Well, it seems my Mondays now include me doing statue reviews,and I'm booked for the next few weeks. And thanks in advance to forum member batman1180 for taking such awesome pics of the bust, I couldn't help but use them compared to my own very meager pics. The last one is mine, though.
This week we focus on the second entry to the "Women of the DCU" bust line, Poison Ivy (sculpted by John G. Mathews, who seems to be sculpting nearly everything for DC nowadays). Its has been a long while since any Poison Ivy bust/statue has been released, so she makes a very welcome addition to this line. But for any on the fence about this whole series, will Poison Ivy be the bust that will convince you to start collecting?
Bust Concept
Like the Wonder Woman bust, the original sketches by Adam Hughes are plastered all over the box the bust comes with, and my are they are a beauty! With arms crossed, Poison Ivy is in a sexy yet defiant pose that just works well with the character. The design of the hair is especially a nice touch, as seems more of an wild rose bush than anything else. But, how did the concept translate to real life?
The Sculpt
As far as the sculpt goes, we have another adequate bust for the line. Poison Ivy sure is shapely, and indeed looks better from behind than from in front, and she is nearly popping out of her top. The triangular base works well; she has definately been placed on an ivy-laced pedestal. But unfortantely the bust has some problems. For one, her arms are a bit too thin for her body, especialy when compared to her huge breasts. The hair also isn't nearly as nice as it appears in the concept Instead of being wild and everywhere, it is a much more normal hair styel, very similar to Wonder Woman's. While it still looks nice, I would have liked to see it sculpted in the way the concept rendered it.
The Paint-Job
Now the paint job I have some problems with. While Poison Ivy certainly has been drawn in many shades during her comic run, going for the ultra-pale green doesn't work as well as others skin colors might have been. Too little green to go for that clorophyl-like skin color Jim Lee uses, too much to go for a normal skin shade. She actually appears she needs a tan more than anything else. As you can see by the last picture, she reflects the flash very much with all the white paint. Her hair color is good ,but it would have been nice to go for a brighter red color. Other than that, the base and the green outfit are painted well. And I do like the green eye shadow and red lipstick painted on her face. Nice touches.
Over-All Value
Again, lets start with the good news. This bust is perfectly in scale with Wonder Woman, and the two look like the first two solid pieces in a great set. And honestly the two definatley look like they'll stand out in your collection.
However, those who think the Wonder Woman was too small and too expensive probably ($45.00 msrp) won't change their mind with Ivy. I peronsally think the line will hit its stride with Catwoman, and that those on the fence may then decide to collect the set then.
Conclusion
I'm doubting Poison Ivy will change any minds about the Women of the DCU line. Those who are fans (like me) will enjoy the piece and look forward to the big hitters down the line. They'll over look the smallness of the bust and be happy as more busts are released. Those who have problems with the line won't have their mind changed by this one. While I personally like the piece, I can't give this bust more than
three out of five stars. But, since I thought this would be the weakest of the line, it does give me confidence that Catwoman will rock!