Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Superman Returns 2-In-1 Version Superman/Clark Kent Review
Labels: 12 inch one sixth sixth scale, batman, dc comics, hot toys, kitbash, superman, Takara Tomy 13 comments
Many thanks to Best Pal for picking this up for me. Happy 2008, everyone.
I'd reviewed the first version more than over a year ago here. At the height of its popularity, this figure went for as much as US$300 on the bay, I'm told. After people realised the movie was bollocks, the price stabilised at around US$120.
The wait for the first Clark Kent figure saw me gripping my gonads in anticipation for about five months since it was announced. It only arrived in the second week of January 2007 in Singapore, after I'd gotten married and went back to work. It's fitting that I start 2008 with this figure, many thanks to Best Pal.
Packaging
Face Sculpt
I think the Superman face sculpt is an improvement over the previous two versions, which looked a bit too pale and heavily made up. He looks suitably serious here and has a slight tan.
The Clark Kent face sculpt is just plain silly to me. It won't look good on my shelf. Still, props to Hot Toys for attempting a different face sculpt for this version. The first Clark Kent figure's face sculpt was excellent, so I guess it was really hard to top that.
Articulation
It's the Hot Toys True Type Body, which is one of the better articulated (38 points) and proportionate 1/6 bodies around. You've seen what it's about here and to a lesser extent, here. 
If you want to display CK with Supes, do pick up one of the True Type bodies, preferably the one with the Asian skin tone, as the Bronze one is too dark.
How to kitbash a Clark Kent from the Hot Toys Superman 2-in-1 Version
Superman Costume
The patterns on the suit add to its accuracy and thankfully the undies look better this time round. The cape is velcroed to the collar and is of a similar material as the first version. The boots are weathered too. Nicely done.
Clark Kent Suit
The same quality as the first Clark Kent figure, its well-tailored and is of the same high standards you'd expect of Hot Toys. Buttons have been added to the coat, similar to the Saturday Toy's Prison Break Wardrobe 's suit. While the buttons are to scale, unlike most zippers in 1/6 figures, you'll need pretty dainty fingers to button up the suit. We don't get the vest, inner Superman T-shirt and trench coat that the first CK has though. 
Price
It runs for about US$100 in Singapore upon its initial release. Not a bad deal for a 2-in-1 figure.
In my review of the first Superman Returns figure, I'd mentioned that it'd be really great if Hot Toys could include CK's suit at this price point.
Guess what, they did, and threw in an extra (though goofy) CK head as well. Thanks to Hot Toys for listening.
World's Finest
With Takara Batman
DC Trinity
With Takara Batman and Kitbash Wonder Woman
Comparison of Version 1 & 2
Comparison with Version 1, Superman Head from 1st Clark Kent & Version 2
Group Shots
With Jor-El
Random Shots
More pix of Daddy's here.
Flickr collection here:
Added on 23/3/08:
tags:
toy blog | 
toy collector | 
toy collecting | singapore
Posts
2:16 PM
Excellent photos! Superman's arms look kida skinny... I'm still deciding whether to pick up 1 myself
2:41 PM
the face sculpts look better than the first versions...
3:52 PM
and you are most welcome...rem Medicom Darth Maul x2 and TakaraTomy SkyLynx x2....
3:55 PM
Sideswipe said...Excellent photos! Superman's arms look kida skinny... I'm still deciding whether to pick up 1 myself
as said over at SGC, go for it bro, cheaper than Medi figs man.
neoconvoy said...
the face sculpts look better than the first versions...
new CK looks like a dick.
neoconvoy said...
and you are most welcome...rem Medicom Darth Maul x2 and TakaraTomy SkyLynx x2....
yes best pal, one for you, one for me.
4:14 PM
Shaun said...
new CK looks like a dick.
well, didn't I tell you this at the bus stop ?
Shaun said...
yes best pal, one for you, one for me.
you need one more for the little boy who lives down the lane...
7:02 PM
I agree that the new Superman face sculpt is an improvement, in that it looks more realistic & less like a toy. It does however bear a lesser resemblance to Brandon Routh as well, which might not be a bad thing depending on your preference :P
12:15 PM
Great pics, whohoo! I especially like the "poster" ones (hovering above Earth). Shweet.
Judging by these pics, I agree the Superman sculpt has been "redesigned" nicely but that it bears a lesser resemblance to Routh. Looks realistic and beautiful and yet not quite like Routh. It looked better on the promo (prototype?) pics. It probably depends on the faceup artist, too.
And yes, I much prefer my original Clark. Looks like they were trying to "goofify" him a bit but missed and he lost a lot of the resemblance to Routh, I think (chin, cheeks, lips, everything. Even the haircut makes him look a lot older!). He's more like the older brother of Routh if he ever had one. Generic!Routh LOLZ. Don't like his outfit that much, I prefer the grey one on the original figure but I'm glad it's well-made, that's good news.
They're not bad overall, actually pretty fetching and as someone has said already, it really depends on what you prefer: actor resemblance or nicer sculpt. To me it'll always be resemblance first.
Beautiful box and packaging again, too. Mmm, shiny.
Thank you for these pics, I've been waiting for them! :)
8:21 AM
Wow. Awesome photos. I didn't know these were in in Singapore yet! Waiting for that call from Roy to pick mine up. Glad Hot Toys released this - I missed out on the 2006 Superman.
I agree the previous release of Clark Kent had a better looking headsculpt and clothing set. So the two sets can still complement one another well.
3:55 PM
most welcome houseofel, will you be picking supes up? would love to check out your pix. Mizu, thanks for commenting, glad you'll get to pick up this set, having missed out on the first. :)
3:03 PM
This post has been removed by the author.
3:09 PM
Hello there, love your blog. I was curious to see what Brandon Routh would look like with his Superman outfit over the Hot Toys Muscular body. Please post the pics, I imagined it in my head and it was so cool it caused everyone to simultaneously skeet all over this site. :)
p.s.
Skeet skeet skeet
9:35 AM
Hi Gabriel. I will not be fitting Hot Toys Superman suit over the muscular body as it will result in the suit being over-stretched, and I am not prepared to ruin Superman's suit. I hope you understand and thank you for dropping my my site. :)
4:59 PM
understood... *sad face*