Review: DC Direct 13" Absolute Sandman
Right. Stop me if you've heard this one.
Sure, I collected some comics when I was young, but, aside from a few stories here and there, I gave up the hobby before getting to high school. By the time I reached college, I was far more interested in other genres - fantasy, science fiction, and so on. Then, out of the blue, a friend of mine asks me if I've ever read Neil Gaiman's Sandman?
What's "Sandman?" Is it a novel? A short story? Nope, it's a comic series that ran from '89 until '96. And it's fantasy. So, after being badgered for a few months, I break down and agree to read them. My friend lends me the graphic novels, and I finish them in about a week.
My entire conception of comics changes. Within a year, I've got my own set, and I've started tracking down other comics. I discover Alan Moore, whose run on Swamp Thing influenced Gaiman, and pretty soon I'm a bona fide comic book geek.
Since then, I've re-read the series several times. Honestly, not every page holds up. There's a little more melodrama and angst than needed to be present, and of course the art is hit or miss. Plus, I've found a lot of writers and stories I like as much or more.
Even so, Sandman has a special place in my geeky heart. These books are the primary reason I got back into comics.
Here's the thing. Everything I just wrote is 100% true for me. It's also true for several other people I went to college with, including a few who I lent my copies to. I'm sure these aren't as significant a force now that superheroes have gone somewhat mainstream, but back in the late 90's, these were everything.
Sure, I collected some comics when I was young, but, aside from a few stories here and there, I gave up the hobby before getting to high school. By the time I reached college, I was far more interested in other genres - fantasy, science fiction, and so on. Then, out of the blue, a friend of mine asks me if I've ever read Neil Gaiman's Sandman?
What's "Sandman?" Is it a novel? A short story? Nope, it's a comic series that ran from '89 until '96. And it's fantasy. So, after being badgered for a few months, I break down and agree to read them. My friend lends me the graphic novels, and I finish them in about a week.
My entire conception of comics changes. Within a year, I've got my own set, and I've started tracking down other comics. I discover Alan Moore, whose run on Swamp Thing influenced Gaiman, and pretty soon I'm a bona fide comic book geek.
Since then, I've re-read the series several times. Honestly, not every page holds up. There's a little more melodrama and angst than needed to be present, and of course the art is hit or miss. Plus, I've found a lot of writers and stories I like as much or more.
Even so, Sandman has a special place in my geeky heart. These books are the primary reason I got back into comics.
Here's the thing. Everything I just wrote is 100% true for me. It's also true for several other people I went to college with, including a few who I lent my copies to. I'm sure these aren't as significant a force now that superheroes have gone somewhat mainstream, but back in the late 90's, these were everything.
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Given the devotion some fans have for the series, it's not too surprising that DC Direct decided it made sense to release a 13" version of the character. Likewise, it's not altogether surprising that they tried (and, more often than not, likely succeeded) in fleecing those fans by charging a fairly exorbitant price. Fortunately, when all the fans had their figures, there were still a few left. I found one online going for a fraction of the original price and picked it up. This is part of the same line as the Joker, Bizarro, and Green Lantern Corps figures I reviewed last year. |
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Appearance and Construction: 7/10
Like most of what I've seen in this line, this is a very good figure, but compared to other high-end collectibles, there's a lot of room for improvement.
For the purposes of scoring, I'm going to focus on the underlying figure and the clothes as part of this section. This is somewhat arbitrary, since his costume's removable, but I had to start somewhere.
With most of the DC Direct figures I've looked at, the sculpt and head have been the strong points, with the costume dragging down the score. This time it's the other way around.
It's not that the head is bad: as a matter of fact, there's a lot to like. The eyes are perfect, using a glossed-over black and trusting reflected light to provide Dream's signature star pupils. They could have painted stars in there, but this would likely have backfired, and I applaud DC Direct for taking this route. Likewise, I love the effect used on the lips - simple, yet understated.
In contrast, the issues are minor, but they add up. The largest complaint I have is with the hair. The stylized effect isn't particularly bad, but it certainly looks more toy than collectible. Also, DC Direct went with very cartoonish eyebrows that contrast with the far superior work beneath the eyes on close inspection.
On a more personal level, I wish they'd made the cheek bones a little less obvious. It's hard to hold that against DC Direct's sculptors, though, since Dream looks different depending on which artist is drawing him and, within the story, depending on which character is looking at him... so I'm inclined to cut them some slack.
There's also some conflict between the joints on the body and the sculpt. Mainly, I'm looking at the elbows: everything else is pretty well covered by the costuming. Obviously, this ceases to be an issue when Dream is wearing his cape.
While the sculpt isn't perfect, the costume is. Or, at the very least, it's about as close as is humanly possible. The shirt feels like it's made from nylon or another stretchable fabric, and it looks about as close to natural as anything thing I've ever seen. I suppose the stitching could be a little less conspicuous, but that's asking a lot.
For the purposes of scoring, I'm going to focus on the underlying figure and the clothes as part of this section. This is somewhat arbitrary, since his costume's removable, but I had to start somewhere.
With most of the DC Direct figures I've looked at, the sculpt and head have been the strong points, with the costume dragging down the score. This time it's the other way around.
It's not that the head is bad: as a matter of fact, there's a lot to like. The eyes are perfect, using a glossed-over black and trusting reflected light to provide Dream's signature star pupils. They could have painted stars in there, but this would likely have backfired, and I applaud DC Direct for taking this route. Likewise, I love the effect used on the lips - simple, yet understated.
In contrast, the issues are minor, but they add up. The largest complaint I have is with the hair. The stylized effect isn't particularly bad, but it certainly looks more toy than collectible. Also, DC Direct went with very cartoonish eyebrows that contrast with the far superior work beneath the eyes on close inspection.
On a more personal level, I wish they'd made the cheek bones a little less obvious. It's hard to hold that against DC Direct's sculptors, though, since Dream looks different depending on which artist is drawing him and, within the story, depending on which character is looking at him... so I'm inclined to cut them some slack.
There's also some conflict between the joints on the body and the sculpt. Mainly, I'm looking at the elbows: everything else is pretty well covered by the costuming. Obviously, this ceases to be an issue when Dream is wearing his cape.
While the sculpt isn't perfect, the costume is. Or, at the very least, it's about as close as is humanly possible. The shirt feels like it's made from nylon or another stretchable fabric, and it looks about as close to natural as anything thing I've ever seen. I suppose the stitching could be a little less conspicuous, but that's asking a lot.
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The pants, meanwhile, are more or less above reproach. These look precisely like they're supposed to, like miniature black jeans. The pockets are real (not that you could fit much in them, but still), and the stitching looks right to me. The only place I could even begin to quibble would be at the belt loops, which are a tad large. Of course, there's a really good reason for that. That's a working sixth-scale belt, complete with buckle and almost imperceptible holes. So... I'm not going to whine too much about those loops. Even the shoes look good. DC Direct spent some effort on this costume. I'm not quite as amazed by the cape. It's still a great piece; it's just not quite on par with the rest of the outfit. I think a heavier fabric might have helped it sit better, though one has to be careful to ensure the fabric doesn't bunch up. I also feel like there's something off with the collar, but I'm not entirely sure how they could have fixed that without losing the effect they were going for (and, to be fair, it is a good effect). I was torn between a seven and an eight here, but I decided the overall impression of Dream was more on par with Green Lantern than The Joker. Keep in mind that we're scoring against a high standard here. |
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Packaging and Extras: ----
Dream comes packaged in a box that looks similar to the others in this line. However, presumably to mirror the structure of the Absolute editions of the Sandman books, they've build the outer box like a slip cover:
Well, points for going the extra mile on presentation. Figurative points, anyway: I only give real points for real things. Actually, this time I'm won't be giving out any points whatsoever, but that's not because anything's missing.
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Actually, in the scheme of things, Dream comes loaded with everything you'd expect and a few things you probably didn't think they'd include. You get two extra sets of hands, the key to the gates of Hell, Goldie the baby gargoyle, Matthew perched on a skull, Dream's ruby necklace, the pouch of sand, Dream's helmet, and a stand. Where to begin? The hands are a far superior alternative to the bendable ones that come with some figures in this line. Instead, they've just given you the ability to switch between the three hand positions you'd want: open, fist, and holding something. The bag supposedly holding Dream's sand is empty. Personally, I'd have liked a thinner fabric, but it looks good enough as is. Oh, and in case you were wondering, the drawstring does work. The gemstone looks good, though the string it's attached to is far from satisfactory. Still, that's easy enough to fix if you care. Goldie is probably the least obvious accessory included. Nonetheless, he's adorably cute, and is actually articulated: his head and wings are ball jointed. The key to the gates of Hell is, simply put, everything it should be. It's a great representation of what was in the book, and it looks fantastic. |
There's not a lot to say about the stand. It looks fine, and I'm glad they bothered to personalize it. Mine came out of the box a little scratched, but nothing worth getting upset about.
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Matthew is a little harder. As a miniature statue, I've got no complaints at all: this is actually a beautiful piece in its own right. The thing is... what am I supposed to do with it? Dream can hold it for a while, but I wouldn't leave it that way or you're likely to find it broken on the floor. You could set it beside Dream on the stand, but it's not exactly going to stand out on the shelf. I love this piece, but, in the scheme of things, I'd have far preferred a version that could perch on Dream's arm. Next, we come to the helm. On its own, it looks good but not great. You can pose dream holding it up and looking at it, and the effect works well. The thing is, this is really an alternate head, and, while it's pretty nice in its own right, it's out of scale with the figure. This thing is simply too small. It works a little better when Dream's wearing his cape, but it's still small. |
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Ultimately, the lack of posing options with Matthew isn't really applicable here - that's a Play and Display issue - and, regardless of whether it works as a head, the helmet does still work as an accessory. So, really, Dream comes with a huge pile of accessories and extras, many of which are downright fantastic.
Why, then, isn't he getting a single bonus point? It really comes down to value. And, while I'm thrilled to get all these extras, Dream's original price is substantially higher than the other figures I've looked at in this line. Since Dream himself isn't really a better figure than, say, the Green Lantern figure, I have to look at his pile of stuff and weigh that against the price difference.
Play and Display: ----
With very few exceptions, Dream has a pretty realistic range of motion. You've got all the same joints the others in this line had: cuts on the biceps, wrists, upper legs, and stomach, ball joints on the head, shoulders, hips, and ankles, double-pins in the elbows and knees, and a hinge in the abs.
Most of these work perfectly well, though I do have an issue with the shoulders. The ball joints don't allow the arms to fall flat against the figure's side. I'm no engineer, so I don't know how feasible that is with a character this thin, but it does limit some natural poses.
The other thing to be aware of is that posing this figure will quickly cause his shirt to become untucked. And getting it tucked in again isn't easy. Just something to keep in mind.
Most, if not all, of the outfit seems to removable, though I'm reluctant to test this. You can feel Dream's feet under his shoes, but there's no way I'm going through the trouble of checking.
Due to how thin Dream is, he has a tough time standing without his stand, so I suggest using it. It does create some issues with his shirt bunching up, but that's pretty much unavoidable.
I've already reflected on the main issues with his accessories, so I won't repeat myself here. Suffice to say, a lot of his props are better on their own than with the figure.
Most of these work perfectly well, though I do have an issue with the shoulders. The ball joints don't allow the arms to fall flat against the figure's side. I'm no engineer, so I don't know how feasible that is with a character this thin, but it does limit some natural poses.
The other thing to be aware of is that posing this figure will quickly cause his shirt to become untucked. And getting it tucked in again isn't easy. Just something to keep in mind.
Most, if not all, of the outfit seems to removable, though I'm reluctant to test this. You can feel Dream's feet under his shoes, but there's no way I'm going through the trouble of checking.
Due to how thin Dream is, he has a tough time standing without his stand, so I suggest using it. It does create some issues with his shirt bunching up, but that's pretty much unavoidable.
I've already reflected on the main issues with his accessories, so I won't repeat myself here. Suffice to say, a lot of his props are better on their own than with the figure.
Price Tag and Final Analysis: 7/10
Let's turn to the price tag, because that's really what this is all about. According to DC Direct's website, Dream was supposed to be selling for $125, which matches up pretty well with what I saw him going for when he first came out. Compare this to Green Lantern, who started out between $90 - $100, and you'll see my dilemma.
If you're just comparing the figures, I think Dream is more or less comparable to Green Lantern. And, while Dream comes loaded with awesome extras, he can't quite compete with the three extra heads and glowing power battery they included with GL.
Incidentally, this is the reason I couldn't award a single point for extras. Sure, I'm thrilled to get Matthew and Goldie, but at a $125, DC Direct has set one hell of an expectation. Dream, on his own, is really only worth fifty or sixty bucks, in my estimation. That means his extras would have to represent a value of $65 - $75 before I could have offered any bonus whatsoever.
In my opinion, this box set shouldn't have started higher than $85 or $90, but DC Direct believed they could squeeze more out of collectors. I have no idea how well that worked, and I certainly don't hold it against them for trying - that's the business, after all. But it's certainly more than I'd ever have paid for this figure.
I got mine online at Big Bad Toy Store, which offered him at $42.49, plus tax and shipping. All told, I paid about fifty bucks for this figure. That's more than I paid for the other three, but it's certainly a bargain nevertheless.
If you ignore the price, this is at least as good a figure as Green Lantern (though, at least in my mind, not quite as good as The Joker). I've seen these on sale in a few places recently, incidentally, so now's the time to look for a deal if you're interested.
If you're just comparing the figures, I think Dream is more or less comparable to Green Lantern. And, while Dream comes loaded with awesome extras, he can't quite compete with the three extra heads and glowing power battery they included with GL.
Incidentally, this is the reason I couldn't award a single point for extras. Sure, I'm thrilled to get Matthew and Goldie, but at a $125, DC Direct has set one hell of an expectation. Dream, on his own, is really only worth fifty or sixty bucks, in my estimation. That means his extras would have to represent a value of $65 - $75 before I could have offered any bonus whatsoever.
In my opinion, this box set shouldn't have started higher than $85 or $90, but DC Direct believed they could squeeze more out of collectors. I have no idea how well that worked, and I certainly don't hold it against them for trying - that's the business, after all. But it's certainly more than I'd ever have paid for this figure.
I got mine online at Big Bad Toy Store, which offered him at $42.49, plus tax and shipping. All told, I paid about fifty bucks for this figure. That's more than I paid for the other three, but it's certainly a bargain nevertheless.
If you ignore the price, this is at least as good a figure as Green Lantern (though, at least in my mind, not quite as good as The Joker). I've seen these on sale in a few places recently, incidentally, so now's the time to look for a deal if you're interested.
Like the review? Well, I've got plenty more where that came from. Alternatively, I also review movies over at The Middle Room. Or, if you're more in the mood for a story, I've got some options along those lines as well. More pictures below!
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