Vault Review: DC Classics
John Constantine

My last big complaint about this figure is his hands.  Like Uncle Sam, John suffers from the oversized gripping hero hands.  It makes the figure look weirdly out of proportion, and I feel the need to put him into poses that minimize their appearance.  I understand that this line has a limited budget, but I don’t really see why Mattel couldn’t use the Clark Kent/Two-Face hands.  They’re in scale with the figure, not gloved, and the right one’s index finger sticks out a bit as if he were holding a cigarette.

John’s paint job is pretty basic.  Almost all of his clothing is molded in the needed color, but there are some definite airbrushed shadows on his coat and shirt.  His pants have also been given an extremely light dry brushing to look a bit worn.  Aside from his head, his shoes probably have the most extensive apps.  They’ve been painted glossy and given a dry brush to look like scuff marks and dirt.  Definitely a nice touch.

Constantine’s articulation is pretty standard.  His head is on a ball joint, but he can’t really look up that well.  His arms and hips are swivel hinges.  His chest, elbows, knees and ankles are hinges.  His biceps, wrists, waist, and thighs are all swivels.  His coat is a very flexible plastic and doesn’t really hinder his movement.

Constantine doesn’t come with any accessories.  I understand the need to not promote smoking with toys, so I’m ok with it.

Although I’ve been complaining a bit in this review, I don’t actually hate this figure.  His articulation is light years ahead of the DC Direct figure.  He’s also a bit taller and fits in much better on the shelf.  I do think the choice of hands is entirely wrong.  I’m also not a big fan of the head sculpt, but that’s more personal preference.  If you’re a fan of the character, I definitely recommend picking him up.  There aren’t a lot of opportunities to pick up a chain smoking magician that looks like your average bloke on the street.

-Vault

32 thoughts on “Vault Review: DC Classics
John Constantine

  1. Great overview, so-so figure.

    Shame, cause many moons ago I would’ve been foaming at the mouth over the prospect of a 4H-sculpted John Constantine, and I’m sure he was on a most wanted list or two.

    Just a bit too bland and grit-free to really capture the essence of the character.

  2. I’m really glad they captured the essence of Constantine: dour and ugly.

    But seriously, though; I don’t know why they decided to sculpt the Vertigo version instead of the New 52 version. Don’t get me wrong, when it comes to the books, I’ll take Vertigo any day, but Constantine ages in (semi-)real time, and most of the best stories features the younger, un-scarred John (which is what the ageless N52 version happens to look like, obviously).

    For a guy known as the Laughing Magician, this Constantine looks awfully bitter. And when getting this figure, so did I.

    1. There were enough complaints over the upcoming Red Hood in his cape/spandex instead of his jacket. do you really think Scott would have liked being threatened by the vocal minority with nu52 invading what he had previously called a refuge for classic/pre-nu52 looks?

  3. Where did you get the cigarette that you have him posed with? Does the end have a “lit”/burning look? I’d love to get one to go with my Constantine figure.

    1. The cigarette comes from the Revoltech Wolfwood figure. http://www.itsalltrue.net/?p=8508

      He comes with two of them. They both have a lit end with a little ash behind it. Definitely a nice prop.

      Wolfwood has been out for a while, so you can probably find him for a pretty decent price if you shop around.

  4. Well if it makes you feel any better, Swampy becomes Lord of Nature in the vertigo era. So he had run ins with John in Hellblazer and he was that large.

  5. Yes, Constantine *was* allegedly based on Sting, and Moore claims that shortly after his creation, a bloke looking exactly like him popped into hi spub, glanced around, saw Alan and nodded, then left. heh.

    I didn’t get the Swamp Thing run where he was introduced, but I recall being aware of who he was in COIE? I really didn’t read anything with him in it until the Books of Magic mini (Trenchcoat Brigade FTW! LOL) and not much since, other than the Day of Judgement event, which he has a small role.

    I do like the DCD head better, just like Uncle Sam, and this body is already seemingly getting tired, but that’s also probably because we’ve had what FOUR suits in three consecutive months? (John, Sam, Black Mask, now Rorschach…and was there another?)

    btw, cig is a painted toothpick? I recall people doing that a lot for ML5 Nick Fury, various Wolvies, and DCD Comedian.

    and was it wrong I was watching Supernatural this week and thinking I needed another Constantine to custom Castiel? not sure who I could use for Sam & Dean bases, tho?
    (slide me a few bucks to play the lottery while you’re at it! I had no idea THIS was the next review! 😉 )

    1. Lol, all lottery winnings must be shared with the staff of IAT!

      The cigarette is from the Revoltech Wolfwood figure.

      Supernatural is awesome! I’d love it if a company like NECA would get a hold of that license. Dean would kick the ass of all my demon figures.

  6. Even though I’m a fan of both guys I can live without the resemblances to Gordon Sumner and James Marsters, but those big old mitts have gotta go.

  7. Have to say I need a tutorial to make the cig. I recall one toyline back in the day had a cig with a fig but forget what it was.

    On the fig I don’t know much on the character other than the film which glad he doesn’t look like Keanu.

    1. The cigs I used came from the Revoltech Wolfwood figure, but I’m sure there are tutorials on how to make tiny cigarettes.

  8. Have to say I need a tutorial to make the cig. I recall one toyline back in the day had a cig with a fig but forget what it was.

    On the fig I don’t know much on the character other than the film which glad he doesn’t look like Keanu. I like him but man he looks incomplete with out a smoke. That one gun from the film woulda been nice though too.

    1. only figures I recall offhand had cigs were DCD Comedian (variant?) and the Kevin Smith Bluntman and Chronic figures from JSBSB.

  9. I was really disappointed by this when it arrived – the head looks off in terms of it’s proportioning, like he has a bigger jaw than is appropriate for his skull. And his hands – you are right on target! It must be tough to get hands that size through the sleeves of that coat. No wonder he keeps it on most of the time.

    I can’t recall him ever being done right though, and at least its better than that awful DC direct statue (although the paint apps might have a lot to do with that!)

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