Review: 76002 Superman Metropolis Showdown

[Fritzy]

A battle King Kong would be down for.

Usually when there's a showdown in a place like Metropolis, the safety of the innocent is bound to be compromised: couples out for a nightly stroll; workers at a standstill over the aerial disruption; nondescript bystanders looking on in awe over the charade. Superman is so super, so...concerned with the well-being of the citizens that there are no onlookers to speak of — they have effectively been evacuated and are far from harm's way, or so the scene suggests. But then who will document the affair? Well, that's what hidden cameras are for.

Name: Superman Metropolis Showdown

Set No.: 76002

Theme: DC Super Heroes

Year: 2013

Pieces: 119

Minifigs: 2

Price: $12.99 US / $15.99 CDN

Listings: S@H US / S@H CA / Brickset

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Packaging

Front

In what looks to be the aftermath of an ongoing battle, explosions and hints of rubble are used to simulate a backdrop of destruction caused by the warring adversaries. By the looks of it, Zod yanking the structural beam out from the ground isn't what started the fight; it's a snapshot of a continuing battle. (We probably caught him at a bad time, as he seems to be running out of tricks.)

I can only reason Zod wanted to take out security and broadcasting systems, but upon further examination, that "take out" operation seems more like a "fake-out" operation, what with Superman doing all the work and melting the structural beam (and, thereby, the attached satellite) with his heat vision. Objects don't count as casualties, so it doesn't seem to affect his sense of justice as much as it would if there were bystanders involved.

While all this is happening, a yellow car is milling about in the air. Going by the angle of the vehicle, it could well have been tossed at Zod from the background, rather than being flipped over as the added effects show.

On the bottom right is the Man of Steel logo, providing context for the scene.

Back

The two main play features of this set are given the spotlight at the back of the box, showing how to send the structural beam off its foundations with a flicking motion, while tapping a seesaw will send the yellow car flying.

The center image shows the car in a different position, where Zod is now using it as a shield (does he have issues with personal space?) while a swift-moving Superman tries to penetrate through the body with his heat vision.

Minifigures

Superman

Superman's body print is bold, with the silver lines giving him an energized look. Also comes with a red cape, a cowlick-type hair piece, and an angry face print: all usual for Superman's standard appearances.

Note that the expression you see depicted on the box is for advertisement purposes only: Superman doesn't come with a second face print, surprisingly. That would've made this version more worthwhile than its counterparts. This same version of Superman appears in two other sets -- Battle of Smallville (76003), and Black Zero Escape (76009) -- and differs from the one included in the Superman vs. Power Armor Lex set (6862).

General Zod

Even more of a bold print than Superman's, for the reason that Zod's body armour doesn't fade into the background. Every element stands out but without there being unwelcome competition.

Zod shares the same back print as Superman (colours swapped), except his is immediately visible whereas Superman's cape conceals his.

Unlike Superman, Zod comes with a double-sided face print, with the alternate being the same expression depicted on the box with red eyes and a furrowed expression. A small note: Onlookers won't notice this when he's positioned in a neutral pose but his beard peeks out from the bottom of his hair piece.

Build

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As the story goes, Zod is wreaking some level of havoc in the downtown core, but you couldn't tell as much from what you get in the set. The main build is modest, even meagre in stature. With a small rectangular base, you have what appears to be scraps and rubble not unlike what you might see at a construction site but still too organized for a junkyard scene. These act as two main platforms for the primary tricks of this set.

The setting for this so-called showdown is not much to look at.

The first trick is a seesaw cast as metal bars, designed for the roadster vehicle to sit on top of the short end. By slamming down on the long end while it's raised, you can overturn the car and send it tumbling down a hill like Jill.

A shortsighted parking job.

The second trick is a button of sorts, underneath what is meant to represent a skyscraper: the weight of your finger will send the whole structure over the edge. The "building" is a singular, wire-like tower piece with a 2x2 plate at the top, followed by an antennae piece, which acts as a grip for one of the two fighters (the beams by which the structure is held together can serve the same effect). More than likely, you'll need to remove it to attach a minifigure, due to instability.

In the middle of the structure is an attached satellite dish, with a transparent red stud on its front end as a sign of activity. It's not the most secure add-on, seeing as how the whole thing rests in the back of a 1x1 piece with a holder arm.

There goes the reception in the west district.

These two aspects of the set encourage variety for interconnected action sequences, but in practice what's present feels lacking and behaves more like a suggestion to what could be than what is. No citizens will be harmed in the making of these scenes, which gives room for experimentation when simulating actual scenes.

A clean earthquake if I ever saw one.

When it comes to the car on its own, I was surprised to find it an enjoyable build. The prevalence of yellow bricks does interfere with the sleekness contributed by the black, but that's where the front bumpers, side panels and arch pieces help mitigate what could be seen as a loss. These features lend to a sturdy vehicle, and being that they act as finishing touches, working from the chasis to these outer details does give a nice feeling.

Something tells me the windshield isn't Superman-proof.

The underside of the car is open in some respects, with the seat having a hole in the middle with white space to the sides. As a design choice, it does beg some alteration for a more complete hull. There are also hook pieces on either side for an unexplained purpose. The most understandable would be that they act as grips for Superman or Zod to grab onto and then toss, but perhaps they could also be used along grappling lines of some kind. With some extra thought, you can put the vehicle to creative use outside this set.

A skeletal underside that calls to mind Technic frames.

The fact that the topside doesn't feature any covering or exterior features like doors doesn't inhibit the overall design; it actually makes some sense if you were to seat Superman in the front, as it allows room for his cape to rest (albeit it'd be silly to expect him to drive to meet up with Zod). As well, it's not a perfect match: the two angled pieces near the back will likely result in a crumpled cape unless you remove them. So by that logic, perhaps we can reason the car is more Zod's style.

The sign reads, "Has dreams of becoming a convertible."

Conclusion

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To be frank, this set is a hard sell. Superman isn't an exclusive inclusion and can be found in sets that offer better value; other versions of Zod can similarly be found in larger sets. On a design front, it doesn't fare well standing alone. The two play features aren't enough to make up for the sparing design, although the vehicle is a bit of a saving grace if you're a fan of that sort. On the one hand, the lack of interesting quirks makes this ideal for expansion. At the same time, that could also be used against this set, considering what it is intended to be: bearing the word "showdown," there's too much being left to the imagination. If the other Superman sets don't draw your eye and you'd like to get one of the two characters in some form, then I suppose you'll be able to make do. But there is a clear slimness to the design that makes you want more for the cost of the set.

A temporary truce while we figure out where to re-locate.

Design: 5

Sparing on the whole; car has clean design and nice features that make it sleek to some extent; fans of vehicles may still desire a fuller design; some parts don't hold very securely in place; pleasing minifigure prints

Playability: 5

Not a great deal to play with; needs to make contact with other sets to be valued; play features work fine but the set begs for more action elements and creative scene setups

Value: 5

Not good but not terrible; can find Superman elsewhere; not worth paying full Canadian price; feels lacking for what you're getting

Overall: 50%

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I'll take it from the top...or off the top, knowing my strength.

Edited October 13, 2014 by Fritzy

[Rinzler]

I'm pretty sure that's Lex Luthor's head on Superman

Great review btw

[rickfromkrypton]

I bought this set so I could have another Zod. When this set was first announced, I thought there would be more to it. Oh well.

[TheBatstan]

Lex Luthor is Superman? It all makes sense now...

[Fritzy]

Great review btw

Thank you!

[aRowlingStone]

My copy of this set had a double-sided Superman head. Maybe yours not having one is a factory error?

[teletraanconvoy]

+1 for the double sided Superman face. Sorry, I think you got a bum one.

[Sir Brickalot]

Lex Luthor's head, dude. As if it hasn't been mentioned before

Nice review!