Welcome Back to another edition of Demanded Characters. This week we are going to take a short break from our usual poll to take a look at what almost a year of polls have gotten us. This week we will take a look at some of the characters that have been made or will be made shortly, and what I think are not too far behind. So, on to our Demanded Characters come to life.
This year has seen the rise of the the DCU in the toy world. While 07 was all about Batman and Superman as well as shipping problems, 08 has been fueled with anticipation of great new figures and some shipping problems. This year has seen the introduction of the magical and expansive world of the DCU with the start of teams like the satellite era JLA, the Teen Titans, and some of the Legion of Doom. But what does the future have in store for us?
The future does look bright with DCUC starting to hit Walmart in full force and the DCUC 2 thread beginning to be all praise. In contrast to the recent “sky is falling” posts I think DCUC is really turning the corner. I remember the excitement about getting new waves and the frustration of not being able to find them when Marvel Legends first came out, but that changed and I think it was really not until wave 9 with the BAF that I really felt like ML were not going to be hard to find. Well, DCUC is only on their second wave so I think they need some time to really hit their stride. With people like Toy Guru lobbying for us and with his love for the old Super Powers line, I think this line will only get better and better. We have seen great character selections, nicely sized BAF , and even case pack outs, so this is only the beginning of what is going to be the best toy line for the next few years. So lets look at how our wants have turned into reality.
Sinestro – One of the the most famous DCU villains and a must have for this line. While he was never a Super Power figure, he was one character that was always missed. Though he was part of the JLU line, I don’t think we have ever seen a figure like this. Mattel also listened and made sure that we not only got a classic look, but we also got what we all wanted to have in a modern display, a Sinestro Corps uniform.
Cyborg – If you were a kid of the 80’s this is one figure that you had to have. As part of the final wave of the Super Powers line he was very hard to find. Before the days of the message board, sightings threads, and access to the toy companies, no one knew how hard he would be to get. Well, 20 years later the Four Horsemen have given us a classic character who will hopefully be easier to find then his 80’s counterpart.
Despero – He is big and bad and coming as a C&C. The main JLA bad guy for the Martian Manhunter will make his debut this year as a larger than average figure. Not sporting his hulk smash look, instead a more armored look, we will see this pink skinned alien as part of wave 4 of the DCUC, and the question to be asked is how far away can that lovable Oreo-eating martian be to take on this telepathic evil doer?
Black Lighting – I have a feeling this one will cause some controversy. The Walmart wave is one that had to make some sacrifices to get us these figures. The biggest one is the amount of reused parts that had to be used to make this line cost out. So, instead of an afro-wearing 70’s look, we get the q-ball in a skin tight outfit. I know Mattel has heard our concerns, and I think the Outsider’s 70’s style is a future possibility.
Riddler – Another Walmart wave figure that I hope is not as big as the parts that are reused to make him. If he is Two Face size I think he might be a little disappointing, but if he is slightly smaller I think this will be an amazing figure. He has been on my list in his suit since this line started all the way back to the Batman line days, and I for one can’t wait to have him standing on my shelf.
Kalibak – The big bad son of Darkseid is making an appearance in the DCUC soon. Though there are not many details about him those of us who have seen the pictures agree he will be amazing.
Amazo – The super android powerful enough to take down the JLA, is on his way with the rest of the Wal-Mart wave.
Hawkman – He has been teased at NYCC, he has been shown unpainted at Wizard world, and he will be shown at SDCC; but Hawkman is one figure that looks amazing. His article and poll caused a lot of controversy on the boards but in the end the Four Horsemen have given us an amazing figure that will stand out not only in size but in sculpt.
Nightwing– Number one on my personal list for the DCUC treatment and the first Demanded Character, the Four Horsemen are finally about to give us the Nightwing we have all wanted since that Bruce Lee look alike from the 2 pack. This figure is both larger in stature as well as superior in sculpt. Sporting his modern day uniform, Nightwing will be a greatly welcomed addition to the DCUC line.
What does the future hold for the DCUC line?
I think this line will continue to grow and become the line for years to come. The kids of today will look back at this line as their Super Powers. With Blue Beetle just teased, how far away can Booster be? Vixen on the Wizard fan poll can only mean the Four Horsemen have already done some work on her and the rest of that list. The Marvels are a shoe in for the 6 inch treatment soon. And how far away can the recent super hero couple of Green Arrow and Black Canary be from the plastic treatment? One thought I will end with is that while these are fun to collect and great to write and talk about I am really hoping that at SDCC lightening will strike!
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