DC Superheroes - Darkseid

Since I've gone through a good chunk of the Batman related action figures from the DC Superheroes toy line, I figured that I should start on some more of the Superman portion of the series. So today, well go over Mattel's DC Superheroes Darkseid from series 6 which is a repaint variant or the series 4 Darkseid figure and was released back in 2006.

This sculpt of Darkseid was originally released in DC Superheroes Series 4. The only difference is that Darkseid's uniform in series 4 was a light blue and his belt was silver, a very classic look. But for me, I preferred the darker look of the series 6 toy.

Its a great looking figure. His face and body looks great with a rock like texture for his skin. His uniform is basically a one piece suit starting from his head all the way down to his skirt.

He's bigger than most of the other DC Superheroes line up standing about 7 1/4 inches tall. He ranks up there as one of the taller figures in the DCSH & DCUC toy lines. As you see below, I've placed him next to some of the other larger figures, Gorilla Grodd & Clayface. His body is also very thick all around dwarfing DCSH Superman. Kind of reminds me of a powerlifter.

The paint job is nothing fancy but done well. He is for the most part 4 colours. His, red eyes, the metallic blue on his belt, the dark gray/blue outfit and his rock colored body. There isn't any shading or highlighting so to speak which is a shame as I think that would bring out the great detail in rocky skin. But, the paint job is very clean, the with no slop or runs.

Darkseid comes with one small handheld computer which i suspect is a motherboard. It has some nice detail for such a small trinket. It doesn't fit very securely in his hand though. Your best bet is to keep the clear mini elastic band that comes with it and leave it attached to his hand so you don't loose it. The DCSH series 4 version of Darkseid comes with a reprint Superman comic book. This series 6 version comes with a cardboard diorama.

Darkseid's articulation is pretty good but he does not have as many points as most other DC Superheroes figures. Starting from the top, you've got neck, shoulders, biceps, elbows, forearms, waist, hips, knees and ankles. If you bother to look up Darkseid's skirt (that sounds so wrong), it appears Mattel has used ball joints for his hip joints instead of their usual four way joints (not sure what else to call them) that you see with most of their other DC action figures. Ball hip joints have more flexability but are a uglier in my opinion. That being said, Darkseid's hip joints are covered by his skirt and unfortunately the skirt also minimizes the hip joint movement. You can barely get any lateral movement at all. Its a bit of a design flaw but hard to get around without hurting the sculpt of the figure.

Overall, its a great looking figure with minor flaws. A Superman collector needs a good Darkseid and this figure does not disappoint. The figure's size makes him fit in with either DC Direct or Mattel toys quite nicely. Weather you prefer the costume from series 4 or series 6, DC Superheroes Darkseid is a worthy purchase.

Sculpt/Design - 8.5, Paint - 8, Accessories - 6, Articulation - 8, Fun - 8

Darkseid Overall - 8/10

Since he was originally released in 2006, Darkseid is obviously a discontinued toy at this point in 2008. A quick search on eBay revealed a wide variety of price ranges from $15 to $65 dollars (plus shipping) for either the DCSH series 4 or series 6 versions. There are the odd online stores as well that will carry him. Its just a matter of doing your homework if you are a collector and want this figure.

To find DC Superheroes Darkseid by Mattel on eBay click here

Thanks for checking out my action figure review blog which is currently featuring Mattel's DC Superheroes and DC Universe Classics toys. Check back for more news, reviews and info. The latest release from the DC Universe Classics line, series 4 will be review shortly.