Review: McFarlane DC Multiverse Superman (2025) carded version
- Mephitsu
- Sep 4
- 5 min read
“I’m as Human as anyone.”
As James Gunn’s Superman hit cinema screens in July 2025, McFarlane Toys unveiled their 7-inch DC Multiverse offerings for the film. At launch, this included two versions of Superman, a standard release and a more deluxe version - the Theatrical Edition - which added in additional hands as well as including Krypto. Soon afterwards, a third release of Coronswet’s Superman would start to hit shelves, and for the first time in its history, McFarlane’s DC Multiverse released a budget carded figure. These slimmed-down ‘affordable’ options were made in the US for Ross ‘Dress for Less’, and these have now made their way over the pond to the UK through the UK Distributor Bandai. Our review copy was bought at Forbidden Planet and was priced at £18.99
The carded packaging retains the same principles as the boxed DC Multiverse releases, with a black backdrop, a blue design backing panel behind the figure in its blister, the character name in bold white with the source material underneath in blue. The cards retain the same lower strip as the boxes with the McFarlane logo, and at the top left, the new 2025 DC Multiverse logo. Around the back, there is the same stylised artwork of the character with no background text or checklist of other releases. Unlike the boxed figures, the figure packaging is practically destroyed in some fashion upon opening.
Superman is a smidge over 7 inches in height, which is not quite accurate if we assume this is a true 1/10 scale. He is also shorter than the Ultraman figure, who is more accurately sized at 7.5 inches tall, equating to 6ft 6, considering who is behind the mask. Superman is wearing his iconic costume as seen across the 2025 movie. Each element is cast in the base colour, with both blue and red components also featuring the texture of the costume as well as the lined details around the chest, arms, and legs. The groin area is a rubberised piece sitting over the hip joints with a yellow painted belt. The boots are also individual pieces, slipped and glued over the lower shins, which gives them a crisp transition that you might not get with painting. The Superman logo on the chest front is painted and less detailed around the edges, with blue edges still visible and the yellow at the very edges of the panel still showing the darker blue underneath, so they take on a green tinge.
Superman’s cape is plastic, cast in a textured red with sculpted folds, then secured to the figure by two plug-in connections at the shoulders. On the back of this, we also get another sculpted Superman logo, now painted solely in yellow, which is accurate to the Coronswet costume. The costume overall is flat in colour, with no washes or highlights. Without one of the other versions to compare against it is unclear if this is the same paint job you would get on the £35 Theatrical Edition, but I would think it most likely is.
The headsculpt is a good likeness sculpturally to David Coronswet, including his jawline and the hairstyle, complete with sculpted Superman curl to one side. The paint job does the basics for the sculpt, a flesh tone, painted lips, eyebrows, and relatively realistic eyes. It does still lack the realism that Hasbro are putting out on their comparably priced Marvel figures.
Our bare bones figure only has two hands, a clenched right fist, and an open, clawed left hand. These are the same as fitted to the other versions of Superman, but in those cases, there are additional options to play with. The lack of symmetry is most frustrating, and the preference would have been for two clenched fists. Despite showing them in their promo images for the line, the flying hands are not included.
Articulation is applied as standard for a McFarlane figure with 18 points in total. Both knees and elbows are double-jointed, but still pinned, leaving quite substantial pins visible on the sides of both arms and legs. The legs in their entirety are made up of an ankle rocker, a toe joint at the feet, the double-joint knees, and a basic hip joint behind that rubberised groin piece. Within all of these, there is no rotation, so the legs are fixed in what I find to be an unnatural position, giving the figure the appearance that the knees are turned inward. This doesn't impact stability, and Superman stands well enough once posed.
The upper articulation is pretty broad across the arms, with a limited ball joint in the chest that offers very little movement. The head is more expressive and can turn, be cocked to the side, and look up a short way, ready for takeoff. The cape is the main restrictor of anything other than standing positions. A flight stand will be needed for flying poses, and these would be more around the levitating position rather than in motion without the right hands to simulate this.
Considering the McFarlane figures were priced at £18.99 not too long ago, and have always been light on accessories, this figure feels more of a packaging waste saver than anything else. The figure itself is on par with the rest of McFarlane’s current offerings, showing its age a little in terms of pinned joint choices and flat painted facial features. Scaling is also an issue with the figure being shorter than he should be and therefore coming up short against other figures from the same movie, such as Ultraman (which is ironic).
The budget carded Superman is fine if you want to put a Superman on your shelf without any bells and whistles; it is as good a figure as those in the boxed and Theatrical versions. But be mindful of its limitations, several of which are inherent in the McFarlane line overall.
Keep Track of all the DC Multiverse figures from McFarlane at our comprehensive
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About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...
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