Package Description
Jim Harper was an ordinary rookie cop when he donned a costume, took up a shield, and became the crime-fighter known as the Guardian. He soon found himself battling alongside other costumed crime-fighters against larger scale menaces. But he took on his greatest responsibility when he became the leader of the youths known as the Newsboy Legion. They helped him fight injustice, and he helped them finish their homework.
Appearance 7/10
This new Guardian figure has the same body, mostly the same parts, and the same color scheme as Dr. Fate from the previous wave. It should come as no surprise then that I have mostly the same things to say about this figure as I did Dr. Fate. Guardian really suffers from the flat finish because of the plain costume. It’s actually surprising since Deadshot has several areas with a shiny silver appearance rather than a flat finish. At least the yellow areas on Guardian are more consistent than on Dr. Fate, only needing some extra yellow paint on the neck. The application is very clear too, with almost no smear. Looking closely at the figure, there is also what looks like a very light wash with dark blue, but its not really noticeable when the figure is on display.
Stylistically this figure fits well with other DCUC figures. Mattel has further improved the stance of the legs so that Guardian’s feet can actually touch. This helps him achieve a more natural stance than a lot of earlier figures, and helps offset the plain appearance of his costume. Overall this figure has a great body sculpt and clean paint application, but this costume requires a little extra effort to make it as good as other figures in the line. Without a metallic paint job on at least the helmet or shield, this figure just isn’t up to par with other figures in the line, and so got gets are reduced but respectable score of 7/10.
Articulation 9/10
Guardian has standard DCUC articulation, but with added improvement in the hips so that his feet can actually touch each other. The head doesn’t look up at all, but is also a little loose on the peg with my figure. All other joints get their full range of motion. The straps of the shield hold the shield on the arm fairly well, but he could have benefited from an open hand to help hold the shield.
Poseability 8/10
Guardian has some nice action poses. The lack of body details brings all the focus to the muscle lines and body outline, and the helmet and shield help differentiate him from other heroes. He could benefit heavily from a flight stand for a leaping pose, but still looks good enough with both feet on the ground. However, he doesn’t add anything new in terms of poseability. Nonetheless he’s a solid choice to display in battle or just standing with other heroes.
Final Judgment: 24/30
Guardian is a solid figure, but doesn’t quite measure up to the best DCUC has to offer. If you’re a fan of the character then by all means get this figure, but he’s a little too generic for the casual collector when there are other figures in the line that will stand out.
