I started this week with a Kotobukiya Marvel statue, so I might as well end it with a Kotobukiya DC statue. Yes, despite telling myself that I was done with Koto’s amazing line of 1:10 Scale DC ArtFX+ statues, it seems I got pulled back in. I originally got into this line to pick up the Justice League and get out. Later, I wound up grabbing Catwoman and Batgirl, but I still never intended to be “all in” with these. That having been said, when I came across a sale on some of the ones I didn’t have, I found my resolve weakening. And so after almost three years since I opened my last one of these beauties, Lex Luthor is joining the display!

A lot of people seem to be smitten with this packaging, but I’m not a big fan. It looks great, but it’s delicate so it doesn’t store well, and it’s really susceptible to scratches and rubbing. I prefer the colorful and sturdier enclosed boxes that Koto used for their Marvel ArtFX+ series. Those boxes were keepers, these just get pitched. They seldom survived the trip to me in good condition anyhow. As with the rest of this line, Lex is based off his New 52 appearance. Sure, there were a few things about The New 52 that didn’t work for me, and only a handful of books kept me engaged until the end, but Justice League was a solid book, and I absolutely loved what they did with Luthor during this run.

Similarly, I absolutely love what Koto did with this statue. While they have mixed things up with some recent DC ArtFX+ releases, the poses generally favor museum-style composition over action. Here Lex stands with both hands balled into fists in a pose that just oozes power. If I were to nitpick one thing here, it’s that I wish they had orientated him so that his head was turning to his right and not his left, but only because I think he would display better with the ArtFX+ Superman that way. Then again, when I do put them together the right way, it looks like Supes is staring at Lex suspiciously, as if to say, “So you want to join the Justice League, eh? Pfft… over my dead body.” To which I say, “Pssst, Superman, I hate to break it to you, but you don’t survive The New 52. Oh, and Lex becomes a kind of Apokolips God-being.” Either way, as a stand alone piece, I think the pose here is flawless.

This line has been big on using beautiful high gloss paint and that certainly is the case here as well and it makes for an absolutely striking figure. In fact, the only matte finish on this statue comes from Lex’s bald head. The armor itself is painted in an exquisite combination of metallic purple and green and the sculpted lines and contours of the armor is exactly what I would like to see from a modern DCEU version of Lex’s Power Armor. And yes I said, “like to see” not “expect to see.” I mean, Christ the DCEU can’t even get Flash’s suit right… that shit is a lost cause. Not to mention, just look at who their Lex Luthor is. Sorry. The DCEU triggers me every damn time. I’m going to take a deep breath, count to three and press on…

The portrait is a little on the soft side, for example there isn’t a lot of detail in his gritting teeth, but I chalk that up to a stylistic choice for this line. The rage-filled expression isn’t so much the “I want to join the Justice League. I can make a difference” Lex as it is the “I’m going to annihilate the shit out of The Crime Syndicate” Lex. Either way, I love it.

As usual, the statue comes with a black metal square base that attracts the magnets in the feet to help him stay upright. It’s not really necessary as he stands just fine on his own, but I still dig that they toss that feature in for some added stability.

I seem to recall the original retail on these statues to be around $50-55, but the actual market prices run the gamut from the low thirties to the high fifties. Granted, there are a few exceptions, like Catwoman or Supergirl which often reaches the low $70’s. The magic number for Lex was $30 and for that I simply could not resist. From a quality perspective, they’re certainly worth it up to the higher end of that spectrum. This is Kotobukiya we’re talking about, a company that is always dedicated to delivering quality and craftsmanship. Originally, I wanted to stick with just the Justice League, because that group of seven makes for a perfect display on my shelf. Each and every one of those statues was designed to work as stand alone pieces, but also display as a set. But with Catwoman, Batgirl, and now Lex off in the background, I may have opened myself up to collecting this line again. Even now, I find myself eyeing up Lex’s New 52 bodyguard, Captain Cold.