Before I start my review, I'd just like by saying this is my first review for StatueForum. I'm still rather new to the forum (and the statue-hobby in general) but I've been given the opportunity to write reviews, so I hope you guys enjoy them!
I'm mostly into DC Collectibles, so look out for a lot of those in the future. Anyway, onto the review...
Poison Ivy Covergirls – DC Collectibles
Designed by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau.
Sculpted by Jack Matthews.
Stands at approximately 9.7” high.
Limited edition size of 5200.
RRP: $99.95 USD
Intro.
The DC Cover Girls have gone through quite a bit of changed over the years. The line kicked off with inspiration from acclaimed pin-up artists Adam Hughes and was met with much fan acclaim. With the introduction of the New 52, the Cover Girls line went to a new route, mostly inspired with some of Jim Lee’s more dynamic posing. However, DC has again turned a leaf with the new line of Cover Girls inspired by digital artist, Stanley “Artgerm” Lau.
The new line introduced a new, matching base for each statue. So far we’ve had Platinum, Supergirl, Batgirl, Batwoman, Huntress and, most recently, Poison Ivy, who is the focus of this review. Katanna and Mera are being released later this year.
This is our THIRD Poison Ivy Cover Girls. We had the original Adam Hughes one, the New 52 Jim Lee and now, the Artgerm one. (left to right, respectively)
Now, back to what this review is actually about
: Artgerm's Poison Ivy.
Sculpt. 9.0
Truly a magnificent sculpt by Jack Matthews, who has been working on the line since the Adam Hughes’-days. Ivy’s outfit is gorgeous, and the leafy textures are very well detailed and defined.
Ivy’s hair is also very nicely done, which is very welcoming considering the hair on some of the previous Cover Girls haven’t been too detailed.
The pose is also very well handled and certainly does give off a very seductive, ‘come hither’ vibe from Poison Ivy – which is, after all, what she’s known to do.
Paint 8.0.
Ivy’s paint job is perhaps one of the best from the Artgerm-line of Cover Girls. No smudges. No overlapping. No blotches. No sloppy edges. Nothing. Everything is very clean and smooth. The colours are all very vibrant, which really makes this piece stick out when standing next to some of the other girls like Huntress and Batwoman.
The weakest point of the paintwork, which will sound rather strange considering I just praised it, is the hair. It’s a little too dark and wooden and would have looked a lot nicer if it were a deeper and more vibrant shade of red.
Design. 9.0.
The original design by Artgerm is simply gorgeous, and Jack Matthews has done a terrific job in transitioning it to a statue. The addition of the rose in her hand also adds some much-needed colour variety. The one minor thing (once again) that has not transitioned well is the colour of the hair, which looks far more appealing in the original design.
Her costume is also an interesting choice, considering Artgerm’s line has up until now focused on New 52-inspired outfits. This certainly isn’t a complaint, but an interesting choice (perhaps one made to differentiate itself more from the previous New 52 Poison Ivy statue that was released in 2012). Whatever the case, it is definitely a welcome decision that payed off quite well.
Production and Build Quality. 7.0.
Now here’s where I get very nit-picky. I loved the bases for the Adam Hughes line of Cover Girls. Everything about them were great. You could line up all the girls next to each other in unison and they would all be standing on the same black, circular base.
The Artgerm statues all do have the same oval bases. However, they have two different colours each, which are determined by matching colours to the characters. Batwoman had a silver and red base, Huntress had a black and purple base, Batgirl had a purple and black base (inversed from Huntress) and so on. These worked okay, because there was some contrast between the two colours. Poison Ivy, however, has a green and… green base. The preview photos for the statue almost threw me off the statue because it was such a –green- statue. The green was very solid and it almost seemed like her boots blended right into her base.
Luckily, however, it’s really not as distracting in person, but I still believe it could have worked better as a green and black base.
The other small issue with the Oval bases is that the Cover Girls as a set don't match up when displayed in some ways. Notice: Huntress' base pointing a different way. Again, small issue, but one I feel definitely feel needs acknowledgement.
The other problem with this statue is the pegs that place it into the base. Be careful when you place her in and take your time to avoid breakage. The very first time I tried, I thought the holes were drilled in the wrong places because they seemed very far apart. Although since then, it seems very easy and I’m actually a little embarrassed I struggled the first time, but I just wanted to make sure you’re aware so you don’t accidentally break her.
The box is also very secure and the Styrofoam should hold her quite well, which is definitely a bonus.
Overall. 8.5.
Ivy is truly a gorgeous piece and is easily my new favourite from the Artgerm Cover Girls line (dethroned Batwoman). Everything about her is what you’d want in a statue, and at this price, there are very little complaints.
This piece has actually reinvigorated my interest in the Cover Girls line, and has led me to purchase the Artgerm-Batgirl statue to add to my collection.
I would highly recommend Ivy to anyone who has other pieces from the Artgerm line, or are simply just a Batman or Cover Girls fan.
Hope you enjoyed my first ever review for StatueForum. Please let me know what you think!
I'd like to leave you with a "sneak peak" to my next review in progress:
