While Superman may be called "The Man of Steel", expect DC Collectibles's new 1/6 statue to be made of less stern stuff. This 13.25-inch tall statue, sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios, is based on the character's appearance in the upcoming Superman movie franchise reboot, Man of Steel.

It's hard to objectively examine this statue because the new movie's costume design leaves me with some mixed feelings. The design itself seems a lot closer to the character's New 52 look (which ditches the red shorts and changes the crest a bit), but the diver suit texture is a little distracting. I assume that the new costume is designed for durability rather than protection, as a weaker super suit might be (rather awkwardly) damaged during Superman's daily super-heroics.

Prying my attention away from that darn silly texture, I can't help but think that the pose is a little bland. Sure, something about it conveys a sense of power (his stance is fairly open and seemingly confident, head tilted to the sky), but at the same time there's something unbearably passive about it. The sculpting seems very solid and I like the cape's design (which appears to be cloth with wires to hold its shape?).

I imagine that a lot of feelings towards this statue will be closely tied into the somewhat anticipated film. However, given that the statue releases in May and the film in June, many fans might just buy first and watch later. With a US$130 list price, DC Collectibles' Man of Steel statue might be able to leap onto your shelves in a single bound.

[ Pre-order at Big Bad Toy Store ]