DC Universe Classics - Despero

Bringing my review of Mattel's DC Universe Classics series 4 to an end, today I'll go over the final action figure which is the "Collect & Connect" figure, Despero. If you've missed any of my previous reviews on this series or any other DCUC wave, check out my blog archive or the DCUC and DCSH checklists or even the Labels menu all posted along the right hand side of the screen.

The first thing you'll notice about Despero is his size. He stands at about 8 1/4 inches tall. Not the biggest Collect and Connect (C&C) figure but he does tower over the other figures from this set.

The body sculpt uses similar parts as the SDCC exclusive Lobo action figure. The armor is made of a softer plastic and when you first look at it, you would think its removable but it is not. It is attached to his back. His armor around his neck seems a bit big as you can tell by the back picture above. Other than that, the armor has some pretty cool detail work on it. There is something about his legs below the knees that I can't put my finger on.

Despero's face is mean and nasty looking. He's pissed at something. Click on the picture below to enlarge it for a better look. Its a great head sculpt and really the best part of the figure. Great work by the Four Horsemen.

The paint job on most of these bigger C&C figures so far has been pretty good and Despero is no different. For the most part, Despero has got a clean paint job with not much to complain about. The body has a pretty simple color scheme and doesnt have many areas where it could be messed up. The armor and belt are a bit more detailed with a few more colors but its all basically within the lines with no slop spots. One note is that he does have a red wash over his teeth and mouth which looks okay on his purple skin color.

The previous 2 C&C figures (Gorilla Grodd & Solomon Grundy) did not come with any accessories which I was fine with seeing as how the C&C parts are basically an accessory on their own. Despero actually comes with a big laser gun and a smaller hand gun. They both look really good and fit nicely in either hand. The giant laser gun can be popped on to his back and there is a holster on his left leg for gun.

Despero's articulation is as good as any other Mattel DC action figures and one good thing is that his armor does not obstruct any of their movements. Despero's joints include your typical neck, shoulders, biceps, elbows, wrists, abdominal, waist, hips, thighs, knees and ankles. Some of the joints in the legs were a little loose for my liking but even for such a big and heavy figure, there is no trouble standing him up in a good variety of positions.

Overall, Despero was not a figure I was really looking forward to but after putting him together, he really is a great looking toy and a respectable runner up to Ares for best of the set. If you're looking for a great looking villain action figure, Mattel's DCUC Despero will not disappoint.

Sculpt/Design - 8.5, Paint - 9, Accessories - 9, Articulation - 9, Fun - 9.5

Despero's Overall Score - 9/10

Since Despero is a connect and collect action figure. He cannot be bought by himself at your local toy stores, unless of course they open all 5 packs and put him together themselves. Some sellers on eBay will do just that but you'll probably pay anywhere from $35 to $60 for him which means you're probably better off buying the complete set.

To search for DCUC Despero on eBay, click here

To search for the entire Mattel DC Universe Classics wave 4 set on eBay, click here

That concludes my review of series 4. DCUC series 5 is out in what seems to be selected Walmarts across the USA but not in my area (Canada). I've been looking on eBay and because its so new and still a bit rare, the entire set is selling for anywhere from $180 to over $200 US plus shipping which is not even close to what I'm willing to pay. So, I may have to wait it out until the hype dies down a bit......unless some kind person out there in Internet land can hook me up with a set. Maybe Mattel will be kind enough to send me a set so I can review it (I'm not holding my breath). Anyway, I am most looking forward to the Metallo C&C figure and then the Riddler to add to my Batman Rogue gallery. The rest of the set consists of Atom, Amazo, Black Lightning and Eradicator.

So in the meantime, I've still got to finish going though DCUC series 1 so expect an Orion review and a Rex Mason review in the near future. I'll also continue going over the DC Superheroes action figures from Mattel's previous toy line.

If you have any questions, comments or wish to get in touch with me about Action Toy Review for any reason, you can leave a comment on this blog or email me at Actiontoyreview@rogers.com