Action Figure Barbecue: Action Figure Review: Sportsmaster (DC Classic) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

Over the past two or three months I have purchased so many new DC Multiverse figures! The Toddfather has put out quite a few figures that have interested me (meaning Batman related heroes and villains, along with some general oddballs), so I've ended up with lots of new figures on my shelf. I don't review every DC Multiverse figure I get because sometimes I run out of things to say about characters like Batman and the Joker who I've reviewed dozens and dozens of times. When there's a newer or less common character, though, it's just more fun to review them. Today I'm checking out Sportsmaster, a sports themed villain who has fought the original Green Lantern (Alan Scott), Wildcat, Batgirl, Robin, and Harley Quinn. He's not really a Batman villain but due to his presence in Gotham and partnership with the Clock King, I'm lumping him in there. Mattel released a Sportsmaster in their Young Justice line over a decade ago which has a very animated and stylized appearance. This figure really feels like an update of that one as his costume is pretty similar to his look in Young Justice. Sportsmaster is a "Platinum" release from McFarlane, meaning he's something of a chase figure. Most McFarlane Toys Platinum releases are a variant of another figure in the same series but Sportsmaster isn't; he's just a regular figure. Ready to check out Lawrence "Crusher" Crock? Then join me after the break...

The Facts:

Height: 7 3/8th inches

Articulation: Hinged toes, double swivel hinged ankles, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, swivel/hinge hips, balljointed waist, balljointed mid torso, swivel/hinge shoulders w/ ballsockets, bicep swivels, double hinged elbows, double swivel/ hinge wrists, and a barbell jointed head.

Accessories: Collector card, display stand, bat, and hockey stick.

Non-Scalper Price: $23 dollars

The Positives:

* You wouldn't realize it at a glance (someone else pointed it out to me) but Crusher Crock has borrowed quite a bit of his outfit from the DC Future State Batman: Dark Detective figure. It seems like smart reuse as the colors of the pads and the overall design look great with Sportsmaster and fit him perfectly. His chest armor is excellent and it smartly hides the waist ad torso joints. The paint work is also impressive with lot of scuffs and paint wear showing on the chest pads.

* Sportsmaster's mask isn't removable but it is clearly a second piece permanently attached over his face. You can see Crusher's eyes looking out from behind the mask! The mask has also seen some action and it's been scuffed up and dirtied up a bit. Anyone else getting Casey Jones vibes here?

* Here's a shot from the back to check out all of the armor protecting Crusher from behind. He's also sporting lots of useful pouches on his belt. Well, useful to him, I'd say. They won't benefit us at all.

* For extra protection in a fight, Sportsmaster can lift up his armored forearm guard. it kind of resembles some sort of hockey pad, but the design is much sleeker and less unwieldy.

* The boots are also seriously armored. They're a far cry from athletic shoes, but Crusher is also not someone with good sportsmanship.

* The articulation on Sportsmaster is just fine. He's an athletic guy so you want him to be able to move well for all kinds of street fights and brawls and the like. Due to having lots of armored pads on his body, a good deal of the articulation is nicely hidden as well. He has actual thigh swivels (which Dark Knight Detective Batman had, too) and not just the swivels at the very top of his thighs that only grant limited movement, so he's even a bit more mobile than usual.

* One area where this new version of Sportsmaster may fall short of the old Mattel version is in accessories. They were rubbery and blunt, but Mattel's Young Justice Sportsmaster came with 8 weapons and a rooftop training diorama. McFarlane's Sportsmaster comes with fewer weapons, but sturdier weapons. First up is a hockey stick, one of the weapons of choice for sports themed street fighters. It's a bit slender but it's not too bad.

* Next up is a baseball bat, the other most popular weapon for sports equipment themed warriors. Also a bit on the smaller side but it gets a paint application and can be held by Crusher Crock quite nicely.

* Like the majority of DC Multiverse figures, Sportsmaster comes with a display stand and a collectible card.

The Negatives:

* My only complaint with Sportsmaster is that he only has one gripping hand, meaning he can't hold both of his weapons at once time nor can he hold the hockey stick with both hands. His hands don't seem to be easily removable, either, so it's not like you can just pop on a spare gripping hand from another figure. Alternate hands, or at least two gripping hands, would have been very welcome with this guy.

Sportsmaster is a really nice figure and I'm glad to have him. Even without all of the accessories of Mattel's older figure, I think this guy is an upgrade to that now 12 year old figure whose overly animated appearance made him stick out a bit in the DC Universe Classics line. I sold him off at some point and I'm now glad to have a Sportsmaster in my collection. I do wish he had some alternate hands and maybe another weapon or two, but overall I think this is a solid version of the character. I'm not sure why McFarlane Toys made him a Platinum release, but hopefully those who really want him can find him. Some of the newer Platinum releases have been much easier to find than the older ones were.

Looking for more of Sportsmaster? I've also reviewed Mattel's Young Justice Sportsmaster.

For more DC Multiverse reviews check out the following:

DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys (2020)
Aquaman (Flashpoint)
Arsenal (Titans)
Bane
Bane (The Dark Knight Trilogy)
Bane (Trench Coat) (The Dark Knight Rises)
Batcycle (The Flash)
Batgirl (Batman: Three Jokers) Jokerized