It’s an annual tradition! Continuing with our end-of-the-year celebration, we once again have our “DCUC Class of” feature that we began all the way back in 2008. Like last year, we will take a quick retrospective at our most favoritest line of DC action figures going, what the future holds and how off-shoot lines can build up a universe, fast as lightening. It is a tag team event this time around as Ibentmyman-thing will be handling most of the wordage and VeeBee has taken a few pictures. Hop in you Flux Capacitor-packed DeLoreon and take a look back!
The 2010 Year in Review
I’m a comic fan. I’m a toy fan. I’m a comic toy fan. Right here in this little abstract chunk of malleable space-time in the 21st century, being a comic toy fan is paying off.
Series 12 started off the year right with our first member of the Metal Men. The Metal Men! A finite group with a clear beginning and end, that we’ve been guaranteed will be completed. People have been waiting only a few decades for something like this to happen. For anybody with a deep love of all levels of the DC universe from A-Z listers, getting members from groups like the Metal Men or Doom Patrol means that somebody somewhere is listening to us. That…is exciting.
And that was only one figure in the series. We also got another member of the Marvel Family, a New God baddie, a JSA member, and a couple of villains. Something for every taste, and if your tastes are broad, this was one sweet ice cream cone to lick. Oh hells yes that’s the metaphor I’m going with: this line is a delicious ice-cream cone. Three scoops.
Next up is wave 13, which leads to a few more surprises. First and foremost is Blue Devil. Personal philosophy time: if you have had a series lasting more than 20-30 issues, you deserve to have a figure, and you deserve it as soon as possible. Even more impressive is the debut of double joints on Blue Beetle, a fantastic looking figure regardless of your proclivities. In a way he was an advanced preview of what is starting to become more prominent as the line moves on. These are toys. Action figures. Ack. Shun. I want these little people to move. As long as a certain aesthetic appeal is maintained, the additional joints are more than welcome.
One iffy member of this wave was Cyclotron. You know what, some people wanted him, because they want better versions of the old Super Powers figures in the line. So they’re getting them. Strip away the whining and bias, he’s a great, fun, comic-booky, Kirby-esque figure. His gimmick is well done and unobtrusive, and he’s made some people happy. I like him a lot. Toys are about happiness. Seems a lot of people forget this. Welcome to the line, Cyclotron. Have fun.
Then there’s a Doom Patroller, a female Titan, a 90’s Superboy for the Reign-of fans, and some Cheetahs.
After series 13, we had a bit of a summer vacation from regular waves, but that doesn’t mean there was no new DC product to find. Like last year’s Gotham City 5-pack, Wal-Mart decided to take another set, this time with a Lantern touch. As a preview of a preview of things to come with all things Green, this GL 5 pack was pretty polarizing. We got two new characters, the mostly-liked Tomar-Re and the split-decision Guy Gardner. The other three figures were redecos of Hal (with old guy hair), John (all Mosaic-y) and GL Sinestro and for, the most part, the left a lot of people cold for choice. Toys aren’t getting any cheaper so the need for more bang for the buck becomes ever more important, so lucky hold outs were finding their sets discounted later in the year.
Oh yeah, there is also that whole San Diego Comic Con thing that happens in the middle of the summer. This time Mattel rolled out the red carpet for stretchy red guy – Plastic Man! Whew! I have talked about this figure ever since our First Look and I cannot really say much more than that he, to me, is the best DCUC figure of 2010. THIS is how you make a toy – all of the stuff the standard figures get, plus more parts and accessories – even an SDCC-exclusive suitcase body. I wish all characters were able to be done with such justice, I would be much more accepting of a higher price tag with that kind of goodness. Oh yeah, Plas was not alone, we also got some DCUC-scale Starro Spores at the con too, don’t forget them!
Wave 14’s where it gets nuts. Bonkers, even. It starts out funky with Tyr, who sports one of the coolest designs from Super Powers line. Then it swerves into Kamandi. Yeah, he’s a young dude in shorts, blahdyblah. But it’s Kamandi! They said they wouldn’t shy away from left field and they weren’t kidding. The 4h love Kirby and putting out a Kamandi figure proves how willing they are to fill out the Kirbyverse.
Then there’s even more JSA love with three representatives, ANOTHER METAL MAN! And Zatanna, who further fattens up the Satellite league’s ranks.
15 brings the long awaited Martian Manhunter home, along with another obscurity nuclear bomb: Jemm. Duuuuude. Jemm. It’s like they’re picking characters off my top ten.
Did I just utter a protracted Dude? Apparently I did. Oh well, it’s for a good cause. I don’t care if I’m the only one that wanted him, the fact that they made Jemm, who’s only had one mini and a handful of appearances is unbelievable. But that’s not all, We got Starmen, another Titan chick, And yet another chunk of Kirby goodness. If you’re not a Kirby fan or a fan of big bold bright characters that look fun, then go buy a slinky, because the one two punch of Kamandi and OMAC is thumping the Kirby pumpkin and it is ripe. I don’t know what I just said…
Did I mention Starmen? Father and son. That’s two Starmen.
Toys R Us and Wal-Mart also continued their exclusive offerings in the form of repaints, two-packs and repaint two-packs. Single card repaints of shiny Hal Jordan and Barry Allen, plus a black and gray Batman and a Renegade Nightwing were met nice reception (for the most part) at Toys R Us, along with a repack two-pack of Kara Supergirl and Battle Suit Lex Luthor, complete with multi-colored Kryptonite. Also joining the TRU throng was a GL two-pack of Super Friends-esque Hal Jordan and a long-time-coming correct height Sinestro complete with green and yellow constructs.
Early in the year Wal-Mart had repaint packs of Batman and Tim Robin (in green and red) as well as a golden Aquaman and velvety Super Friends Black Manta. As 2010 closed out a Superman/Parasite and Hawkgirl/Gentleman Ghost joined the throng. GG was a much demanded re-release, but people also wanted his Giganta chunks too and they were left out of the package.
Then there’s series 16, just now popping up. Wave of the century. Jonah Friggin’ Hex (not his real middle name, as far as I know, though it should be). Ignore the movie, and stare at him for a while. Such an ugly sonnuvabitch makes a handsome toy. As I said earlier, the wave could stop there and I’d be satisfied. But there’s also more Metal Man goodness, CREEPER!! A nice Bronze age spendexian Riddler, and Robin, completing the dynamic duo, with more motion in his ocean than ever before thanks to the ever-evolving articulation. Dick never sits still, and this young acrobat’s got all it takes to move.
So squeezing in 5 waves of DC figures—not even counting GL Classics!—2010 has filled my shelves and filled them well, with a hyperbole inspiring diversity that’s practically unprecedented in any other toyline in the history of the universe, ever. It is indeed a great time to be a fan.
But benty, we ARE counting GL Classics! See, unlike the stylized Public Enemies line from 2009, GLC series 1 dropped in late 2010 and aside from the packaging being a lot more, well, green, these figures ARE DC Classics. We all know there is a certain little GL movie coming out next Summer and while we will certainly be inundated by movie-related toys of all shapes and sizes, it is nice to get things kicked off with a comic styled line of figures. With only two series of figures announced (so far…) the line has taken a fairly strong modern direction so our favorite color corps are taking center stage. While it is Green Lantern Classics, only one GL, Kyle Rayner, made the cut in series. What does that mean? Well, it means that the rest of the series is going to make sure Kyle has his hands full as the Manhunters, Mongul, Black Hand, Black Lantern Abin Sur and Low and Maash join the fray. The latter two introduce and new concept to the DCUC line with interchangeable hands and heads to create multiple characters, something I hope will continue as appropriate in the main line. Plus, to top it all off, our C&C is everyone’s favorite tongueless Kilowog foil, Arkillo. He even stole his base body! More GLC, please and when a certain Bat movie comes to the screen in 2012, let’s have Batman Classics too!
So there you have it – the DC Retrospecticus of 2010. 78 new characters, 5 main series, store and convention exclusives, two-packs, five-packs and even a line completely dedicated to Green Lantern. I suppose at this point in the line all we can really ask for 2011 is that it be even bigger and better than 2010. We still have LOTS of teams to finish up, ladies, villains, a return to the Fourth World and a multitude of Multi-verses to come our way. Blackest Night will kick off 2011, along with more GLC, but past that, we still have a lot to learn. Long live DC Universe Classics and may we all get all of our favorite figures in the series and years to come. Thanks for reading!
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