Not a Review: Mattel's DC Multiverse Rookie series!

Even though Hasbro's Marvel Legends have taken the bulk of my action figure budget this year, I have still chipped in for two full series of Mattel's DC Comics offerings this year: the King Shark series, and the Wonder Woman movie figures featuring the "Collect & Connect" Ares. Ares and King Shark may have been the strongest figures in their series, as the figures you had to buy to build them ran from mediocre to okay. Yet, I still pre-ordered the next batch, rather than chance trying to find them later: DC Multiverse "Rookie" series, featuring Batman, the Atom, Batwing, Duke Thomas, and the Reaper! I got mine Friday from Big Bad Toy Store, who did their usual great job for me.

We'll start with the Atom, from TV's Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow. He's played by former Superman Brandon Routh, and comes with an alternate unmasked head that mildly resembles him. This may be the first time I say it here, but I hate the neck joints Mattel is using now: it's a smaller peg, that the heads pop on and off of with a bit of force, but doesn't give a lot of up-and-down motion. On TV, the Atom can fly, but here, his figure can't look up. Let's try an articulation count: pegged neck, two ball shoulders, two mid-bicep swivels, two elbows, two swivel wrists, waist swivel, two of Mattel's hinge-swivel hips, two mid-leg swivels, two knees, two ankles; so I'm getting a total of 18 points. That's not a huge count, and a number of the points are limited by the design: the shoulder, elbow, and knee pads all get in the way; but in fairness that suit is probably pretty restrictive in "real life" as well.

I kind of like this one: I want to say he's a solid B figure (for Mattel) but that may be because I like the show. I think the detail is better than the previous Arrow and Flash figures; but he's still smaller and less articulated than Hasbro's Marvel Legends figures based on movie and TV. But he does come with a tiny Atom as well! C'mon, something to be said for that.

Next, we'll look at Batwing, a character I have to admit I don't know much about, although he did appear in the recent DVD Batman: Bad Blood. He's not as basic as he might first appear, having a very black color scheme but a few raised sculpted elements on his belt, forearms, chest, and neck. The legs felt like an old DCUC figure though, which would be a perfectly acceptable reuse of parts if the ankles were a little better.

His main feature is the large bat-wing he uses to fly; a large and unarticulated piece, but it plugs in solidly to his back. Some of his joints were a little stiff at first, but I think he's a nice enough figure: the neck articulation is a bit better than the rest, so he holds a flying pose all right.

Another character I'm not overly familiar with: from We Are Robin, Duke Thomas. And as sometimes happens, by the time this figure has come out, he's changed his costume! Much of the sculpt may be unique, and I'd say the most unique aspect would be the large, basketball shoes; but he doesn't seem to have any ankle joints because of them. Feels like the articulation could be a bit better overall here: a mid-bicep swivel might've helped a bit. He does come with an alternate unmasked head, nunchuks, and a smoke grenade.

The fourth figure here is perhaps a bit more recognizable: Batman! And this is his current look, for however long that lasts. I was thinking this might become my go-to, current Batman; but I'm not sure. There are bat-shaped kneepads and a substantial bit of armor on the forearms and a bit on the shins. The fists feel hard, though. The inside of his cape seems very purple, a bit of a callback to his earliest appearances. Neck articulation is miserable, but there was something bothering me about the head that I couldn't put my finger on until I got out my New 52 Batman from 2013 for comparison: the New 52 head is way smaller, this Batman's head may be closer to scale, but didn't look right to me at first!

One last thing: he didn't come with any accessories, which sounds like a crime Batman should investigate!

Lastly, a character than may be the least known of this lot, but sold the lot for me: from Batman: Year Two, the Reaper! That storyline has gone in and out of both continuity and print a couple of times, and the character is probably only remembered vaguely as the inspiration for the villain in Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. The Reaper had been a Gotham City society type, until his wife was killed by a criminal, which led him to become a murderous vigilante. Eventually "retiring" to take care of his daughter, he would return to face--and beat--the city's new vigilante, Batman; who then has to team-up with the mob--and Joe Chill! (A later issue of Secret Origins would fill in some backstory but set some dates that would stretch the timeline a bit too far: Reaper was active in the 50's, and the Alan Scott Green Lantern came out of retirement to stop him. Only a lucky shot with wooden nunchuks gave the Reaper the chance to escape.)

The Reaper wore heavy leather spiked armor, and a cape and hood over a skull mask. The armor piece and cloak are done with an overlay, which I think Mattel used to do a lot with their Masters of the Universe Classics figures. It restricts movement a bit, but probably the only way to do it. Unless they came from MOTUC, there are a lot of new pieces here, including the spiked elbow and knee pads and feet. His hands are interchangeable with his scythes, and look great, although I don't know if I'd display him with the regular hands. A figure I wouldn't have guessed I'd ever get, and not too shabby!

Lastly, we have the Collect & Connect Rookie, the robot suit used by replacement Batman Jim Gordon in the "Superheavy" storyline. In fact, if you have that Jim Gordon figure, there's a fun and somewhat secretive add-on there: the Rookie head can be replaced by either of that Jim Gordon figure's heads, and the chest piece comes off to reveal him within! Neat!

Not so neat: the left arm of mine would not peg in, at all. There is a little black piece inside the torso that seems to be loose, or the peg on the arm isn't long enough, I'm not sure which is the problem.

I reached out to Mattel's customer service, but my only alternative might be to heat up and crack the torso, get the other pieces out of it, then replace it. Which would involve finding another Reaper figure, which I thought was going to be a pain in the ass, which is why I ordered the set in the first damn place...

(EDIT: Mattel's Customer Service actually did send me a voucher for $20, which I'll put towards a Reaper if one should appear, and thanks!)

Well, for the time being, I'm using the ubiquitous putty that's holding everything else together around here. It has undermined my appreciation of the Rookie figure a bit; but writing this up may have made me appreciate the other figures a bit more. Still not as good as the average Marvel Legend figure lately, though. Mattel has the Justice League figures on the shelves now, based on the movie; and they didn't really grab me. Will I be back on board for their next series, which I think is C&C Clayface? Maybe.