Welcome to our review of the DC Collectibles Arsenal from the Arrow line of 6.75 inch action figures. Arsenal was released in 2015 and is number 7 in the line and was released alongside figures of Felicity Smoak and John Diggle. Visit our DC Collectible Archive for more figure reviews...
Packaging 3/5
Arsenal arrives in the standard window box for DC Collectible figures. The colouring is essentially white with character name also in white actually on the shaped window. The Arrow logo sits underneath the figure window and beneath this is the green band with the warning messages and the figures number in the collection.
Round on the left spine is a close up promo image of the figure with a repeat of the Arrow logo and character name underneath. The figures number, 7, is presented once again in an arrow shaped insert.
The back of the package is predominantly white also with a large Arrow logo at the top of the box. We then have a cityscape (presumably Starling City) on top of which sits images of the three figures in the wave - Arsenal, Felicity Smoak and John Diggle. We then get a plain green band to finish off the back of the box and a short credit to the sculptor Erik Sosa. There is no background text, show info or character bio as is common on other figures.
The figure is slid out of the box via the side flaps. The inner tray is shaped and also carries the cityscape image in a central band. Arsenal is tied into the tray with twisty ties and the accessories all taped into place.
Due to the paint used on these DC figures, be careful when removing the ties and the paint as it flakes and scratches easily.
Paint & Sculpt 3/5
The head sculpt for Arsenal is somewhat obscured behind the permanently fixed red hood. The likeness to actor Colton Haynes is passing and not helped by a slim head and no paint apps on the skin, relying instead on skin tone plastic. The mask is sculpted so has some definition, and this is painted neatly with some well painted eyes beneath the mask. There is a touch of colour on the lips. You can just about see the hair start to appear under the hood.
The hood itself looks to sit too high for me, and also does not sit naturally at the sides. It looks more like a shaped helmet than a flowing hood. Considering the head is trapped under the hood anyway, it might have been better to sculpt the head and hood together.
Arsenal's costume is very well detailed with a good level of stitching, trims and fastenings down the red leather jacket and into the combat trousers. All of this is painted very well with neat lines and no obvious bleeding between colours.
The quiver is slung on Arsenal's back and includes individual arrows rater than a solid sculpted mass of arrows. These are however glued in position so they can't be adjusted or moved.
Accessories 4/5
Arsenal is armed first and foremost with a futuristic dagger that is cast as a single piece and coloured silver. It has no real detail other than a bolt or rivet on the handle, its shape is smooth and organic.
The weapon sits in either of the gripping hands supplied fitted to the figure. When not in use it also fits into a holster at Arsenal's belt.
The second and third accessories are the bow and arrow. These are cast in a brittle feeling plastic and then painted in red and black. The bow is fitted with a working elasticated string, which works well.
The bow fits into either hand, but works best in Arsenal's left hand. The lone arrow is harder to pose, but can be held in the hands in a preparing to fire mode. There is no room in the quiver to slot this single arrow if not being used.
Arsenal is also supplied with three other pairs of hands. These clip in and out fairly easily but you will get immediate paint rub and flaking as you do this.
We have a pair of fists for fighting poses, two bow string hands and finally two open handed poses.
Articulation 1/5
Supported by the appropriate hands you can then set about posing Arsenal. Unfortunately this is pretty disappointing, as has been the case with other Arrow figures.
Arsenal has 15 points of articulation, losing the usual head articulation to that fixed hood. The legs work pretty well with a T-joint hip, thigh swivel and double jointed knees. Sadly they are let down with the ankle rockers which cant seem to level out the feet properly when the legs are spread out, making him tough to stand when open up the hips for action posing.
The arms are the worse element though, especially when we consider this is an archer who should be capable of pulling off one or two bow firing poses. The shoulder is a ball joint and does open up nicely as well as rotating. The elbow though is atrocious with a single joint that can't even get to a right angle.
In reality this means the following poses are about as good as you will get for wielding that bow. Neither of which are very flattering, and the fixed head makes them look even worse.
Summary
Arsenal, as a figure, promises much in the packaging even while the packaging itself is fairly boring with little in the means of info about the character you are buying. The figure looks OK in hand, although not the best likeness, and the accessories are good.
But there is no point in well designed accessories without the articulation to use them. The joints on Arsenal are woeful with the immediate issue of paint flaking but also the disappointing fact that the legs are hindered by those ankle rockers and the arms are virtually useless with the barely bending elbow.
If you are an Arrow completist then this figure won't break the bank but don't expect too much from him when released from the box.
I score Arsenal a 2 out of 5.
