DC Comics: Cyborg ArtFX+ Statue by Kotobukiya

Well, it took a while, but my OCD finally got the better of me and forced me to complete my collection of Justice League ArtFX+ statues. I make it no secret that I was against Cyborg as part of the Justice League back when The New 52 was launching. I wouldn’t say I’ve come to eat those words, but I will say that I have enjoyed what they did with him and I no longer feel that he diluted the greatness of the team as much as I thought he would. His ability to assimilate the power to create Boom Tubes was probably alone worthy of his addition to the roster. So why drag my feet on buying this statue? I’m just not crazy about his New 52 design and this statue seemed to accentuate a lot of what I didn’t like about it. Nonetheless, I crumbled and bought him anyway. Let’s see if it was a good idea.

kotocyb1

kotocyb2

It’s been a while, so let’s talk about the packaging. These clear plastic boxes were a neat concept, but ultimately I don’t like them. The plastic is flimsy, it scratches easily and they don’t store well. I like the idea of assembling all the art panels together behind the statues as a display option, but I don’t have that kind of display space available, so that leaves much of the appeal here lost on me. Ultimately, I save my statue boxes in case I move or I need to pack them away because they’re being rotated out of display for a while. These boxes don’t really fit the bill for that purpose and so I’ve gone and pitched them. Suffice it to say I’m happy that the Avengers statues will come in proper cardboard boxes with styrofoam trays.

kotocyb3

kotocyb5

kotocyb6

Cyborg features a very museum-style pose. He’s standing at attention with his chest out and his arms are hanging at his sides. Appropriately, Cyborg has the most complex sculpt of all the ArtFX+ Justice League statues. He looks magnificent! His cybernetic armor is replete with panel lines, overlapping plates, and beautiful contours. He’s bulkier than the other statues and while I’m overall happy with the proportions, I do think the feet are a little big when compared to most of the comic art… they look rather Mega Man-ish to me. Now, I’ve got no problem with The Blue Bomber, but I don’t necessarily need those aesthetics in my Justice League statues. I’m writing it off to the anime-style of these pieces. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nothing that ruins the statue for me, but I thought I’d mention it anyway.

kotocyb12

One of the main attractions on this piece is his sonic arm cannon, which is delightfully complex. It’s got all sorts of bits coming off of it and great texturing. The red paintwork on the lights is a little uneven, but that might be intentional to create a light effect. The contoured backpack is another really nice feature of the statue. It has a retro-vibe to it that adds plenty of character to the design.

kotocyb13

The portrait here is quite good. The face is a tad soft, but I think that works well when contrasting with the cyborg part of the head. He has a determined expression and a distinctive broad nose. Cyborg’s likeness is definitely the least anime-stylized of all these statues. The paint lines around between the skin and metal are all sharp.

kotocyb7

kotocyb8

kotocyb9

Speaking of paint, there’s not a lot paint operations on the statue, but that’s because Cyborg is mostly silver. I love the finish they used on this piece. Ironically, despite intended as metal, it seems slightly more matte than the other statues’ costumes, but it looks spectacular. The only other paint worth mentioning besides the head and the red lights on the arm cannon are the red discs on his chest, belt, and backpack.

kotocyb10

As with all of these statues, you get a black square metal stand with the “Justice League” logo on it. Cyborg has the magnets in the feet to help him stand, although I was surprised that even with such big feet he’s a little wobbly.

kotocyb11

kotojlset

In the end, I’m glad I picked up Cyborg. At about $36 he was one of the more expensive statues in this line, but that’s still a crazy low price for such a wonderfully crafted piece. I can’t say that my Justice League display felt all that incomplete without him, but he sure looks great on the shelf with the rest of the team. I’ve certainly grown to accept the character as part of the team in the comics so why not have him in my display as well? And that wraps up the Justice League ArtFX+ line. I still have a couple of the stand-alone DC Comics ArtFX+ pieces to pick up, but next time we visit these statues it will be to look at Black Widow from The Avengers!

DC Comics: Batman ArtFX+ Statue by Kotobukiya

Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been piecing together my collection of Kotobukiya’s excellent ArtFX+ Justice League statues and with four members down I’m finally over the hump. Today we’re checking out Batman, a statue that I was particularly excited to get because I am so very fond of his “New 52” look and word on the street was that this piece really did him justice. HA! See what I did there? Ok, moving on…

afxbatm1

afxbatm2

There’s the packaging in all its great-looking but fragile glory. I still have not decided whether or not to try to keep these boxes. I doubt very much they will endure storage very well and I don’t have the shelf space to display the statues in front of their character artwork. It’s also worth noting that Batman’s box is obnoxiously large compare to the others. It’s odd because he isn’t much broader than Superman, but I suspect it has to do with the bottom of his cape. Either way, this was the box that killed any ideas I had to display them in front of their linking character art, unless of course I decide to snip out those panels, which is always a possibility. Either way, Batman comes lovingly wrapped in plastic and with no assembly required other than placing him on his stand.

afxbatm4

afxbatm5

afxbatm6

In terms of composition, Batman is the closest of all the statues to what I would consider a “museum” pose. He’s just standing there, arms at his side with his head cocked down a little bit. This piece doesn’t have that same sense of coiled energy or anticipation of action as the other statues, but that’s not a criticism, because in this case it just lets me take in that amazing suit. Many people have complained about the panel lining armor that makes up some of the “New 52” Justice League costumes, but nowhere is that armored look more appropriate than on Batman here. Besides the cut panel lines in his costume, the detail on the gauntlets and boots is particularly well crafted, as are the individual pouches on his utility belt. Even the internal webbing under his shoulder armor has been clearly sculpted.

afxbatm7

afxbatm8

afxbatm9

It’s the sculpted cape, which gives Batman the extra heft because, unlike Superman’s cape, it trails all the way to the ground and splays out on the floor. It’s a major departure from the shorter cape that Mattel employed for the “New 52” Batman figure in their DC Unlimited line, but the Koto cape tends to be more accurate with the comic art. Sure, trailing a cape around on the ground isn’t exactly conducive to action and brawling, and it’s a tad annoying the way it extends out beyond his base, but I can’t help but love the shrouded and imposing look it give the statue. Even the way the cape rests on his shoulders looks fantastic.

afxbatm10

afxbatm11

afxbatm12

While Batman is the most muted deco in this collection, it doesn’t make the statue’s coloring any less impressive and that’s mostly thanks to the metallic finish. The high gloss metal-grey mixed with the black sheen of the boots and gauntlets looks amazing, and when you toss in the metallic gold of his belt, this statue can compete with the far more colorful likes of Superman and Wonder Woman. Now contrast that with the matte black used for the cape, cowl, and skin tones and you have a piece that really pops on the shelf.

afxbatm14

And as with all the statues in this line, Batman comes with a black metallic square base with the “Justice League” logo on it. The magnets in his feet mean that you can position him anywhere on it, or even straddle two bases to customize your display to your liking. Of course, with Batman’s solid stance and cape, he stands just fine on his own.

afxbatm3

afxbatm13

If you’ve been following my features on these statues, then you know I’ve been very pleased with all of these releases, but Batman here is nothing short of breathtaking. And if you’re one of those people who can’t get behind the anime style of this line’s portraits, Batman is still worth a look because his cowl covers most of his face and the style isn’t really apparent in him at all. While I’ve been able to pick up all of the statues so far at just under $30, Batman set me back the full $40 with shipping and I’ve got no regrets, particularly since with Superman and Wonder Woman he completes my DC Trinity. The next statue coming my way is Green Lantern and then I have to decide whether or not I’m going to complete the set with Cyborg.

Suicide Squad: “New 52” Harley Quinn by DC Collectibles

Alrighty, folks, it’s time to wrap up my look at DC Collectibles’ Suicide Squad figures with the queen of mayhem Harley Quinn. In case you’re just joining us, I’ve already looked at Captain Boomerang and Deadshot and Harley here is going to finish off the trio. It’s been a long week for me and I’ve still got two more days of drudgery before vacation kicks in, so let’s get right to it…

ssharl12

Harley comes in a window box with an extended back so it can hang on the pegs as well as sit on the shelf. The box is similar to what we’ve been getting all along since the days of DC Direct. It’s nothing special, there isn’t even a character blurb anywhere on it, but the dark deco and the bullet holes in the front at least make it more exciting than the utilitarian white boxes that my last bunch of Cover Girl statues came in. If nothing else the box does a nice job displaying the figure inside.

ssharl1

ssharl2

Out of the package and there she is in all her glory. It’s the “in” thing to hate all over Harley’s “New 52” look, but my thirty-some years of comic reading rarely ever included the Batman titles, and so the character never meant much to me until she appeared in Suicide Squad. Needless to say her current costume that strikes so many as blasphemy isn’t skewering any sacred cows for me. Either way it’s hard to deny that this is a great looking figure. The sculpt is exceptional and includes some wonderful little touches like the way her laced bodice is sculpted from a separate piece and laid over the figure. Her kneesocks are textured, the bullets are sculpted onto her belt, her throwing knives are sculpted onto her bodice, and I love the way the loose thigh straps for her holsters dangle down at her sides.

ssharl3

The portrait here is every bit as good as the rest of the figure. DCC went for a sweet and pretty look with sculpted hair falling over her face in all the right places. The clown collar really ties it all together. She’s so innocent looking that you wouldn’t expect her to tie you to a chair and make you wear her ex-boyfriend’s face like a mask while she makes out with you.

ssharl6

 

The paint here is nearly as good as the sculpt. There are a few minor blemishes of slop or bleeding, but they are indeed very minor. The fact that just about everything on the figure is sculpted as well as painted certainly helps it along. I really dig the red and blue used for her costume and it contrasts nicely with the soft pale plastic used for her skin. Some notable details include the individually painted bullets on her belt, her painted nail polish with a different color on each a hand, and the nearly immaculate paintwork on her face.

ssharl

ssharl5

ssharl4

On the downside, articulation for Harley has taken a bit of a hit. It’s nothing to get too excited about, this is still an action figure, but the articulation below the waist is different from what we saw with the boys. Gone is the swivel in the waist and gone are the ball jointed hips. You get a regular T-crotch with swivels at the tops of the socks and hinged knees. That’s it. It’s rather disappointing, but not enough to ruin the figure for me. From the waist up what we get is more consistent with the rest of the line. The shoulders are ball jointed, the elbows are hinged, and there are swivels in the biceps and wrists. The neck appears to still be ball jointed, but there’s virtually no up and down movement available.

ssharl7

ssharl8

ssharl9

ssharl10

Of course, Harley needs her tools of mayhem and in this she doesn’t disappoint. First off, you get a pair of automatic pistols, which fit snugly into her functional holsters. The pistols look good and she can hold them fairly well, considering her hands were purposed for holding them as well as the hammer. The hammer is a simple piece, but the handle is firm and thankfully not very bendy.

ssharl11

I was mighty happy when DCC first revealed this trio of figures and even happier once I got them all in hand. Harley caps off this threesome quite nicely and is a truly fun and beautiful figure. Besides finally having some figures from what is currently my favorite DC comic, these releases also granted me a new appreciation for the kind of product DCC is going to be turning out this year and I’ve put in a lot of pre-orders because of it. The sculpting and paint on these have ranged from solid to pretty great and the new and improved articulation is especially welcome, even if Harley’s poseability wasn’t as good as the guys. Now, DCC, there’s no reason to stop here… there are at least a few more figures I’d really like to see produced from this comic, so get to it! And remember… Deluxe King Shark! Make it happen!!!

DC Comics: Aquaman ArtFX+ Statue by Kotobukiya

It’s been over a month since I last revisited Kotobukiya’s “New 52” Justice League statues from their ArtFX+ line. I haven’t forgotten about these! With Superman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash already under my belt, let’s pick up where I left off, this time with everybody’s favorite fish-whisperer, Aquaman. As some of you may know, I’ve never been the biggest fan of Aquaman, but I think he’s fared quite well since the whole reboot. He’s been a pretty integral character to the Justice League book and he’s been at the heart of one of my favorite JL story arcs so far. I’ve even gone so far as to pick up the first two collected volumes of his book and they’re waiting on my stack of vacation reading. That’s the first time I’ve ever bought an Aquaman comic, so that’s saying something.   

afxaman12

afxaman13

Obviously, we’ve seen this packaging before. These statues come in clear plastic boxes with character specific artwork that makes for quite a striking presentation. The panel of character art is designed to link up with the art on the other boxes in the series to provide a nice backdrop for all the statues. The statue rests between two trays, and once you unwrap the surrounding plastic, the statue can display fairly well if returned to the box if you’re someone who prefers the mint-in-box look. On the downside, the packaging is rather fragile and probably won’t fare too well in storage. The stand is positioned just below the characters feet and the only assembly required is to connect the trident head to the staff and then slip it into Aquaman’s hand. Let’s get this guy loose and see how he looks.

afxaman3

afxaman4

afxaman5

He looks fantastic! The composition here is quite similar to the one Koto used for Superman with the key difference being Aquaman’s right arm is held up to grasp his trident. While the pose is fairly passive and self-aware, the stance still manages to convey a sense of energy and excitement. The sculpted detail in the costume offers a wonderful contrast between the smooth lower half and gloves and the upper armor, which has every single scale sculpted. The leg fins are a bit understated and the twin fins in the gauntlets look rather vicious. Koto’s statues rarely disappoint on the sculpt, and Aquaman is no exception. At 1/10th scale, these statues are in a league of their own. They’re notably larger than the DCUC and DC Collectible figures and yet a bit smaller than Koto’s Bishoujo statues. I think the scale works well as it allows for a good amount of detail, while not taking up too much shelf space.

afxaman1

The portrait bears the same anime influences that have carried through the rest of this line. Aquaman’s eyes have a certain Asian countenance, which may throw some collectors. I rather think it adds to the more youthful art styling of the “New 52” League members, so it doesn’t bother me one bit. Like Superman, Aquaman is holding his head slightly down and gazing up to the side. Because of the orientation of the heads, these statues are probably best displayed on a high shelf or at least at about eye level. Otherwise, the portrait sculpt is amazing, and I’m particularly impressed with the way the hair came out.

afxaman6

afxaman7

afxaman8

One of the most striking things about this line of statues is the high gloss metallic coloring. It’s been a selling point for me all along and I think it suits Aquaman the best of all. Besides the beautiful metallic gold on the scales, the slick glossy sheen on the pants and gauntlets makes it look like he just leapt from the ocean. Beautiful!

afxaman9

afxaman10

And that brings us to the Trident, which is the only point of this statue where I have some qualms. It’s a nice and simple accessory and he looks good holding it, but I do wish it wasn’t quite so long and I would have much preferred that it was designed so that the butt of the shaft rested on the display base, rather than far to the front. With all the other statues confined to their bases, Aquaman sticks out a little awkwardly on the shelf as a result of the trident, and you can’t really pose him without it because he’s designed to be holding it.

afxaman11

Other than the trident you get the same black metal base that came with the other statues, complete with the “Justice League” logo printed on the front. The magnets in Aquaman’s feet help him to cling to the base and you can position him on it as you like.

afxaman2

At about $25, Aquaman was the last of these Justice League statues that I was able to pick up at well under retail and that was a big reason why he was my next purchase. But even at the regular retail price of around $40, these statues feel like an incredible value. As I’m sure I’ve mentioned before, I had no intention of getting into this line, but after seeing the reviews and pictures from a certain kool kollector overseas, I was immediately sold. Individually, they are gorgeous pieces and together they are building up to have the makings for an epic display. I’ve got three more to go and the one of those is already on his way to me. Next time we revisit this line, we’ll check out Batman!

Suicide Squad: “New 52” Deadshot by DC Collectibles

Last Monday, I checked out the first of DC Collectibles’ Suicide Squad figures. It’s Monday again, so let’s just keep this little tradition rolling along with a look at the next figure… Deadshot! Floyd Lawton is, of course, one of the common threads between my beloved Secret Six comic and Suicide Squad and he also happens to rank pretty high on my list of favorite DC villains. The pre-reboot Deadshot got a great figure in Mattel’s DCUC line and now it’s up to DC Collectibles to deliver unto us the “New 52” version.

ssdeads2

The box is the same as we saw last week with Captain Boomerang. It’s a little more exciting than most of those bland white boxes we’ve been getting from DC Collectibles. For example… oh, look! Bullet holes! But in the end it really just serves to show off the figure at your local comic shop, whether it be sitting on the shelf or hanging on a peg. There’s no blurb about the character or the comic or anything. The back panel does, however, have images of the three figures released so far and if you do decide to hang on to the box, it is completely collector friendly. Let’s open him up and check him out.

ssdeads3

ssdeads9

The character design of pre-reboot Deadshot is pretty iconic to me, but I’m not adverse to Floyd’s new look. It’s worth noting that I’m also pretty fond of the Arkham City re-imagining of the character too, so apparently I’m not terribly picky. The Suicide Squad Deadshot is a far grittier and he sports a lot of strategically placed armor over his segmented body suit. Most of the armor plates and straps are part of the body sculpt, but executed so as to offer a lot of credibility and depth to Deadshot’s combat ensemble. The shoulder armor pieces are separate from the body and mounted on hinges so that they can work with the arm articulation and the four magazine pouches running across his chest are also additions to the body. Naturally, Deadshot features his wrist guns mounted on his gauntlets. They look good, but I’m not as keen on these as I am his old fashioned rotating bracers. Those were downright awesome!

ssdeads4

The helmet on the other hand is pretty incredible. Deadshot retains his iconic monocle, complete with tampo’d crosshairs. The panel lining on the helmet is beautifully done and I love the way the neck of the segmented body suit disappears into the bottom of the helmet. A swappable head would have been really cool, but it’s omission is understandable at this price point. Still, if DCC were to produce an unmasked version featuring Floyd’s handsome mug, I would buy this figure again in a heartbeat.

ssdeads6

ssdeads5

The paintwork on the figure is high quality and really supports the excellent sculpt. All of the little straps for his armor plates are neatly painted brown. The dark maroon suit and dull gold and grey metallic paint conspire to make a far less colorful looking figure than the pre-reboot DCUC version. Like I said earlier, this is a grittier Deadshot and the darker colors work well with the realism of the design. I’m thoroughly convinced that WB could basically bring this costume straight to the big screen without any tweaking at all. If I were going to nitpick anything on the paint it would be that the artwork from the comic often suggests to me that Floyd’s armor be a bit shinier. Still, I’m not sure a high gloss metallic would have worked on the figure as well as what we got.

ssdeads7

While old Deadshot was just fine going into battle with his wrist guns, this version comes with a big and beautifully detailed assault rifle. I love the sculpting on this piece. The scopes alone are ridiculously complex and every little panel line and screw are reproduced right down to the textured grips. Deadshot can hold the rifle perfectly in his left hand, and can even loop his finger around the trigger, but his right hand is sculpted in a fist. Here’s where a swap out right hand would have been great. I get why the fist was used, as it looks good when Deadshot is aiming his wrist gun, but it would have been nice to get him to hold the rifle in both hands.

ssdeads8

As with Captain Boomerang, Deadshot’s articulation is a pleasant surprise. You get ball joints in the neck, shoulders, and hips. The elbows, knees, and ankles all have hinges. And lastly, there are swivels in the biceps, gloves, and at the tops of his boots. It’s not quite the same level of articulation we saw in Digger. There’s no waist swivel here and Boomerang had ball joints in the elbows, but what’s here is still pretty good and offers a lot better poseability than I got in most of my DC Direct figures.

ssdeads1

While this new version of Deadshot will never replace the old one as my favorite, I still dig the design and this figure does it and the comic art justice. The sculpt is super detailed and pretty much flawless with a paintjob to match. He’s beautifully proportioned, well-articulated, and looks quite stunning on the shelf. What’s not to like? Well, he set me back $21.95, which still seems a little steep but the addition of his amazing rifle helps cushion the blow and I’m not going to quibble about a couple of dollars anyway. Truth be told, I DCC probably could have squeezed a few more bucks out of me because I wanted Suicide Squad figures so badly. Next week we’ll finish off this troublesome trio with a look at the Squad’s femme fatale herself… Harley Quinn.

Suicide Squad: “New 52” Captain Boomerang by DC Collectibles

The “New 52” comics have been hit and miss for me, but easily my favorite comic of the bunch has been Suicide Squad. The spiritual successor of the pre-reboot “Secret Six,” this comic has yet to soar to the glorious heights of its predecessor (and likely never will) but it’s still a damn fun read. Sadly, Mattel’s DCUC line only scratched the surface of the “Secret Six” roster (we got Bane, Deadshot, and Catman), but at least DC Collectibles is on the ball this year with three initial releases of Suicide Squad figures. Hopefully it’s only the start. Today we’re going to check out the first of Amanda Waller’s unholy trinity with a page from The Flash’s book of rogues. It’s Captain Boomerang!

ssboom7

The figure comes in a window box with a card-style back to allow it to hang on a peg as well as sit on a shelf. If you’ve collected other figures from DC Collectibles, or even from when they were DC Direct, you should find the style of package pretty familiar. The deco is black instead of white, which might be something DCC is doing for the Villains, I’m not sure. It’s a bit more snappy looking than their other packages and the bullet holes in the front are a cool little extra, but all in all this is still a pretty forgettable box that at least shows the figure off quite well.

ssboom8

The back of the box has shots of the other two figures in the series, Harley and Deadshot, but there’s no bio blurb or anything to tell you about George “Digger” Harkness and that’s a shame. Suffice it to say that even in a team made up solely of bastards, Captain Boomerang still manages to take the cake as a complete and total turncoat bastard supreme. God, I love this comic!

ssboom1

Out of the box and Digger is looking mighty good. It’s worth noting that while most of the DC Universe got heavy makeovers after the reboot, Boomerang’s costume hasn’t strayed very far from his pre-reboot stylings. As such, this figure feels more like a tweaked version of the figure we got in the waning days of the DC Universe Classics line than most “New 52” releases. The DCUC version of Digger is excellent and I think stands as a more realistic approach to the character, whereas this DCC figure strikes me as being more faithful to the stylings of a comic book character. Your mileage may vary based on your personal preferences.

ssboom2

Boomer’s coat is cast in a very soft and pliable plastic and bellows out nicely behind him. As is often the case, the coat is really a vest with the sleeves of the figure sculpted to look like sleeves of the coat and the illusion works quite well. The oversized scarf is also cast in soft plastic and is hung around the figure’s neck. Under the scarf you can see Digger’s bandolier strap of boomerang’s sculpted as part of his chest. One of the loops is empty and while you can technically tuck the tip of his loose boomerang in there, it’s really too big to properly fit and doesn’t look so good. The paintwork on this figure is a little uneven with the white striping on the coat and shirt leaning toward the sloppy side. It’s not bad enough to ruin the figure for me and the rest of the paint looks sharp.

ssboom6

The portrait on the figure is solid enough, but as mentioned above it looks very comic book-ish when compared to the realism of the DCUC sculpt. I really, REALLY love the portrait on the DCUC figure and think it’s among the best head sculpts of that entire line so this version has heavy competition. I don’t think it’s nearly as good, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad either. The smirk offers lots of personality and I love his big mutton chops. All I can say is this one is very faithful to the comic art and comparing the portraits on the two figures is like apples and oranges.

ssboom4

While I own several of DC Collectibles’ statues and their Deluxe Darkseid figure, Boomerang here is the first of their regular action figure’s that I own since they made the change from DC Direct. Articulation has always been a sticking point here as the line has been known to deliver slightly articulated statues. I’m so very happy to report that times have changed and there’s no doubt that Digger’s articulation makes him an honest to god action figure. You get ball joints in the neck, shoulders, elbows, and hips. The knees and ankles are hinged, and there are swivels in the waist, gloves, and the tops of his boots. It’s not quite the same level of poseability as the DCUC line, but it’s not bad either. Word is that we may see even more improvements as the year goes on so I’m pretty excited to see what transpires.

ssboom5

Overall, I’m really happy with the way Captain Boomerang turned out and I’m looking forward to picking up a lot more DC Collectibles figures in the year ahead. With DCUC line dead in all its many forms, it’s nice to know that I have an alternative to get me my DC figure fix. Unfortunately, moving from a retail line to a more niche comic shop collectible line does come as a price. Boomerang and the other two Suicide Squad figures set me back $21.95 each. It’s a lot to pay for a figure with only one accessory and no figure stand. I’m still happy to own the figure even at that price, but I’ll be mighty selective about which DCC figures I pick up. I will, however, promise to support the Suicide Squad, even if it means buying Yo-Yo, Voltaic, and Savant. Now… DCC, let’s talk Deluxe sized figures and King Shark. Make it happen!!!!

Cover Girls of the DC Universe: Platinum by DC Collectibles

I started this week with a Marvel statue, so let’s end it with a DC statue! It’s been a little while since I last visited with the Cover Girls of the DC Universe. The series was rebooted, obviously along with the entirety of DC Comics, and last year I picked up Catwoman and Harley Quinn. It’s not quite the same line as it once was, but I still think there have been some interesting releases worthy of my monies. Today’s feature just happens to be one of those: It’s Tina from the Metal Men! I first became a big fan of this team after reading the ambitious, year-spanning series “52” and that got me to go back to read through the initial run of Metal Men books. It was hard not to fall in love with Tina as her mischief and desire to be human often drove many of the stories along. Fast forward to the “New 52” and while the Metal Men proper are still only being teased, Platinum did indeed turn up in Justice League #18 albeit with somewhat tragic consequences. And that, my friends, brings us to today’s statue. I was originally on the fence over buying this one, but I’m very glad I did.

cgdcplat9

The statue comes in the typical boring but serviceable DC Collectibles box. You wouldn’t know it from looking at this, but it comes from a company that specializes in graphic design. There are some photos of the statue but the presentation here is just very bland and uninspired. Although, I suppose you could also call it artsy minimalist. The piece inside comes wrapped in plastic and sandwiched safely between two styrofoam trays. Nope, it’s nothing special. What we’re dealing with here is a pretty utilitarian way to get the statue safely to the collector and not much else. Platinum comes out of the box already assembled, attached to her base, and ready for display.

platcg1

platcg2

platcg3

When dealing with statues, I usually like to kick things off with the composition or sculpt, but in this case the first thing you may notice is the rather monochrome nature of this statue. The entire piece is painted in a metallic silver (or dare I say, platinum?) color with some black scant panel lining to bring out the details of the sculpt. That’s not a complaint, mind you, as the coloring is quite nicely achieved, looks good on the statue, and is above all appropriate. It is, however, worth noting because if you’re looking for a colorful piece for your shelf, this isn’t it. On the other hand, here’s a piece where you don’t have to worry about paint slop or bleeding and the metallic effect is quite striking, particularly when seen in person.

platcg4

platcg5

platcg6

The composition here is pretty reserved as it simply features Platinum striding along with one foot melting into the base. I’m not sure if she’s meant to be merging with it or if the base is supposed to just be an extension of her, but either way it makes for a pretty cool and creative effect. I’m really happy with the pose DCC went with here. Tina has always been a rather sexualized character and this statue drives that point home without resorting to cheesecake. Sure, she looks kind of like a model striding the runway, but at least she’s not bending over or pushing her boobs together. And she certainly doesn’t need to. Even without a gratuitous pose, Tina’s chest and tushy are well defined and all her womanly curves are on display. While I do like Platinum’s “New 52” design, some may not. Either way, it certainly gave the sculptors more to work with. She has exposed wiring in her arms and just a beautiful mix of organic features, like her visible clavicle, and the robotic plating in her tummy.

platcg8

platcg7

I’m also particularly fond of the portrait here and that’s saying a lot since there isn’t a lot of paintwork to help the sculpt along. I think the detailing in her face is better achieved than we’ve seen in some of DCC’s other recent offerings. Her integral headset is a cool design and the giant plate with her trademark “P” is a nice throwback to her more classic self. I think a lot of my love for this piece comes not only from my fondness for the character, but my weird fascination with female robots. I’ve loved this kind of conceptual art design ever since I first saw Metropolis and one of these days I still swear that I’m going to pony up the big bucks for Yamato USA’s discontinued and pricey Sexy Robot 002 statue.

platcg9

My next purchase in this line was intended to be Supergirl. I actually had her pre-ordered last year and had to cancel it in order to bankroll some higher priority stuff. She still would have been next if it weren’t for me finding Platinum on sale at $55, a price I simply could not refuse considering the retail on these is usually $99. She is a really nice piece, but I fear she has a number of things working against her. The lack of dynamic coloring in the source material may put some people off, but most of all, when you consider her abrupt one-off appearance in the “New 52”, Platinum was just a strange choice to occupy a slot in this line. It doesn’t make her any less welcome to me, but it might have been more prudent for DC Collectibles to wait until she was actually appearing in her own book with the rest of the team.

DC Comics Unlimited: “New 52” Aquaman by Mattel

If you’ve been reading FFZ for a while, you probably recall me making the odd remark about my borderline OCD. It’s not like I can’t go outside without checking the lock on the door a thousand times and I don’t wash my hands until I see bone. It’s just that little inconsistencies often nag at me. I’d like to think there’s probably a little OCD in any collector, so I don’t worry about it too much. What the hell does any of this have to do with Aquaman? Nothing really. It’s just that when it comes to collecting action figures, I hate not being able to complete a team, and Aquaman was the last “New 52” Justice League figure that Mattel gave us before bailing on the DCUC style in favor of that Total Heroes garbage. At least we got five members of the Justice League, but the fact that we’ll never have a proper Green Lantern or Cyborg in DCUC “New 52” style makes me really wish I had just gone with DC Collectibles’ figures in the first place. What was I here to talk about again? Oh yeah, Aquaman. Let’s check him out…

dccuaqua2

dccuaqua1

dccuaqua3

We’re going to be seeing the DC Unlimited packaging more than a few times over the next month or so. Around Christmastime Amazon had a fire sale on these figures for around $5 each and I took the opportunity to not only finally pick up Aquaman but also get some of those Injustice figures that I was holding out on. We’ve seen this before and I still dig it quite a bit. It’s not too far removed from the old DCUC packages, but it has a fresh new design and a really nice panel of character art on the front that the DCUC packages lacked. The back panel is more similar to the old style, complete with bio and some stats, as well as more of that great character artwork.

dccuaqua5

dccuaqua6

In terms of costume design, Aquaman’s really hasn’t changed much in the jump to the “New 52.” I guess when you hang out underwater with tuna all the time, you don’t always get the new fashion memos.  For those of you who aren’t a fan of the new costumes’ panel lines Aquaman has escaped that treatment. As a result, a lot of this figure is borrowed and/or resculpted from the old DCUC Aquaman, particularly from the waist down where only his fins have been resculpted. The shirt is the same great scale texture that we’ve seen on previous DCUC releases and the sculpted belt is raised from the rest of the figure in keeping with DC’s 3D design guidelines for these characters.

dccuaqua8

The portrait on the figure is quite good, with clearly defined features, neat paintwork, and a slightly determined expression. I’d rank this head sculpt closer to the better stuff we were getting out of the DC Signature line. The more youthful nature of the new Justice League is certainly conveyed here as well. Nice job, Mattel!

dccuaqua7

Aquaman features all the articulation we’ve come to expect from the DCUC format. The arms feature ball joints at the shoulders, hinged elbows, and swivels in the biceps and wrists. The legs have the usual DCUC style hip joints, hinges in the knees and ankles, and swivels in the thighs. The neck is ball jointed, he can swivel at the waist, and he has the usual ab crunch hinge in the torso.

dccuaqua10

dccuaqua9

Naturally, you get Aquaman’s ubiquitous trident. It’s cast in a matte bronze color, and I really dig the more utilitarian barbed head on this piece. It looks a lot more useful than the overly ostentatious trident from the old DCUC figure. The figure’s hands are sculpted so he can hold it in either or both.

dccuaquagrp

There’s no doubt that Aquaman is a great addition to the DC Unlimited line, even if the DCUC “New 52” Justice League will never be truly complete without Green Lantern and Cyborg. I’ll concede that this probably isn’t the most exciting figure around because, well, he’s Aquaman and he doesn’t look that much different in the “New 52” Universe. On the other hand, I’ve really enjoyed Aquaman’s current book as well as his contribution in The Justice League. He sure played a pretty big part in the third volume TPB so it’s nice to finally have his figure on my shelf.

DC Comics: Wonder Woman ArtFX+ Statue by Kotobukiya

Last week I started checking out Koto’s ArtFX+ Justice League statues with Supes himself and since we are dealing with the “New 52” verse, I thought it fitting to move on to his main squeeze Wonder Woman. This is also where I resist the urge to comment on any recent casting announcements made by Warner Bros. regarding a certain Amazon for their Man of Steel sequel in fear of pissing off any fans of that movie or that casting decision. Oh, look! We have a statue to look at!

afxww1

afxww2

afxww3

The packaging is similar to what we saw last time only now we get a Wonder Woman motif and her emblem looks particularly nice on the side panel. Everything I said about Superman’s box applies here as well. The printed art on the clear plastic looks great, and it’s designed that you can even display the statue pretty well while still in the package. On the downside it’s very fragile. Case in point, mine must have gotten bumped in shipment. The outer box is fine, but the inner tray was cracked at the bottom. The trays protected the statue just fine, but a regular cardboard box probably would have prevented any damage at all. I always keep my statue boxes and I’m rather concerned about these boxes getting scratched up or crushed over a long period of time.

afxww4

afxww5

afxww6

afxww7

Out of the package, WW looks gorgeous. I’ll get to her pose in a moment, but first I really need to gush about how beautifully the matte plastic used for her skin contrasts with the high gloss metallic paint used on her costume. Granted, she’s showing a lot less skin than the older and more iconic WW costume. Here she’s graduated to wearing full pants and a corset-style top leaving just her arms and shoulders bare, but the effect is still striking. I probably like WW’s “New 52” outfit least of all the Justice League member makeovers, but I do still like it. I miss the gold, I think the boots should still be red, and the darker blue and lack of colored stars mean that it’s not quite colorful enough for me, but Koto still did a wonderful job recreating the new look here and they even managed to include her short sword. Still, it’s the sculpting on the corset is what really grabs me. The eagle motif on top and the panel lining are both fantastic.

afxww8

afxww9

afxww10

afxww11

And then there’s the portrait. Koto is no stranger to sculpting some lovely looking ladies and Wonder Woman here is no exception. There’s still a bit of an anime influence here, but I don’t find it as overt as what we saw in Superman. She’s looking slightly down and off to the side, which is practically Koto’s trademark look by now, and sporting a stern and noble expression. The sculpted work on her hair is splendid and I love the way they carried it over to her face with paint apps. The tiny choker necklace and tiara tie the whole portrait together.

afxww13

afxww14

Like Superman, the pose here is very much “museum style” with just a hint of action. Wonder Woman is practically mugging for the camera with her left arm cocked and her fist is resting on her hip. Her right arm poised at the ready to grab her golden lasso. The way her back is arched is almost poetic and I think she looks best when positioned on her base at a slight angle with her left foot pointing forward.

afxww15

Speaking of bases, you get the exact same base that came with Superman. It’s a simple black metal square with “Justice League” on the front. The magnets in Wonder Woman’s feet help her to stand up, which is a good thing because she’s hard to keep standing without the assist. The magnet system also ensures that you can position her anywhere on the stand. She looks particularly nice when sharing a stand with Supes.

afxww12

I was already sold on this line with Superman, but with the acquisition of Wonder Woman I was further assured that there was no turning back now. She’s an absolutely gorgeous statue. Initially I had some minor doubts about the scale on these pieces. 1:10th scale seemed a bit too close to the action figures and I tend to associate Koto’s work with 1:8th scale and above. Those doubts, however, are starting to fade and I’m thinking that these statues are going to be the perfect size for assembling the entire team on my shelf. Wonder Woman originally retailed at around the $40-45 mark, but I was able to pick her up off of Amazon for just under $30. A very nice deal for a very nice statue! Next week, we’ll check out The Flash!

DC Comics: Superman ArtFX+ Statue by Kotobukiya

Anyone who’s kicked around FFZ for a while knows that I have a long standing love of Kotobukiya and their Bishoujo statues. Well, late last year I started to branch out thanks to some irresistible pics of the Justice League ArtFX+ statues posted by this konsummate kollector of all things kool. I’ve already pre-ordered the first offerings in their Avengers line, which is due to start hitting later this year and now I’m busy piecing together the Justice League and some of the other DC statues. I’m kicking off my look at this line today with the Man of Steel himself, Supes!

supesafx8

The packaging is artsy and gorgeous. While the Bishoujo statues come in proper boxes with windows, these pieces come in a box made of windows. Yes, the entire package is made of clear plastic with printed graphics, all surrounding a set of plastic trays with the statue nesting inside.

supesafx9

This packaging definitely has its ups and downs. On the upside, it’s a beautiful presentation, complete with art that links up with the other boxes to make for a great looking backdrop behind your statue display. Also, if you take the plastic wrap off the statue, you can return it to the package and still get a pretty good look at it while it’s inside. It practically makes its own display case.

supesafx10

On the downside, the thin plastic packaging is fragile and very susceptible to scratches and whatnot. Statue boxes are among the few packages I hang on to, and I worry about how durable these will be to store over time. It also means that if you’re buying these sight unseen from an online retailer, you better make certain that they’re known for their careful packing. In the end, I think the good outweighs the bad here. I’m prepared to go the extra mile to be careful with the boxes in exchange for what is a truly fantastic presentation.

afxsupm1

afxsupm2

afxsupm4

So, obviously we’re dealing with “New 52” Superman and that’s perfectly fine with me. While I do have some issues with a few of the character re-designs of the current DC Universe, I have no problem with any of the core Justice League. In fact, I’ve really grown to love Supes’ new costume, particularly when it’s presented as well as it is here. Superman stands at about 1:10th Scale, which makes him smaller than Koto’s Bishoujo pieces but a little bigger than your average DCUC or DC Collectibles action figure. I’ll be honest, I would have probably liked to see these in the 1:8th Scale, but it’s a trade off because the smaller scale doesn’t gobble up as much space and yet they’re still big enough to host plenty of detail. Clearly Koto knows what they’re doing, so who am I to argue?

afxsupm5

afxsupm6

afxsupm7

The sculpt is truly excellent. One thing DC did brillaintly was design the new costumes with 3D modeling in mind. If you look at the early “New 52” comics there are explicit notes about how everything should be raised and three-dimensional. As a result, every detail of the figure is sculpted in rather than just painted. You not only get all the musculature, but a great 3D effect in the boots and cuffs as well as the belt and the S-logo. When you add that to the sculpted panel lines of the outfit you get a detail that really stands out no matter what angle your looking at. The cape is sculpted in stiff plastic and hangs down off his shoulders perfectly. It can be seen from the front, but it isn’t obtrusive, nor does it flare out to the sides to take up extra space on the shelf. It’s a nice compromise. As for the pose itself, the statue assumes what is mostly a traditional “museum-style” pose, but his fists are clenched and his arms slightly bent as if he’s poised for action. The stance allows him to stand among his fellow Justice Leaguers with a degree of uniformity, while at the same time offering a feeling of excitement and kineticism. 

afxsupm8

The portrait maintains a great deal of the character’s comic feel but there are also some heavy anime overtones in the portrait. I’m really happy with the pose that Koto went with here. I know a few collectors who have taken issue with the Asian overtones of the portrait, but I’m not one of them. I don’t think it’s at odds with the some of the Jim Lee line art and quite frankly I think it works quite well in conveying the more youthful look of the “New 52” Superman. Either way, the expression is great. Superman looks determined and resolute and there’s a lot more detail in the facial sculpt than my poor camera can adequately capture, particularly in the brown and the cheek bones. 

afxsupm10

As nice as the sculpt here is, I have to say it’s the paintwork that really makes this statue pop on the shelf. The high gloss metallic paint gives Supes’ costume that luscious new-car shine that begs to be admired under the light. The tones of red and blue, with a hint of gold, complement each other splendidly. Naturally the glossy outfit contrasts beautifully with the matte flesh tones used for the head and hands, as well as the matte red plastic used for the cape. I still take this statue off the shelf at least once a day just to turn it over in the light and admire the beauty of the paintwork.

afxsupm11

Superman includes a square black base with the “Justice League” logo on the front. It’s a metal base with some heft and the statue uses magnets in the feet to help connect him to the base. It’s not a very strong connection, not enough to pick up the stand with, but it does keep him from toppling over. It also allows for you to move him about the base or even pose two statues on one stand. It’s a clever system that Koto has used for many of their ArtFX+ statues and it allows for multiple options when displaying the team.

afxsupm9

I’ve frequently remarked that Koto offers some of the best values in statues and that’s certainly the case here as well. While Superman’s MSRP clocks in at around $40-45, I was able to pick him up for just under $30, which is a pretty comfortable price for such a striking display piece. If you aren’t quite prepared to make the jump from collecting action figures to pricier high end statues, this would be a great way to go, as I really think this is one of the finest portrayals of this version of the character in statue or action figure form. He’s a great stand-alone piece, but I wasn’t been a big fan of Superman’s stand alone book last year, but I have enjoyed the character in the Justice League book, so the real draw for me is going to be displaying him with his comrades. I’ll try to be checking out one of these beauties each week until I’ve run through them all!