DC Universe Classics Wave 12 - IRON

Professor Will Magnus invented the Responsometer- A microcomputer capable of imbuing pure elements with a semblance of life, intelligence and emotion. Implanting samples of gold, iron, lead, tin and mercury with their own responsometers, Magnus watched the metals take on humanoid shape and personalities. Iron quickly emerged as the backbone of the team. In all the challenges the Metal Men take on, Iron’s super strength and ability to withstand tremendous punishment put him on the front line of action.

Packaging: Mattel has re-vamped their DC Universe Classics packaging for 2010. Gone is the old DCUC blister card with the pie chart of characters. This new packaging features a lineup of DC heroes and villains on the front. In addition to the DC Universe Classics logo, they have also added DC COMICS 75 Years of Super Power. Also, every figure includes a DC 75th Anniversary collector button featuring vintage DC art.

Sculpt and Paint: Mattel has made the backbone of this line reusing parts, and reusing them again and again. With a character as unique as Iron this could have come out very bad. However while Mattel is reluctant to sculpt new parts, they seem fine with adding stuff over them. Hence we get Iron's tuinc which covers him from his neck to his upper thigh. The tunic also helps beef him up making him look thicker around the neck and chest. I doubt anyone will make fun of him for wearing a skirt. What really makes this figure a winner is the facial sculpt, which really accentuates his features and makes him look like a guy with whom not to mess with. Finally, the paint, which he is a blueish silver all over could have looked really toyish, but the subtle wash really accentuates the little blemishes and imperfections sculpted and not sculpted to make him look a little worn and weathered.

Articulation: No major surprises here, standard DCUC articulation: ball-and-hinge joints at the shoulders, H-hinges at the hips, standard hinges at the elbows, knees, torso, and ankles, and swivels at the head, biceps, wrists, waist, and lower thighs. His torso joint movement is impeded  by the tunic, and like DCUC Ares his hips are severely limited by the tunic.

Accessories: There seems to be a trend with most waves of DCUC, one or two figures feature the lion's share of the accessories, and the rest have nada. Fortunately for Iron, he benefits from the generosity of the toy gods. Irons right hand fits the wrecking ball and features the as-advertised diecast parts; the chain. A crescent wrench fits nice and snug into Iron's left fist, and get this: it works! Just turn the knurled wheel and the wrench actually moves. Finally, Wave 12's Collect & Connect figure is Darkseid; Iron comes with Darkseid's left leg.

 

Overall: I jokingly refer to DCUC as DC University College because many of these characters I've never even heard of. Priror to collecting DCUC (when I began late January of 2008) the extent of my knowledge of the DC Universe came mostly from Batman: The Animated Series and the live action films. In fact, the reason I first got into DCUC was Classic Detective Batman and The Penguin from Wave 1. I only tell you this so you can understand what when I say I had never heard of Iron prior to the announcement of this wave, I truly mean it. I've certainly enjoyed being schooled in DCUC, and twelve wave into this line, Iron stands out as one of the best looking and most unique figures.

I paid $19.99 for this figure at Newbury Comics, and though I didn't pick him up the first day I saw him, I returned the very next day and picked him up. Of course I would have much rather paid $15 for him at Wal-Mart, but I guess collecting MOTUC has gotten me used to a $20 price tag. That said, out of all the figures in Wave 12, Iron certainly is the only one I think could pay $20 and not regret it later.