enjoyment. The packaging is small and a bit generic, but it does have nice photos of other toys in the line and a good-sized biography of this character (technically of the non variant character).
He also includes a fun accessory that looks dangerous and is easy to attach to his arm. The Isz army builder is a fun little diversion that may not necessarily belong with the main character, but still adds some diversity to your accessory box and looks awesome even on his own. If you do collect the whole line, then assembling a whole horde of those little things would be a real blast. There aren't really any available characters in his mythos to line up next to him, but ShadowHawk could fit into any comic book display just fine, adding to the smiles you'll get out of him considerably. There is no action feature to speak of, and I think it would have been a bit cooler to have The Maxx as a build a figure for the line instead of a higher priced individual release, but those are small faults for an otherwise entertaining toy.
Fun Score: 9 / 10
Pricing for this figure is going to be a rather pricey $15-$18, at least for now. This is a series that can't rely on its characters popularity to ensure sales like ML or DCUC, so prices have to be a higher to compensate for the lower production numbers. At that price you're getting a very average, if a little undersized 6 inch action figure that features a lot of articulation, and comes with a small accessory and a small pack-in figure. It's a fair amount of stuff crammed into the small package, but it's not really $15 worth, considering the simple character design and really limited work in regards to paint. On the other hand, this creation did require a whole set of new and unique tooling which is expensive on the production end. You're also getting a character in plastic form that you would probably otherwise never see, so paying a little extra premium is more reasonable. He seems like a relatively durable figure that should last through a certain degree of play, which is a nice surprise for a primarily collector-targeted line. Also, nothing is broken or missing, which is always a relief when you don't know what to expect. The packaging was nice, without any annoying twist-ties or rubber straps. You can remove the figure without destroying anything and even the card stays perfectly intact. At this price, a slightly bigger toy or the inclusion of a build a figure piece would have moved ShadowHawk up a notch or two, but as it stands now, he's barely scoots by on uniqueness and effort.
Value Score: 8 / 10
Summary
8 - Simple but attractive design, muscles aren't over-exaggerated, head looks great, necessary details are all here, chest is funny, accessories look good.
7 - Basic paintjob, colors work well together, lines are too fuzzy in spots, red pops well, accessories look top-notch, some slop here and there.
9 - Ton of articulation points, a lot of possible poses, fun to play around with, nothing is broken, looks pretty good considering the generally ugly style, knees are too loose.
9 - Rare chance to get a lesser known character, naturally engaging visual design, articulation is a blast to play with, includes accessory and pack-in, nothing frustrating, no action features.
8 - Does include accessories, just average sized, well made and feels durable, packaging is collector friendly, unique character, price is just too high to be perfect.
Overall Score: 83 / 100 - This is a Great Toy
ShadowHawk is a great action figure that's a strong initial effort in a line with a lot of potential.
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
