REVIEW: Mattel's JLU: Copperhead, Rocket Red, & Metamorpho

This review covers three individual figures: Copperhead, Rocket Red, and Metamorpho.

The Justice League and Justice League Unlimited cartoons on Cartoon Network have been widely popular over the last several years. They feature re-imagined DC super heroes battling cosmic menaces and dastardly supervillains. The style of these cartoons is simple, with blocky, almost geometric bodies and bright solid colors. Toys based on these cartoons follow that style closely.

In keeping with the Justice League Unlimited cartoon, the action figures are relatively simple. Their bodies are stock (in fact many of the toys have the same body), with large and wide upper bodies, thinner waists, almost stick legs, and huge forearms. Colors are bold and bright, with relatively few differentiating details. They have little articulation and stand between 4 and 5 inches tall.

The standard packaging for Justice League Unlimited figures consists of the same background card, brightly lit in a red, yellow, and orange sunburst. Over this background are depicted several of the main heroes of the JLU. Down the left side of the card is printed “DC Super Heroes” with the relatively new DC Comics logo with swoosh. In front of the figure’s feet is an insert with the character’s name. The cards all have tri-language children warnings.

The back of the card features the same sunburst background, and a very simple lineup of other available figures including Batman, Superman, Orion, Flash, etc. Each figure has its own code. The bottom third of the back of the card is taken up by warnings and copyright info.

Copperhead

Copperhead is a minor villain, obsessed with doing crime in his snake costume. He started his career as a thief, and then became an assassin using his poisonous bite and prehensile tail. In the Justice League cartoons Copperhead popped up on several occasions to cause trouble for the League, and was a member of both the Injustice Gang and the Legion of Doom.

Copperhead is an ugly villain. He is scrawny in comparison to most JLU figures, but with a grossly oversized head. Copperhead’s body follows the standard JLU lines, but is not as ‘buff.’ A tail stretches nearly to the ground behind him, and his face is encased in a giant snake’s head. Copperhead’s own face is frightening, with yellow snake’s eyes, a tiny nose, and a hideously stretched mouth with fangs.

Copperhead’s costume is mostly solid orange, with green lower arms and legs. His underbelly is scaled like a snake, with flesh-colored sections divided by painted orange lines. The tail is large and thick. Copperhead’s right fist is closed, and the left open. As with most JLU toys, Copperhead has no holes in the bottoms of his feet.

Copperhead is articulated at the neck, shoulders, and hips. While nothing to crow about, this is standard for JLU toys. Copperhead’s only accessory is a large coiled snake that wraps around Copperhead’s left arm.

The only flaw in Copperhead is the one almost every JLU figure has. It is simply not designed to stand very well. The thickness and shape of the legs and feet combined with the size and weight of the upper body, not to mention the relative softness of the plastic, makes standing the character a difficult proposition. Copperhead is better in this area than others, however, due to his slimmer shape.

While not a major character, Copperhead has one big thing going for him: he’s really ugly and distinctive looking. He’s recommended just for being a weird-looking villain!

Rocket Red

In an attempt to aid the Soviet Union, which he saw as similar to his society back on Bolovax Vik, the Green Lantern Kilowog provided the USSR with the techniques and means to produce the Rocket Red Brigade, an organization of super soldiers with heavy battle suits. Different Rocket Reds have been members of various Justice League incarnations over the years, and have briefly appeared in the Justice League Unlimited cartoon.

Rocket Red is a massive figure, a human encased in a powerful battle suit. The figure stands taller than almost all of the other JLU toys, with a more “normally” proportioned humanoid body covered in armor. The Rocket Red battle suit has a red torso and attached helmet, hands, and boots. The arms and legs are dark gray with sculpted bands. The armor’s helmet has a bright yellow visor, and the bottom of the enormous boots are light gray (and have no holes).

Rocket Red’s articulation is even less than standard, with only shoulders and hips. What he lacks in articulation he makes up for in accessories, with more than any other figure. Rocket Red’s accessories include a non-removable torso armor piece in gray and matching handgrip, a dark gray gun base and gatling cannon, and a red missile. The back of the torso armor and the handgrip each have a peg on which the gun base can be attached. Then either the gatling cannon or missile can be attached to the base. This gives Rocket Red a total of four possible weapon configurations: hand-held gun or missile launcher, and shoulder-mounted gun or missile launcher.

Rocket Red does not suffer from the balancing problem endemic in the JLU toys thanks to his massive boots and even weight. Other than his limited articulation Rocket Red doesn’t really have any problems. He is highly recommended as a huge and powerful addition to the League.

Metamorpho

Metamorpho had a career as an adventurer before he got his superpowers. On a trip to Egypt he came across the radioactive Orb of Ra which transformed him into Metamorpho, the Element Man. He thus gained shape shifting powers and the ability to take on the physical characteristics of different elements. In the cartoons chemical gases gave him his powers, and John Stewart brought him into the superhero community.

Metamorpho is a very strange looking character. Being composed of different elements he has different sections and colors. Metamorpho’s head is bald and blocky in chalk white, with a sculpted open mouth and cheek wrinkles. Metamorpho’s body is the standard one (the same mold as many other figures including Lightray and Arkkis Chummuck, etc.). The left side of his upper body and left arm are maroon with little painted black wave details. His right upper body and right arm are tan with painted maroon hash marks. He has a painted dark gray “belt” section and a black abdomen. Metamorpho’s left leg is bluish-gray with black vertical squiggles and his right is brownish-gray with black hooked squiggles. The mish-mash of colors helps to emphasize the character’s differing compositions without any sculpted details.

Metamorpho has standard articulation at the neck, shoulders, and hips. His one accessory is a large saw blade that attaches to the right arm and is in matching paint scheme. Unfortunately the weight of the blade makes it difficult for Metamorpho to hold it up without falling over. He can hold it pointing down and still balance.

Metamorpho may not win any beauty contests, but he sure stands out in a crowd. His colors and paint applications really differentiate him. With the standard JLU figure legs he has the usual problem of standing and balancing, compounded by the fact that he also does not have holes in the bottom of his feet. If you need more heroes, or interestingly colored ones, Metamorpho’s the guy for you.

Review and Images by Scott Rubin