Review: Identity Crisis Series I, Hawkman

The most expensive DC Direct figure has always been Hawkman. Together with Hawkgirl in a deluxe set released some 4 years ago, Hawkman is valued at $150 in the secondary market. Loose figures of this DC Universe icon sell for as much as $50, effectively making him beyond the reach of casual collectors.

That is until today, when Identity Crisis Series I finally hit the market after a 4 month delay.

A Michael Turner-inspired action figure, Hawkman will most certainly be a sellout with most retailers, much like how the Secret Files Unleashed Martian Manhunter quickly disappeared from the shelves last month. This is a collector’s second chance to bag an important piece to complete the Satellite Era JLA incarnation.

The Packaging

The packaging is attention-grabbing, to say the least. Since this is an artist-specific line, Michael Turner’s art from DC’s revolutionary mini-series grace the card in explosive glory. There are no borders on the card, making it seem that an actual comic book is supporting the figure.



This is a nice touch. DC Direct has not really been known for its packaging wizardry. Often, they rely on the strengths of their figures. Nothing has changed with this release, but at least, the card is colorfully striking.

The Sculpt

This Hawkman version isn't really one of DC’s best sculpted figures. Granted that the sculpt is based on Michael Turner’s rendition of the character, the body leaves a lot to be desired. It is given that there will be some problems with proportions, given the artist’s propensity to disregard basic anatomy, but the figure’s body is cleanly sculpted… too cleanly in fact that it cannot hide its plastic material. It’s not bad, though, I just expected more from the delay in the release of this line.



The face, however, is a wonderful creation. Hawkman’s scowl captures his intense disposition. The wings on his helmet are perfectly carved with great details. The beak protrudes perfectly, much like his comic book counterpart.

Hawkman is also perfectly in scale with most of the DC Direct figures. He’s just as tall as Martian Manhunter.





Articulation

Fabulous! Considering DC Direct’s frugal nature when it comes to articulation, Hawkman blesses us with more than what we may have expected.

Ball-jointed neck, ball-jointed shoulders, elbow articulation, knee-articulation, and… hold your breath for this one… wrist articulation as well!



DC has remained adamant about waist articulation, however, and none can be found here.

Accessories

Hawkman comes with his trademark mace. Nothing special, but good enough to be comic book-accurate.

Of course, Hawkman won’t be Hawkman without his wings. His wings, in this figure, are completely detachable. They come with ball-shaped edges that can be inserted in the two holes on his back. The result? Articulated wings!



His wingspan, however, is not what you would expect if you were to use the comic books as gauge. They’re rather small, but believable enough. Their size, however, eliminates balancing issues. This figure has no problems standing up, even without the stand.

Speaking of the stand, this figure comes with one which is generic to all the figures in the line. It is an oval stand with the logo of the comic book from which the figure was based.



Paint Application

The figure perfectly captures the character’s comic book colors.

However, the very first thing you will notice about this Hawkman version is the color application on his mask. They’re totally different from what was solicited. Whereas preview pictures showed the mask to have a dirty yellow color, the figure has a black front, yellow and red eyebrows, and a red beak. When I first saw it, I was shocked. I wonder what effect DC Direct was trying to effectuate with this color scheme because it didn’t work for me.



Nonetheless, it’s something that grows on you. Chances are, you won’t notice it after a few minutes.

Or hours.

Or days.

The Bottom Line

There were reservations about this wave. When the solicitations first appeared, people claimed that they’re the ugliest figures DC Direct has ever produced. Many even believed that Michael Turner’s art doesn’t translate well when sculpted (as was the case with the Flash Vs. Gorilla Grodd statue where the base was actually more beautiful than the centerpiece).

There were also some complaints about Michael Turner’s choice as the artist for the action figure series. Michael Turner only sketched the covers of Identity Crisis, and Rags Morales penciled the interiors. A lot of fans believed that the latter artist should have been given the honor to have a line dedicated to his art.

Given these preliminary concerns, I am proud to report that the Hawkman figure would silence the critics. It is a good figure, and a great alternative for those who failed to get the original release.
As for the other figures in this series, it seems that they will also surpass expectations. This is a rare case where the actual figures actually look better than the preview pieces