DC Universe Classics Wave 17 – a Response by Cliff Francis

After we posted about the much-discussed rumored line-up for DC Universe Classics wave 17, we received this response from Cliff Francis. While I don’t often agree with his point of view, I do often find myself amused with how he tries gets his point across. On this topic, I think he has some interesting ideas. So, give it a read and see what you think!

You can also find Cliff at Costume Contumely, his blog about “Comic Books, Action Figures, and More.”

No Pot Of Gold At The End Of Mattel’s Rainbow

Did you enjoy the DC Universe Classics 6” action figure line by Mattel and the Four Horsemen? Did it take the place in your heart as THE DC Comics action figure line of all time? Did you have fun tracking down new figures and anticipating ones to come? Well I hope you got a lot of satisfaction out of it because it’s over.

Done. Finished.

It comes to and end next spring when Mattel will ship wave 17.

You think I’m joking?

Then clearly you haven’t been paying attention to the recent (as yet unsubstantiated) leak of the character assortment for that wave.

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AFP Ask Matty Round-Up for 9/15/10

Hey folks – a new installment of Ask Matty is here – thanks to the folks at Mattel!

And, how’d you all do with your MattyCollector.com orders today?

1) At AFP we’ve picked up all of the Toys R Us exclusive DC Universe Classics All-Star repaints. Who is the final one this year – is it the Joker, or Nightwing, or are both coming eventually? Will All-Star repaints continue into next year, and what are the chances of a Super Powers-colored Wonder Woman and a lighter blue colored Superman (both seen on eBay)?

TRU DCUC AS BATMAN 001.jpgTRU DCUC AS BATMAN 007.jpgTRU-Green Lantern 001.jpgTRU-Green Lantern 009.jpgDCUC TRU Excl Flash 001.jpgDCUC TRU Excl Flash 008.jpg

Joker and a new Nightwing are in the wings to head out next, and the repaints will continue into 2011 at about one per quarter. Just which ones remains to be seen!

Check out our looks at Batman (Ron | Buzzy) and Green Lantern (Buzzy | Sandman) and come back for Buzzy’s review of the DC Universe Classics All-Star Flash tomorrow morning!

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Results: Green Lantern Classics Top Ten Poll

I deputized Hagop for this write-up of the Green Lantern Classics Top Ten results. But I made him give me back the Brown Lantern ring when he was done. Thank you, Hagop!

And thank you to all of you voters – we had over six thousand total votes, making this the most popular Top Ten to date.

The world of Green Lantern has probably never been more popular than it is today. That world has also expanded greatly over the last few years, with story arcs like the Sinestro Corps War and Blackest Night. If there was any doubt about that, just take a look at our Top Ten; just over half of the winners aren’t even Green Lanterns at all! Whoda thunkit?

Without further ado, let’s get to the winners.

We start of with a tie. It was a heated campaign that went all the way down to the wire, with positions switching back and forth even in the final hours of voting. Stel and Brother Warth were right in it until the end. But when the poll closed, Soranik and Saint Walker each had 168 votes to share the #10 spot.

10. Soranik Natu 168 votes

She may be Kyle Rayner’s love interest and Sinestro’s daughter, but make no mistake – this woman stands on her own. Soranik is tough, smart (a neurosurgeon, for crissakes!) and a Corpsmen as capable as they come.

I think her chances of getting a figure are pretty high, considering she’s become one of the primary GLs in recent times, and her costume would need almost zero new tooling.

10. Saint Walker 168 votes

“Please tell your Master Sifo-Dyas that we have every confidence his order will be met on time and-” Er—wait. No. I mean, “All shall be well.” Yeah, that’s it.

Walker: Odym Ranger is visually dynamic and was a key player in Blackest Night. If you can only have one Blue Lantern, you probably want him. I’ll be truly surprised if he doesn’t appear in the second wave of GL Classics.

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AFP Ask Matty Round-Up for 9/1/10

After missing a round (kind of) two weeks ago, we’re back with our regularly scheduled Ask Matty. Thanks to Toy Guru and the team and Mattel!

1) Great showing at San Diego Comic-Con! Many of the 2-ups shown from DC Universe Classics wave 16 and Green Lantern Classics featured double elbow and double knee joints. Is the plan to carry that through to production? I think the new joints would break up the sculpt less when posing (no awkward break in the knee cap, for example) and would provide more posing options.

Wave 16 - Azbats and Robin (1200x1200).jpgWave 16 - Creeper (1) (900x1200).jpgGreen Lantern (8) (901x1200).jpgGreen Lantern Classics - Amon Sur (1) (899x1200).jpgGreen Lantern Classics - Manhunter (2) (901x1200).jpg

We are adding more articulation to some figures where appropriate.  We don’t want to cut up the Horsemen’s sculpts just for the sake of articulation; only when it works for the characters.

See more pics of DCUC 16 and GLC here: San Diego Comic-Con 2010 – Mattel DC Universe Classics – Updates

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AFP Ask Matty Round-Up for 8/17/10

I should know this by now, but Matty can be very strict when it comes to deadlines, even when those deadlines fall on the Sunday the weekend after Comic-Con when we’re still recovering. In other words, we missed the submission deadline for questions this installment – and judging from what I’m seeing for round-up links, so did a few other folks.

Luckily, we had a round of answers from a previous installment that we missed. Unluckily, this was from the weeks leading up to San Diego Comic-Con, so there’s a bit of a time warp effect…

1) The carded pics of DC Universe Classics Wave 14 are a lot of fun – I love Ultra-Humanite’s head peeking out of Hourman’s package, and the placement of stickers that allows that. Quick question on the names you put on the packages – we know you said that the Obsidian name is held by another company now, but we’re still curious why you went with Green Lantern instead of Alan Scott? John Stewart and Katma Tui had their names on the package.

DC Universe Classics Wave 14 Alan Scott Green Lantern card.jpgDC Universe Classics Wave 14 Gold card.jpgDC Universe Classics Wave 14 Hourman card.jpgDC Universe Classics Wave 14 Kamandi card.jpgDC Universe Classics Wave 14 Obsidian card.jpgDC Universe Classics Wave 14 Tyr card.jpgDC Universe Classics Wave 14 Zatanna card.jpg

At the end of the day, DC Comics lets us know what name to use on package. Sometimes, like with Obsidian, a name may not be available for a toy (if another company owns the trademark, for example) and we will work with DC on an alternative name.

Continue reading “AFP Ask Matty Round-Up for 8/17/10”

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