Friday, September 25, 2009

DC Universe Classics - Superman vs Brainiac: Clash in the Cosmos

Some of the 2-Packs Mattel released recently either have not really appealed to me or include figures which I already have (example: Clayface) but the Clash in the Cosmos 2 pack featuring an early version of Brainiac caught my attention right away. So I bought it and will give my impressions:



Packaging for the 2 packs have similar graphics, colors as you would see on the average DCUC action figure package, just slightly bigger. On the back you do have a little blurp about each character's origin which is always a cool feature. First, we'll take a look at Brainiac.


This figure is the main reason why i bought this particular 2 pack. When i was a kid, i really enjoyed the Challenge of the Superfriends tv program and this version of Brainiac a similar likeness to the TV counterpart. Lets take a closer look at the sculpt and design of this action figure:

Brainiac's torso, arms and legs are basically standard parts used in multiple DCUC action figures. The head is an original sculpt of course and the addition of the shirt collar gives the Brainiac sculpt a bit of individuality.

As I've said before, re-using similar body parts is not a big deal as long as the paint job works. More on that later. Below is a closer look at Brainiac's head.
Brainiac's face looks great and includes some awesome detail. The collar, you'll notice is not perfect on both sides, one side is up more than the other.
Brainiac's paint job is good in the sense that there is no slop or colors crossing over lines but if you look closely at his pink shirt, the color on the arms is more of a purple compared to the color on his torso. Not the greatest job at matching colors up here.
Just to compare DCUC's Brainiac to some previous versions of the character. On the left you will see a DC Direct version of Brainiac as well as on the right, the DC Superheroes version. The good thing about the Brainiac character is that there have been so many versions of him over the years so there are multiple possibilities of action figure versions of him. As far as Articulation goes, this new version of Brainiac is very standard compared to the rest of the DCUC toyline. All the right joints in all the right places and all joints out of the package were not too loose.
Clash in the Cosmos Brainiac comes with a ray gun but the crappy thing is, this gun is a re-use part itself. Mattel had previously used this weapon with their DC Superheroes Battlesuit Lex Luthor a few years back before the DCUC toy line began. Its a cool looking gun and has a slot on the back for a piece of Kryptonite which also came with Lex Luthor, however, it is not included in the Brainiac/Superman 2 pack.
Overall, I like this version of Brainiac. The head sculpt is very good but the paint job loses points due to the different shades of pink on his shirt and that, for me, was a bit of a let down.
Sculpt/Design - 8.5, Paint - 6, Articulation - 9, Accessories - 7, Fun - 8.5
Brainiac fits in nicely with the rest of my Legion of Doom collection. Still missing Giganta, Cheetah and Toyman.
So now we move on to Superman. Now, I did not care too much about getting this Superman figure for one MAIN reason. This Superman has heat vision eyes which means his eyes are pure red.
The rest of the sculpt is total classic superman from head to toe. Why would anyone want Superman with red eyes...no idea.

Taking a look at the sculpt itself, the face looks great (except for the eyes). I believe this is the same head sculpt used for Eradicator from wave 5 just without the glasses. (I havent confirmed this yet).
The body and cape are the same as the DCUC Mullet head Superman from wave 6. So basically, this figure is a complete re-use of parts.
If you can get over the red eyes, it is actually a very good version of Superman. HOWEVER, if you can't get over the red eyes, look into getting the Superman from the DC Universe Classics Gotham City 5 pack. It is the exact same version as the Clash in the Cosmos Superman except he has normal eyes.
Some different versions of Superman brought to us by Mattel recently. In the back you see Blue and Red Superman from DCUC wave 2. On the left is a Superman figure from Mattel's previous toy line DC Superheroes. And on the right, is the Superman variant action figure from DCUC wave 6 with Superman in his Recovery Suit and has him supporting a very unpopular mullet head.
The paint job on this figure is great. No mistakes, smudges, slop or anything. Colors are match the classic version of this character. Nothing to complain about really.
Articulation is just as you would expect from the DC Universe Classics toy line. Joints include the neck, shoulders, biceps, elbows, wrists, abdominal, waist, hips, thighs, knees and ankles. All joints moved very well out of the box. One small issue is that the cape weighs Superman backwards a little bit. No accessories were included with this Superman action figure.
Sculpt/Design - 8.5, Paint - 9.5, Accessoreis - 0, Articulation - 9, Fun - 8
So who's gonna want this version of Superman? Well, Superman junkies of course. It is a very very good version of Supes, its just the red eyes take away from him if you're looking for that one classic version of him. No question that it is a good set to get but the main figure for me in this set was Brainiac. I think if you're looking for the BEST Superman figure on the Market, then take a look at the Gotham City 5 pack Supes (which i have already previewed and will be reviewing shortly)
Actual Heat Vision - Not included.
If you're looking to purchase this DC Universe Classics 2 pack, then eBay is the place to get it. Even if you're only looking for the Brainiac figure you may be able to find someone selling him on its own.
To find Mattel's DC Universe Classics - Clash of the Cosmos 2 pack on eBay, click here
Another review down. I'll be getting back into the DCUC wave 8 reviews next so be sure to check back with Action Toy Review for all the latest DC Universe Classics news, reviews, info and previews.

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