DC Universe Classics Green Lantern Wave 2: Medphyll and Naut Kei Loi

It's only 8 days to go till the Green Lantern Movie hits the screens over in this part of the world!  And that means I'm about to fail my objective of reviewing all my DCUC Green Lantern Wave figures. Hah!  But look!--I got one more of 'em done over at Articulated Discussion.

So head on over there to check out what the Green Lantern Corps is offering on ts lunch menu--that's right, raw Broccoli and boiled fish!  Bleargh!  But I'm sure it's safe to say that this is one instance where the toy might taste better than the actual...uh...characters. What the hell am I talking about?  I don't know either!  So scoot!!! ;P

Sneak Review: DC Universe Classics Wave 17 Star Sapphire Wonder Woman!

Most of fandom is kinda outraged at Wonder Woman's recent costume change from the classic look to the blue long johns. Well ok, mainly people dislike it, with a few fans lukewarm and even less saying it's a good look.  But I know one thing's for sure--if Wonder Woman had ditched her old costume for the one she's wearing on this figure, all of you would've approved.  Well, most of you anyway. 

Yes, Star Sapphire Wonder Woman has even less on than when she isn't championing the pink light of passion.  And while it may make some of us bleed from the nose and smoke from our ears, you can only get a good look at photos and read a review right now, because Wave 17 has another 2-3 months before it hits the stores.

But is scantily-clad-pink-Diana-Space-faring Wonder Woman worth the investment?

Let's find out!

Like: That they used the same head as classic WW but with a newly sculpted on mask.  It's a great touch, because next to regular WW, you can tell it's Diana, and then Diana in a gold mask.  There's more: this WW's hair sculpt is different from the original.  I must say I'm impressed that they didn't just reuse the sculpt for it.

Like: That the new hair sculpt has great motion to it.  It's almost the same as the classic Wonder Woman's with a litle less motion.  Just a litle.  Still, if she's just standing still it looks like there' wind in her hair.  If she punching/flying/firing her ring it looks like she's doing it with real gusto.  It's too bad her face doesn't follow suit...

Subtle but important differences. The classic's also got higlights. The SS doesn't

Dislike:  Like Blue Lantern Flash from the same wave, her facial expression is a little bland.  It's just too expressionless, maybe even a little sleepy.  Her face doesn't look quite right punching, kicking, aiming her ring, or doing anything because she has this non-committal look on her face. 

Wait, even non-committal has an expression--it's a little more committed than this? ;P  So this is just...blank?  If there's any consolation, she's slightly more determined-looking than Blue Flash.

Like: The new female buck.  It's fleshier and less sinewy than the classics Wonder Woman. While the original is not actually bigger or taller than this version, it is well-muscled, especially in the biceps and shoulders.  I don't mind the wiry look of the original and this one looks great too, providing a little variety even though it's supposed to look like she just had a costume change.

Dislike: That we lost the ab crunch and waist swivel, only to gain a chest pivot that doesn't really pivot, being reduced to mainly a swivel.  I'm not even sure that is makes the figure better looking. Bottom line is that doesn't make the figure more playable.  Bring back the old ab crunch and waist swivel!

Dislike: Shiny finish.  My first thought was that this was the reason for the "failed" QC.  But having looked at WW closer, she looks to have been intentionally done this way.  All I can say is this--plastic sculpted in a certain color works only for some surfaces and flesh is not one of them.  It may even work some of the time for skin tight costumes etc., but paint works for everything.

Bottom line?  Go with the paint for the skin, especially the face!  The older female figures from Classic WW to Power Girl, Black Canary, and all the way up till Green Lantern Wave 2 Carol Ferris are awesomely painted.  Please don't buck the trend!

Like: Her Lasso.  Granted, I'd like it better as an accessory rather than just a fixture, so it must be a good thing that mine fell off!  Right?  Lol.  At least she now has something to hold in her one open hand.

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 7/10 - Wonder Woman looks good, but not great.  The potential for great aesthetics is there.  But instead of a nice, matte finish, most of her costume is painted a weird shiny pink.  Her flesh is molded instead of painted and is also shiny.  I guess that's the thing that bother me most about her--she's a Super Shiny Star Sapphire Wonder Woman (or SSSSWW for short)!  SSSSWWW...That's the exact same sound our money makes as it leaves our pockets...

The figure is though, saved by her face sculpt, which is very nicely detailed with her mask and the star on her circlet.  The hair, like the original, is great and even her costume on her torso is sculpted.  Too bad they didn't sculpt costume on her limbs, though.  It would've made her a lot more substantial and less like a Fembot.  She'd still have a similar look to Green Lantern Wave 2's Star Sapphire Carol Ferris but wouldn't look like a cheap knockoff.

Poseability: 6.5/10 - SSSSWW's got a left open fist, but nothing to hold!  Her lasso is glued on to her right hip, as I mentioned earlier.  If not for it falling off due to my attempts to orientate it "correctly" (it was pointing every which way but down), she'd actually have nothing to hold in that open left hand.  Imagine that, a weird hand in every pose.  Thank goodness Mattel made the lasso detachab...Oh, wait!  They didn't!

And needless to say, the loss of an ab crunch is annoyingly, well, annoying.  She really loses a ton of poseability--no puffing up of the chest to stand proudly, no slight hunker to demonstrate the tension in combat readiness.  It's a big deal.

Fun: 7/10 - Goes well with Carol Ferris!  But other than that, she'd be be a whole lot more fun with more "usable" accessories.  Where's the pink construct axe and shield? ;P  That would've made up for the figure losing some PoAs and even give it a sense of continuity from the classic WW, who has both these items.  And How about making a Wonder Woman who can actually remove and uncoil her lasso?  Lots of pose value there.  C'Mon, Matty!

Value: 7/10 - At S$12 she's a steal.  Even if she came in packaging, it would be with just an Anti-Monitor part (which is too small for how huge the Anti-Monitor is) and a pink Lantern.  It would definitely not be worthwhile to pay almost 3 times the price for that!

Looking at how they packed Classic Wonder Woman an awesome axe and a star-spangled shield, couldn't they do they same with this Wonder Woman?  Even if they don't mold them in pink as constructs (which would've been the awesomest thing btw), they could've just given her the the exact same axe and shield and it would've even matched her Star Sapphire costume perfectly!

Overall: 6.9/10 - Star Sapphire Wonder Woman's just not that impressive.  Between losing the ab crunch an waist swivel, the lack of paint apps, and the shortage of accessories, I'm not sure this figure is worth getting unless your either a big fan of hers or the Anti-Monitor's.  We know that the sculpt will remain pretty much as is when Wave 17 is released in August, but here's hoping that the actual packaged version will at least have her flesh painted! (So she won;t lok like a Fembot.)

DC Universe Classics Green Lantern Wave 2: Star Sapphire Carol Ferris

Boy that's gotta be the longest name for a toy I've reviewed yet!

So Brightest Day has just ended with the ***Spoiler Alert*** return of Swamp Thing and John Constantine to the mainstream DC Universe. ***End of Spoiler***  But the DCUC figures of Blackest Night Characters have only just hit the shelves last month.

Well, I just managed to get my hands on the complete Wave 2 of the GL 2 Series and what a wave it is!  Pity it'll be the last totally Green Lantern themed wave.  The great thing?  We get some brand new characters for the DCUC line!  And Carol Ferris is one of them.

So how well did Star Sapphire turn out?  Head on over to Articulated Discussion for the review!

Sneak Review: DC Universe Classics Wave 17 Blue Lantern Flash!

Well, it's a regular Flee Market Sunday down at local toy hub here in Singapore and I'm thinking about not going because I'd woken up late.  The baby was a little restless and kept us both up the night before.  Also, I'd just have maybe over an hour of browsing time before I had to head back towards home for Church.  I also was reluctant to leave the wife and son home alone for to long--I guess I'm terribly fond of them both.;)

But having freed all my unopened my Justice League stuff from their plastic prisons and set 'em up nicely in one of my smaller cubby hole shelves, I was inspired to look for the missing figures I'd forgotten I didn't have.  Guys like the Question, Ice and Fire, Galatea, and most of the bad guys.  But what I found instead was that DCUC Wave 17 (The deputy Blackest Night Lantern wave) had hit the stores.

Well, actually, the loose figures had.  And they were more like tables than stores, really.  Yes, those figs that don't make QC had reached the hands of those regular flee-marketers. And not being particularly keen on the Anti-Monitor Collect n Connect figure, I jumped at the chance to get Blue Lantern Flash and Star Sapphire Wonder Woman for S$12 (US$9) apiece!  I'd also have gotten the rest of the wave loose but those weren't anywhere in sight.  But I also did manage to snag myself a shiny Hal Hordan from the Hal vs Thaal Sinetro 2-pack, as well as a spare Skallox for when my DCUC GL Wave 2 comes in this week (So I'd have a spare body for Night-Lik.)

So how did (QC fail) Blue Lantern Flash turn out?

Like: In this instance, that the QC passed packaged figures won't come with much else other than an Anti-Monitor body part.  It's a big consideration when buying a loose figure for me.  For example, I've had numerous chances to snag Zatanna, but I've passed because she's almost always missing her hat, her wand, or both.  Since BL Flash and SS WW only come with a lantern, I'm all in!

Leap!

Like: The low, low price of S$12 (US$9).  That's a third of the retail here, so it's definitely worth it--but only if there are no major paint issues, all the joints are in working order, and the thing doesn't cause any melamine poisoning.  Hey, hang on!  There's no way I can confirm the melamine...I might've very well been cheated! (Just kidding  No melamine involved.  Or at least I hope not...)

Like: The eyes on Flash are exceptionally well done. They're blue and sharp, with pupils clearly painted on with a touch of white shine.  This guy definitely didn't fail QC for paint issues, or as the Rangerlord speculated, he may have not even failed QC at all! (Meaning he might have been stolen from the factory?...)

Like: The colors of the costumes of these different colored Lanterns are spot on and go well next to one another.  Just look at them!  They're like magic rainbows!...

Dislike: The very neutral facial expression.  Since this guy is a straight up repaint of the Barry Allen figure from way back, I didn't really expect there to be a change. It would've been nice to see a head sculpt with a more determined look, maybe a hint of a frown.  Mattel did it for Sinestro Corp Batman and they could've done it here.  It's not that the current head is bad by any stretch of the imagination but it could be much better.

Like: His ring!  It's round, it's blue, it's sculpted on his right ring finger!  And some it just...fills me with such a sense of hope...

Like: His thicker than usual boots! Yeah, he needs them for all the rubber he burns.  His foot is taller at the toes than other standard feet and the sole has got nice horizontal grooves for better traction at lightning quick speeds.  Also, it gives him slightly better balance than your standard DCUC male figure.  This is a plus because he can balance on one foot as needed for his running poses!

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 7/10 - He may be a straight repaint, but he's a good one.  The Blue Lantern costume is rare (Flash is the first one) but its done really sharply, especially the chest symbol. They've done a great job with the paint on his face and eyes, though his expression is a little bland.  The eyes are the cherry on top for this guy but then cherries grow in bunches, so we'll throw in the metallic blue "wings" on his head and boots, and his blue ring as the little details that make this guy look good

Poseability: 8/10 - You standard DCUC male buck articulation--which is a great thing!  He can do the sideways splits and be put in wide striding poses easily, which is essential for a Flash figure. Add to that a Blue rig and he now not only just run, but run and zap bad guys!

Bound!

Fun: - 7/10 - He looks great, especially next to the other Lanterns.  But the real fun will come when he's got other Blue Lanterns to "Corp around" with.  He'll also look great next to Green Lanterns, which the blue ring needs to fully power up its own abilities.

Hey-O!

It's a pity the MOC version doesn't come with more accessories other than a CnC part and a lantern, because he sure could use a few constructs.  And even if hey couldn't think of anything new to pack-in with him, they could've given him a blue molded fist like the green one that comes with John Stewart.  What's better than running at speeds approach in the velocity of light?  Well, punching with a giant blue fist while running, that's what! ;) 

Value: 8/10 - Considering they'll retail for S$35 (US$27) each, S$12 (US$9) is a steal!  Forget the lantern accessory, forget the Anti-Monitor part.  We've got what we wanted with just the figure!  As with all Lantern-based figures, a construct or two would've been great.


Overall: 7.5/10 - Blue Lantern Flash is not a must-have, unless you're a big Flash fan or a die-hard Blackest Night fan like myself.  If you didn't follow the series or don't like it, you'd probably pass him up.  It's also a pity that there aren't going to be anymore Green Lantern themed waves because lining up other Blue Lanterns like Saint Walker and Warth with the Flash would be way cool!

One can always hope...

Chase Pics: Justice League Unlimted Display! (and other updates. ;] )

5 long years after the last episode aired, I've finally gotten off my lazy ass and opened up all the JLU figures that I have.  The reason I took so long was partly laziness, partly because I'd discovered DC Universe and Marvel Universe figures were more poseable (and up my alley), and mostly because I've never had the space to display 'em all.

Well, after getting married and moving into our own place, I finally have a whole room I can devote to displaying stuff!  Even then, I realized that packaging was taking up a lot of space.  And I mean a LOT.  That also meant that I was buying more stuff than I had time to open.  (Weird, right?  Ok, maybe not...)

I guess I had the lofty ambition of reviewing every toy I bought, thinking that I could do it because I'm a self-professed cherry-picker and proud of it.  But boy was I wrong.  There ain't no way I can review toys faster than I buy them.  The verdict?  I get a brand new JLU display!

I needs me Justice Lords Wonder Woman!!!

Read on for more updates! ;)


Yes, I realized after setting this up, that I need more bad guys!  Even my Justice Lords aren't actually the real thing--you see, I'd picked up the J-Lords Superman, Batman, and Hawkgirl 3-pack over the Supes, Bats, and Wonder Woman pack because the former was harder to find.  I intended to then try and get WW loose somehow.  The only other difference between the two 3-pks was that Supes and Bats had thes weird circuitry markings on their shoulders.  I couldn't recall any moment when that had appeared in the JLU series, so I shrugged it off.

Then while re-watching the entire 4 seasons with Melissa, I finally spotted the circuitry versions of the J-Lords--they were Braniac clones in one of the season finales!  I'd been cheated!  By myself, no less, but still cheated!

Haha, na, it isnt that bad.  I'm still happy that I got those Justice Lords clone because I really love that episode/story arc.  It just means I have to go back and get them, this time hopefully with Wonder Woman!

Besides the JLU, I also cracked open some sealed DCUC figures to round out my JLA Magnificent Seven and "Reserves" display.

I love this display--I may yet get to reviewing some of these guys, especially the ones involved in Brightest Day!

And I also beefed up my Masters of the Universe Classics shelf!

Still have Evil-Lyn and He-Ro I need to open. I'm such a slacker!

DC Universe Classics Green Lantern Wave 1: Kyle Rayner

Seriously, how many DCUC figure come with big swords?  None.  None, except Kyle Rayner here.  But what's truly impressive is the amount of work that's gone into making sure a top notch accessory came out right.  And I guess that's all we as fans ask for: quality.  We don't need a bunch of crude constructs packed in with figures (though that would beat no constructs at all), we just need one; one with quality and that will excite our imaginations.  And that's just what (wrong as it sounds) Kyle's big sword does--Excite us!

Kyle is Figure 1 in Wave 1 of the DCUC Green Lantern Series.  I hear that the series will last all of 2 waves, but I have a feeling Mattel has more planned for our Emeral heroes and their enemies in upcoming DCUC spin-off waves. DCUC GL 1 is the first wave I pre-ordered in its entirety--I liked the characters, I liked the new articualtion, and I liked the Collect and Connect figure.  How could I pass it up?

Unfortunately, it's also the first wave I'm paying the new higher retail price for, having cherry picked in past waves and/or holding back till I found the figures I wanted for reasonable prices. This wave cost me S$35 (US$25) a figure, bringing the total to S$210 ($150).  But thanks to Vincent at Toyrealm, I managed to get 'em at S$30 (US$21.40) a piece!

So how did Kyle do as the first figure of the series? Well let's see!

Like: The great sword accessory, of course!  Just look at the detail they put on it.  Runes on the blade, hilt etchings, decorated gauntlet.  Just the right size too--huge!

Like: That he's got a different costume from the other Green Lanterns. Yet the differences are only slight--he's a shade darker green and his Green Lantern insignia is off center.  Along with a slightly more matte finish than the other GLs, the suit sets him apart from the rest of the GLs without being wildly different, and makes for less for a uniform and more of a costume.

Like: That even his Lantern insignia is different from the standard fare of green on white of most other GLs.  It's also Rayner's own unique design of it, with green on black with a white border.  He's also had a lot of costume changes and insignia changes to go along with them, but like the current costume itself, I think this Lantern badge makes him look like part of the Corp without being completely different.

Like: That what little paint he has on him is sharp, with especially crisp lines for his mask and hairline.

Like: That they used the old school sculpt for him.  I love the articulation on some of the newer figures like Black Hand and Wave 16's Robin, both of whom have double-jointed knees and elbows.  But these two do take a hit in the looks department as far as those joints go.  The double-joints just look too glaringly obvious on lighter tones like skin.  They'd probably be more hidden on a costume that has black parts like Kyle's, but I'm glad that he doesn't have those joints to spoil the overall aesthetics of the figure.  In this instance, I feel he doesn't really need the articulation.  That being said, I wished they'd fix the existing PoAs so that they'd work as intended, for example, the head...

 
Dislike: That the head ball joint has gone back to not being able to look up much.  The problem crept in when Wave 8 was released and heads were reduced to swivel-only movement.  In his case Kyle can look down and around without any problem, but can't look up at all.  It's a problem because the head is an especial articulation point for characters who can fly.  Even then, not being able to look up in shock as the entire Sinetro Corps swoops down an ya is kind of a bummer.  The poor guy wouldn't even know what hit him.








RATINGS

Aesthetics: 7.5/10 - Unique uniform that will make him stand out among the Corp, but side by side with other heroes, he seems a little dull.  the standard GL uniform sticks out better among the groups outside the Corps.  But all in all, a well painted figure, a great looking sword and lantern.

Poseability: 8/10 - He's just your regular DCUC figure with standard articulation. What makes the difference for him is the sword, and a real difference it is.

I also like that he's got nice and tight joints, especially in his legs and ankles.  Some of the figures from previous waves like The Joker I got have very weak leg and ankle joints.  If Mattel made an effort to correct this, then I say bravo.  And this certainly looks to be the case because I got the entire DCUC GL 1 wave and the joints of all the figures are consistently tight.

Fun: 8/10 - Swords are always fun.  That the sword also fits on any standard DCUC male fist is a big plus.  They could've just made it a big-ass sword but they came up with the idea of a gauntlet to hold it securely as well--this sure adds to the fun of posing ol' Kyle over here: who needs a shield when you can block with the same construct you're fighting with? ;)

Value: 8/10 - Great accessory, unique lantern, and Arkillo's big ass Right Leg.  Simple additions to go along with a new head with some new tooling for the mask and hair.  Again, the focus on quality (the sword, the new lantern) to go with what already works in the standard buck ad you've got yourself a decent deal for retail price.

Overall: 7.9/10 - Sure, he may not be everybody's favourite Green Lantern of Sector 2814, but he still ranks pretty high up there in the Green lantern Corps.  He's a must have to go along with Hall, Guy, and John.  The Four Musketeers of the Corp!

While there's not much to gush over about him except maybe his sword, there's not much they did wrong with him (the head movement) either.   If Mattel continues to produce this sort of quality as a baseline for future figures (like the Riddler), we'd have a very little to complain about.  That being said, Matty, please don't let it stop you from producing winners like Black Hand and Wave 16's Robin!

Get it? Get it?

(Hit the jump if you don't! Heh. ;])