DC Collectibles Catwoman

Catwoman was from the supervillains vs. heroes gift set, the only new figure among the reissued and repainted figures. I didn't get the set just bought this one on ebay for a surprisingly decent price.



Comic Accurate Likeness: Selinas' design hasn't really changed in the new 52. Different artists change details but it's mostly the same. I don't think this is designed after any particular artist like the JL figures were. This doesn't look like Jim Lees' style. There has been a lot of comics with Selinas' bangs hanging out of her headpiece and her zipper down to expose enough of her chest to distract her foes. Sometimes there's a belt this version doesn't have one but it's not a make or break choice for me. Instead of impractical high heels that many artists seem to like she has sensible boots. She smiles and has the classic green eyes. Nothing major is missing here. RATING: 9.5

 

Sculpting: Unlike Green Arrow Catwoman doesn't have an entirely straight posture when she stands. Her shoulders and hips are sculpted at a slight tilt which I'm not fond of. For some reason the pinky finger on her whip hand is sticking out which is just weird. There was something about her that didn't look right and after looking it over I discovered it was the top of her chest which looks too beach ball like. Her face is good for the most part but the problem is in the eye line. One is bigger than the other and I think the face isn't too symmetrical. Everything else is fine but these were the problem areas I found. RATING: 7.0

Paint Job: There are a few stray paint lines but nothing too glaring. I think the problem with the eye line could have been improved if the left eye had the lower lashes painted under the point it ended. It looks possible at any rate. There's a shiny black paint for the cat suit which gives it a leather like look, a detail I greatly appreciate. The teeth section of the mouth could have been done better since it's just a dot of off centered white on the lips. RATING: 7.0

Articulation: There's about the same amount of articulation found here as Green Arrow. No waist/upper body joint, no double knees, nothing that a bat character should have. So far no breaks like Green Arrow but I'm still leery of it. I'm going to be harder than I usually would be since this is a character that's very active. I'll likewise be marking down other Gotham characters if the articulation doesn't meet the same standards. RATING: 5.0

Accessories: Just the whip and technically the goggles. The goggles might break over time but they are an excellent add on that makes it possible to have her more causal  look or the "on the job" appearance without needing an extra head. Normally I'd take points off for the lack of extras but this was from a box set. The goggles were a great surprise too, so I won't be as harsh as I'd usually be. RATING: 9.0


Comparison to other figures: I don't have any other Catwoman figures to compare but I do have some DC Direct and Mattel figures. Catwoman is about the same size as DC Direct's Kingdom Come Nightstar but towers over Mattels' line especially the female characters. More articulation than DC Direct but less than Mattel. Normally I'd say the joints feel stronger than both but after Green Arrow broke I'm paranoid that the joints will break on this too.

From what I heard this has been a problem with DC Collectibles action figures. It's one I hope this years' assortment doesn't have and I certainty never had it with the other two lines. As for other Catwoman figures I can compare this in terms of looks to the upcoming Capullo Catwomans' promo picture. I was going to wait to get that one instead of tracking this figure down but I'm not a fan of how it looks. It seems to have about the same amount of articulation with an extra head in place of movable goggles. I don't like the face, the goggles look more like Ted Kords' (ie. too big), the cat ears go inward instead of out and I HATE the high heels. I do like that it's zipped up which makes it more seam lined than this version. I do think gift set figure is superior to what's been shown of the Capullo Catwoman figure and these other other lines. Still who's to say if that will change in regards to the finished product of the Capullo Catwoman. RATING: 8.0

Overall: It's a good Catwoman figure but I still think there's plenty of room for improvement. The face doesn't scream Selina Kyle. While happy I'd like to see a smirk, something more playful. The acticulation is no where near as good as it should be for someone that flips past Batman all the time. Given the fact it could break due to poor joints something needs to change. I'd say get it if you need a Catwoman in your collection but beware of the flaws. The perfect Catwoman figure hasn't been made yet but this is a nice stand in.