One thing DC Direct is pretty good at doing is reproducing a good likeness of an artist's work in three dimensions (some artists better than others, obviously). That's what we have here with this toy, from the Identity Crisis line, based on the cover artwork of the miniseries by the late Michael Turner. I never cared all that much for Turner's sequential work, or for his female form, honestly, but as far as doing pinups and covers, he had a good style which really looked unique, and the DCD boys do a good job of capturing that unique style here.
This is a tall figure, standing about 7" at the tips of his Honor Wings, which are about even with his actual wings. Between that and his base, he easily stands head and shoulders above a lot of other toys. The sculpt itself is very nice, reproducing the lean and musclular look which Turner was known for. I like the broad chest tapering down to the narrow waist -- an uncommon look for Hawkman, but put to good use here. The helmet is overstated and a bit exagerated, with very tall Honor Wings and piercing red eyes peering out from the slits. But, like the covers, this look works for him, making Hawkman look inscrutable and not a little ticked off at the world. His colors are bright and vibrant, and the morningstar accessory well-proportioned, though I would have liked a wrist loop.
I want to specifically talk about the wings, which are my favorite part of this toy. Though not the broadest set of Hawkman wings ever, they are extremely well sculpted, with the details of each individual feather pulled out very nicely from the paint and wash applications applied to them. They mount on ball joints, and thus are very posable. The sleek look of the wings does a lot to sell the Turner look for the figure, which to me is a big selling point for lines like this. If it's based on the artwork of an artist, it should look like the artwork of the artist.
This is a good representation of both the character and the artist. So I would recommend this toy for both Hawkfans as well as Turner fans (along with the rest of the Identity Crisis line), but be forewarned -- these can be pricey, as I paid $15 for Hawkman. But if that price doesn't make you balk, this is a good purchase.
Image: Indentity Crisis Hawkman, retrieved from DC Direct.
2 comments:
A nice figure, but the context makes me cringe! Ha, anyway, I prefer the Alex Ross Hawkman and Hawkgirl.
I can understand that, about the context. Identity Crisis was the series which got me "whole hog" into the DC Universe after years and years of just reading the Superman titles or Flash. So a lot of the (absolutely legitimate) criticisms of it didn't really bother me.
The Alex Ross Hawks are very nice, but I have to find them for a reasonable price first. The one I have my eye on and you might see in this space sooner rather than later is the "Showcase Presents" Silver Age Hawkman, from the Kubert art. It's been taunting me at one of the LCSs!
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