There's a feeling of blandness to the figure because of the plainness of the costume, but there are very few things to nitpick about here. The muscles are accurately sculpted (even the ears look nice) and there are even neat fingernails on the hands. They aren't painted though because Hawkgirl isn't one for vanity, you know, despite wearing earrings and what appears to be lipstick, lol. The "bird-legs" on the boots, the straps of the tank-top, and "buckle" on the belt are sculpted too (also, it looks like the belt is a separate glued-on piece, but is flush with the pelvis). The main problem with the figure's sculpt is the visible mold-lines in obvious locations, though you can't really blame the sculptors for this, lol. The belt has a glaring one that makes the Hawk-symbol crooked and the shoulders have a ton of flash (excess flakes of plastic) that needs to be scraped-off, a risky maneuver that may chip the paint.
     This is the first time I've seen the 4 Horsemen's sculpt on bare female arms in person, it's not too disappointing; The female DCUC figures tend to have unusually skinny arms. Adding only even a millimeter to their girth would help tremendously, buy hey, we're not the professionals here, the 4H must have a good reason for keeping them as they are. The hips truly shine, they still function like the standard DCUC Hip but the joint is completely invisible! No bulky Harley-hips, these are smooth and sleek, a perfect look for an avian character.
     The blandness of the costume is balanced by the intricate detail on the hair, wings, and weapons. Even the tips of the mask have feathered-detail, which is appreciated, but then soured by the ugly mold-line running across the top of the head. This is a seriously creepy mask! It's large and imposing, dark and mysterious, and thankfully doesn't give Hawkgirl the "horse-face effect" Hawkman has. The chin is suitably "pointy" to match the sharp angles of the mask. The wings are spectacular, large, light-weight (made with resin?), and poseable. They're attached to a single large hinge in the middle of the back which opens them left to right, and honestly, it's ugly. Mercifully, the giant hinge is just glued-on, not sculpted-on, so you can remove the wings with a little work.They could have done better here, and only time will tell what brilliant solution they come up with in the future (they did fix the old ugly female hips after all). The wings also have a swivel at the middle-top to stretch them out even farther, you can get some frightening and inspiring poses out of them.
     This is the sexiest female sculpt so far in this line, the shoulders even look a bit broad, adding a sense of power to the figure. Also, I swear, it's as if the 4H spent hours perfecting her breasts, they're awesome. Is being too perfect a flaw? No, no it's not, but making a character 6.2 inches tall, who is supposed to be about 5'9'', is a flaw.

Sculpt Score: 9 / 10

 
     At first glance, it looks like the paint is flawless, and that's because 98% of it is. That is an amazing feat for a mass-produced figure, BUT, the small percentage of sloppyness is in one of the most visible areas! The mask-line around the mouth is a little blurry and very sloppy on the right side. Easily fixable, but the lips are the main problem because the lipstick is a bit blotched on the left side. It looks like she put it on in a hurry on her way out to thwack someone with the mace. The rest of the paint really is exceptional. Almost everything has a non-reflective sheen so the figure doesn't look plasticky. The skin, shirt, and mask are subtly shaded, but it doesn't look like the legs are shaded at all. At least they're not an obnoxious bright green, most of the colors on the figure are muted (you can't silence Yellow, it just keeps screaming!).
     The wings are the major disappointment, but we can't realistically expect Mattel to have them completely painted and still keep the price down (especially with all the other stuff in the package). They're cast in very light and grey plastic (it's like the kind of stuff model kits are made of) and are dry-brushed with a little bit of light-grey. It's enough to show the detail of all those feathers, but not enough to be realistic. They'd look great with a light-brown/white/bone color-scheme. The hair isn't painted (bummer!), but it's cast in the orange-ish shade we know so well.
     The weapons' handles are painted a leather color, but with no particular care. They're cast in dark-grey plastic which makes them look like iron ore, or like they were made out of a meteorite, it's a nifty effect. 

Paint Score: 8 / 10

      Simple costumes are a blessing and a curse to articulation, you can add articulation almost anywhere, but it's most likely going to be painfully visible. All joints, except the neck and waist-swivel, are obvious on this figure, but hilariously enough, the waist and neck are the most severely limited joints here! The waist only turns a little bit in either direction, and that's with some struggle. The head can face left or right, but again, with some struggle, and it can't face up or down because the beautiful red hair forbids it. Damn. I don't see why the waist isn't turning, it must be an internal problem. The ankles are a bit limited because it looks like the 4H or Mattel chose to have the ankles look more natural (more plastic leaves less room for movement). But, the ankles don't bend as far when the wings are posed, so there's more stability when standing. Unfortunately, the ab-crunch is loose and won't hold a position, so it's a further annoyance when trying to get poses.
     The rest of the joints are tight and hold their positions indefinitely. The arms can support the weapons with no slouching at all, even when fully outstretched. I should note something about the hips though, they feel gummy. They feel like the DCUC figures that have the stuck-hip problem, except they do move. It's the actual rod that goes into the crotch that is gummy, like it's made with softer plastic, BAD IDEA.

Articulation Score: 7 / 10

 

Fun Score: 8 / 10

     You get a ton of stuff in the package, and even though it's not a massive amount of plastic (and missing a C&C piece), the accessories are all useful so none will go to waste. The clear-blue display stand ensures Shayera will be able to stand, no matter what awkward position the wings are in. She can dual-wield the sword and mace and hold the spear with both hands, very cool. The pose in-package isn't too bad, so MOC collectors should be pretty happy. Well worth retail price, but good luck finding this figure in-stores.
     Obviously, this Hawkgirl is modeled after the character from the Golden Age, and very few figures have been made of that version, so this is a chance to strengthen your collection. But really, most of us are going to know this figure as the "JLU version" because of her powerful portrayal in the Justice League cartoons, by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm. That's the character this reviewer loves and will forever remember her as.

 

Value Score: 9 / 10  

Summary

9 - Attention to detail, new sculpted bits, and improved sleeker appearance of the hips.

8 - Wings definitely need a thorough paint-job, only some small flubs around the mouth. 

7 - Everything moves as expected, but the waist and neck, two vital joints, are very limited.

8 - Red hair, huge wings, and an even bigger attitude, what more could you ask for?

9 - No Giganta piece but the pack-ins and substantial figure make up for it.

 

 

For a DCUC figure, this thing is awesome. A wonderful value and a much welcome addition to anyone's collection (unless they hate hot chicks, boooo!).

- Dr. Nightmare