The past two weeks was a great time for me, bust wise. Three female busts I was anxiously looking forward to were released: Tigra, Danger, and Hawkgirl. Since Jesse did a great job with Tigra, I'll try to do reviews on the other two.
The fourth bust in the line of the Women of the DCU busts designed by Adam Hughes is Hawkgirl (sculpted by John G. Mathews). Hawkgirl is certainly not in the top tier of characters that Wonder Woman, Catwoman, and Poison Ivy are, but does she make for a compelling bust? Is she a winner like the Catwoman bust is, or more in line with Poison Ivy and Wonder Woman (slight disappointments)?
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The Concept:
Based on the art of comic pin-up artist Adam Hughes, the Women of DCU line already has its share of fans and detractors who can't see eye to eye. Some think the pin-up style of Hughes has no business in the comic world, while others think the line's take is a refreshing breathe of air. Others are simply against it because Hughe's work doesn't refelct iconic renditions of the characters. Either way, the concept of Hawkgirl balances the sexiness of Hughes and the ferocity of the comic book character. While having a coy look on her face, she is actually carrying a mace behind her to strike her victim.
The Sculpt:
The Hawkgirl bust is definatey the 2cd best of the line, behind Catwoman. She also seems to not have some of the flaws that plagues the first two busts. Her face is much better sculpted,and her body seems to more realistic. Her arms a tad muscular, something to be expected from a woman wielding a mace most of the time. Her stomach is also athletic, but not overly musculed as is usually the case in busts. Also of note are her wings, which are jus the right size and are nicely detailed. The base is also nice, being of a sort of pyramid with a hawk emblem.
However, the parts she departs from the original Hughes sketch are worth noting. While Hughes had her fully masked, the sculpt has her unmasked, with the hawkmask resting on her head. While some may argue this unmasked version is not Hawkgirl, it does a better job of selling the pose and more fitting in the line. Also, where the sketch had her in a bikini-like top, she is sculpted with a full top. Unfortantely, it would have been nice and more fitting with the line to have done it correct instead of fitting with comic acurateness. Finally, if you are looking head on to the sculpt, you will not see the mace. It is perfectly hidden from view. While this is nice, it also kinda makes the mace obselete since you can only see it from a more sideways angle..
The Paint Job:
The paint job is rather good. Her skin color is a bit pale, but not too noticeably so. Her outfit is painted with basic colors, but it fits well enough. Her face is also nicely painted, showing no real flaws. Ditto for her mask and wings. Over-all, a solid paint job with no big flaws.
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Over-All Value:
While this is by far the biggest and most massive of the four busts, it is still small compared to the current busts of women being done by various companies. Some may feel she is still not worth the retail asking price due to that. Also, those who aren't sold on the line (and there are many out there who aren't) are probably not gonna change their mind due to this bust. Unlike Harley or Catwoman, this is just an interesting enough character to over-ride those who are against the line as it is.
For those who do like the line, I think this one will be a pleasant surprise. This bust is a nice bridge between Catwoman and Supergirl and Harley, not letting the momentum slip in the line. Also, with so little Hawkgirl product on the market (if any), I think some may want this piece if they are simply a hawkgirl fan. And if you are a fan of the line, this will be a must have. She simply is a nice piece.
Conclusion:
The Women of the DCU line is probably not for everyone. However, for those who are a fan of the line or big Hawkgirl fans, you will probably want to check this one out. With this bust being a bit larger than the other three and having a nice sculpt and paint jo, I give this sculpt a solid
3.5 out of 5 stars. Those hating the line will still probaby hate it, but it will probably be a solid bust for the rest of us.
Big thanks to Azog for the pics. You're a better photographer than me!
