I've been eying this series for a while now, and though I have no real bond with the History of the DC Universe books (I wasn't reading much of anything in the late '80s), I couldn't resist a new Martian Manhunter figure.
It features a sharp clean sculpt that's based on the style of George Pérez. From a running horse it seems perfect, but once you've give it a few minutes of play time, you'll notice that the big green guy has a few problems.
I love the sculpt, and also really like the glossy green and blue plastic that DC Direct has used. I don't know that the choice would be perfect for every character, but it seems to work well here.
Things that I'm not so happy with include: many points of articulation that don't actually do anything; the left hand is molded to hold something, but he doesn't come with (or need) accessories; and he's very poorly balanced, so he tends to lean backwards and fall over.
Focusing on that last point about the Martian Manhunter falling on his back, it's pretty easy to blame a few simple design mistakes. Firstly, the figure is very back-heavy, but doesn't have the articulation to shift or lean forward in a way that looks good. Secondly, the knee joints are a bit soft, so what little strength that it does have, is compromised by weak legs. Thirdly, the included stand just doesn't fit the figure. It's a small, round, generic base, and it doesn't do very much to enhance looks or stability.
In all, this isn't my favorite Martian Manhunter figure, and it didn't do much to sell me on the History of the DC Universe line, but given that we're up to the fourth series of figures, with more to come (I'm assuming), DC Direct still has plenty of opportunities to improve this line.
Posts
