A Top Ten without Superman. A Top Ten without Batman. A Top Ten without Wonder Woman. Am I giving away too much? Nah.
With the Trinity now firmly represented in Mattel’s DC Universe Classics line, the Official Fwoosh DCUC Top Ten for spring 2008 has taken on colors like green and black and gold in a universe often dominated by reds and blues and yellows.
You have let your votes do the talking, now read on to see the top ten characters (plus the Collect and Connect character) the Fwoosh community collectively wants to see in DC Universe Classics!
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The Emerald Archer gained King of the Mountain status in our last Top Ten, and he has shown no signs of relinquishing that spot in this go around. Ollie dominated the field and you have made it clear that he is the next big Leaguer that you want to see. It seems pretty apparent that with us having Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Hal Jordan and Aquaman the rest of the "Big Seven" should be on their way shortly, Green Arrow is the logical next step for filling out that Satellite Era League that they are diligently working on (The Atom and Hawkman will also join the ranks later this year). So does that mean the classic Neal Adams look would go best for Ollie? He would fit in great with our current line-up of the JLA or he could take it on the road with Hal Jordan for some "Hard Traveling Heroes" exploits with that look, and it has to been his most iconic appearance.
Looks aside, Green Arrow presents a possible new challenge to Mattel and the Four Horsemen in that if you are going to go through the trouble of making a GA figure, he better be able to look natural with his bow string pulled taught and arrow at the ready. Does that mean a new articulation configuration? I guess we will have to wait and see. Looking toward 2009 you have made it clear that Green Arrow needs to lead the pack. Plus, if for no other reason, we need someone to constantly bicker with our up-coming Hawkman figure. However, being that he has had a constant affinity for a particular girl for decades now, I would hate for him to be lonely in his release. Hmmm….
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How’s that for a slightly awkward segue? DC’s premier superhero couple is completely represented in the top two spots of the overall vote tally with Black Canary claiming penultimate status. She has leapt over several spots since our last go around to lead the pack of ladies that are near and dear to our superhero wishes. A long time stalwart of the JLA, Dinah has recently come into her own as the group’s Chairwoman. Strong, beautiful and one of the most dangerous hand to hand combatants in the DCU, Black Canary can kick your butt ten different ways before she even needs to let loose her ear-shattering bird call. This Sable Siren (man, they all can have catchy monikers) instills fear in the hearts of evil-doers and demands respect from her colleagues, even the most super-powered ones.
Like her love Green Arrow, Black Canary can bring some challenges to her figural form. There was not an overwhelming majority leaning towards a particular costume choice, but there are a couple of costumes that seem to be the most appropriate. First is her classic high heels, jacket and low-cut top; that look has been her most long standing and would fit in the best with the aforementioned Satellite League. However, her current costume has also been very popular amongst fans and it shows influence from her classic duds while being a little more functional for delivering swift kicks to the head. Either way, she HAS to be sporting her fishnets and that could serve as an interesting choice for Mattel. Do they go painted on? Sculpted? "Real" fishnet material? Perhaps we should take a vote on that one.
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Guess, what? J’onn knew that he had taken the third spot in the Top Ten before the votes were even counted. You know, because he is a mind-reader and all? Like Black Canary, since some of the previous Top Ten slots have been vacated by those that are now confirmed for plastic goodness, the Manhunter from Mars moves up a spot from the last go around into third place. It seems like, at this point, getting J’onn is not a question of "if", it is more of "when". As one of the Founding Five of the JLA, J’onn’s history with the organization has been long and storied. He has pretty much seen it all, and while people like Superman and Wonder Woman have often taken on the leadership roles in the group, J’onn has been more of the "den father" type, the mortar that has held together countless incarnations of the League.
For all intents and purposes the Martian Manhunter has had one truly iconic look throughout the majority of his history. Green of color and with his pronounced beetle-brow, J’onn’s Martian physiology makes him of larger stature compared to most of the rest the JLA. Since so much of the DCUC line is built around part-sharing and reuse, perhaps the upcoming Hawkman could spare some pieces to build the perfect Martian (those of us lucky enough to see the preview of Hawkman from NYCC would agree that he seems nice and big, and heavily built). Time will tell but as we inch further towards the start of 2009 we will have six series of figures and a handful of exclusives coming before this year is out, it would seem strange not to get a figure of J’onn within the first seven or eight series in this line.
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Ah, the premier mystic in the DCU comes in at the number four slot and represents what would be a very solid start to DC’s super team with the richest tradition: the Justice Society of America (yes, Hawkman is coming, but is just as much JLA as he is JSA). While there have been a few characters to take up the Helmet of Fate in its history, but the overall vote leaned toward the Kent Nelson and Hector Hall incarnations. Dating back to the 1940’s, this Golden Ager has been revered as a powerful mystic whose abilities often stand alone in the fight against invading magical adversaries.
His comic history not withstanding, Dr. Fate is also a member of the Super Powers fraternity that appears to have a great pull on character choice and influence thus far in DCUC (I think we are already over half way to that line-up), the "fates" (so to speak) seem to be on his side. Plus, and this might be a personal thing, Dr. Fate’s design really lends itself to the style of the Four Horsemen and I think that they could really knock a figure of him out of the park.
One of the final hang-ups of Mattel acquiring the license to the entirety of the DC Universe was the inclusion of the rights to produce the stable of heroes incorporated from the now-defunct Charlton Comics imprint. Well, just prior to Toy Fair this year we were brought the good news that Mattel now has the green light to make characters like Blue Beetle and The Question- indeed we are already seeing the first fruit of this acquisition with the inclusion of Captain Atom in series four.
Moving up three slots from number eight to number five Ted Kord keeps moving on up in status of a needed "fan favorite" pick for a slot in DCUC. Introduced to the DC Universe in the seminal Crisis on Infinite Earths, Ted has had his ups and downs (including a death that may or may not stick at this point) in his history from a solo title by the great Len Wein to a lighter side of the League in its International incarnation, to a recent resurgence in popularity thanks to Geoff Johns and the current Booster Gold book. This humble Fwoosher makes no bones about wanting Blue Beetle more than any other DC character in this line; it is great to see that he also gets some well-deserved support from other Fwoosh Fans. If Mattel were to make him just as he looks in the Dick Giordano art above, that would be all the better. Bring on the Beetle!
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The current Scarlet Speedster has had a tough year. He went MIA in the comics for awhile and now that he is back, it seems as though the creative team at DC is having a hard time figuring out what to do with him, even though he has become a very well developed character and carries the mantle of the Flash as all his own. Now, in the Fwoosh Top Ten he has taken a fall off in position from the previous go around. However, I personally chalk up the latter woes to the fact that, at this point, he seems inevitable so some of his votes were perhaps distributed elsewhere. We are going to get a Flash figure, all it really comes down to is in what series will he be in?
The real concern with any Flash figure for the DCUC line is most certainly if he be able to achieve a great "running pose". That all ultimately comes down to the joint design, construction and POA choice. He will most certainly need solid, yet posable and fluid ankle joints that can move both back and forth as well as side to side. Also, could he be the first figure to require the previously absent double knee joint to hit his strides just right? I wonder what Industrial would say about that… Hopefully we wont have to wait too long to see what the Four Horsemen and Toy Guru have in store for us for the Flash.
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Ah, another character that has seen some fluctuation on the Top Ten list- she made it in the first time and then fell off the radar last fall. The Supergirl from Earth-2 has been an integral part of the DC mythos over the past few years. She was pivotal in the event series Infinite Crisis, turned down a spot on the current JLA and is now Chairwoman of the Justice Society- talk about coming into your own. Fierce of temperament, but tremendously loyal, Power Girl can match strength with Superman and command the respect of Batman, both characteristics that are not easy to come by.
A figure of Pee Gee would have to fit into the "Wonder Woman category" as far a body typing goes- she must be strong and built in stature, yet feminine at the same time. She might be able to share some parts with Diana, but she would also most certainly need new sculpting to account for her, ahem, upper body. That aside, Power Girl has become a character very deserving of a DCUC figure and would be another great addition to the right now thin ranks of the JSA.
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The villainous lot shares the number 8 spot!
Oh but this is by far one of the most satisfying picks in the entire Top Ten. Deadshot. DEADSHOT! The cold and calculating assassin cements his place in the fan favorite arena by taking the seventh overall spot. Floyd Lawton has been enjoying a fan revival of sorts over the past few years thanks to the like of the great Gail Simone and the Justice League Unlimited cartoon. Originally introduced as a Bat-villain, Deadshot has tangled with just about everybody in the DCU through his highlighted runs in the 70s, 80s and 00s. Whether he is working in the Suicide Squad or in cahoots with Catman, Deadshot is always a fun character to read.
Now, with his upcoming appearance in the Batman: Gotham Knight animated movie this summer, the time certainly seems right for a figure of Floyd to be put in motion. Plus, have you ever really heard of anyone NOT liking Deadshot? He just seems to be one of those characters that everyone can agree is a consummate badass and he has a great look for an action figure as well. He is the highest ranking villain in the vote, let’s get him done.
The only villain (or is he more of an anti-hero?) to return to the Top Ten from the previous vote is he who is called Teth Adam. The ruler of Kahndaq and the one originally chosen by Shazam as his successor, Black Adam has been a major player in the DCU as of late, with an integral part in the weekly book 52. He, of course, is wound closely with Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr. and Mary Marvel, where his ultimate “influence” has yet to fully play out in the pages of Countdown.
As for Black Adam’s figure, he certainly has a definitive look to him- black costume with the Marvel family lightning bolt (but is that in gold or yellow?) and he almost HAS to be paired up with Captain Marvel/Shazam. That would fit the hero and villain pairing characteristic of each DCUC series and it certainly cannot hurt his chances that Cornboy has an affinity for the Big Red Cheese.
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Busting on to the scenes of the Fwoosh Top Ten for the first time (and bringing all of the cameras with him) comes Booster Gold! Blue and Gold representing. Mired in the consequence of his own reckless and immature ways, Booster has spent the years since the good old JLI days with his pal Ted largely not being taken seriously. However, with important roles in 2005’s Infinite Crisis and the subsequent 52, Booster has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity due to Geoff John’s fantastic Booster Gold solo title which follows the titular character through the time stream fixing tears for the greater good. The bad news is that no on can know about it, the good news is he has been able to save his best pal the Blue Beetle from his grizzly death (at least for now).
Booster has really only had two long standing costumes in his history and they have both been pretty similar. It really comes down to whether or not you like collars. He might present a viable option for a figure with a variant- classic with a collar and the more sleek modern incarnation without the collar. One thing is certain though; he needs to come with his robot buddy/valet/floating history book Skeets.
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After we graciously had Solomon Grundy bow out last time, Atom Smasher was left at the top of the C&C heap, and no one was able to budge his massive frame. Another spot devoted to the JSA, Atom Smasher offers all kinds of options for for figure choices in the Collect and Connect category.
He is a lot different in build than any other character that they have chosen in that he has to be tall, REALLY tall. Perhaps the question of his overall size could be the subject of a future poll. It makes me wonder if perhaps they might expand the basic assortments to six figures from the current five, that would certainly help to compensate for the big chunk of plastic that Atom Smasher surely needs to be.
Well, that is it for the spring edition of the Fwoosh DCUC Top Ten vote. The field was fairly balanced this go around with some almost certain heavy-hitters mixed in with a few fan favorites. Hopefully the San Diego Comic Con will bring news that some of these spots will be realized sooner than later and we can begin to focus on characters that are in a little more need of a rallying cry. Thanks to all that participated and you can check out the full results below.
Full Voting Results
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