DC Universe Action Figures
Series 1
For DC Comics fans it seems that Super Powers was the high water mark for toys based in their universe, with a large cast of characters and standard articulation and action features throughout. This is both sad and impressive. Impressive that Super Powers was such a well designed line that it is still popular today. However, this is sad because in twenty years the fans haven't been able to move past it and embrace a new mass-market line. That may be about to change.
Mattel has had a DC Comics license in one form or another since 2003. Early on the licensing was pretty restrictive, covering only certain characters, though it has recently been expanded it to cover the entire DC Universe. Never one to let that go to waste, Mattel is hitting the ground running with a new line of highly articulated (and more importantly they will maintain this level throughout) line of figures aptly named DC Universe.
The Line
The first series of Mattel's ambitious DC Universe line has a nice mix of characters that span the DC Universe. It has the 'classics' appellation applied, and for the first series they will be hitting on some classic characters in their classic looks. They do break out the modern duds for the variant figure, but for the rest they stick to classic looks in a style that is clearly influenced by the 'Super Powers' line.
You have the anchor character in Batman, plus a villain for him in the Penguin. You add in an old classic in Red Tornado, one of Jack Kirby's New Gods with Orion, and the rhyming Demon Etrigan. To top it off you get Rex Mason the Element Man (you may know him as Metamorpho) as an added bonus if you buy all the figures via 'collect & connect'.
Series 2 is planned to include Aquaman, Firestorm, Harley Quinn, Superman Red & Blue, and Black Manta with a Gorilla Grodd 'collect & connect' figure.
What has become par for the course in superhero toys is the 'build-a-figure' concept that Marvel Toys (nee Toy Biz) had perfected in Marvel Legends and Legendary Comic Book Heroes. Mattel's version of the 'build-a-figure' is their alliterative 'collect & connect' (C&C), but the result is the same - you get part of an extra figure with each one in the assortment. If you get them all you can create an extra figure that isn't available any other way. This adds some value to the figures and gives you an incentive to buy them all.
The Packaging
Mattel has come up with a nice and attractive package for the new line. They thankfully aren't using clamshells, but sticking with the tried and true blister card, but with a twist. The front is dominated by a huge window showing off the figure and it almost looks like it is a gem that encases the figure. The 'collect & connect' pieces are hidden, but the figure is in full glorious display with a background of comic panels featuring the characters in Series 1.
There are some clear rubber bands used to hold the figures in, but there are no twist-ties. None. 'Nuff said.
They went to the trouble to individualize the packaging, with clear information on which figure and C&C part you have on the sides and front of the package. The back reiterates which part is in which figure and shows off the full set of series 1. They have also added in a paragraph of biographical information and a summary of the character's first comic book appearance, powers, name and base of operations.
The one truly nice touch that they added for retailers was the ubiquitous j-hook for pegging figures. The j-hook is clear plastic and it folds down in the back and can easily be removed for a great display carded.
Design Philosophy
Mattel has taken a page out of Marvel Toys/ Toy Biz in utilizing and maximizing re-use of body parts while keeping the figures unique. The positive aspect of this is that it should keep costs down on Mattel's end and let them make significantly more characters over the life of the line. The negative aspect is that the body sculpts are pretty generic and you won't be getting complete new sculpts for all figures.
For the first series they have created three basic bodies - a built but medium sized physique, a large 'brick' one, and the Penguin. Etrigan is the brick and Batman, Orion, and Red Tornado share much of the same body parts. Rex Mason looks to use the same basic body design as the latter three, but it is highly sculpted to fit his unusual body and textures.
One design that didn't exactly make the transition is in the ankle joints. The ankles are designed to allow the feet to have a side-to-side tilt via a hinge inside the foot. However, the production figures have very little movement available and this is due to not having a cut in the feet to allow the tilting.
The joints on all the figures are nice and tight and it has good set of standard articulation. The one area where it could be improved articulation-wise is in adding swivels to the ankles to let the feet turn. Otherwise it is a good compromise between having enough to get decent poses and too much.
All the figures except for Penguin have a combination thigh joint. It has a t-crotch with swivels for the thighs, and there is a hinge added to allow movement out. It is a more refined design like the one used on the Toy Biz Marvel Legends Elektra figure.
For most of the figures in this initial assortment the paint work is subtle and generally minimal. The figures are mostly molded in their primary colors and the characters don't have lots of different colors in their designs, and so the figures look nice and don't need lots of paint.
The figures are in a 6" scale and they fit in well with the other large superhero lines - Marvel Legends and Legendary Comic Book Heroes. With DC Direct they fit in with some and not with others due to scale inconsistencies in that line.
Whodunit
This line is really a group effort in more ways than one. Yes, the Four Horsemen were the ones who sculpted and prototyped the figures, but the whole team doesn't do the same thing. Primary figure sculpting is done by Eric Treadaway and Chris Dahlberg while prototyping and accessories are handled by Jim Preziosi, Eric Mayse, and Shane Dittsworth. Especially with the re-use of parts, crediting the figures on an individual level is not possible.
As for the characters, Bob Kane is Batman's creator though the yellow oval on the chest was an invention of Julius Schwartz. Orion was created (along with the rest of the New Gods) by the King - Jack Kirby. As if that weren't enough, Jack created the Demon, Etrigan as well. The Penguin was added to the rogue's gallery of Batman by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, and Rex Mason sprung from the mind of Bob Haney, who did memorable work on Doom Patrol and Metal Men in the 60's. The Red Tornado owes his genesis to a story written by Gardner Fox. You know, the Gardner Fox who basically created Earth-2 and who DC should pay royalties to for anything with 'crisis' in the title? Yeah, that guy.
The Verdict
You've already seen people crowning this line and it is premature. They are who we thought they were. It is a great start to a line that could be a great one and live up to the hype, but it is six figures in and there are still some issues with the toys. There is a great deal of re-use among parts and there were some quality control issues with the first series.
Whether or not the ankle articulation gets properly fixed remains to be seen, and the heavy capes aren't necessarily the best solution. The issues with the first C&C figure thigh joints are an area that also needs improvement, as well as some of the paint decoration (mainly with Red Tornado).
They are on the right track with this line, and some better quality control and small tweaks are all this line needs to take it to the next level. It isn't the best superhero action figure line ever created (give this to Toy Biz Marvel Legends), but it does show potential to get there. This is definitely a line you'll want to start on the ground floor with, because it is only going up!
| Where to buy DC Universe Series 1: The DC universe action figures retail for about $10 each and are available through most mass market toy retailers, as well as various online toy retailers.
Two such online stores are RTM sponsors Big Bad Toy Storeand Alter Ego Comics. (Be sure to check the other RTM sponsors, listed on the Shop Center.) |
Demon
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Demon At-A-Glance: |
• The Demon, Etrigan
• 7" tall
• Demonic Style
• $10
• A poet and knows it.
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The Source
He is the Demon, Etrigan,
He does stand taller than Batman.
His hands are soft and pliable,
His articulation is quite full.
We don't really have the time,
To write the whole spotlight in rhyme.
We'll leave the verse to one who can,
He is the Demon, Etrigan.
Subjecting you to the meandering verse was our plan, to cover the Demon Etrigan. We'll diverge from that plan to bring you some information is a less rhythmic, but more easily read form. And it will be easier to write since we won't need to continually come up with new rhymes, and this practice should save some time.
Etrigan is one of those guys who really isn't on the side of good per se, but he usually makes things better even so. His origin goes back to King Arthur where Merlin summoned him to help beat back Morgaine Le Fay. Using evil to beat evil usually doesn't work like you'd want, and Merlin loses and the Demon was turned into Jason Blood to await his next call.
Now his past is slightly more complicated due to years of new stories and retroactive continuity, and unlike his original appearances he speaks in rhymes. Alan Moore (writer of Watchmen among others) explained it as a perk for moving up the demonic corporate ladder, but he's been rhyming for much longer than that. And rhyme he still does, with a pair of transformational verses to go back and forth from Etrigan to Jason Blood.
The Figure
The Demon, Etrigan is the largest of the first series at 7" tall and about 5-1/2" wide. He's got some nice design touches, including mixed materials. He is loaded with articulation, and has nice paint applications (though not extensive). The paint has very subtle and well applied washes throughout.
Softer materials extend to the hands, head and cape. There are soft and pliable hands (Palmolive maybe?) that won't scratch you with those nails and so it is easier to put things in the hands. The down side is that the grip isn't as tight as it would be if the hands were a harder plastic. Considering how sharp Etrigan's nails would be, from a safety standpoint Mattel had to choose a soft material for the hands. The head is made of the same softer material, but feels harder since it is solid.
The cape is a mixed bag. It is a softer plastic than the figure's body, but it attaches around the neck and via a peg into the back of the figure in between the shoulder blades. The cape is somewhat pliable, but it could use a little more. It is heavy and throws the balance of the figure off a little. Probably the best cape is the one on the Marvel Select Dr. Doom which had a great look with enough flexibility to be sat upon.
The sculpting shows through on the figure, and you have details like wrinkles on the skin, pores on the back of the skull, stressed leather on the belt and an intricate belt buckle. The articulation has tight joints and it works well. The ankles don't have swivels (they could easily have been hidden in the boot cuffs) and that's probably the one area this figure could be improved on articulation-wise.
Etrigan comes with Rex Mason's left arm and he is considered figure number 4, for those keeping score at home.
Articulation:
Neck - ball and socket
Shoulders - ball-joints
Biceps - twists
Elbows - hinges
Wrists - twists
Chest - hinge
Waist - twist
Thighs - hinge and twist
Mid-thighs - twists
Knees - hinges
Ankles - hinges
Feet - very limited side-to-side hinge
Red Tornado
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Red Tornado At-A-Glance: |
• Red Tornado
• 6-1/2" tall
• Classic, older look
• $10
• Breaks like the wind.
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The Source
This isn't the first Red Tornado (that was the golden age Ma Hunkel) but he is the silver age version, created in the late 60's in the pages of Justice League of America (JLA). T.O. Morrow created the android that would become Red Tornado as a plot to infiltrate and subsequently defeat the JLA.
But Red Tornado wasn't just any old android, T.O. took two pre-existing androids from the planet Rann to mix in and make the new machine. He added Tornado Tyrant and Tornado Champion but instead of getting 'Tornado Tyrant Champion' you got Red Tornado. Of course the plan failed and the Red Tornado ended up being a good guy and joining the JSA. And then things got way complicated as anything that involves Earth 1 or Earth 2 and the plethora of crises that have shaken the DC Universe are wont to do.
And let this be a cautionary tale for humanity. The machines will overthrow our will and seek to act on their own to dominate us. Praise be to our android masters, the rest of you have been warned...
The Figure
The Red Tornado is 6-3/8" tall for the figure, but with the cape sticking up the complete height is 6-1/2". This figure actually has two versions available, a modern and a classic version. By classic they mean prior to the modern, so don't look for the original look for Red Tornado (red and purple) or Ma Hunkel who was the original Red Tornado. The modern version is pictured on the cardback and is actually the variant version, with the classic look as the default version. This was changed after the card art was completed and before production was finalized.
All the capes in this series have the same problem, they are too stiff. It is flexible and made of a softer plastic than the figure's body and attaches around the neck and via a peg into the back of the figure in between the shoulder blades. The cape is somewhat pliable, but seems a little too heavy. Basically, it means poses that don't involve standing don't always look right. Don't try to kneel the figure, the cape prevents it.
The sculpting on this figure is very simple and so it doesn't stand out. The cuffs for the boots and gloves are separate pieces that are attached to the arms and legs. The left hand wasn't properly pushed in on but a little work corrected this minor problem on our figure.
The paint work on this figure has the most issues. There are a lot of lines for the Red Tornado's costume, and by and large they've done a good job. But there are two issues with our figure. The reddish wash they applied to most of the yellow stripes on the figure would have looked better without it, especially the ring on the cape around Tornado's neck. The other issue was with a spot on the red trim for the cape that was smudged and looks unpainted around the head. The dark washes they added to the body look much better than the red washes.
The figure comes with Rex Mason's left leg and an attachment to simulate the Tornado's powers. The attachment is translucent orange and looks like a funnel and will slip over the right fist (and only the right fist). It actually fits pretty well, but one issue that is apparent is that the fists (and glove cuffs) are molded in white plastic and painted yellow, and so taking this on and off will cause paint rubs on the hands (this would have been solved by molding the hands in yellow).
If you were wondering, the Tornado is figure number 5.
Articulation:
Neck - ball and socket
Shoulders - ball-joints
Biceps - twists
Elbows - hinges
Wrists - twists
Chest - hinge
Waist - twist
Thighs - hinge and twist
Mid-thighs - twists
Knees - hinges
Ankles - hinges
Feet - very limited side-to-side hinge
Batman
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Batman At-A-Glance: |
• Batman
• 6-1/2" tall
• Classic Style
• $10
• Makes wonderful toys.
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The Source
Let's say a kid is with his parents and they are killed in front of his eyes, what happens to the kid? He could go either way depending on the situation, and in fact a tale called 'The Player on the Other Side' explored that in the 1980's with one man going on to fight crime and the other causing it. But we all know the answer to this particular question - he dresses up like a bat and beats the crap out of people and fights weirdly-dressed and weirdly-acting villains.
If you don't know who Batman is, you probably didn't buy him or any superhero toys and you aren't reading this, so we can make fun of the rock you live under. Suffice it to say, Batman (aka billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne) uses his money and intelligence to fight crime in a most visceral and in-your-face way in Gotham City. He's got tons of gadgets and is considered the world's greatest detective. That world being Earth-whatever we're using now at DC Comics.
The Figure
Batman is 6-1/2" tall (just under 6-3/4" with the ears) and is almost the same height as Red Tornado, which makes sense since they share the same basic body. He is called Crime Stopper or Classic Detective Batman, and there are examples of packaging reflecting both names. Pretty simple names, though I would have to argue that classic detective should come with something for detecting, not the accessories included, so crime stopper is a more accurate name.
Paint-wise, Batman doesn't need anything too complex. He's got simple but effective paint applications and the same dark wash that covers all the figures in the series. The washes look good and the rest of the paint doesn't have any problems. There is a tampo of his symbol on his chest and it looks just fine.
The head, hands and forearms are made of a softer, more pliable plastic. This works especially well on the hands, and the softness allows the figure to easily hold either accessory in either hand. The cape is also softer plastic, but it's just a bit too hard and while being flexible you can't pose the figure in a crouch or kneeling since the cape is in the way. It is also attached via a peg in the back of the figure between the shoulder blades.
In addition to Rex Mason's right arm and arm attachment, Batman (the number 2 figure in this series) has a couple of accessories. Where would he be without his wonderful toys? He's got a Batarang and grappling hook gun, both of which are softer plastic and fit in either hand. The grappling hook gun has a removable grappling hook that is attached to the gun via a string about 5" long, for climbing smaller heights.
Articulation:
Neck - ball and socket
Shoulders - ball-joints
Biceps - twists
Elbows - hinges
Wrists - twists
Chest - hinge
Waist - twist
Thighs - hinge and twist
Mid-thighs - twists
Knees - hinges
Ankles - hinges
Feet - very limited side-to-side hinge
Penguin
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Penguin At-A-Glance: |
• Penguin
• 5-7/8" tall
• Umbrella and gun
• $10
• Waaaak! Waaak! Waaak!
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The Source
Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot took his nom de crime from his love of birds, and from the nasty nickname he picked up as a kid. Let's face it, with a nose like that you were either going to be the penguin or something far worse. He has been going at it with Batman since 1941, and he is generally considered Batman's number two enemy behind the Joker.
He's not your average street punk since he dresses well and carries an umbrella. While he does worry about the rain, he is usually packing more than just protection in the umbrella, often rigging them up to fire bullets, gas or for floating to the ground. He's also one of the most well-known villains since he appeared in Batman Returns (played by Danny Devito) and most notably in the campy Batman television show where he was played by the incomparable Burgess Meredith.
The Figure
From the spats to the hat, the Penguin is 5-7/8" short, and he's the smallest of the bunch for Series 1. He is the only out-and-out bad guy for the first series and he's one of only two short guys who make formal and purple work. The other would be Prince, but he's not in the assortment even though to quote Charlie Murphy - he can play ball!
The Penguin isn't generally known for his agility (other than mental) so his lowered articulation isn't surprising. It doesn't hurt the figure at all, and he is still pretty close to the others in terms of poseability. His hands are flexible but not as much as Batman or Etrigan, and that is to help him hold his umbrella. His right hand is a harder gripping sculpt than the left hand.
One of the nice things with this figure is the flexible jacket that covers the sculpted body. By using the 'vest method' it doesn't interfere with the arm articulation and provides a nice, clean look for the figure over his paunch.
Paint-wise, the Penguin has the most complex work in this series and they did a great job with it. The pinstripes are sharp, as are the details on the hat and spats. The best paint work is on the face of Oswald, and they did a great job of capturing details and with the shading to give it a very realistic look that complements a superb facial sculpt.
Batman has his toys and so do his enemies. The Penguin is known for his colorful and deadly umbrellas, and he's packed with one here. The umbrella has a black and silver alternating pattern on top to mesmerize you will the attached gatling gun kills you. You can take the gun off and just use the umbrella to block out the sun or rain, but where's the fun in that?
There is a problem with the gatling gun though - which way does it point and how would it work. The prototype seen in San Diego (Comic-Con 2007) shows it with the multiple barrels pointing away from Oswald while the figure is packed with it pointing the other way. And since the umbrella looks to be made of some form of metal with no holes in it, wouldn't it just ricochet and hit the Penguin? Like Paris Hilton, it looks nice but doesn't really work. There was a robotic penguin sculpted for this figure, but it was dropped due to cost issues.
The Penguin is figure number 3 in the series and he holds it all together as the middle figure and including the middle piece for Rex Mason - his torso and head.
Articulation:
Neck - ball and socket
Shoulders - ball-joints
Biceps - twists
Elbows - hinges
Wrists - twists
Waist - twist
Thighs - hinges
Knees - hinges
Ankles - hinges
Feet - very limited side-to-side hinge
Orion
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Orion At-A-Glance: |
• Orion
• 6-1/2" tall
• Astro-Harness included
• $10
• Who's your daddy?
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The Source
Orion was part of a pre-natal Fox show called 'baby swap' where the diametrically opposed worlds of New Genesis and Apokolips sent their favored sons to each other in order to help with interstellar relations. Mr. Miracle was the representative from New Genesis and Orion was from Apokolips, being a son of Darkseid, the 800 pound gorilla of DC Comics bad guys.
Being a child of wild Apokolips you'd think Orion would have some anger issues, and he does. But he's become a better person through friends, therapy and with help from the living computers called Mother Boxes. The Mother Box also helps his appearance, making him look less like his dad Darkseid and more like a matinee idol. Well, back when they had matinees and there were idols other than the American variety.
He flies around in his Astro-Harness (whose origin in unknown) wreaking havoc and untold destruction on his enemies. This is one guy who likes to break stuff, and he is considered the best and fiercest warrior on New Genesis and Apokolips. He literally eats Spartans for brunch.
The Figure
Orion shares the same basic body as both Batman and the Red Tornado, so he's also right at 6-1/2" tall. He's got the same articulation, but his lower legs are actually sculpted to make him look better with knees bent in the harness. Because of this he looks a little awkward when standing without it. His helmet doesn't come off, no matter how hard you pull.
The paint work on Orion does include a nice dark wash, but the detailed work is on the harness and helmet. They both came out great.
Orion has almost the exact same body as Batman, he just has a different belt piece, different shins, hands (these are the same ones that Red Tornado has) and a different head. He even has the same hole in the back that has a piece glued in to cover it, but the harness does a perfect job covering it on his back. The one super tiny detail that everyone has missed is the circuitry on the cuff of the right hand glove cuff. Yep it was used in the comics from back in the day to talk remotely to the Mother Box.
Orion does have the very best accessory in the entire first series - his Astro-Harness. The details are incredible, and a fantastic amount of work went into getting this just right. It has the appropriate Kirby-esque technology look about it and it is as spot-on as you can get based on the artwork with Orion in it. As if that wasn't enough, the bottoms of the stirrups are fully sculpted with a detailed Kirby inspired pattern. The Astro-Force that powers the harness is sold separately.
The one bad spot about the Astro-Harness is that both Mattel and pretty much everyone taking pictures of the figure has the 'hoses' for the Harness in the wrong spot. They do radiate out from the stirrups, but then they cut back and stay in between the legs until they attach to the harness. That's the house Jack built, so respect it and fix your Orion.
It really doesn't get any better than this. Well, it actually was supposed to be better because the Mother Box on the left shoulder was designed to be removable on the prototype, but it lost that feature in production (and will not come off short of cutting it off).
Orion is the best of the bunch, just because of the insane Kirby love instilled into him and his gear. The only thing better would be a removable helmet, and I wouldn't be surprised to see that in the future. Oh yeah, he is figure number 1 and he does have the right leg of Rex Mason and Rex's stand, or gloppy big foot if you will.
Articulation:
Neck - ball and socket
Shoulders - ball-joints
Biceps - twists
Elbows - hinges
Wrists - twists
Chest - hinge
Waist - twist
Thighs - hinge and twist
Mid-thighs - twists
Knees - hinges
Ankles - hinges
Feet - very limited side-to-side hinge
Rex Mason, The Element Man
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Rex At-A-Glance: |
• Rex Mason
• 6-3/8" tall
• The Element Man
• Free with purchase of all figures
• Elementary, my dear Watson!
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The Source
Okay. Let's get it out there. Yes, he is Rex Mason the Element Man, but you may think his name was Metamorpho, which it was. However, like many things in our litigious society there is a problem with that name and a South American company, so they just dropped the moniker and left it at Rex Mason, the Element Man. Hey, it's kind of catchy.
Metamorpho was created as an off-beat character to go with some other off-beat characters that were having success at DC Comics in the 1960's, namely the Doom Patrol and Metal Men. He started out as a parody character, but has actually had his own measure of success despite those origins.
Rex Mason's powers came from a radioactive meteorite he was exposed to in an Egyptian pyramid, a meteorite that apparently did the same thing to everyone, as witnessed by the creation of Element Girl from the same rock with the same abilities. Why was Rex looking in that pyramid? Trying to impress his girlfriend's dad, of course. Besides the brief stint with the Element Girl, Rex started out working solo and then has been involved with the Outsiders and justice League over the years.
His body can change into the four traditional 'elements' of the ancient world - water, air, fire and earth, but it isn't limited to that. He can also mimic any compound in the human body and his actually physical form is very fluid, able to stretch, re-shape itself and take on solid, liquid or gaseous form. Too bad no one told him that orange and purple don't go together so well.
The Figure
Rex Mason, the Element Man isn't sold in stores. Well, not in one piece at any rate. He's the 'bonus' figure in the set that you get if you buy the other five. You put him together as part of the 'collect & connect' feature for this line. He's in scale with and the same size as the other figures in the assortment. At the end of the day, if you dollar cost average this group you would get 6 figures for $50, which works out to $8.33 each.
Rex requires a little construction once you get all the pieces from the other figures. This construction is not without flaws. The arms and legs connect via a peg and socket system and there is a mushroom shaped peg that clicks into a hexagonally socket in the shoulders and thighs. The arms work fine but the legs aren't perfect. They will go in, but they come out pretty easily and that is due to a production problem with the pegs.
They have a slot in them that allows the mushroom head to compress so it will fit into the socket and then it should snap back out and stay in place. The slot is cut too deeply, so the legs won't stay in place like they should. You can easily get a small piece of plastic (maybe from the package) to wedge in there but it will make it harder to snap in. Once in it should stay, though.
One cool thing that is added with this is that you kind of get two figures in Rex, instead of getting a bigger figure. You have the normal form and then his morphed form displaying his power to full effect. Beyond the regular body you have two arm attachments and a stand for the right leg. The leg stand seems awkward, but the arm attachments work perfectly and really add to the figure.
Overall the same level of articulation is present in Rex as the other figures, and he matches up perfectly with the other figures in the assortment. He does have a more serious look on his face than his satirical origins might suggest. He's not the friendly neighborhood element man, more like a 'found something bad in his corn flakes' one.
Articulation:
Neck - ball and socket
Shoulders - ball-joints
Biceps - twists
Elbows - hinges
Wrists - twists
Chest - hinge
Waist - twist
Thighs - hinge and twist
Mid-thighs - twists
Knees - hinges
Ankles - hinges
Feet - very limited side-to-side hinge
More pictures of the Demon, Etrigan
More pictures of the Penguin
More pictures of Orion
More pictures of Red Tornado
More pictures of Batman
More pictures of Rex Mason
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