DCUC Wave Four Progress

After finding out that the cases of DC Universe Classics Wave 4 weren't complete waves, I decided to cancel my preordered case and just wait it out, picking up bargains or favours from US based friends when I could. Helps that there really is no figure in this wave that I'm desperately anxious about getting, and that I'm not hung up on getting the Collect & Connect Despero in a huge hurry after getting DC Direct's superior effort.

Progress to date: Wonder Woman, Variant Captain Atom (something for the Kingdom Come collection), and Batman Beyond, which has been purchased solely for C&C purposes, but actually looks like a fine figure.

I'm watching a cheap Ares on eBay and haven't come across a good Cyborg yet. When I say cheap, the issue for me is the price of shipping to Australia. This is a big sticking point especially with the Aussie dollar being pretty weak against the USD at the moment. Some of the prices people quote for shipping to Oz from the US are just outrageous - upwards of $50.00 AUD when in reality it costs around $18.00 AUD. Yikes!

All said, this bunny is happy to wait patiently to make the set complete. While I'm not really bothered about Artemis I do want to pick up a regular Captain Atom eventually. I'm not even thinking about chasing Wave 5 at the moment. I'm only really after Atom and Black Lightning, now that I've seen the pics of the actual products.

That is not to say, of course, that I wouldn't be open to any loyal AFB reader helping me out with any of the other figures from the Wal-Mart wave, because you know that I do have OCD and will want them all eventually. Call me!

Until next time!

Desperate for more like this....

When DC Direct produces a figure like the Despero from the new Superman / Batman Wave 6 Jillion, it really makes you realise how much dross they're putting out these days. Not that we need too much reinforcement of that fact.

I wasn't tempted by the three other figures in this wave, which is shocking, I know, as who could live without a Superman with extra melted head? Well perhaps when the melted head looks better than the normal one....

I might have considered the Green Lantern from this line but the "holographic" GL logo doesn't appear to come off. I may have a look at it, but I'll wait to see what the GL box set looks like this week before deciding. Not surprisingly, the Superman, Batman and GL figures are all pegwarming at my local shops while the Desperos are long gone.

While I'd much prefer a FA Despero figure (maybe some day as a single? Probably a DCUC one.) rather than the seriously roided-up look, this is an impressive figure. He's around the size of the GL Kilowog and cuts an imposing silhouette with his huge arms. Takes a little bit of posing to get him standing upright, but he's basically very sturdy on his feet.

The paint apps on mine are very smooth. The head is a bit smallish but the facial grimace is suitably menacing. I don't have a lot of comic book appearances of this version of Despero, but I'm sure I've seen him sans the black pants?

I'm still really loving the packaging of the new DCD singles - especially the promo shots of upcoming waves on the fold-out inside. I just wish they'd make the sheet a bit more sturdy as it's hard to get out of the pack without tearing.

So just the one sale for me from this wave, but a very happy one. Also happy as it takes the pressure off my collection of DCUC Wave 4 (which is story for a later day) as I'm not wild about their version of Despero presented in the Collect & Connect for that wave.

Until next time!

Waiter, there's a hand on my Hawkgirl....

I just popped over to AFI and noticed a conspicuous hand behind that very lovely Hawkgirl figure.

Hello Mr. Hand!!

So far, the DCUC figures have a really good track record in terms of posing and standing, so I know I shouldn't freak out, but.....

I hope this doesn't mean that Hawkgirl can't stand on her own. I want don't want to have to prop her up with one of those weird looking blue stands Mattel is selling....

Unless of course Mr. Hand comes as a pack-in.......

Some GA Goodness for the DCD 1:6 Scale!

After veering in confusing directions with a scad of movie tie-ins, a Gaiman Sandman and a welcome by many but out of place in terms of character selection Sgt. Rock, the DC Direct 1:6 Scale line shows signs of getting back on track in spectacular fashion with the unveiling of the Golden Age Flash Deluxe Collector's Figure.

Hooray for the JSA! Hooray for the Golden Age! It's a great decision on DCD's behalf to feature the character in his prime. Throw in a wrinkly-faced, grey-temples extra head if you must, but make mine the first and best thanks! Hopefully this is a pattern that will be followed with the other original JSAers. I'd say Alan Scott Green Lantern is a sure thing, along with Dr Fate, Wildcat and Spectre. I'd be very pleased to see Hourman, Dr Mid-nite and co as well.

It seems that this line is focusing less on team completion and more on characters that DCD thinks will sell, so I'm just buying what I like. I'm glad to see that the long dry spell that was looming for me with this line after Supergirl is finally going to be broken, and it really couldn't be broken by a better character.

Let's hope this is a sign of good things to come for a line that has a great deal of potential. Next to the Legion, the JSA is the team I have most wanted to see represented in this line, and I do hope we at least get a couple of the other stalwarts like Alan and Ted to make a bit of a display.

Big Bad Toy Store has the figure on sale already - thanks to BBTS for the photo.

Not Such a Secret Anymore...

The recent Secret Files Wave is hardly breaking news anymore, but I have been wanting to blog on it as it contains two of DCD's better figures in recent times, so I'll just stick the piccies up and only blather on a lil' bit.

I am really liking this new packaging with the sealed plastic edges and inserts which open up to advertise upcoming waves. It's a very durable format for the MIB collectors and not prone to bent edges and other calamities like the old carded backs.

Poison Ivy is a fabulous figure. For starters, she stands up easily on her own unlike her Hush or Justice counterparts despite her long flowing locks, which can sometimes cause figures to topple easily. The colours are strong, paint apps are good. I'm not wild about the crap in her hair, but I'll live with it. I especially like her strong facial expression - this is one fierce baddy!

Two-Face is almost excellent. I'm not as put off by the colour choices for his suit as some, but his finger-in-the-light-socket hair is a bit of a clanger. This is all irrelevant, however, as this figure has what might just be the coolest accessory ever: Two Face's flipping coin with amazing simulated flipping action! Unfortunately I would also put this in the Top 10 Easiest to Lose Accessories of all time list - mine has already gone missing twice after various shelf dives - it's a bugger to find in carpet, I'll tell you that.

These are of course on the taller side, but they don't look out of place on my Batman Villains shelf. Not worth losing too much sleep over the scale thing these days.

I passed on the Joker in this wave because I have the version from The Killing Joke box set. I initially passed on the Hugo Strange as well, but the completist in me went back for it. If I get sick of Hugo it can always be a better Batman, and God knows I don't have enough of those!

Certainly not a stellar wave, since two of the figures were repeats from the KJ box set, but we did get two excellent to semi-excellent figures out of it, and DCD these days that's worth noting.

Until next time!

Here's a Challenge for you, DCUC!

After this amazing Legion shocker turned up at Newsarama in the preview for the Adventure Comics Special Featuring the Guardian, am I the only one that thought how cool it would be to see a Tellus figure somewhere, maybe as a DCUC Collect & Connect?

Or maybe as a regular figure with a Quislet pack-in?

Yeah, I might have been.

But it would be SOOO cool......

DCUC Announces THE Wave

Wave 8 is it, folks. For me, it's "The One". Not because it contains any of my favourite characters - it doesn't. Not because it delivers any of my personal "Holy Grails" - it doesn't.

For me, DCUC Wave 8 is solid proof that the sky is the limit as far as this line goes. I know, alot of people have been saying this for ages, but I've been waiting for something out of the ordinary to really convince me, and this wave is undoubtedly it.

Gentleman Ghost is amazing, that Hawkgirl is a thing of beauty, Commander Steel is great as are the Parademons, however it's the Adrian Chase Vigilante that really sells me on the idea that no character should be ruled out of this line. As a classic New Teen Titans fan Vigilante means something to me, but he's a big stretch in the Modern Age toy world. His presence, along with the lack of a Superbat character in this wave, have me sold.

I love Wave 8 so much I'm willing to set aside the absence of a Legionnaire and the poor ratio of female characters to call this the best DC toy line ever, and it's only so young. How DC Direct could be pipped at the post on this many first-time characters is just mind-blowing.

What do you think? Check out the new poll on the right to have your say.

For me, this rocks. One of each please!

A Thong By Any Other Name........

Remembering, of course, that here in Aussieland a thong is something you put on your foot....

I am such an Aquaman tragic that people frequently buy me weird Aquaman things. A couple of weeks ago I got am email from one of the amazing ladies that run my LCS advising me that Target had DC thongs (translating to "flip-flops" for our American fans and "jandals" for our South African brethren) and that I should get my Aquaman-loving bootang down there.

Resisting the urge to race down there straight from work that day and try on Superhero footwear in my daily workwear of suit and tie, I instead took the whole fam in casual gear on the weekend and we had a grand time trying on Batman, Joker, Robin, Superman, Flash and Aquaman thongs. My girls were most put out that Wonder Woman and Batgirl were not represented!

In the end I went for my main Fish Dude because, well, he's my main Fish Dude, and then Flasher because his thongs were the next coolest.

So whatever you call your open-toed casual footwear, you should be jealous of mine, because they're the coolest!

DCUC Poll Closed.... Wave 7 Wins!

The "Which DCUC Wave are you most looking forward to..?" Poll is closed, and the clear winner, by a huge margin, is Wave 7!

Excellent choice, folks, since that was mine as well. Any wave with Camo Aquaman is going to get my vote.

Bring it on!

Thanks to AFI for the photograph.

Marvel Legends on Aussie Shores!

It's been ages upon ages since I've seen any Marvel Legends at retail here, so imagine my surprise to come across it in two stores in the same day! Needless to say a little (and slightly embarrassing. but hey that four-year-old kid probably won't remember it as an adult and need therapy or anything...) happy dance took place.

I managed to come across all of the Hulk Wave, and also all of the current ML 2 packs. From this I snagged King Hulk and Absorbing Man and the Ronin / Elektra 2 - pack. I had planned to buy She Hulk as well, but sadly she looks more like a Medusa In Rags figure - surely those are snakes on her head, not hair, right? I couldn't believe I passed on a figure on one of my favourite heroines, but I had to, and I'll be the first to say I usually don't let anything like principles stand in the way of my buying choices..... ahem....

I'm also mad keen on the Doc Samson figure, but I have it on the way from a friend, so I left it there, a bit sadly. (It is coming, right mate?)

Hasbro has been a pretty good job of killing the Marvel Legends line, but these are not that bad. King Hulk cuts an impressive figure and his headsculpt really nails the character. He took a bit of time to pose and doesn't stand 100% steadily.

Absorbing Man is a long awaited figure for me in the ML line. He's nearly there - I would have liked the facial expression to be less blank and a bit more snarly like the drawing on the package. His ball and chain are well executed.

I'm not a mad Elektra fan, nor a mad Ronin fan, but I am a mad Clint Barton fan, thus my desire for this 2-pack. The Elektra has alot of the elements of what I don't like about ML females; the gangly legs and awkward poses. I don't have the original ML Elektra to compare this to but I doubt it would come up to scratch. Ronin is an excellent piece, very good paint apps, etc. The only issue is the Clint Barton head, which looks a bit too big for the rest of the figure.

These are old news in the toy world, but noteworthy for me because we actually have some recent Marvel Legends back on our shores - here's hoping for more soon!