DC Universe Classics Batman Legacy Collection Mr. Freeze

I was glad to finally get Mr. Freeze out of the latest Batman Legacy line--he was the one Bat-villain I had missed out on when I started collecting DC Universe and could still find some DC Superheroes stuff.  I'd seen the regular colored silver/blue/gunmetal-grey version many times but at prices which then seemed a tad too high.  So I waited...

And he finally got re-released in this line...with funky colors.  But that wasn't gonna stop me from snaggin' ol' Victor "Burger &" Fries here, oh no.  While the unusual Super Powers color scheme puts most off, I think it's just about wacky enough to be part of a Bat-villain display, which already has a ton of color--purpli with Joker, Red and Black with Harley Quinn, Brown with Man-BAt, Neon Green with the Riddler--some pink couldn't hurt, right? ;)

Colors aside, there weren't any changes for the re-release of Mr. Freeze, who debuted in the 2003 DCSH line.  I have to say the paint apps then were quite something. There was another release at New York ComicCon 2007 that looked like this.  Less icy, more metallic.  So that would make this repaint of that classic sculpt more, um, strawberries and cream?  (Ice cream of course--no less.)

So if you've got your fruit smoothie in hand and you're ready to go, let's take a look at the latest release of one the (n)iciest, fruitiest villains ever, shall we?

Spot the Bat!

Like: Head in pink "glass" bubble.  One of the more endearing qualities of the villain.  The pink used for the plastic here is not a cutesy pink.  It's more of an "emergency siren" pink.  I know, I know, sirens are red.  But his pink looks equally...dangerous...

See him?

Like: The great articulation despite the tons of detail that has gone into the sculpt.  The other benifit of having an armored body is that most of his joints are very well hidden.

Like: The sculpt. The main reason why I picked this figure up.  There's tons of detail in it, from the bits of ice to the plates and grooves of his armor, pipes, heavy boots, and his belt. The trouble is...

Dislike: ...Lots of the detail has gone unpainted!  The white plastic really does a lot to take away the intricate bits of the armor, while the ice looks, well, like plastic in stead of ice.  The pink is a nice soft matte but the blue is so plasticky looking that you'd be forgiven if you thought this was a knockoff figure.

The "reverse pinch clip"

Like: The Freeze Gun-backpack assembly.  The thing is bulky but clips onto his back via a hexagonal reverse pinch clip (yes, I came up with the name) into a hexagonal hole.  It fits nice an tight with a clicks satisfyingly when you put it on.

Dislike: The colors of the gun.  It looks nothing like a Freeze Gun and every bit like a Super Soaker.  The funny thing is that it actually has a hole at the end of the barrel that might have actually allowed water stored in the backpack to be shot out.  The pack even has a big round button to pump water out of the gun.  The trouble is it looks like they've sealed the caps of the pack--I can't seem to get it open without having to take a tool to it so it looks like no water pistol shenanigans for me there.

Like: That the head swivels along with the torso!  While you can't actually swivel his head manually, a twist of the torso will result in the head following in the corresponding direction.  I know it reduces the poses you can do with him but it's a fun feature that I was pleasantly surprised by! :)

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 6/10 - I wanted to like him.  I actually did it the pictures and even in packaging--that's why I ended up buying him.  I still like the wacky color scheme but the lack of paint and the overwhelming plastic look is a big disappointment. On the bright side, since Freeze is largely unpainted, he's a shoo-in for a custom repaint!  If I ever take a brush to him, he'll mainly be white withe some light blues and grays...hmm...

Poseability: 8/10 - Freeze is deceptively nubile and that's really do to the well hidden joints.  His leg articulation is especially great--he can easily do the sideways splits and has ankles that can point to beyond parallel to his shins.  Some completely hidden boot top and glove swivels are the cherry on top of this strawberry flavored smoothie!

Fun: 7.5/10 - Just being a Bat-villain boosts his fun rating up quite a bit because let's face it, Mr. Freeze is just a guy with giant Freeze Gun and who can't live outside his bubble.  But it's precisely because he's got a big-ass gun connected to a humongous backpack via all sorts of pipes that makes you wanna pick him up and play around with him.

Also, hidden articulation tends to be fun to discover and re-discover after you've put him on the shelf for a while without moving him around.  I find that even though I know where his PoAs are, I take some secret delight in swiveling that glove joint or rotating that boot top.  Let's not also forget his fun head swivel feature.  It's simple and gives you a way of rotating an otherwise untouchable head.  It gives the illusion of Freeze being able to turn his head on his own, and who doesn't love parts that move on their own? ;)

Value: 7/10 - For S$30 (US$24) it's a good deal.  With retail prices of DC Universe figures skyrocketing in the past year and a half, Freeze would've cost me a good S$15 more if I'd seen him in the wild and not got him at one of my regular specialty shops in Vincent's Toyrealm at China Square Central.  Freeze has go nice accessories, a great sculpt, and a fun feature.  It's a pity about the paint or lack thereof...

Overall: 7.2/10 - A good toy all round with some flaws - I just really wish he were painted better or cast with less shiny plastic.  I can't argue with the great sculpt, re-used as it is, and its great articulation and poseability.  The detail that went into the armor is there--it's just not picked out very well.  The fact that he's had 2 re-paints including this one and the smart re-use of the lower body for Power Armor Lex Luthor is a testament to how solid Mattel and us as fans find this sculpt.

 Funny thing--this version of Freeze has received the most amount of criticism among the DC Universe Legacy figures released so far.  But in these parts, you can't find him in the specialty stores anymore while the Joker and Bats, in all their tail-coated and Bat-snarled glory are still on the pegs.  A freeze in sales?  Not for Victor!  ;)

Mr. Freeze slaps Batman's face in sales!