DCUC Showcase: Cyclotron

Another figure from wave 13! It's Cyclotron! So, who's Cyclotron? Exactly.

Who is this guy, and why does his face come off?! Read on to find out what I think about Cyclotron!

No, he isn't a living particle accelerator. He's an action figure! This version of Cyclotron was created solely for the famous Super Powers Collection that originated in the 80s. The Super Powers toy's action feature (read "gimmick") is the amazing "Cyclo-spin," whatever that means, and he features removable face and chest plates. Essentially, they created this version of him so he could be a cool action figure, then shoved him into the comics. Because of this, some collectors absolutely hate Cyclotron. I don't think he's that bad, and I actually like this figure. Mattel is very committed to producing all of the Super Powers characters in the DCUC line, so his inclusion is entirely based on that goal.

Sculpt:

Cyclotron's sculpting is quite impressive. Like many before him, he uses the standard male buck as a base, but with nicely sculpted additions. Along with the required new head, Cyclotron features raised sleeves at his shoulders, a structured bodice, bracelets, and raised knee-length boots. Instead of simply painting the details on to his body, Mattel sculpted the midsection with robotic indentations and curvatures. I'm so glad they decided to do this, as the muscled base body wouldn't have fit the overall look. These indented sections are carried through like a theme, as they're present on the bracelets and boots, as well. The waist area's flaps that cover the front and back of the lower abdomen are a bit thin, and they're slightly off-center, but it isn't a major issue.

The elevated tops of Cyclotron's boots are similar to the flaps at his waist, but they're sturdier. Also of note, the bottoms of his boots are cybernetic in appearance, which is a nice touch. Lastly, the placement of the bracelets is odd, but they fit with the Super Powers figure, so I suppose they're accurate; though, I would've preferred for them to be located at his actual wrists, as the swivel joints wouldn't appear as noticeable as they are now.

The unique areas of quality are Cyclotron's head and chest. His head is basically an upside-down U-shaped helmet. As with the Super Powers version of this figure, Cyclotron's face and chest are a façade! They can be lifted off to reveal Cyclotron's robotic visage, which is wonderfully sculpted. The underlayer is similar to the Super Powers counterpart, but is more polished, while maintaining the classic robotic look and feel. The robotic face seems just slightly too small, but it doesn't really bother me. I assume the head had to be made a bit smaller to accommodate for the human face on top of it.

The removable plates clip on and off very easily, and the look is seamless. If I didn't know Cyclotron's face and chest were removable, I doubt I would have even noticed that they lift off. The pieces sit perfectly on top of the robotic features, and stay on tightly.

Articulation:

Superb articulation here, as usual. As with some of the newer figures, Cyclotron's head movement is partly limited. I was worried that the ab crunch and waist swivel would be restricted because of the bodice; but, only the ab crunch is marginally rigid, so he still has a great range of motion.

Paint:

Cyclotron's costume is a simple mix of dark green and sparkling yellow colors, along with his red visor and chest module. Underneath his removable pieces, the robotic inset features a blending of light and dark shades of grey and silver, while his rectangular eyes are a striking red. The overall paint scheme is essentially identical to the Super Powers figure. The actual paint applications are a bit sloppy, though. Most of the lining is partly fuzzy, and there's a lot of color bleed around the bodice, as well as around his boots. Also, the small green areas around the bodice and around his waist are not fully painted, as there are small gaps where the yellow paint shows through. Though, the grey paint on the robotic areas are well done, especially with the circular nodes; the silver paint on the tubular ribbing at the edges of his chest is quite nice.

Accessories:

Unless you count the removable face and chest plates, Cyclotron doesn't come with any accessories. As he is a Super Powers character, he's packed with a clear plastic Super Powers stand, instead of a piece of the Collect & Connect figure, Trigon. Wave 12's Desaad was supposed to have one of these, as well; but, it wasn't included with some of the earlier shipments of wave 12. My Desaad didn't come with this stand, so I'm happy to have one now. They're much more attractive than the generic clear blue stands in previous waves.

I'm not a huge fan of the buttons that are included with the newer DCUC figures, but I love Cyclotron's! Though he isn't featured on the button, it depicts some of the major characters of the Justice League, with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman projected over the group, in profile. This is my favorite button, so far. I want more like this. Fun group shots are always appreciated.

Value:

At an average of $15 per figure, DCUC singles are too expensive for what they're probably worth to most people (though, of course, I am not most people). Some obscure characters will seem like A-listers when compared to Cyclotron, so the price point is definitely working against him. Also, as he doesn't come with a piece of Trigon, non-completists and those who don't have any affection for the Super Powers line are likely to pass on this guy.

Overview:

Terrible figure? Not at all, though I honestly can't say I was looking forward to Cyclotron. Whether or not Cyclotron deserves a figure is a bit foggy, but he's still a solid addition to the DCUC line. I'm sure we'll be seeing the rest of the Super Powers characters as DCUC figures soon; though, that may or may not be a good thing, for some folks.

So, with that, let's Cyclo-spin outta' here! Stay tuned for reviews of the rest of wave 13 and beyond!

Up Next:

Questions? Comments? Dance moves? Feel free to drop me a comment, tweet, or email, if you are so inclined.

-Sekmet