06.02
Alas DC Minimates. I knew you well. Let’s face it, we’re extremely late with these reviews. The minimate avalanche since 2008 has shown no sign of abating and the late and much lamented DC line has been late and much neglected by MMC. We’re aiming to fix that in the first quarter of 2010. Stick with us kids.
DC wave 6 was another strange mix of characters, with name recognition not as high as for previous waves.
Packaging
The Figures
Blackhawk
The face on this mate is fairly ordinary, the features are well laid out, but there seems to be a lack of personality. Blackhawk’s uniform cap is a nice piece and would probably lend itself well to various customs. The gold braid above the peak stands out well and I do like the way it disappears into the body of the cap as it meets the hairline of the figure. There also appears to be a gold badge on the cap which could possibly have a hawk emblem on it, but it’s too indistinct to be sure.
Blackhawk’s uniform is surprisingly very black indeed. However there are some nice splashes of colour particularly the hawk emblem on the chest block. This emblem has a stylised hawk’s head against a yellow background and gives a very retro vibe. I’m very impressed with the buttoned up area on the front of the tunic. The buttons are very regular in appearance and the gold paint on them, particularly on the chest piece, is very well applied. Not a single untoward drop can be seen on the figure.
Strangely the button detail on the lower part of the tunic is not so distinct but it doesn’t detract from the figure. Both parts of the tunic, (chest piece, and skirt piece) are new sculpts and could only ever be applied to this figure. The skirt section has a holster attached on the right hip that while open at the top has detailing suggesting a flap and clasp arrangement. The only other colour on the figure is a yellow scarf at the neck and white shirt cuffs that emerge from the black tunic sleeves. Though thinking about it these could be pressure cuffs too. A nice touch on this pretty much all black figure is the shinier paint on the lower legs that suggest cavalry boots. That’s the kind of detail that can easily be overlooked on these type of figures so noticing it is almost like finding an easter egg on a DVD.
Blackhawk is accessorised with two automatic pistols. I’m not entirely sure why, as he only has one holster, but hey, you can never have enough guns. Right?
In conclusion: Another nice looking and well designed Minimate, but not one DC fans were really crying out for.
MMC Score – 7 out of 10
Sgt. Rock
Like Blackhawk, I don’t know enough about Sgt Rock to be able to say the Minimate looks like him so I’ll be judging the ‘mate on it’s own merits.
I do like the face on this figure, it’s craggy and dishevelled. Rock looks pretty pissed off and the designer’s done a great job of suggesting a jutting cleft chin. The stubble is also a great touch. Rock’s helmet fits well, and the loose chin straps hang down quite naturally. Remove the lid and there’s a smart 40’s style buzzcut, although it’s somewhat marred by the hole in the Minimate’s head.
Rock’s fatigues are represented by a chest piece that’s made to look like a jacket laden down with ammo belts, grenades, and all sorts of equipment pouches. Around the back of the chest piece is a moulded on dagger, and a water canteen. Rock’s a big guy and the chest piece also helps here by suggesting mass. The chest block itself is decorated as a naked male torso replete with dog tags. As a whole the chest piece and block look good, but the mate can’t be displayed without the jacket as the arms are painted green to match the chest piece. The forearms are slightly exposed and there’s a hint of turned up cuff.
Rock’s legs are obviously the same colour as the rest of his uniform but there’s a hint of wear apparent, holes on the lower legs and a lot of scuzz up the backs. His feet are just plain brown which is a bit of a shame as they’d have looked much better as laced up army boots.
Sergeant Rock’s only accessory is his rifle. I’ve no idea what sort of rifle it is, it looks good, but it’s another one of those ‘claw killer’ accessories. As you can see from the photos it’s really stretched the hand out and sadly doesn’t ride too well on his shoulder either.
In Conclusion: A good looking and well made Minimate, but yet another left-field choice from the DC Direct people.
MMC Score – 8 out of 10
Review and pictures by Rad Kerrigan
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