One of the most anticipated figures in recent memory is the one I’m about to review, Hot Toys’ rendition of Christopher Reeve as Superman. Many of you will remember that Hot Toys hinted at this figure some time back, but it seemed like an eternity before they finally gave us some concrete information in May of 2011 that the figure would be on its way. As expected, this figure is well worth the wait. There are technically two versions – the regular and special editions. The only difference, however, is the kryptonite necklace included with the special edition. I’ll be reviewing that figure today.

Hot Toys never disappoints with their packaging, and they’ve found a way to step it up another notch with this Superman figure. The box itself is done in the shape of the S-shield Superman logo, with vibrant red and yellow colors. Understanding that the box would be impossible to stand on its own with the pointed bottom side, Hot Toys included a foldable cardboard box that serves as a stand for the box itself. Really a brilliant package design, complete with a dedication to Reeve and a list of the design team on the inside. The figure and its many extra pieces are nicely secured inside the many layers of plastic.

Christopher Reeve’s head sculpt is a thing of beauty, right on par with Hot Toys usual offerings. The skin texture and highlights make for a truly realistic appearance and emulate Reeve’s appearance from the movie faithfully. The Superman outfit is done in a high-quality, durable-yet-pliable fabric that allows for cautiously realistic poses and movement. Obviously you don’t want to try and test Superman’s flexibility too much, because too much strain on the outfit could cause ripping if care isn’t taken. The boots are a thin but sturdy enough that standing the figure, even in dynamic poses, is not a problem. The figure comes with a total of three sets of hands – closed, slightly open, and fully open – further expanding display options. Superman is equipped with a newly sculpted “muscular” body style, helping to fill out the large frame that every Superman representation should have. This new frame is still equipped with 30+ points of articulation, giving collectors a wide range of display pose options.

Every Hot Toys figure comes with the standard black figure stand, complete with nameplate and adjustable grip. Hot Toys took display a step farther with Superman by giving us a little bit of his Fortress of Solitude. This display package consists of an ice base, five shards that mount into slots in the ice, a clear flight stand and a black clamp to grasp the figure mid-air. This is a super cool accessory and a great way to display Superman in a more dynamic manner, but it is also the source of my single gripe when it comes to this figure. I had a lot of trouble getting the shards to stay in the intended slots in the ice base – they all seemed to be just a smidge too big, and while the generally stayed in the base while displayed, you can see from the images that there may be some gaps showing at the base of the ice shards. This could probably be rectified by running hot water under the bases of the shards to help loosen up the plastic a bit, but I didn’t go so far as to try it.

The base price on this amazing Superman figure is $209.99, and it’s worth every penny of it. You can still acquire both the exclusive version with kryptonite necklace and the standard version at Sideshow Collectibles. Above most other collectibles, Hot Toys figures are generally the best at keeping or increasing their value over time, so if you’re holding off on buying one of these it’s not recommended to wait much longer!