I got a surprise last week while checking e-mail. BigBadToyStore informed me that they were fulfulling my pre-order. I didn’t remember pre-ordering anything from them recently, so you can probably understand my confusion. When I checked my account, lo and behold, I realized what had happened. Yup, a year ago I put my order in for the Luthor/Supergirl two-pack in the hopes that the accessory would be awesome (as promised by Matty) and that it would help ensure the Golden Age Hawks 2pk. Well, that Hawk 2pk is still not in the works and when Matty told ItsAllTrue.Net that the accessory would be four colors of kryptonite, I took note, but had forgotten entirely that I still had it pre-ordered.
So I have this two-pack and I have to review it since Noisy didn’t want to. He was nice enough to snap some pics for me at least.
Let’s start with Lex Luthor. There’s nothing new here with Lex that we didn’t see on this figure’s previous incarnation in the DC Superheroes line. Everything’s the same with the figures design, even down to his backwards Mr. Freeze boots. The only change comes on the figure’s paint job. For some reason, they highlighted the upper parts of his armor with this funky reddish gold color. I’m not really sure why. The really strange thing is that the more I looked at it, the more I begin to like it. Maybe all that kryptonite is getting to me. Finally, even those this Luthor appears to have no new parts his head movement is better than the original. This Luthor can look up and down slightly.
Speaking of kryptonite, you don’t get enough in this set. To me, when you call something Kryptonite Chaos, it better come with enough kryptonite to choke a superhorse. This set only comes with four pieces of the deadly K. Maybe that’s enough for some people, but not for me. Not when there are at least eighteen different forms of kryptonite in the DC Universe. Now, if this set came with eighteen pieces of kryptonite, that would be true chaos. And it’s not like it would have been impossible, they were all the same mold, taken from the DCSH piece. Eighteen pieces, that would have been truly awesome. But no, we get four. Blue, which only affects Bizarro. Red, which has random effects. Gold, which robs a Kryptonian of their powers. And then there’s the good old Green, which is actually a lighter shade than the previous piece that came with the first Luthor.
Even if eighteen pieces might be too much, they could have at least added one more, black. Black is pretty new the Superman mythos, but it’s one of the more important kryptonites. Not only that, but it would have fit perfectly into this box set because of our next figure.
Supergirl. Again, this is the exact same mold as the DC Superheroes figure, which I find disappointing. I realize that most of these two-packs are just repaints or exact reissues of previous figures, but I’m not a big fan of that. At least unless the repaint actually makes the figure different. Therea are paint differences, but they’re in details that don’t create a lot of difference. Her cape and symbol are a brighter red (but her boots aren’t). Her hais is more blonde and she has more makeup on.
They could have done one of two things to Supergirl to make this two-pack better. What I really would have liked to see is Mattel sculpt a new head and repaint the body into Linda Danvers from her early 1990’s look. Not only would this give us a new figure, but it would also help finish off one of the few Reign of the Supermen characters they haven’t gotten to yet.
Something else I would have liked to see instead is the evil Kara from when Lex Luthor exposed her to black kryptonite. Not only would this have been just a cheap repaint, but it would also fit with the two-pack’s theme of “Kryptonite Chaos”. But alas, no evil Supergirl. No eighteen pieces of kryptonite. Even Lex Luthor was shorted his original gun. You know, the one that now comes in the Brainiac two-pack?
I know what you’re thinking, “why should I even bother?” Well, the quality control on this set is good. There are no real problems with the set. Even though there isn’t enough kryptonite, the four pieces it comes with are cool. And, of course, the main reason this set exists is for the fans that missed out on these two figures the first time.
And people who forgot to cancel their pre-orders.
My bad on the fuzzy Luthor picture. 😳
After playing with them a bit during the photoshoot, I don’t like the extra coloring on the Luthor really. What I thought was really weird was on the back – the very middle/exposed part of the back of the armor was still bright green and unwashed.
I think it’s okay that I didn’t buy this set (like the Muddy Batman set), but I am jealous that the new Luthor can look around more and I really like the gold kryptonite (I didn’t think I would since it wasn’t clear), but it’s cool.
Also, folks while this is available online, you can also find it at TRU. I’ve seen some popping up with those nifty “TRU Exclusive” stickers around the net today.
Glad I just traded for Luthor and Supergirl instead of waiting on this set. What would I do with those pieces of kryptonite anyway? Give one to Brainiac and then have 3 sitting around. I guess besides that upcoming Batman and Robin 2-pack, it’ll be a while before Mattel makes another one I actually want.
LOL.
I’d like to have them as little accessories, but I bought a JLU Superman just to have a Phantom Zone projector, so I’m biased.
I’m with you wanting the 2pks though. I want the Robin. I find the shiny Aquaman 2pk amusing and *might* be interested in a lighter blue Supes. But, I have to say that I’d be a lot happier if Mattel would give us a classic Bizarro – one new piece, that’s all it would take! That 2pk would be a home run for a lot of fans then.
I saw this pack along with the Abin Sur pack today. I have to say the kryptonite is tempting haha but not for 30 bucks. I can handle a 5 dollar JLU single for an accessory but not a 30 dollar 2-pack.
Two questions… First, the new Lex appears to have a new head or is it just a new deco?… The second is about the feet, were peg holes added to the figures like the 2-pack Batgirl?
These are still over here, so I’ll jump in and answer. The head is the same. On Vault’s new one, the eyes are painted bigger, the eyebrows are more relaxed, the lips aren’t painted, and the skintone is different – all contributing to a calmer Lex, but the face is the same underneath (wish I’d taken a better picture).
There is something different though since Vault’s can look up and the old one could only look side-to-side.
And no holes on Supergirl’s feet.
I never even looked at the bottom of the feet.
I’ve got this preordered on BBTS because I didn’t really start collecting until DCUC so I missed DCSH figures. Plus I need more Supes related characters. I’d still like a Lois, business suit Lex, and Jimmy.
This will be a good set for you then, and the kryptonite is like a bonus bonus.
well, this gives me no reason to buy these figures again.
LMAO!! Brainiac got his pants afterall! I’m happy for him.
I agree that they should add the black K and Evil Kara and release it as a variant. Then I’d go for it. until then – pass
Gotta agree here…that’s the cheapest way to get me to buy in.
But of course, these aren’t really intended for all collectors…mostly for folks who missed em the first time around.
Too bad, seems like the 2 packs could be a nice cookie in between waiting on full waves. That would be 5 waves per year and 4 two packs per year. And if the 2 packs are cool repaints like evil Kara or evil Mary Marvel, it’ll be a cheap set for Mattel to produce but a must buy for some fans…sooooooo many missed opportunities with this line O_0
I agree. There’s a lot more Mattel could be doing that wouldn’t really cost a lot of money. It’s really too bad.
So, you guys’ idea for Mattel more money is to make more hot chicks in skimpy leather skirts?
I love this place. xD
EXACTLY!!!!!
Sometimes you wonder if these guys are actually at comic com when they are AT San Diego Comicom O_o
What the hell else would fan boys want?!?!
Once again I have to say if they paid as much attention to this line as they do MOTU and WWE (totally not bashing those lines or fans cause they are great!), they would certainly see these easy re-dos that would be fan favorites. I think Scott and maybe Mike soon, spend so much time trying to get their own favorites in the line they lose the simple things that could really show thier passion for the line and committment to the subject matter. I mean come on, Batista has like 2-3 figs for the WWE line and they are on WAVE 2! We can’t even get them to do Dick Grayson Robin right. :>
Sure, he is probably on the way but he should not have taken so long.
Now don’t get me wrong, I think what they are doing is really great…for the most part. But sometimes it seems like the ship is sailing and no one is at the helm. Let me tell you what I mean. Take the Earth-2 Luthor/Ultraman pack. This set sold like shit for them. But if they simply would have put a little thought into how they could entice collectors to include this set into their collection, they would not have had to blame the collectors for not wanting such a blah set. All they had to do is schedule one or two of the other Crime Sydicate members in the wave directly after releasing this set and that would have shown collectors that they were serious about finishing the team. IMHO, that certainly would have sold those sets. And maybe, just maybe, we would still be getting 2 packs on Matty.
Sorry for the long rant.
Don’t worry about it, we love long rants here.
I think you are absolutely right though. They should give more thought, marketing wise, as how to tie things together. Hell, there’s a Jonah Hex movie coming out. But when we asked if they are making a Jonah figure to coincide with it, they said no. Well, when the hell else is a better time to make Jonah Hex than when his movie comes out.
It’s stupid things like that that make you think they don’t know what’s going on.
Another thing for the two packs, I always thought they would have sold better if each one had a build a figure part in it. It just adds more incentive to buy the sets.
I think the problem with the Ultra/Luthor 2-pack is that…the character-design sucks. They look like they’re in little kids’ pajamas, har har. Regular Superman does too, but we can’t make fun of him because we’d be arrested by Homeland Security for making fun of an American product.
That’s a whole nother argument there. But a valid one to say the least. Character selection for the Matty 2 packs was haphazard…execution (Starfire, not including more fear dogs in the Color of Fear set) was another problem and marketing was barely noticable.
I think the problem with the 2pks will always be that no push was made at retail to get people to know about the website. Retail involves casual sales and those folks who buy the toys and don’t follow along with their favorite company don’t know to go Mattycollector.
Not having package inserts was a major marketing failure for those 2pks.
Skimpy leather wearing chicks is always our goal. 🙂
“What I really would have liked to see is Mattel sculpt a new head and repaint the body into Linda Danvers from her early 1990’s look. Not only would this give us a new figure, but it would also help finish off one of the few Reign of the Supermen characters they haven’t gotten to yet. ”
I take it you missed out on the DCSH SuperGirl that collected dust in her regular AND OWAW repaint, which was then modified to the newest blue-shirted SG in this set?
the blue shirt variant was one of the only ones I missed.