The DC Universe Classics Info Archive has got their hands on some cool new photos of DCUC wave three, including rear views. I’m happy to see Nightwing has back-sheathes for his Eskrima sticks, and the close-up of Solomon Grundy highlights the Horsemen’s excellent head sculpt.
Contest! > Everybody into the Pool
Mattel has come up with a pretty cool option for comic shops that order DC Universe Classics. Customers can pre-order their own six-figure case, which guarantees one of each character and just one extra. I had an extra Batman in my wave one case that I gave to Toys for Toys.I’ve already pre-ordered a case of DCUC wave two (from Corner Store Comics). The case will include one of each figure and one extra (probably Superman Blue/Red). This time, I’m going to give the extra figure–to one of you!* (more…)
New DCUC site
Action Figure Insider forum member Vader has created an information website for DCUC. It’s pretty cool–and thorough.
First pic of the 6″ Dark Knight figures
Toy News International has posted a photo of the Batman figure from the upcoming six-inch line based on The Dark Knight. The line’s sub-title is apparently “Movie Masters,” which presumably means it will cover more than just this one film (and possibly non-Batman films such as Superman Returns and Justice League).
Over on their FANtastic Exclusive forums, the Four Horsemen are a bit uncertain whether the photo is definitely of their prototype or not, but they do offer this tidbit about the figures: “They match up in both scale and articulation with the DC Universe Classics figures. The articulation is really well hidden in that figure.”
More details about the Movie Masters line will be revealed at Toy Fair next month. Along with DCUC and the NECA Ninja Turtles, this is one of my most-anticipated lines for 2008.
ToyFare #127: first pics of Mezco’s Heroes figures
ToyFare has posted a scan of the cover for issue #127, featuring Claire and Sylar from Mezco’s upcoming Heroes action figure line. Click the image for a larger version.
My first impression: these appear to be as realistic and non-cartoonish as Mezco’s popular Hellboy movie line from 2004, so fans worried about a Warriors or Miami Vice redux can relax. However, Sylar’s features still look a bit exaggerated, and the Claire likeness needs a lot of work, particularly around cheekbones and the eyes. Hayden Panettiere has very distinctive eyes; if you can get them right, the rest of the likeness will fall into place.
These are almost certainly prototypes, so there’s plenty of time to work on them.
Whither modern Red Tornado?
The only official variant announced by Mattel for DC Universe Classics wave 1 (DCUC1) was a modern version of Red Tornado (a character I, admittedly, know practically nothing about–but I like his action figure). But though the line has arrived in comic shops and retailers across the country, the mythical modern RT has yet to be found. Since I know little about the character anyway, I was hoping to get the modern version.
Some background: initially, modern Red Tornado was going to be the main figure, and the “classic” Tornado–with big gloves and buccaneer boots–was to be the variant. But fans on the major collector sites (Fwoosh/AFI) expressed far more interest in the classic version, so Mattel adjusted their case ratios to reflect that. From what retailers could tell, there would be two case types–one that would have one of every regular figure and two Batman figures, and one that would have one of every figure and two Tornados. The assumption among fans was that the latter would contain one
modern and one classic Tornado, but so far, all we’ve got is classic.
So, the question is: what’s the deal, Mattel? Will we see the modern Tornado in later case pack-outs or alongside a future wave, or is he destined to become an exclusive or, worse, never see the light of day at all?
Coming up this week: My long-overdue comments on The Transformers movie (which I saw for the first time this weekend) > Cleatus, the Fox Sports Robot > Michael Crawford and the Poppies > and at last, my review of DC Universe Classics Wave 1 > Plus: PGPoA’s very first contest!
Shortpacked! > Welcome to Fandom
This Shortpacked! strip takes a shot at the online action figure community, a topic I just wrote about. It’s targeted specifically toward Marvel Legends collectors. While I admit they’re a rambunctious bunch–particularly since the Hasbro takeover of ML–the journalist in me wonders whether Willis was feeling a little defensive about the makers of his favorite toys (Transformers).
Another thing…I’ve always assumed that the online community of action figure collectors was no different than geeks in any other geekdom–movie fans, Tolkien fans, science fiction television fans and so forth. But this strip makes me wonder if action figure collectors don’t have some unique characteristics aside from their preferred topics and vocabulary. Is there something about the character of your average adult action figure collector that is different from, say, a comic book geek? A videogame geek?
(PS. I’d intended to write a more substantive post today, but I was sidetracked by six hours of Mass Effect. I offer no excuse, just sincere apologies.)
(PPS. I’d be remiss if I didn’t post a link to my favorite Shortpacked! strip of all time.)
(PPPS. I hope Butterbur sends this promptly. A worthy man, but his memory is like a lumber-room: thing wanted always buried. If he forgets, I shall roast him. And now back to Mass Effect…)
DCUC 3 variants
Action Figure Insider has posted the first pics of the variants for wave 3 of DC Universe Classics: an unmasked Deathstroke and Sinestro in his “Sinestro Corps” uniform.
These variants continue the DCUC trend of not particularly interesting me. If I got the Sinestro Corps variant, I’d probably keep it, but I wouldn’t deliberately track it down. I’d trade the unmasked Deathstroke for the regular version.
I’m kind of glad there isn’t a Robin variant with the earlier Tim Drake red/green costume…it saves me from having to buy two Robins and then agonize over which to display.
IMotherBoxPod
Finally came up with a caption I liked for this pic.
“Dammit! Infinite processing power and I still keep getting that damned sad face! DESAAAAAAD! Come fix this!”
2007: The Year in Haulage
Happy New Year! I’m working on a very big review of the first wave of DC Universe Classics figures, but in the meantime here’s a quick post to tide you over.
Inspired by Googum, I’ve decided to try and post a list of all the toys I bought or received in 2007. I can’t go into quite as much detail–I don’t have dates and I certainly don’t have receipts (and part of me doesn’t want to know how much I spent). This is mostly from memory, so there are undoubtedly a few holes–I’ll update as I remember things.
Looking it over, it’s pretty clear I became a fan of (read: obsessed with) DC Superheroes.
DC Superheroes/DC Universe Classics
- Quickfire Joker
- Bane (international variant)
- Scarecrow
- Mr. Freeze
- Blue/gray Batman
- Azrael
- Bizarro (purple)
- Supergirl (blue)
- Lex Luthor
- Darkseid
- Brainiac
- Man-Bat
- Cyborg Superman
- Mongul
- Two-Face
- Clayface
- Catwoman
- Gray/black Batman
- Classic Detective Batman
- Red Tornado
- The Penguin
- Orion
- Etrigan the Demon
Hellboy
- Abe Sapien (Mezco)
- Hellboy Animated (Gentle Giant Best Buy Exclusive)
- Abe Sapien Animated (Gentle Giant)
- Movie Hellboy (Gentle Giant)
- 12″ Movie Abe Sapien (Sideshow)
TMNT
- Leonardo
- Donatello
- Raphael
- Michelangelo
Legendary Comic Book Heroes
- Savage Dragon
- Judge Dredd
- Ripclaw
- Ann O’Brien
- Marv
- Judge Death
- Star
- Madman
- Witchblade
- Superpatriot
- Conan
- Wraarl
- The Darkness
- Stryker
Marvel Legends
- Tiger Stripe Wolverine
- Blackheart
- Wolverine/Sabretooth Face-Off
- Hydra Soldier
- Silver Surfer (Hasbro Comic F4)
Halo (Joyride Studios)
- Brute
- Spec Ops Elite
- Master Chief (series 4)
Nightmare Before Christmas (NECA)
- Santa Jack
- Santa Jack II
- Cyclops
- Experiment Jack
Miscellaneous
- Street Gear Clubber Lang (Rocky III)
- 7″ Indiana Jones (Disney parks exclusive)
- Fox Sports Robot
- Frosty the Snowman (Round 2)
- Godzilla 1975 (Bandai)
- Identity Crisis Batman (DC Direct)
- Hush Joker (DC Direct)
- Special Forces Accessory Packs (Resaurus)
- Jonathan Papelbon (McFarlane MLB)
- Creature from the Black Lagoon (Toy Island)
- Pig Cop (Duke Nukem – Resaurus)
- Grimlock (Transformers Titanium 3″)
- Snowman (Twisted Christmas – McFarlane)
- Alien Warrior (Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem – NECA)
- Ramathorr (FANtastic Exclusive)