So, are you a fan of the color GREEN? Well, you better get to liking it because if you are a DC fan you are going to be seeing a TON of it over the next 12-18 months. That’s right, next summer the Green Lantern with hit thousands of screens in megaplexes around the globe and you can bet that we will be seeing toys. Lots of toys in every shape and size from Mattel. Now, while we have not seen anything in terms of movie merchandise (don’t expect that before the first of the year), the onslaught of green has begun with the now-shipping Wal-Mart exclusive Green Lantern 5 pack. As I am sure you already know, for the first time we will be able to add Guy Gardner and Tomar-Re to our DCUC shelves and Hal Jordan, John Stewart and Sinestro also join the throng in new decos. We have lots of pictures to share with you after the jump.
Green. Lots of it. And appropriately so. The box is big (think back to last year and the Gotham City 5 pack) and you get a bio of all five figures on the back, plus that famous oath. I really like the design of it as it holds to the “75 years of DC” theme that has been consistant throughout this year, but adapted with color queues specifically for Green Lantern. Hopefully it will be eye-catching to collectors, kids and moms alike as I hope that 5 pack will be a regular thing going forward and that they will keep getting better and better. Another nice thing about the set as a whole is the fact that we get five lanterns to go with our five figures and all five figures can actually hold their lanterns. I know Mattel got some feedback about the GL crew featured in last year’s series 11 not being able to hold their lanterns, consider the suggestion noted and implemented. Another great thing about the actual lanterns is their dark metallic green color. Prior to this, the lanterns we cast in a sort of sickly light green plastic not really consistant with the color from the comics. I really hope that, going forward, this is color they use for the green lanterns.
Guy Gardner
The JLI’s own Green Lantern is most likely the big draw for this set. Guy is an essential character to the Corps as well as the DC Universe on the whole. Not to mention if you are a JLI fan like me (they were my first JLA) you have to have your jerky-GL to have a bad attitude, date Ice (HOPEFULLY coming soon) and get One-Punched. Do you know how long I have been waiting to be able to recreate that ever so famous “Bwahahaha” moment? Yeah, good times.
The figure itself takes a lot of influence for artist Joe Stanton (in fact, one of his covers is featured on the back of the package) and in that regard, the Horsemen did a nice job capturing the look. I personally like the Kevin Maguire look to Guy, but I am biased as Maguire is one of my favorite artists ever, but this interpretation works well with bringing out the tough guy, snotty side of guy. That influence does make him a bit more stylized in terms of artist interpretation than a lot of the other DCUC figures, but he gels just fine with his International cronies. Another thing about the head, and in keeping with the precedence that I am noticing with the series 14 figures, it is of much more proportionate size to the rest of the body than a lot of the head sculpts we have had in the past.
Now, since he has a bowl cut his noggin looks a little bigger to begin with, but it also adds some height to him. I think this is going to be integrated as the line moves on which is a great thing, but it will add some variance to the line. Nothing that makes anyone look out of place though.
For the most part, Guy is the standard slimmer DCUC blank body but with new gloved forearms, is trademark puffy boots and rubber vest/turtle neck combination. Guy has always had a unique costume and it is recreated nicely here. I am glad to finally have my two favorite GLs on my shelf in Guy and Alan and, as the real centerpiece to this box set, I think Guy fans, and GL fans alike will be excited to have him.
Tomar-Re
Ah, Tomar. Ever since Hal Jordan debuted back in series 3 fans have been saying (over and over) that there are tons and tons of GLs that could easily be made just by making a new head. Well, Tomar-Re was ALWAYS on those lists and now we have him! And he is exactly what people were asking for! To that end though, he is head sculpt it very nice and it captures the reptile-parrot-man alien quite well. Now, I know there has been some talk about the figure actually being of Tomar-Tu due to the costume he is wearing. Well, if you want him to be Tu, hey – you can do it! He is, however, identified as Tomar-Re on the back of the box and since that is the Tomar I have been wanting, on my shelf he will remain Re.
Now, I know that we have a Green Lantern Classics line coming soon, and while we have seen the impressive series one already, I have two big hopes for that line: that there will actually be more than two assortments and that we will get some more of these secondary GLs, like Arkiss Chummuck and Medphyll. They are just too easy not to do and they will really help to build up our Corps.
Hal Jordan
Now, the last three figures in the box are repaint variations on characters that have been previously released in some for or another in DCUC. Of course, we have seen Hal a few times and this is the grayed-temple Hal, probably right before he went all Parallax nutso. While it is just a very simple repaint, it is a valid and accurate variant. I am sure he will appeal to the hardcore Hal Jordan fans more than anyone else, but if you are not too sweet on this version, at least you can use the body for a head swap and create a new GL.
John Stewart
Mosaic and Cosmic Odyssey fans rejoice! You finally have YOUR John Stewart. While this costume did not really last too terribly long in John’s history, and he often wore it with a jacket of all things, it does make for an interesting look and if you are not a fan of his mostly black modern costume, this offers a much more green and white alternative for you. He does have gloved hands now, but he uses the same head and body as the series 11 John Stewart.
Sinestro
I know. There is not much I can say here that has not already been said. While Sinny is a former GL, most fans have already made up their minds about his inclusion in this set. Now, I would have loved to have seen Jade or Arisia or another (possibly female) GL in the set, but Sinestro is a very popular character right now and I am sure there was budget to be minded for this set. I do wish he had his mask though, as that was the protocol for the character while he was still a GL. Again, I think this one will be mostly utilized for his body to make more GLs, but if you are wanting to fill out your GLC to the fullest extent, you will need a Sinestro. For those of you not overly thrilled with this figure, don’t despair – you will be getting a corrected height and skinnier version of the character in his classic togs in an upcoming Toys R Us two pack (with a pupiled (not a word) Hal Jordan).
So, let the onslaught begin. Green is in our future, and you can thing of it as an even trade: over the next year, you will be giving up a lot of your green in order to add more green to your toy shelves. This is just the beginning and makes for a bit of an appetizer for the barrage that will be headed our way starting in January. More corps I say! With this though, you do get to add Guy and Tomar to your collection and Ron can say that he is just THAT much closer to completing his Cosmic Odyssey. This set is hitting now, so be on the look out at your local Wal-Marts.
*Thanks for taking the time to look these First Looks over and thanks so much to Toy Guru and friends for sending all of this stuff along. Hopefully we will be back again soon to bring you more previewed goodies!
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