The Essential DC Television Universe Villain Gets A Figure: The Reverse-Flash

The Good: Good sculpt, Accurate coloring (for the most part), Amazing articulation, Good balance
The Bad: Exposed joints, Articulation creates costume issues, Incredibly minor coloring issue
The Basics: The Eobard Thawne as The Reverse-Flash figure from DC Collectibles is an excellent idea with a mediocre execution for fans of The Flash.


When it comes to DC Comics, there are no villains I like more than the Reverse-Flash (actually, Hunter Zolomon's Zoom - the Reverse-Flash from Geoff Johns's run with Wally West as The Flash is my favorite!). So, I'm pretty psyched that the Reverse-Flash has returned to The Flash following "Flashpoint" (reviewed here!) and now Legends Of Tomorrow where he has been revealed as the primary adversary for the second season, starting with "Out Of Time" (reviewed here!). So, when DC Collectibles announced that there was going to be a Reverse-Flash figure from their line of toys based upon The Flash television show, I was super-psyched. Before my wife picked me up the Reverse-Flash figure, the only figure of the character I had was the Flashpoint Zoom exclusive figure (reviewed here!). I was psyched that there would be a figure of the Reverse-Flash that matched the other figures from The Flash line.

Unfortunately, the new Reverse-Flash figure is not as good as one might hope. I am a fan of DC Collectibles figures and I buy them instead of the Mattel DC Universe action figures because the Mattel toy line has long prioritized articulation ahead of any form of fidelity to the character. The massive articulation for the Mattel figures made the toy line just look sloppy. Especially for characters who have a lot of skin showing, the exposed joints just make the Mattel figures look crappy. The Reverse-Flash figure from The Flash line is the first time I've found a DC Collectibles figure to be of such a quality level that it might be on par with its Mattel DC Universe equivalent. There are so many details of the Reverse-Flash figure that DC Collectibles gets right that it is shocking that the articulation is so developed that when one uses the many joints, the figure just looks terrible.

It is The Reverse-Flash in his distinct yellow and black outfit, that is the subject of the DC Collectibles action figure of the character.

Basics

The Reverse-Flash figure is a wonderful sculpt of the television character and DC Collectibles manages to cheat the facial sculpt for accuracy and coloring by having The Reverse-Flash with his hood up to obscure much of the details that would define the character as either Matt Letscher or Tom Cavanaugh's Eobard Thawne. Given how round the head sculpt is for the Eobard Thawne figure is fairly round, this is a much better rendition of Letscher's Thwane than Cavanaugh's. The distinct speedster villain stands 6 3/4" tall to the top of the figure's head. The Reverse-Flash figure is available from DC Collectibles, though there is a smaller, more overtly crappy version of the figure from ReAction and a DC Multiverse figure from Mattel on the market now as well.

On the sculpt front, this version of the Reverse-Flash looks perfectly like the CW show version of The Reverse-Flash. This is clearly Eobard Thawne as The Reverse-Flash and the texture to the costume is far richer than figures based upon the comic book version of the character. This version of The Reverse-Flash features red lightningbolts molded to the sides of his hood and the center of the chest. Unlike some versions of The Reverse-Flash, this version of the character is wearing an outfit that is clearly assembled; the shirt is molded with a distinctly different texture than the pants and both have seams mimicking the ones on the costume that clearly imply it was sewn together. The Reverse-Flash's cowl covers most of his face, but DC Collectibles captured the roundness of Matt Letscher's version of Eobard Thawne for the jawline especially!

The Reverse-Flash's costume is a very well detailed for its color variations. The yellow of the cowl and chest shades down into black for the legs and hands of the character. Somewhat interestingly, the front is better detailed than the back of the figure. The front has excellent detailing for things like the red striped lighting bolts on the front of the costume. On the back, though, the red stripes are on the top of the back, but not the torso section of the figure. The fact that DC Collectibles gets the stripes on the torso for the front but not the back is a weird inconsistency. While the exposed flesh is cast in monotones and the lips are not colored, the costume is generally well-colored.

Accessories

The Reverse-Flash, as rendered for the television incarnation, comes with eight accessories. Noticeably lacking in a stand upon which to put the figure, The Reverse-Flash instead comes with three alternate pairs of hands and an additional left hand with the distinct Reverse-Flash ring molded onto it and colored brassy gold like it is supposed to. This version of Eobard Thawne allows one to pull out the hands it comes with and put in fists or straight (fingers extended for a running look or a vibrate the hand through the chest version!) hands. But the interchangeable hands are a nice touch, with a problematic execution. The hands are not easy to pull out or put in, which means one has to risk breaking the figure just to use the accessory.

The Reverse-Flash also comes with the tachyon collector that fits onto Eobard's chest. The accurately colored silver, black and gold piece is supposed to snap onto the Reverse-Flash's chest. While the center piece is designed to hold to the symbol on the figure's chest, the harness only stays on about half the time. This is an accessory that is an excellent idea with a middling execution.

Playability

The DC Collectibles figures were designed more for display than play and this is good, but not great for this figure. On the plus side, the Reverse-Flash has good balance, even when it is placed in outlandish poses. The articulation is so good that the Reverse-Flash may be manipulated into many different poses.

Unfortunately, getting the figure to stand up in weird, cool poses makes the toy look ridiculous by exposing the joints - the unpainted bits below the surface. The Reverse-Flash comes with twenty-one points of articulation, which is exceptional, though it does seem to be standard for a DC Collectibles figure. The Reverse-Flash has joints at the ankles, calves, upper and lower knees, thighs, groin socket, waist, bust, shoulders, elbows, wrists and head. The shoulders, elbows, ankles and wrists are proper ball and socket joints, while the knees are hinge joints. The head is on a ball joint, which allows The Reverse-Flash to look in virtually any direction! Unfortunately, things like the thigh articulation make the figure look ridiculous as the joint bisects the costume's lightningbolt detailing and cuts the lines of the painted-on stripes. Similarly, to use the full range of motion for the groin socket joint exposes the flat portions of the leg inside and the uncolored joint section beneath. The more one uses the figure's articulation, the more like a toy the figure looks, as opposed to the character it is supposed to embody.

Collectibility

The Reverse-Flash is part of the DC Collectibles The Flash Series 2 line which was fairly uncommon as it was usually only distributed through comic book shops and specialty stores like FYE. The Reverse-Flash is the second villain in the The Flash toy line, but DC Collectibles is continuing the quality and style of their Arrow figures with The Reverse-Flash. So, fans of the CW's DC Television Universe can easily collect across the series's and have their figures match for quality. With Eobard Thawne continuing his villainous run on Legends Of Tomorrow, one suspects that the Reverse-Flash figure will appreciate in value as the adversary reaches an even bigger audience than before.

Overview

The Reverse-Flash is a great idea with a middling execution; the incredible figure could have been made better by DC Collectibles, but it seems it was rushed to market before truly getting it right.

For other action figures from The Flash toy line, please check out my reviews of:
The Flash
Captain Cold
Heat Wave

5/10

For other toy reviews, please check out my Toy Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2016 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Except For The Face, The The Flash Heat Wave Action Figure Is Wonderful!

The Good: Generally good sculpt, Good articulation, Great balance, Neat accessories
The Bad: Facial sculpt is a bit off, Inhibited articulation, Minor paint issue (paint comes off!)
The Basics: The Flash and Legends Of Tomorrow share Heat Wave as a character and the first major collectible based upon him is all right!


Arguably one of the characters who has grown most between The Flash and Legends Of Tomorrow is Heat Wave. It is interesting that, in creating collectibles for The Flash, Heat Wave is being merchandised before most of the Team Flash heroes. Perhaps because Heat Wave is on both The Flash and Legends Of Tomorrow, that is why DC Collectibles produced a figure of Mick Rory from The Flash before making figures of Iris West, Cisco Ramon, Harrison Wells or Dr. Snow (or any of their alter egos!).

DC Collectibles did a decent job with the Heat Wave figure. While cheating the character's eyes by giving Heat Wave goggles, DC Collectibles made an action figure that strongly resembles the costume and character from The Flash.

Basics

The Heat Wave figure is a decent sculpt of the television character and DC Collectibles blends the hard plastic elements of most of the figure with a soft, rubbery coat to enhance the figure and increase its playability. The Mick Rory as Heat Wave figure looks generally like Dominic Purcell, especially in the nose, but the face is just a little too angular to be accurate to the television representation of Heat Wave. The first, and probably definitive, action figure version of Dominic Purcell as Heat Wave (we can still hope there will be a figure of Dominic Purcell as Chronos!) is 7" tall. Heat Wave figure is available from DC Collectibles and the figure may be found online or at most comic book shops that ordered figures from The Flash.

On the sculpt front, this version of Heat Wave looks very much like the CW show version of Mick Rory and Heat Wave. This is Dominic Purcell's version of Heat Wave and despite the coloring of the hair - which is a bit more brown than Purcell's hair in The Flash - and the more elongated head, it is an excellent rendition of the character. It helps that for The Flash and Legends Of Tomorrow, Heat Wave does not wear any sort of ridiculous outfit, like the one in the comic book, but rather a thief's gear. This version of Heat Wave features Mick Rory with the goggles down, wearing a Central City Fire Department outfit. The pants that Heat Wave is wearing have rivets, seams and pockets to make them look more realistic than most action figures. The coat has a collar, a clasp near the top and is made of a rubbery plastic.

Heat Wave's hair is fairly dark brown and it is tough to pull off the buzz cut thinned, dark hair that Purcell has in The Flash and Legends Of Tomorrow. Heat Wave's costume is simple and looks pretty weathered, which is very accurate and cool. Oddly, while the pockets appear subtly covered in soot, the character's shoes are remarkably clean! As for the skin tones for the head and neck, DC Collectibles managed a subtle amount of pink shading to add realism. Rory's ears look more detailed on the coloring front than his cheeks, but the thin pink lips of Heat Wave look decently rendered.

Accessories

Heat Wave, as rendered for the television incarnation, comes with only three (or five, it's relative) accessories. The figure lacks a stand upon which to put the figure, Heat Wave instead comes with two alternate pairs of hands and Heat Wave's flame gun. This version of Mick Rory allows one to pull out the hands it comes with and put in open hands or hands in fists. There are two pairs of open hands that are able to hold the flame gun; the fists obviously cannot hold the flame gun.

The flame gun is 2" long and 3/4" wide and looks exactly like the prop carried by Heat Wave in both shows. The flame gun is colored in black, orange, and gunmetal and looks very clean compared to the figure's outfit. It fits in four of the six hands that Heat Wave comes with (the other two are fists) and looks surprisingly good there. There is a holster on Heat Wave's right thigh that holds the gun perfectly!

Playability

The DC Collectibles figures were designed more for display than play and this is an impressive figure. Heat Wave has very good balance, especially when he is flatfooted. Moved out of a pure flatfooted position, Heat Wave remains surprisingly stable. That makes Heat Wave poseable in action poses, especially holding his flame gun.

Heat Wave comes with sixteen points of articulation, which is exceptional, though DC Collectibles figure have long been known for making figures with great articulation that also look good. Heat Wave has joints at the ankles, upper and lower knees, groin socket, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist and head. The shoulders, elbows, ankles and wrists are proper ball and socket joints, while the knees are hinge joints. The elbows, ankles and wrists are all inhibited by the costume detailing so they have surprisingly limited movement in comparison to the joint structure. The head is on a ball joint, which allows Heat Wave to look in virtually any direction! Unfortunately, when joints - especially the knees - are bent, the elements below are colored much more simply than the proper costume. As a result, using the articulation reveals the hinges in fairly unflattering ways.

Collectibility

Heat Wave is part of the DC Collectibles The Flash Series 2 line which was fairly common, though it was usually only distributed through comic book shops and specialty stores like FYE. Heat Wave is the third villain in the The Flash line, but DC Collectibles is continuing the quality and style of their Arrow figures with Heat Wave. So, fans of the CW's DC Television Universe can easily collect across the series's and have their figures match for quality. Given how popular villains are and that Heat Wave is on two DC Television Universe shows, this is one of the more probable figures from DC Collectibles to appreciate in value, despite its somewhat problematic sculpt and coloring elements.

Overview

Heat Wave is a worthy addition to anyone who collects DC Comics-based toys. DC Collectibles did a decent job with a subject that would be exceptionally difficult to pull off by most companies with the Heat Wave action figure!

For other figures from The Flash, please check out my reviews of:
Captain Cold The Flash action figure
Blackest Night Black Lantern Black Flash action figure
Flashpoint Zoom action figure

6.5/10

For other toy reviews, please check out my Toy Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2016 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The "Throwaway" Figure Becomes The Surprise Hit Of The Series: The Amazons And Adversaries Cheetah Action Figure!

The Good: Decently detailed sculpt, Very cool accessory, Good coloring, Good balance
The Bad: Limited articulation of some joints, A few noticeable seams
The Basics: The DC Direct Amazons And Adversaries Cheetah figure captures one of the least-merchandised villains in a particularly awesome and functional way!


When a company creates such a massive collection of franchises as DC Comics, it is hard to keep everyone happy, especially when it comes to collectors. As a simple marketing tactic, DC Comics collectibles tend to be biased toward mainstream heroes - Batman, Superman, Wonderwoman - and instantly recognizable, iconic villains, like The Joker. But when it comes to collectibles, it is hard not to notice just how neglected the Wonder Woman corner of the DC Comics Universe is. Ironically, it took until I actually sat down to review Injustice: Gods Among Us (reviewed here!) for me to realize that the game, which includes such obscure characters as Raven, Killer Frost, Shazam and his primary antagonist, Black Adam, did not include a single villain from the Wonder Woman comic book! So, to cap off my week of DC Comics-themed reviews, I figured I should review something Wonder Woman and what better than the Amazons And Adversaries Cheetah action figure from DC Direct?

Cheetah is probably the most iconic and recognizable villain faced by Wonder Woman, arguably because she made it into various incarnations of cartoons, like the Super Friends in order to give Wonder Woman someone to fight (I guess in the 1970s, it was still taboo to have women smacking around men and vice versa, even in a superhero context?). There are several Cheetah action figures on the market, both from DC Direct and Mattel, but the Amazons And Adversaries version is arguably the most animalistic and dynamic-looking.

Basics

The Barbara Minerva transformed into the Cheetah figure is incredibly rendered, doing justice to even the most detailed artwork upon which it is based. This version of Cheetah is basically a naked, furry-looking humanoid cheetah with a mane, much like a lion's (Minerva's human hair remained on her head). She has a long tail that sweeps down from her spine and twirls around one leg and DC Direct got the detailing absolutely right. The transformed scientist stands 7 1/4" tall, which keeps her in proportion to others in the DC Direct 6" figure collection.

This toy is a completely accurate sculpt, especially for a character that has only had two-dimensional references, Cheetah looks good in all three dimensions. DC Direct made the character impressively muscled and sculpted to look like she is covered in fur by surprisingly fine etching in the plastic. The figure's fingernails look absolutely lethal, which is appropriate for the character. That DC Direct paid similar attention to the toes is pretty incredible. Even Cheetah's fangs are sculpted to look deadly.

On the coloring front, Cheetah is similarly immaculate in the detailing. Covered in spots and brown accents to imply the fur has depth, the Cheetah figure looks amazing. The detailing for the spots and lines around Cheetah's eyes are impressive and not a single spot looks like it was sloppily painted on. This is a great figure in terms of sculpt and coloring.

Accessories

Cheetah, the animalistic adversary of Princess Diana, comes with a single accessory, a base that allows her to look like she is creeping deftly over a shattered stump. The 4 1/2" long by 3" wide and 4 1/2" tall base looks like a tree that has been blasted apart and has similar color depth to the action figure, so it fits her perfectly. Near the stump is a footprint with a peg that fits into the hole in Cheetah's right foot. Attached to the base, Cheetah is poseable in an incredible number of action poses!

Playability

The DC Direct figures were designed more for display than play, but this Cheetah is awesome for both. She has decent articulation and balance that is good enough that she can stand in most poses. Flatfooted, she is able to stand well-enough that she can be posed looking dynamic, which is good for the sculpt! With the stand, there are several poses that she can be put in that are a little more extravagant than a simple standing pose.

Cheetah comes with nine points of articulation, most of which are simple swivel joints. Cheetah has joints at the knees, groin socket, shoulders, elbows and head. The elbows and knees are both hinge joints; all the rest are simple swivel joints, which does limit the figure’s articulation and poseability. The head, however, is inhibited by the hair. Sure, it is on a ball joint, but it cannot be turned.

The only real strike on the playability front is that the tail is not overly flexible and the head has only a few degrees of movement.

Collectibility

Cheetah is part of the DC Direct “Wonder Woman” Amazons And Adversaries line which was only distributed through comic book shops and specialty toy stores. The Cheetah figure was a wonderfully sculpted figure and given how few Cheetah figures there are, it seems like it is generally maintaining its value; at least it is not losing value. Given how different this sculpt is from so many other versions of the character, one suspects it will at least maintain its value in coming years!

Overview

Cheetah is a compelling villain in Wonder Woman and for those collecting Wonder Woman collectibles, this remains one of the best figures for those who play with or pose their toys!

For other Wonder Woman toy reviews, please check out my takes on:
Amazons And Adversaries Ares
Donna Troy As Wonder Woman
Blackest Night Black Lantern Wonder Woman

9/10

For other comic book toy reviews, please check out my Comic Book Action Figure Review Index Page!

© 2016 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Dead Hero Extraordinaire: The Black Lantern Wonder Woman Figure Is Awesome!

The Good: Great sculpt, Decent accessory, Excellent coloring, Decent balance, Good articulation!
The Bad: Somewhat ridiculous collectible value!
The Basics: The Blackest Night Black Lantern Wonder Woman figure is one of the impressive figures from the DC Collectibles toy line!


I have a pretty big Wonder Woman action figure collection and I am very determined to keep only the best pieces in my collection. One of the pieces that I am keeping more proudly than I ever expected to is the Blackest Night Black Lantern Wonder Woman action figure. Don't get me wrong; I love Blackest Night, but the figures from DC Collectibles have been erratic and this is such an obscure character that many casual fans will find it anything but essential.

For those unfamiliar with her, the Black Lantern Wonder Woman is a very secondary character from Blackest Night and it is another impermanent incarnation of Princess Diana as Wonder Woman. Near the end of Blackest Night (reviewed here!), Wonder Woman is transformed into a hideous Black Lantern, like most of the heroes who were once dead. The saga of Wonder Woman being taken over and turned into a Black Lantern is in Black Lantern Corps Volume 2 (reviewed here!).

It is Wonder Woman in her Black Lantern costume that is the subject of the DC Direct action figure of the character.

Basics

The Black Lantern Wonder Woman figure is a wonderful sculpt and is perfect on the sculpt front! This is an amazing-looking version of the dead, Nekron-controlled Wonder Woman. She stands 6 1/4" tall to the top of the figure's head. The Black Lantern Wonder Woman figure is available from DC Direct, though there is a lesser DC Universe version of the figure now on the market as well. That one features more joints which look incredibly sloppy, whereas the non-Mattel version is has some joints that are well-hidden and prioritizes fidelity to the subject over the appearance of articulation.

On the sculpt front, this version of Wonder Woman looks like Diana in the face, but is silver and back with a very gray skintone. This version of Diana has empty white eyes, flowing black hair and the tiara and bracelets one expects from Wonder Woman. But the tiara actually comes down her nose ridge and partially around her eyes to give her a more armored appearance. This is complimented by a rubbery skirt and boots that continue the warrior appearance. Wonder Woman's boots go almost up to her knees and the figure features a black lantern ring on her left middle finger! Her right hip has a hook - which juts out just a little too much - upon which rests her lasso. In this incarnation of the figure, the lasso is essentially a black thread.

The Black Lantern Wonder Woman's costume is colored silver-gray for her gauntlets, black and silver for the rest of the outfit. This leaves a lot of the character’s skin exposed. Because this incarnation of Wonder Woman is (more or less) dead, her skin tones are monolithically white/gray, like a corpse! This is an excellently colored and sculpted figure!

Accessories

The Black Lantern Wonder Woman, transformed into a resurrected corpse, comes with only two accessories. She has her stand and her transformed lasso. The stand is a black and white disk with the Black Lantern logo. It is 3 3/4" in diameter and 1/4” tall and it has a single peg which plugs into the hole in Black Lantern Wonder Woman's right foot. She is completely stable, especially on her base.

Black Lantern Wonder Woman also comes with a Black Lantern version of her Lasso Of Truth. The 12 1/4" black cord is simple, but enough to do what it is intended to.

Playability

The DC Direct figures were designed more for display than play and this holds up on both fronts. The Black Lantern Wonder Woman has great balance, especially when she is flatfooted. Because she lacks a joints at the ankle, the Black Lantern Wonder Woman figure is somewhat limited in her posing, but on her stand, she can take on very dynamic stances. Off the stand, the Black Lantern Wonder Woman tips, but not as easily as most DC Direct figures. On her stand, she is stable and very poseable.

The Black Lantern Wonder Woman figure comes with only thirteen points of articulation, which is good even for a DC Direct figure. Black Lantern Wonder Woman has joints at the knees, groin socket, shoulders, biceps, elbows, wrists and head. The shoulders are proper ball and socket joints, while the elbows and knees are both hinge joints. The head is on a ball and socket joint, which would allow her to look in virtually any direction! The groin socket allows for an appropriate range of motion.

Collectibility

The Black Lantern Wonder Woman is part of the DC Direct Blackest Night Series 4 line which was fairly uncommon, as it was usually only distributed through comic book shops and specialty stores like FYE. Black Lantern Wonder Woman is one of the many heroes in the Blackest Night line and this is one of several Wonder Woman figures DC Direct produced. The Black Lantern Wonder Woman figure is unique to this series and has exploded in value, probably due to its rarity and quality.

Overview

The Black Lantern Wonder Woman is surprisingly incredible and well worth picking up, even at secondary market prices!

For other Blackest Night figures, please check out my reviews of:
Wave 3 Orange Lantern Larfleeze
Limited Edition Boxed Set
Wave 5 Nekron

9/10

For other toy reviews, please check out my index page!

© 2016 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Perfect And Worth The Wait! The DC Direct Blackest Night Larfleeze The Orange Lantern Figure Succeeds!

The Good: Good sculpt, Decent Accessory, Generally good coloring, Amazing balance, Great articulation, Collector's value!
The Bad: Nothing that I can find!
The Basics: Larfleeze The Orange Lantern might be expensive, but DC Direct got the figure right the first time and the Blackest Night figure remains well worth hunting down!


Every now and then, there comes a toy that I hunt for years and years that I begin to worry cannot possibly live up to the hype. After all, when one spends so long actually wanting something, it is hard to even meet expectations when that object is obtained. It is appropriate that I spent years coveting the Blackest Night Larfleeze the Orange Lantern action figure from DC Direct as the Orange Lantern is powered by the force of his own greed. Now that I have obtained this very hard to find action figure, the real thrill has to be in the fact that it is a truly perfect toy!

For those unfamiliar with him, Larfleeze is the leader of the Orange Lanterns during the Blackest Night. First introduced in Green Lantern: Agent Orange (reviewed here!), Larfleeze is discovered on a forbidden planet utilizing the power of the Orange Ring. Later, it becomes clear that the alien is under the influence of the Orange Lantern and because it is fueled by greed, there is only one Orange Lantern!

It is Larfleeze in his iconic Orange Lantern costume that is the subject of the DC Direct action figure of the character.

Basics

The Larfleeze figure is a dynamic-looking sculpt and outside his packaging, this figure looks awesome from all angles. While the character is colored in monotones for his costume, his long hands and head are all well-sculpted and immaculately colored for surprisingly deep depth and shading. The covetous alien stands 7 3/8" tall to the top of the figure's head. The Blackest Night Larfleeze figure is available only from DC Direct, though Mattel has since made a less cool-looking version of the character.

This toy is an incredible sculpt, especially when one considers this is a very obscure character, based on a two-dimensional source material. Larfleeze looks like he is growling, his mouth open slightly and his fingers stretched out as if to grab things. His hands are sculpted with his right hand reaching and his right hand with the fingers slightly curled, to hold things like the orange lantern that he comes with. Larfleeze is tall, very thin, and fast-looking, appearing like a runner or theif who could squeeze in anywhere. On his right hand, Larfleeze has very long fingers and the faint Orange Ring and the figure includes such molded details as his sharp fingernails and knuckles. Larfleeze’s teeth are sculpted to be tiny, pointed and realistically deadly in their appearance. Larfleeze also has two sets of horns on either side of his jaw that give him a distinctive look. His head also has spines that look very cool and his eyes are blank.

Larfleeze's costume is a very simple Orange Lantern uniform and on the surface, this metallic orange and black outfit looks exceptional. The white Orange Lantern symbol painted on the front of his chest looks fitting and the metallic coloring to the Orange Lantern outfit makes Larfleeze look powerful. The textured ridges on the character's head make Larfleeze look furry and that texture is accented by awesome coloring in the little etches for his "fur!"

Accessories

Larfleeze, sole greedy Orange Lanterns that he is, comes with only three accessories. He has his stand, Glomulus and his Orange Lantern. The stand is an orange and white disk with the Orange Lantern logo. It is 3 3/4" in diameter and 1/4” tall and it has a single peg which plugs into the hole in Larfleeze's right foot. He is completely stable, both on and off his base.

Glomulus is the primary construct of Larfleeze's Orange Ring. Using the power of greed, Larfleeze has created a three-legged, four armed creature with a wide mouth to carry out his will. Glomulus stands on his own and has arms articulated at the shoulders that allow him to look like he is reaching out in several directions for all sorts of things he might deliver to Larfleeze. Like the base, Glomulus is cast in translucent plastic, which makes him look - appropriately - like a Lantern construct!

Larfleeze also comes with a Orange Lantern battery, which is molded to be in the same scale as the figure. His four-pointed battery is 1 3/4” tall and 1 1/4" wide and deep. It looks like a classic lantern with cylindrical ends and is molded in the same bright metallic orange as the Larfleeze figure.

Playability

The DC Direct figures were designed more for display than play, but Larfleeze is wonderful on both fronts. First, he has great poor balance, especially when he is flatfooted. Because he lacks a hinge joint on the ankle, when off the stand, Larfleeze must be posed flatfooted. On the stand, Larfleeze may be posed in more dynamic poses, so long as the right foot is placed on the stand's peg.

Larfleeze comes with fifteen points of articulation and the only part not articulated to offer full poseability is his waist or bust. Larfleeze has joints at the knees, groin socket, shoulders, biceps, elbows, wrists, and head. The shoulders are proper ball and socket joints, while the elbows and knees are both hinge joints. The head is on a simple swivel joint, which allows him only to look left to right! As well, Larfleeze is perfextly able to hold his Orange Lantern in his left hand!

Collectibility

Larfleeze is part of the DC Direct Blackest Night Series 3 line which was fairly rare as it was usually only distributed through comic book shops. Larfleeze is one of the many villains in the Blackest Night line, but considering most of the figures in the line are undead versions of popular DC Universe characters, Larfleeze is one of the few original characters. The Larfleeze figure is unique to this series and is of the same stature of characters like the Red Lantern Atrocitus or the Blue Lantern Saint Walker. Larfleeze has, for the most part, held his value over the years, after his initial explosion in the secondary market. For years, he has been virtually impossible to find for less than $100, so he is a steal for collectors when he can be found for less!

Overview

Larfleeze is an impressive character and the more exposure and popularity the character gets, the more likely it will be that the Blackest Night Orange Lantern Larfleeze character will maintain, if not continue to appreciate, its value in the secondary market. It is a worthy figure of being sought after as DC Direct did a truly amazing job with creating the figure and its awesome accessory!

For other figures based on leaders of Ring Corps’s, please check out my reviews of:
Justice Series 3 Green Lantern Hal Jordan
Blackest Night Series 1 Red Lantern Atrocitus
Blackest Night Series 1 Saint Walker
Blackest Night Series 2 Indigo-1
Blackest Night Series 3 Star Sapphire
Blackest Night Series 5 Nekron
Justice Sinestro

10/10

For other toy reviews, please check out my index page!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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You'll Need A Black Light To Get The Most Out Of The Justice Lex Luthor Figure!

The Good: Pretty awesome sculpt, Neat features, Great poseability, Awesome balance
The Bad: Low collectible value, Obvious seam on head!
The Basics: The Justice toy line gets a surprising winner with the drastically under-valued Lex Luthor action figure!


Every now and then, I pick up a toy as a peripheral part of my intended collection - usually because I find it on deep clearance at whatever local comic book shop I am scouring at the time. Last year, I briefly returned to my home town and my favorite comic book shop of all (which had moved and grown, I was excited to see!). There, I found the Justice Lex Luthor figure on clearance and picked it up for no particular reason other than that it was cheap.

I am SO glad I did! Lex Luthor is an essential character in Justice (reviewed here!), which remains my favorite graphic novel of all time. Luthor's part in the book it to team with Brainiac to try to take over the world by saving it, with the argument that super heroes have had the chance to save the world and make lasting change for the better, but have refused to. When Luthor realizes that Brainiac has a different agenda, he protects himself using an anti-nanite suit, which is the subject of the DC Direct Justice Lex Luthor figure!

Basics

The Lex Luthor figure is very well-detailed, in both the sculpt and the coloring, though the fact that almost no skin for the character is exposed makes it easy to do right by the character on the coloring front! The Lex Luthor figure is 7" tall and made, primarily, of translucent purple plastic with glitter in it to give him an energized, sparkling effect.

This toy is a decent sculpt, especially for a character that has only had two-dimensional references; the Lex Luthor looks good in all three dimensions. DC Direct included details like the many belts and power nodes for his action-oriented suit. This Lex Luthor has molded-on knee pads and elbow pads and tiny connectors that make it look like the belt is powering all of the nodes. Lex Luthor's face is molded in a neutral, but determined, expression with his eyebrows slightly arched. While the vein on the side of his temple makes sense as a molded detail, the seam that goes over his bald head is an unfortunate distraction that lowers the overall quality of an otherwise awesome figure.

The Lex Luthor's costume is molded entirely in a translucent purple plastic, so you can see through him and see all the joints. The character's boots and gloves are black, as are the tiny cords or tubes that connect the various cylinders on the figure to one another. The only piece of this figure with any coloring depth or realism is the head. The eyes are tiny blue and black orbs that have an impressive level of realism for a figure in this scale. The detailing for Lex Luthor’s lips and eyebrows is very well-rendered. This is one of the best-colored human heads in the DC Direct line!

Perhaps the neatest aspect of the Justice Lex Luthor figure is that the light green power nodes arranged all over his body glow in the dark! Charged by sunlight, this figure lights up in the dark for a little while and looks pretty awesome under a blacklight as well!

Accessories

Lex Luthor, tech-based tycoon that he is, comes only with his stand. The stand is a black and silver square that looks like a piece of flooring. It is 6" by 4.5” and 1/2” tall and it has a pair of peg holes spaced 2” apart. The pegs come with the figure and plug into the base and then into the hole in Lex Luthor's right heel. He is perfectly stable on his base.

Playability

The DC Direct figures were designed more for display than play, but the Lex Luthor is pretty amazing for both. Even in outlandish poses, he has the balance needed to stand up.

The Lex Luthor comes with a decent thirteen points of articulation, which is good enough, even if it doesn't provide fully realistic poseability! The Lex Luthor figure has articulated ankles, knees, groin socket, shoulders, elbows, wrists and head! The shoulders are proper ball and socket joints. The head is on a simple swivel joint, so the villain can only look left to right, not up and down! Most of the joints on this figure are only swivel joints, though they are adequate for this figure and posing him in cool ways.

Collectibility

The Lex Luthor figure is part of the DC Direct Justice Series 5 line which was fairly common and few people seemed enthusiastic about. Comprised of villains and third string characters, almost all of the figures in the Series 5 set can be found well below the original release price of $16.99! Despite having a pretty neat feature and cool glitter appearance, this figure has not appreciated in value and can still be found ridiculously cheap!

Overview

The Justice Lex Luthor figure might not be overly popular or valuable, but is remains one of the enduringly coolest figures from one of DC Direct's best toy lines!

For other Justice action figures, please check out my reviews of:
Wave 5 Brainiac
Wave 4 Zatanna
Wave 3 Wonder Woman
Wave 3 The Joker
Wave 3 Poison Ivy figure
Wave 3 Plastic Man
Wave 3 Hal Jordan Green Lantern
Wave 1 Cheetah figure

9/10

For other toy reviews, please check out my Toy Review Index Page!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Excellent Aquaman Villain! The DC Comics Super-Villains Black Manta Figure Impresses!

The Good: Cool sculpt, Good articulation, Generally good balance, Neat accessories
The Bad: Could use more articulation, Low collectible value
The Basics: Black Manta is a pretty cool DC Direct Villains action figure that almost is enough to make one want to get an Aquaman figure!


When I went on vacation last year, I went to a comic book shop that had all sorts of things that I had not even seen before. There, I picked up a bunch of DC Direct action figures based on my favorite characters from the DC Comics universe. There, I had to make a choice between the Justice version of Black Manta and the newer DC Comics Super-Villains version of Black Manta. Fortunately for me (who is not a huge fan of The New 52), Black Manta was not hugely retooled from one DC Comics universe to another. So, I opted for the newer Super-Villains version of Black Manta and it's pretty awesome.

For those unfamiliar with him, Black Manta is primarily an Aquaman villain. Justice (reviewed here!), he is part of a scheme, used by Brainiac, to try and heal the world . . . and infect people with devices Brainiac controls. Black Manta does not have a huge role in the book, but because Aquaman is dispatched pretty early on in the book, he has a fairly important role for a few key moments.

It is the black-suited Black Manta with his head covered by his silver and red helmet that is the subject of the DC Direct figure and it's a pretty cool one!

Basics

The Black Manta figure is as well-detailed as the character can be given he has monotones for his outfit. Black Manta is an archetype of a villain; faceless, invulnerable-looking, anonymous and deadly. The ocean-bound killer stands 7" tall to the top of the figure's helmet head. His skin is entirely covered. The Black Manta figure is available only from DC Direct and it was part of the merchandising line for the New 52.

This toy is a very good sculpt, especially for a character that has only had two-dimensional references, Black Manta looks good in all three dimensions. DC Direct gave the figure great muscle definition throughout. The character’s hands are molded with both hands open enough to hold his weapons. The sculpting detail that is arguably the most detail on the figure is on the character's backpack or his abs. Both of those places have definition and some finer details - most notably on the tubes that connect the backpack to the helmet.

Black Manta's costume features dull monotone colors: this is a very dark costume and Black Manta is dominated by black and silver. This is essentially a wetsuit with a silver helmet with big red eyes and the character's forearms reveal the only real humanity for the character; DC Direct molded him with tiny veins or strained tendons in the left arm! The right arm features a gauntlet that looks like it is barely attached and has a nasty-looking weapon on it.

As a pretty cool detail, Black Manta features colored and sculpted gills on the character's shoulders/neck.

Accessories

Black Manta, slayer of Aquaman's baby, comes with three accessories (none of which is a stand!). The surprise of the figure is that in the character's backpack are two swords. What appears to be jets or rockets on the character's silver backpack slide out to be two 2 11/16" long blades! The swords have very well-detailed hilts and they fit in either of Black Manta's hands perfectly.

The other accessory is Black Manta's underwater laser gun. The 2 1/4" long blade-like gun fits in either of Black Manta's hands and while it slides into his backpack, it does not stay there very snuggly. The double-blade weapon is ridiculously smooth and simple, but it fits the backpack well.

Playability

The DC Direct figures were designed more for display than play. Black Manta cool for both. First, he has decent balance, which makes it so that he does not need a stand. Because he lacks a hinge joint on the ankle, Black Manta must be posed flatfooted or he is likely to fall over.

Black Manta comes with thirteen points of articulation, which is very good, even by today's standards. Black Manta has joints at the knees, groin socket, shoulders, biceps, elbows, wrists and head. The shoulders are proper ball and socket joints, while the elbows and knees are both hinge joints. The head is inhibited the tubes at the back of his head, so he barely can turn his head left to right. The wrists and biceps are articulated on simple swivel joints to give the figure an enhanced sense of realism with poses.

Collectibility

The Black Manta is part of the DC Direct The New 52 Super-Villains line which was fairly common, but available only at places like comic book and specialty toy shops. The figure peaked in value around $35, but has been coming down in value pretty steadily. It is not one of the figures that has appreciated in value and can usually be found around its original issue price of $20.

Overview

Black Manta could use more ankle and waist articulation and I wish the weapon held to the pack much better, but the figure's balance, articulation and accuracy make up for those few defects. This is a villain figure that seems like a credible menace to Aquaman and other DC Direct hero figures!

For other DC Direct figures, please check out my reviews of:
Wonder Woman Series 1 Wonder Woman Figure
Justice Series 5 Martian Manhunter (Translucent)
Wonder Woman Amazons And Adversaries Ares

7.5/10

For other toy reviews, please check out my Toy Review Index Page!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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At Long Last, I Get My Hands On The Wonder Woman Series 1 Wonder Woman Figure!

The Good: Interesting sculpt, Great balance, Good accessories, Collectible value
The Bad: Seams and joints, Limited posability
The Basics: After years of pining for the Wonder Woman Series 1 Wonder Woman action figure, I finally manage to get it and find myself less impressed than I would have hoped!


This is rapidly turning into a big Wonder Woman month for me! After finally getting around to reviewing the Cover Girls Of The DC Universe Wonder Woman statue (reviewed here!) that I acquired last year and in advance of the announcement that the Sideshow Collectibles Wonder Woman Premium Format figure is finally shipping, I managed to get my hands on the DC Direct Wonder Woman Series 1 Wonder Woman action figure that I have coveted from afar for years! My quest to acquire this particular Wonder Woman figure has been limited to almost daily searches of the internet as none of the retailers or hobby shops I know, have visited, etc., has ever had one of these in stock! Between finally having a little disposable income and the price on the Series 1 Wonder Woman figure finally coming down into the affordable range, I finally snagged one at a reasonable price.

And, truth be told, I find myself underwhelmed.

My enthusiasm for this particular Wonder Woman figure sprang from the very different pose the figure had in all of the promotional photographs. There was something hippy-er about the pose that gave this Wonder Woman figure a more, frankly, sassy look to her, at least based on the promotional photos. What those photos do not illustrate well is the joint in the groin socket. The promotional images are clearly airbrushed to underplay the obvious and fairly obtrusive nature of the joint that connects the legs to the torso portion of the figure. So, while this is a different pose for Wonder Woman and is a remarkably well-balanced action figure, it has less flexibility than some other Wonder Woman figures and has more unsightly joints than most DC Direct renditions of Wonder Woman.

For those unfamiliar with the version of Wonder Woman that this figure is based upon, it is the post-Infinite Crisis version of the character. Following the brief time that Princess Diana was on hiatus from being a super hero, as part of a self-imposed exile during which time Donna Troy took up her mantle, in Who Is Wonder Woman? (reviewed here!), Wonder Woman returned with the feeling of moral authority needed to champion truth, justice, and the fight for human rights.

Basics

Wonder Woman figure is exceptionally well-detailed, which is nice given that she came from a fairly simplistic comic book reference. This version of Wonder Woman has her distinctive outfit with the double-W insignia in the bustline (as opposed to the eagle symbol that sometimes is there). She has descent detailing on the hair, face and costume. The superheroine stands 6 3/4" tall as an action figure. Her costume is layered to look like the bustier is covering both her body and the garment that her panties are attached to, so this has a more layered (almost lightly armored) look to her. This Wonder Woman is an action figure exclusively from DC Direct, though the costume is hardly unique to this line or DC direct.

This toy is a fairly impressive sculpt; for a character that has only had two-dimensional references, Wonder Woman looks good in all three dimensions. DC Direct did not make the character insanely busty, which is reassuring and she comes with her left hand half-closed so she can hold her Lasso of Truth and her right hand mostly open, as if ready to slap a villain back! This version of Wonder Woman does not have fingernails molded on or colored red (as the comic book character possessed).

What is most impressive, arguably, about the Wonder Woman figure is the sculpting work on her hair and face. Wonder Woman has the sharp cheekbones and full lips of the character and hair that descends both in front of and in back of her shoulders. While this inhibits the head’s movement, Wonder Woman looks pretty great with her hair cascading thus! Under her hair on her forehead is Wonder Woman’s iconic tiara. Rightfully, Wonder Woman’s face has minimal coloring details to it, though her lips are realistically dark red and her eyes are bright blue with black pupils. Because the comic books this character comes from are not photorealistic, there is not a realistic expectation that the figure would have more realism in its coloring.

Where the sculpt goes wrong is that this figure has an unrefined quality to it. This figure has very obvious seams on the legs and they, like the groin socket joint, are a bit unsightly.

Accessories

Wonder Woman, powerful Themysciran and iconic superhero, comes with only two accessories. She has her stand and her Lasso Of Truth. The stand is a red disk with the “Wonder Woman” logo and name on it. It is 3 3/4" in diameter and 1/8” tall and it has a single peg which plugs into the hole in Wonder Woman's right foot. She is very stable on her base.

Wonder Woman also comes with the iconic Lasso Of Truth. The Lasso Of Truth, in this case, is a coil of gold embroidery thread. It may be unwound to measure out about seven inches and is not a terribly useful accessory, though it fits nicely in Wonder Woman’s left hand while coiled.

Playability

The DC Direct figures were designed more for display than play. Still, Wonder Woman is quite good for play terms. She has fair articulation as well as pretty incredible balance! Flatfooted, this is a very balanced toy, though her height does make it easy to tip her over when she is off her stand. As well, Wonder Woman comes with eleven points of articulation, only four of which are simple swivel joints. Wonder Woman has joints at the knees, groin socket, shoulders, elbows, wrists and head. The shoulders are proper ball and socket joints, while the elbows and knees are both hinge joints. The head is on a ball joint, but the hair completely inhibits head motion! If her hair was at all flexible, the head would have some articulation! The groin socket allows the legs to swing back and forth, but does not give the figure realistic leg rotation.

For whatever improbable poses one might find where she will not remain standing, there is the stand. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that, on her stand, Wonder Woman is incredibly poseable in a number of action-oriented poses!

Collectibility

Wonder Woman is part of the DC Direct “Wonder Woman” Series 1 line which was exceptionally rare and usually only distributed through comic book shops. The Wonder Woman figure was a wonderfully sculpted figure and was the grail figure from this assortment. This figure has had a remarkably erratic collectible value, though it has never been consistently below $50 on the secondary market. That means that it has almost tripled in value from its original release price and maintained that value. The fact that it peaked at $150 and is now down in the $100 range seems to indicate that it has maintained some popularity, but that the people who were holding onto their stock of it are actually liquidating it now.

Overview

Wonder Woman is cool, but between the sculpt issue with the groin socket and the lack of finess with sanding down the production seams, the Series 1 Wonder Woman figure is not the perfect one one might have hoped for!

For other Wonder Woman toy reviews, please check out my reviews of:
1999 Wonder Woman DC Direct figure
Series 1 Diana Prince
The New 52 Wonder Woman

7/10

For other toy reviews, please check out my Toy Review Index Page!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Pretty Much All It Promises: The Justice Limited Edition Translucent Martian Manhunter Figure Delivers!

The Good: Great sculpt, Good articulation, Decent balance
The Bad: Did not maintain collectible value at all!
The Basics: The Justice Translucent Martian Manhunter action figure is a cool variant figure that might seem specific to Justice, but is a cool figure essential for Martian Manhunter fans!


Whenever I go on vacation these days, I try to find local comic book shops to find deals that represent good values I can’t find locally or online. Returning to my home state last year, I pawed through the beloved comic book shop of my youth and found many cool items. One, which I saw again weeks later in Minnesota at similarly depressed prices, was the Justice Translucent Martian Manhunter action figure. The variant of Martian Manhunter was a pretty clever idea from DC Direct, even if it was unpopular and has virtually no collectible value (these figures were originally released in the $16 - $20 range and I found it on clearance for $4 – and saw it on clearance for $5 in a second location!).

For those unfamiliar with Martian Manhunter in Justice (reviewed Hise!), he becomes integral to the plan to save the world by infiltrating the league of super-villains who have taken control. Martian Manhunter is depicted as invisible as he enters the mind of Gorilla Grodd and spies for the surviving heroes. Seen frequently disembodied in Justice, Martian Manhunter has the ability to disguise himself and to remove himself from the minds of others.

It is Translucent Martian Manhunter in his standard costume, with cape, cast in clear plastic, that is the subject of the Justice Translucent Martian Manhunter action figure.

Basics

The Translucent Martian Manhunter figure is very well-detailed and is a good sculpt. The artwork of Alex Ross translates nicely into the Translucent Martian Manhunter figure, though given that he is cast in monotonal clear plastic, the surface details are hard to pick up by the sculpt alone. The Translucent Martian Manhunter is muscular, ethereial-looking and bears both the Translucent Martian Manhunter costume and the distinct forehead ridge that makes this Martian Manhunter clearly J’onn J’onz. The humanoid Translucent Martian Manhunter stands 7 3/4" tall to the top of the figure's head. His skin is visible all over, save the briefs, belts (waist and across the chest) and cape. The Justice rendition of the Translucent Martian Manhunter is from DC Direct.

This toy is a decent sculpt; for a character that has only had two-dimensional references, Translucent Martian Manhunter looks good in all three dimensions. DC Direct made the character appropriately muscular, especially with his visible ribs and pectoral muscles. DC Direct cast the Translucent Martian Manhunter in hard plastic and he is solid, save the rubbery cape.

This Translucent Martian Manhunter figure has no coloring details at all. Martian Manhunter, in this incarnation, is entirely made of clear plastic and has no coloring accents at all, which makes sense for the character.

Accessories

Translucent Martian Manhunter, Hero of the DC Universe that he is, comes with only his stand. The stand is a black and silver square that looks like a piece of flooring. It is 6" by 4.5” and 1/2” tall and it has a pair of peg holes spaced 2” apart. The pegs come with the figure and plug into the base and then into the hole in Translucent Martian Manhunter’s right heel. Why there are two holes/pegs for a figure with only one foot hole I do not know. He is perfectly stable on his base.

Playability

The DC Direct figures were designed more for display than play. Even so, the Translucent Martian Manhunter holds up well on the playability front. The Translucent Martian Manhunter actually has decent balance on his own. He can stand flatfooted in most poses off his stand. On his stand with his foot plugged into the base, he is perfectly stable.

Translucent Martian Manhunter comes with eleven points of articulation, most of which are hinge joints. Translucent Martian Manhunter has joints at the knees, calves, groin socket, shoulders, elbows and head. The elbows and knees are both hinge joints, while the groin socket, calves and head are simple swivel joints. The shoulder of the Martian Manhunter figure are actual ball and socket joints, so they function ideally. This is not the most robustly articulated figure DC Direct has ever made, but on its stand, he still looks very good, though most of the joints are visible given that he is transparent!

Collectibility

The Translucent Martian Manhunter is part of the DC Direct Justice Series 5 line which was fairly uncommon, largely because it was mostly distributed through comic book shops. Translucent Martian Manhunter was one of three heroes in the wave and there were two Martian Manhunters in the set. This one is, by far, the less popular one and as a result, it has plummeted in value. It may be found easily and inexpensively now and is a tough sell except for the most die-hard collectors.

Overview

The Justice Translucent Martian Manhunter figure is pretty cool, even if one can see some of the joints because of its transparent nature and it has no real collectible value. At least it may be found inexpensively enough!
For other Justice action figures, please check out my reviews of:
Wave 1 Sinestro
Wave 5 Brainiac
Wave 1 Cheetah

8.5/10

For other toy reviews, please check out my Toy Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Simplistic Reference Or Not, The Amazons And Adversaries Ares Figure Is Cool!

The Good: Decently detailed sculpt, Good accessories, Good coloring, Good articulation
The Bad: Can only hold one weapon at a time
The Basics: The DC Direct Amazons And Adversaries Ares figure is impressive, even if the subject is not!


When George Perez took over Wonder Woman in the mid-1980s, he came with a new sensibility to the character and a whole set of adversaries that accented (usually by contrast) the heroine’s values. One of the chief adversaries for Princess Diana was Ares, the Greek God Of War. Since the Perez reboot, Ares has been an enduring villain for Wonder Woman. And fans had to wait quite a while before DC Direct made an action figure to commemorate the comic book version of the God Of War. But DC Direct made an awesome, successful attempt as part of their 2001 Amazons And Adversaries toy line.

For those unfamiliar with Ares, he is the Greek God Of War, as depicted in modern Wonder Woman, starting with Gods And Mortals (reviewed here!). Shadowy and ethereal under his armor, Ares is an enemy of Wonder Woman who thrives on bringing war and chaos to Earth in order to feed his divinely nefarious needs.

Ares is heavily armored and looks like he could take on pretty much anyone on the DC Comics pantheon singlehandedly! To date, there is only one full-sized Ares action figure from DC Direct.

Basics

Ares figure is as heavily detailed as he can be considering he is based on a reference that was from a more simplistic time’s comic book art. This version of Ares is wearing heavy armor, gauntlets, and a helmet that obscures his entire face (but not his glowing red eyes). He is further accented by a cape and an armor skirt. DC Direct got the detailing absolutely right. The God Of War stands 7 5/8" tall to the top of the plume on his helmet and that is all right, though it puts Ares more in scale with the other 7” figures, as opposed to having him be proportionately larger as he ought to be (he usually towers over Wonder Woman by almost half again).

This toy is a completely accurate sculpt, especially for a character that has only had two-dimensional references, Ares looks good in all three dimensions. DC Direct made the character impressively muscled and broad-shouldered. He is sculpted with awesome detailing to the chest (which looks like textured armor, almost a lizard skin), appropriately accented armor on the boots and gauntlets, and the distinctive horned helmet of this iteration of Ares.

On the coloring front, Ares is a bit simplistic, though to be fair, the reference work was colored in monotones as well. As a result, the Ares figure is essentially two different blues, gray, red, and black, without any subtlety or shading. This is not the detraction it would be for other figures as the character still fits the rest of the DC Direct toy line perfectly and it is a great representation of the subject matter.

Accessories

Ares, God Of War who is more or less ready to bury Diana at a moment’s notice, comes with only two accessories. He has an axe and a sword, neither of which are universally iconic to the character. The axe is 3” long and features double-curved blades for clearly lethal intent. The axe, which is colored two shades of blue and silver and sculpted to look like it has lacing up its shaft, looks almost like a bat symbol on a handle!

Ares also comes with a decent, though indistinct, sword. The simple blade is also blue and silver, 4 1/4” long, and fits only in the figure’s right hand. The sculpt and coloring perfectly match the rest of the figure.

Playability

The DC Direct figures were designed more for display than play. Fortunately, Ares is pretty good on both fronts. He has decent articulation and balance that is good enough that he can stand in most poses (though some require him to be balanced such that the cape helps to hold him up). Flatfooted, he is able to stand well-enough and there are several poses that he can be put in that are a little more extravagant than a simple display-friendly pose. The figure does not, alas, come with a stand.

Ares comes with twelve points of articulation, most of which are simple swivel joints. Ares has joints at the knees, groin socket, waist, shoulders, elbows, wrists and head. The elbows and knees are both hinge joints; all the rest are simple swivel joints, which does limit the figure’s articulation and poseability.

Unfortunately, the figure’s playability is lowered some by the fact that Ares can only hold the axe or the sword at any given time. He has no way to keep his sword attached to him when he is not holding it, so fans have to chose whether or not they want Ares to kick ass with the sword or the axe, which is unfortunate, especially for the lethal-looking God Of War.

Collectibility

Ares is part of the DC Direct “Wonder Woman” Amazons And Adversaries line which was only distributed through comic book shops and specialty toy stores. The Ares figure was a wonderfully sculpted figure and given how few Ares figures there are, it seems like it is generally maintaining its value; at least it is not losing value. Given that the new incarnation of Wonder Woman has a very different looking version of Ares, one’s choices for a classic Ares figure are this or the Mattel version and this is the superior toy. One suspects it will, as a result, at least maintain its value in coming years!

Overview

Ares is an awesome enemy for Wonder Woman and the figure lives up to what one might hope of it, even if it does have a few minor faults!

For other Wonder Woman toy reviews, please check out my takes on:
Amazons And Adversaries Artemis
Donna Troy As Wonder Woman
Justice Series 3 Wonder Woman

8/10

For other comic book toy reviews, please check out my Comic Book Action Figure Review Index Page!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Terror With Minimal Balance Issues: Kryb Is An Awesome Action Figure!

The Good: Great sculpt, Decent accessories, Great articulation, Collectible value
The Bad: Balance/articulation issue makes it so one must pose the figure in a pretty limited way, Accessory coloring
The Basics: Kryb is one of the most frightening and original characters from the Sinestro Corps and her presence in The Sinestro Corps War led to the creation of one of the best figures in the Blackest Night toy line!


When it comes to action figures based upon the DC Comics characters, there are few that are more clearly geared for adult collectors than those from the Sinestro Corps. Say what you will about the rage that comes from the Red Lanterns, the members of Sinestro’s Yellow Corps based on fear were drawn to look terrifying and ugly in ways that are likely to give children nightmares. Arguably the most valuable toy based upon Sinestro Corps members, outside Sinestro himself from the Blackest Night toy line is Kryb. Kryb might be an obscure character to most people, but fans of The Sinestro Corps War (volume 1 is reviewed here and volume 2 is reviewed here!), she is a distinctive and awesome character. Given how much DC Direct caters to the hard-core fans, it is somewhat unsurprising that Kryb preceded even Sinestro to action figure status for the Blackest Night toy line!

For those unfamiliar with her, Kryb is a nightmarish woman who steals babies from alien planets and keeps them “safe” by caging them in her skeleton cage that grows out of her back! With her four arms, she scoops up children and at the outset of the Blackest Night, she was serving the Sinestro Corps by hunting the children of Green Lanterns across the universe!

It is Kryb, her four arms at the ready and with an opening back cage, that is the subject of DC Direct’s Blackest Night action figure!

Basics

The Kryb figure is amazingly well-detailed and one of the bigger DC Direct figures from the Blackest Night line. The sculpt and detailing of Kryb is exceptional. The frightful mother stands 7" tall when she is flatfooted and hunched over as the character is want to do. The Kryb figure is available only from DC Direct.

This toy is an exceptional sculpt, especially for a character that has only had two-dimensional references, Kryb looks amazing in all three dimensions. DC Direct gave the figure a distinctive head that is like an alien desiccating in front of the collector! Cast with her mouth in a creepy rictus grin, Kryb has finely detailed teeth, neck veins, face muscles (as if the skin was super-thin on her cheeks!) and recessed eyes. In his mouth, there are tiny teeth that make Kryb look like a piranha! The figure also features amazing muscle definition under his Sinestro Corps uniform for the muscles of her chest, ribs, stomach and legs. Kryb also features nasty looking claws with nails that appear entirely lethal. This is sculpted to be a creature one is afraid of and Kryb works for that!

Kryb's costume is all tightly molded to her body and lends the fearsome monster her awesome coloring. The yellows of the Sinestro Corps uniform are pearlescent and the shine offsets the black, silver (a band around his waist) and white accents (for the Corps symbol on his chest and the dots on her gauntlets) wonderfully. The color is a great contrast to the blue of Kryb’s skin and DC Direct accented that perfectly with things like the light blue fingernails that look like they could rip someone in two! The coloring details are also awesome for the way the mouth and hands are not simply monochromatically blue and black. Kryb’s teeth are also not simply white, which makes them look rotten and gory, which makes for a very realistic looking toy for a comic book character!

Accessories

Kryb, powerful member of the Sinestro Corps that she is, comes with only two accessories. She has her stand and two captured babies. Interestingly, Kryb does not come with a power battery to recharge her Sinestro Corps Ring with! The stand is a translucent yellow and white disk with the Sinestro Corps logo. It is 3 3/4" in diameter and 1/4” tall and it has a single peg which plugs into the hole in Kryb's right foot. She is very stable on her base, though she only truly stands in flatfooted poses.

Kryb also comes two little baby figures. The babies are recasts of one another (the blue one has horns the pink one does not, but otherwise, the sculpts are identical!). The two 1 5/8” tall PVC mini-figures are only designed to be held in Kryb’s clawed hands (they fit all but the left hand that has the power ring molded on it) or in her back cage. These accessory baby figures do not have anywhere near the same depth and shading as Kryb does, making them less wonderful accent pieces than they could have been.

Playability

The DC Direct figures were designed more for display than play. Kryb is cool for play (though it’s hard to imagine anyone where this would be age-appropriate to play with) and she looks great as a display piece, provided she is in the right pose. Unfortunately, because Kryb has a hinge joint in her groin socket, she can only stand flatfooted in a very specific foot and hunched over top-half pose. While that fits the character, the arm articulation (which is pretty good) is somewhat compromised because the wilder the arm poses, the more the figure tips!

Kryb comes with eleven points of articulation, which is fairly good, even by today's standards. Kryb has joints at the groin socket, shoulders and wrists (all four of each!) and head. The shoulders and head are proper ball and socket joints, while the groin socket is a hinge joint and the wrists are simple swivel joints.

Additionally, Kryb features the menacing back cage to hold children! The baby mini-figures fit (at least one at a time) into the back cage, which may be easily popped off the figure. The back cage is made of a slightly softer plastic, so it easily fits on and off the figure.

Collectibility

Kryb is part of the DC Direct Blackest Night Series 2 line which was fairly rare and usually only distributed through comic book shops. Kryb is one of two colorful characters in the assortment, which is dominated by obscure characters. Kryb sold out fast and has never been so prevalent in the market as to devalue. The Kryb figure is unique to this series and is of the same stature of characters like the Orange Lantern Larfleeze or the Red Lantern Atrocitus and has consistently drawn some of the highest prices of the toy line. Kryb is likely to, at the very least, maintain its collector’s price for years to come.

Overview

Kryb is one of the best DC Universe figures and for anyone who loves the Green Lantern section of the DC Universe, she is essential for balancing out one’s collection of heroes and villains!

For other Blackest Night figures, please check out my reviews of:
Limited Edition Boxed Set
Wave 8 Black Lantern Black Flash
Wave 8 Indigo Tribe The Atom
Wave 8 Orange Lantern Lex Luthor
Wave 7 Arkillo
Wave 7 Red Lantern Mera
Wave 6 Blue Lantern The Flash
Wave 6 Star Sapphire Wonder Woman
Wave 5 Black Lantern Deadman
Wave 5 Nekron
Wave 3 Star Sapphire
Wave 2 Indigo-1
Wave 1 Boodikka
Wave 1 Saint Walker
Wave 1 Atrocitus

8.5/10

For other toy reviews, please check out my Toy Review Index Page!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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