Pre-Order Hot Toys Man of Steel Superman, plus Sideshow's Premium Format Man of Steel Superman! That's a lot of Superman!

Plucky Zack Snyder's Superman reboot Man of Steel is currently dividing critics, thrilling fans, and punching audiences in the face. Unless you're in Australia. Thanks to my gloating about getting both Iron Man 3 AND Star Trek early, us ruffians in the penal colony must wait another couple of weeks before being punched in the face by Supes. But don't fret... we can still look at all the pretty pictures of Hot Toys' upcoming 1/6th scale Superman figure that have recently been released...

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Don't be ridiculous. It's a pissed off, muscular Henry Cavill torpedoing towards you, ready to shove both fists down your throat.

If that's enough to sell you already then you can leap over and pre-order this Supermaniac from our very good pals at Sideshow here: Man of Steel: Superman - Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Series Man of Steel: Superman Movie Masterpiece Sixth Scale Figure

But if you want more images and ill-informed commentary - plus a look at Sideshow's new premium format statue - then you'd bet join me after the super-powered jump...

Okay, so here's Superman in all his new silver-spangled, underpants-free glory...

I know that there are purists who have had a conniption about this but Superman has endured for 75 years and I'm really not opposed to seeing different interpretations. And you can be pretty much guaranteed that if this film gets a sequel he will be different once again. The only thing that throws me is all that art deco silver piping on his sides. It makes him look like a classic car or something... Might need our resident costume expert Courtney Coulson to investigate that one. I guess it tapers his body into the shield shape somewhat...

Listen to me getting all Project Runway. Cape looks cool in the flying pose though. I'm curious as to whether the stand will actually allow him to do that. 

Okay, so get a load of this...

I haven't seen Henry Cavill in a whole lot of things, but that's a spot-on accurate likeness right? In fact that might actually be Cavill standing very, very still. I think they've hit this one out of the park. Or punched it into the sun. No need to fly backwards around the world and reverse time here. It's excellent. No spit curl though. That's like Batman without ears.

Now I'm going to dwell on the costume just a tiny bit longer... I'm impressed by the chain-mail texture they have on this thing. It's incredibly intricate work. The yellows look a little muted but I do think that the overall effect is pretty cool. I'm assuming it's rubbery? I bet he doesn't have a lot of articulation while trapped in that thing.

And finally here's what you get...

Hands. Nothing but hands. I don't suppose that Superman needs a lot of extra stuff though. The base is an appropriate S-shield which I think looks impressive but means your Superman is going to take up far more space than he probably needs to.

Overall I like it, although the film needs to sell me first. I think that these days I generally prefer movie-styled stuff to comic styled stuff - which makes me a heretic to some, but what are you going to do? Cry about it on the Internet? I'll email you some tissues.

Hey now don't go anywhere! We've still got to look at Sideshow's massive 21.5" Man of Steel: Superman premium format figure...

This one is, of course, pre-posed and a little more stylised but it's still impressive. I think the colours pop a bit more - although I'm still perplexed by the silver on his sides. What is going on there??

And here's the full body shot, as he stands on the rubble of some poor bugger's house he's just smashed down on...

The likeness might not be Hot Toys quality but it's still strong. As I said these are really very much a different style both in sculpt and paint. This is one of those big dynamic centrepieces that you display prominently and light well...

And a little more of the base here...

And you can pre-order this massive talking point here: 

DC Comics: Man of Steel Superman Man of Steel: Superman Premium Format Figure Do it before the franchise takes off and Cavill Superman is insanely popular. You know how hard those first Iron Man collectibles are to grab now.

I've often admired Sideshow's premium format series for a while but have never taken the plunge. The good news is that we do actually have a premium format on the way (I won't spoil which one) and I'll be reviewing that very soon, so keep an eye on the skies and I'll reveal more soon.

Are you digging the new Superman? DON'T SPOIL IT THOUGH!