Next up are the two stretchy arms. These are nice, but they’re my least favorite. I don’t mind their monotone red color (paint would flake, glued on hands would stretch the arms, etc) and, like the spring, they offer some play value, but they don’t offer any pose value and that’s why they’re my least favorite. If you’re not playing with him they just hang there and they’ll sag over time. After you stretch them a time or two, you get the gist and put them back in the box. They’re fun, but I would’ve preferred some bendy arms instead. Also of note, when swapping out the arms, you have to press a button on Plas’ back (or the handle on the briefcase). This is great because it eliminates the scare of interchangeable parts. I still worry about the wrists, but the arms can be switched out smoothly by pressing the button and removing them without worry.
The flyswatter and paddle ball hands can be placed on either wrist by removing the fists and popping them in. As I said, I’m a little worried about the wrist pegs because they seem a tad fragile, but I haven’t had any problems yet. Both alternate hands feature Plas’ belt shape sculpted into them and both look sharp. Truthfully, I probably won’t use either of these that often, but they’re perfect accessories for the figure.
Finally, Plastic Man also includes a bendable neck extension. This piece will probably get the most use on my shelves. It replicates the action feature of the Super Powers figure as well as making up for the lack of articulation the head has while on the neck. Like the arms, I’m a bit concerned with the shelf life – it’s a soft bendy plastic piece attached to a hard plastic connector – so I’m being careful with it when I remove it. I should also note that without this neck piece, the head doesn’t fit on the SDCC exclusive suitcase.
If you purchased Plastic Man at the convention (or got yours from someone who did) you also received an alternate “body” for Plastic Man in the form of a suitcase. The suitcase has attachments for the arms and head/neck which means that all the extra pieces (except the spring legs) can be used again here. For an extra bonus, the suitcase opened to reveal three little cardboard pieces that had a DC 75th logo on the back and the covers of the first appearances of Superman, Batman, & Wonder Woman on the front. Those aren’t really necessary, but the suitcase is cool. I may not snap the head and arms on it all the time, but it’ll be carried by another DCUC figure that was fortunate enough to get an open hand somewhere prominent on my shelves.
Okay, these little guys technically have nothing to do with Plastic Man, but we’re not quite sure where else to put ’em. Even though I’m a huge Plas fan, Vault is an even bigger Starro fan. That said, he’s not sure about picking up the DCIH Starro (it’s a bit too liberal in regards to the comic design), but he had to have the DCUC-sized face huggers and he lent them to me for this paragraph. They are pretty cool, though they’d be better with the classic bulls eye design instead of the eyeball. I’ve seen these guys clipped on the faces of a lot of different sized figures – they’re pretty versatile while still being fairly rigid. I want a set of these for myself, but I just couldn’t bring myself to buy the DCIH Starro by proxy nor can I justify their current cost on eBay. Ideally, this sculpt would be great for my preferred green version of Starro and I hold out hope that these might be repainted in those colors.
Overall, I’m just gonna say it: Plastic Man is awesome. That may not be the most eloquent summation in the history of IAT, but it’s the truth. I’m going to overlook the neck articulation because I love the rest of the figure so much. He has a great sculpt and sharp paint. He’s got accessories that will look great on the shelf, he’s got accessories that will be fun to play with, and some that qualify under both those categories. Better still – and this is important in the history of Plastic Man figures – he can just be a regular, standard figure too. A lot of times companies think a Plas figure has to be all stretched out or doing something crazy, but here Mattel gave us both crazy accessories and a basic figure. I appreciate that. In addition, the suitcase is a perfect attendee only accessory – it’s something that a hardcore PM fan would love to have, but something the more casual fan might not find that important.
He looks really cool. Great strips this time around too. The one with Iron was my favorite!
Thanks! The one with Iron was my fave too.
Great review! makes me want Plas!
So, am I a crazy man for hearing voices with your strips? I mean, that’s Michael Dorn as Iron, right?
You ARE crazy. That was Ricardo Montalban’s voice, clearly.
Has anyone attempted to spend a IAT/Matty Q&A question to suggest the PE buck re-use? I really think they could get some good use out of it – to not see it for Jemm or Martian Manhandler pains me a bit.
Any other Star Trek voices you guys here?? 😀
Pax, you make me feel dumb – we haven’t tossed that in a Q&A yet…
The current MOTUC Keldor is voiced by Jonathan Frakes.
Plastic Man is Bruce Campbell.
What? I can’t help it! 🙂
Riker as Keldor? LOL
That grin? That “Oh YEAH!” attitude? Tell me I’m wrong 🙂
I picked him up at SDCC and he was worth the wait. My only gripe is that the colors don’t match on the long neck. It looks good. Good review, btw.
That’s a good point, and the head doesn’t quite match either. LOL
I can not wait for tomorrow!! I better get him!!
Only an hour to go. I’m getting nervous.
Were you able to snag one?
Agreed on all points Noisy! PM is a great figure and all the bells & whistles are more than worth the price.
One thing to point out: isn’t that one hand supposed to be a fly-swatter? Or will PM be flipping some giant flap-jacks in a future issue? (He’s done stranger stuff I suppose.) =)
I get confused. 😉 All better now. 🙂
Great review! I hope he doesn’t sell out too quick today!
Thanks! I haven’t heard an exact time. Sounds like about an hour, I think that was the fastest for any DC item.
Funny pictures.I really gonna get today Plastic Man he is far much better than Orko/Adam pack I think.This figure is truly worth of your money =)
I had a lot more fun with Plas than I did with Adam/Orko, but I’m glad to ahve both.
Great review. I’ve got my fingers crossed for today.
Thanks, Logan
You’re stoking my fires, Noisy!! Awesome review and awesome pics! Matty better produce today or they’re going to have one angry ‘dog on their hands!
LOL Looks like they were spared your wrath… this time.
No, he’s too dark. He’s plastic and he should’ve been bright red.
Like I said, I really thought that would bother me, but once he was in hand, it wasn’t a big deal.
Great review as usual Noisy. I hope I can snag one today. It’s off to eBay if I can’t.
Did you make it in or was it eBay for you?
The wait is killing me!
It was the wait during that got me – 37 WSOD minutes.
I’m hoping that Orko blows out in three minutes, so the traffic will die off and I can grab Plastic Man before he sells out!
LOL. That wasn’t how it turned out at all. I wonder if Orko would’ve sold quicker if there wasn’t as much WSOD today.
I GOT PLASTICMAN!!!
Really looking forward to receiving him. Matty is really hard to deal with.
Great review again Noisy cant wait for the wave 14 reviews!
Congrats! Oh, wave 14 – don’t remind me. I need some funds… 😉
Great review, Noisy. Nice change to look at what I’m going to get after that debacle.
The debacle. That should be a registered Digital River trademark!
I got also my Plastic Man.He is really marvellous and fantastic character.Perfect addition to mine DCUC collection
He’ll be one of my favorite figures for a long time.
Today was the worst Matty day I think I’ve ever had. Over thirty minutes of white screen and timed out order submissions. I have my confirmation e-mail now, but I cursed mightily at the WSOD for quite some time.
Defiantely worst for me.
Worst for me too.
That SUCKED! But I have everything, so I can’t complain too much.
Pretty much the same for me. There’s enough anger out there that my frustrations kinda pale in comparison.
Noisy, I have a question. I know you have mad photoshop skills, so I don’t know if you shopped it or what, but how did you Plastic Man out of the package without opening it? Is it open on the bottom?
The pic is not shopped, but I did get lucky. I open the packages with a box knife, cutting right along where the bubble meets the card. I just happened to photograph it in a way that the cut couldn’t be seen. No magic from me. 😉
Cannot wait for mine to arrive.
My Matty order will prolly be early next week, but I couldn’t wait until almost mid-August for Plas!
Man, today was brutal! I was at the order page at 11:55am and completed my order just before 12:30pm. I scored Plastic Man, Undertaker and Orko.
I have to eat my words after the comments I made here a few months back about having no interst in PM, though! Haha! He’s packed full of awesome!
About the same timeframe for me. I was worried there for a bit…
That’s funny on Plas, you’ve been converted. 😉
so the red arms are a soft, stretchy rubber?
and, of course, I said I could live without that damn suitcase, but you have me second-guessing that! WANT!
surprised you don’t have the B&B Plas with Starro up there, too.
which DCD is that, the Justice/Ross? still got my original wobbly hands. (and now wondering if I can swap some hands??)
and surprised to see SP is taller than TJ/JLA Plas!
I set the alarm in time to get on at 11, 2x ff = wsod, opened ie about 11.15 = wsod, but was getting the occasional blips on all 3. finally completed on ie about 11.30, confirmed at 11.44 for 2 Plas. thought I could take another nap before work, yeah right.
now to get either Cap’n Lou or, more likely, (……….that Samoan guy who died not too long ago with all the facial tribal??) for Hula-Hula!
(we also need an official Woozy and Offspring/Baby Plas!)
Great review! Love the Plastic Man figure too. My only small nit is that both of his hand attachments are a little too similar. I would have liked a hammer fist or plier hands or something besides two paddle shapes. But that is a very minor complaint. He probably forever remain my favorite DCUC fig. At least until they come out with a super-poseable Batman with a decent cape, (and even then…)
I also have to mention that that 30 second Super Friends cameo of Plastic Man is forever imprinted on my brain as well. It is probably what started my fascination with the character. Man, he really should have been a regular on SF. I loved his solo cartoon, but I don’t know why they replaced Woozy Winks with Hula Hula??? I don’t think I will ever understand the thought processes of TV executives. And as for comic appearances, his 12 issue run in Adventure Comics by Len Wein and Joe Staton was great! The best version of the character next to Jack Cole’s.