Tag: Joker

Toy Fair 2014: Square Enix Grows Play Arts Kai DC Presence with Watchmen, Arkham Origins, and More DC Variants

Square Enix is one of the companies I love to visit at the shows – their Play Arts Kai figures always amaze me, and I’m a big fan of their DC stuff in particular. At this Toy Fair, they introduced a couple more DC lines that look pretty solid right out of the gate. I’m a big Watchmen fan, and while I’ve been temporarily sated with Mattel’s recently concluded Watchmen 6-inch line, it looks like I’ll be collecting again with the Play Arts Kai Watchmen. Rorschach is the only one revealed thus far, but it’s a great start.

Since Square Enix has been in the game with Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, it’s not surprising that they’re in with Batman: Arkham Origins too. They’ve got Batman (of course), Robin, the Joker, and a really impressive Deathstroke on display.

Their DC Variants line, which features a broad range of DC characters re-imagined in Square Enix style, has been hit or miss with me – call me a purist. At this show they’ve added Hawkman, Joker, Harley Quinn, and Darkseid to the line-up. These will mostly be passes for me, but what do you guys think?

Photo credit: Comics Alliance – many more pics, including more DC and Appleseed

Toy Fair 2014: Masters of the Universe Classics Rio Blast, Club Etheria, and DC Super Powers Highlight Mattycollector Reveals

There’s no substitute for seeing the figures in person, but Mattel has been kind enough to share the big reveals from its Collector Event this afternoon via the Mattycollector site. In previous teases leading up to Toy Fair, Mattel promised a subscription in the likes of Club Filmation in 2013 and a send-off for DC Universe Classics – and they did exactly that. Club Etheria is a six figure sub that apparently will have some day of sales. The previously revealed Madam Razz and Broom land in this sub, which also features Double Mischief, Entrapta, and the club exclusive Light Hope. An additional accessory was shown for one of the unrevealed figures – if you didn’t guess it, Mattel provided a spoiler in the image file name.

As for the DC Universe Classics send-off, Mattycollector will offer 6 figures, 3 each in September and October – with an enticing Collect & Connect if you get all six. It’s a Super Powers send-off, featuring Batman, Superman (in 2 flavors, one of them in the fan-demanded light blue), Wonder Woman, Green Lantern as the Riddler, and Mr. Mxyzptlk. The C&C is Kalibak, in his Super Powers brown colors. It really is a fitting finale for the line, which Mattel and the Four Horsemen have said had its roots in the classic Super Powers line.

Finally, Rio Blast was revealed as the September figure for Club Eternia. For fans of the Spirit of Hordak chase figure, Mattel will repeat that in 2014, with a Kowl and Loo-Kee 2-pack. And in a licensing move that feels odd to action figure collectors, Mattel is making Hot Wheels from Marvel Comics. And there’s much more – read on for the press release and pics.

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Toy Fair 2014: Batman: The Animated Series Headlines New Reveals for DC Collectibles

The big show hasn’t officially started, but the toy companies are already ahead of the game. With a reveal in USA Today and an item in the full line-up of their Toy Fair press release, DC Collectibles announced they would be turning to one of the most beloved properties in the DC animated universe for a set of new toy lines. Bruce Timm’s Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures will be the design source for 6-inch figures. While these will be in an animated style, it looks like DCC will be incorporating more than the 5 points of articulation you might expect.

Limited runs of animated figures are not unprecedented (DCC produced figures for 2007’s Superman / Doomsday animated movie), but with 6 seasons of shows and numerous animated movies, the Timm-verse could provide as deep a character set as DCC’s foray into Blackest Night, for example.

The rest of the Toy Fair line-up stays closer to DC Collectibles’ wheelhouse. There’s more New 52 and Designer Series (this time Greg Capullo) on the way, as well as lines tied to popular DC comic book events, like Infinite Crisis and Son of Batman.

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Red Hood and the Outlaws, Arkham City Clayface Headline DC Collectibles Solicits

If you are suffering from withdrawal from Mattel’s DC Universe Classics after Club Infinite Earths died an ugly death last year, rest assured that DC Collectibles is continuing to make collector-oriented, comics-based action figures, as well as figures supporting the popular DC video games. On the comics front, Red Hood and the Outlaws get a series of figures. I’m not reading the book, so I have no idea whether this version of Jason Todd will delight the fans that were disappointed by Mattel’s costume choice for him. But I do know that Roy wearing a baseball cap looks dumb.

Clayface is the latest deluxe figure from Batman: Arkham City. He’s huge and, at $99.95,  has the price tag to match. And there’s more, including more Injustice and some Earth 2 heroines.

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Weekend Toy Run: Batman Classic TV Series on Sale at Amazon

Holy clearance, Batman! The Batman Classic TV Series action figures from Mattel are on sale at Amazon.com, except for the Penguin, who remains at $15.99. The singles are $8.99 or 9.99 each, besides the Joker, who is at $4.99 – that’s so low, he doesn’t qualify for Amazon Prime shipping on his own. If you’ve been resisting, now might be a good time to pick these up.

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