Superman, despite various toys, never usually needs anything resembling a suit of armour. He's nigh-invulnerable to everything except to a few things writers later created for him like kryptonite, magic etc. He meets his match in a very similar alien being named Wraith, who is generally an anti-hero who is loyal to America. Unlike Superman, Wraith has no problem killing to protect America and its interests. Like Superman, he draws his power from the Sun and is far more experienced and stronger using it. For example, he can use his entire body to manipulate energy blasts where Superman can only use his eyes.
As circumstances would have it they butt heads and Superman is defeated. He is forced to don a suit of armour containing an unnamed mineral that Wraith is vulnerable to (a little TOO similar now!).
He defeats Wraith and generally this suit was only seen in a few panels of the comics, so it's interesting to me that this was picked to be an action figure. Definitely one of the first fully realized forms I've ever seen in a figure. Interesting pick, McFarlane!
I picked this figure because, like Hellbat, he's just a cool, shiny, armoured, badass looking figure that just needs to go on a shelf in a cool pose whether that be flight or fight. His ankles aren't very poseable compared to Hellbat, but he's got quite a bit of range and unlike Hellbat you can move his wings pretty much anywhere you want! That said, I'm not sure why a suit of armour needs wings given the armour amps up his power which already allows him to fly...I will say that I love the helmet as it gives him a really cool Japanese anime giant robot fighter feel.
Sculpt/Paint: 4/5 Top notch. Super clean paint and moulding. There are tons of armour grooves and little details here that make this 25 dollar figure just amazing. He's mostly just blue, silver, red and black with yellow eyes. They missed a couple of details on the helmeted face where there should be more red highlights inside the helmet, but it's otherwise great.
My other complaint is mostly the hands. They've given him open...trigger finger hands??! 2 reasons that's strange: 1) Superman Unchained armour never uses guns and 2) They didn't include anything for him to hold anyway
Articulation: 5/5 (33 points counting wings) Like Hellbat he's got mostly similar articulation with some better parts and some worse. Head, diaphragm and waist joints offer a bit better range than Hellbat. Shoulders have the cap to allow a bit of butterfly but not much. The elbows and wrists are pretty much the same, as are the hips, which have great range. The double-jointed knees are great, but the ankles move almost not at all due to the leg armour sculpt. There's a toe hinge...for whatever reason, and the wings do whatever you want as they peg in on a ball swivel.
Accessories: 3/5 Where the Hellbat didn't really need anything, Superman Unchained is holding a couple of things on the art card he comes with. Specifically, an energy shield and some kind of pick type weapon he throws. I would have liked to see those! As it is, he has his wings, art card, and not so good stand. Ok, but could be better.
Fun Factor: 4/5: Guys, I don't like superman per see as a character, and his plot reasons for needing armour seem a bit silly, but this figure is cool as hell. He looks especially good beside Hellbat and has pretty good balance. Anything you can't easily put him in you can use his wings to help prop him up.
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