Confidential, in-house images of Mattel’s DC Universe Classics wave 13 were recently posted on the internet, all but confirming the leaked character list that the collecting community has been speculating about for some time. Now that the lineup is known, I suppose we all might as well feel free to comment on it. I for one am not happy.
Let’s put aside the fact that Negative Man is suddenly He-Man buff, the atrocious version of “Superboy”, the Wonder Girl that is a slap in the face to her first-appearance roots…let’s set all that aside, if we possibly can, and focus on the black hole that sucks this entire wave down the drain. Cyclotron.
Who or what the frak is Cyclotron? He was a robot built by Superman to store and maintain his data. Oooookaaaay. He appeared in the third volume of the Super Powers mini-series in 1986, but in reality he is a lame-ass toy created by Kenner for its Super Powers toy line. Apparently his super powers are 1) being a robot 2) having a removable faceplate and 3) being frequently mistaken for a bootleg Mexican Power Ranger.
An infinitely better choice for this wave would have been the REAL Cyclotron. A character with a long, involved history in DC Comics (yes, COMICS not CARTOONS). That is to say, a character that is a classic. I mean the name of this line is DC Universe Classics, right? Now I realize that none of you dunces actually read comic books. You loooove the kiddie cartoons, but taking the time to actually read a book is probably beyond your mental grade level. Therefore, allow me to explain to you who the real Cyclotron is.
Terry Curtis first appeared in Action Comics #21, all the way back in 1940. He was a scientist who basically split the atom a good four years before the Manhattan Project. That alone ought to merit him an action figure. He next appeared in the pages of All-Star Squadron.
With new atomic powers developed by the Ultra Humanite, he was forced to do battle with the Squadron and the JSA. You see, Ultra is the only one who can help him save his young daughter who is dying of radiation poisoning.
In their first encounter, Curtis accidentally kills a New York City policeman, sparking a series of events that will ultimately lead to his own demise. The timely arrival of Infinity Inc. spoils Ultra’s plan to have his glorious brain transplanted into the shell of Robotman and Cyclotron seemingly sacrifices his life to take out the Ultra Humanite. A noble end for a troubled man just trying to do what was right. One of the great Earth-2 story arcs of all time, it boasts the first appearance of Infinity, Inc., the return of Dr. Fate’s Helmut of Nabu, the introduction of Amazing Man, the revelation of the relationship between Robin and Robotman and much, much more.
After their initial bout, the Earth-2 Atom found that exposure to Cyclotron’s atomic energy had given him super strength. Inspired by Curtis’ noble sacrifice, the Atom donned a new costume, reminiscent of Cyclotron’s, as an homage to Curtis.
Together with Curtis’ former love, Danette Reilly (aka Firebrand) he would raise Cyclotron’s young orphaned daughter Terri. Terry Curtis’ atomic powers would skip a generation and eventually manifest themselves in his grandson, Albert Rothstein (aka Nuklon/Atom-Smasher).
Later, Terry Curtis would appear during the Crisis on Infinite Earths. He has time-phased from the moment just before his death to appear in the nick of time to aid Firebrand in thwarting Ultra-Humanite once again, and in one of the most affecting scenes of COIE, learns that Terri has survived. His beloved daughter is now a woman he was never able to know. But as Ultra attempts to drop her to her death, Terry is able to save her life on final time. Immediately afterward he is time-phased back to the past, to the moment of his death.
So here you have a legacy character whose story spans more than 40 years of DC continuity. Who plays an important role in the lives of major DC heroes from the past and present. A character central to some of the best DC stories ever told. Wouldn’t you call that a classic? Wouldn’t you say that was an infinitely better choice for a figure than a crap 80’s one-off robot turd? I would. But what do I know? I’m just a comics fan. 
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WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
THEY JUST TOYS. GET OVER IT. YOU’RE AN ADULT.
REAL TALK.
Wow you saying reading a comic is above a lot of our Mental Grade level really makes me want to come to this site a lot. You’re a loser for saying something like that :D.