Super Powers #1 Alternate Cover

Art Baltazar and Franco's Super Powers #1, debuting in November, had a sneak preview on Comics Alliance last week, featuring this alternate cover! The original cover has just the big three, so as you might guess I like this one a lot better. Aquaman by Art Baltazar and Franco, aw yeah!

Super Powers Pennants

Show your solidarity for the classic Super Powers line with these new felt pennants, featuring artwork by the one and only Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (PBHN)! On sale February 2017!

(h/t: F.O.A.M.er Ilke Hincer)

Super Powers Original Art by Dick Giordano

Comic Link had an auction for this piece of original art by Dick Giordano (they list the artist as unknown, but one look can tell this is clearly the great man's work). Also just as obviously, this was done for something Super Powers-related, though I don't recall ever seeing this particular piece on any SP merch. Anyone have any idea?

Click the pic to embiggen and enjoy the beautiful Giordano art. I love Robin jauntily laying atop GL's villain cage, it's so disrespectful to Luthor, Brainiac, the Joker, and Penguin!

(h/t: F.O.A.M.er Ilke Hincer)

Super Poderes Store Display

Check out this nifty Spanish "Super Poderes Collecion" in-store display sign, festooned with that classic JLGL (PBHN) stock art! Absolutely gorgeous--what kid could possibly not want to pick up a few of these figures when you've got this kind of thing staring them in the face?

(h/t: WonderWomanCollectors.com)

Super Powers T-Shirt

Here's a new t-shirt available in stores--the Super Power Sausage Party!

What the heck is with whoever put this together? Would Wonder Woman on this thing really have been so bad? Are people really clamoring for 70s-era General Zod on their shirts?!? At least Aquaman gets the front row, but still--where are the chicks?

Custom Super Powers Aqua-Ski-Doo

F.O.A.M.er Chuck "D.C" Dill was always perturbed at Aquaman's lack of vehicle in the Super Powers Collection, so he made one himself with a little marker and a lot of creativity!

Based on the Sea King's custom Ski-Doo from Super Friends, Chuck borrowed a toy from another line of action figures and tricked it out with Aquaman's official Trademark of Justice! Great job Chuck, where do I send in my Proofs of Purchase to get it?

Super Powers Unlimited

This awesome custom Super Powers comic is by artist Phil Postma, who did a whole series of them featuring characters who were part of the classic toy line by Kenner, plus a couple who should have been!



(h/t: F.O.A.M.er The Irredeemable Shag)

Mego Super Powers Collection

I simply lack the mental faculties to express how in love I am with this idea, merging Mego's WGSH line with the Super Powers Collection. Just click the image to learn more!



(h/t: F.O.A.M.er Chris Franklin)

Super Powers Collection Carrying Case

Newest F.O.A.M. member Joseph Angsten pointed out that while the Shrine has covered this Super Powers Collection Carrying Case before, all we focused on was the piece of original art that adorns the front, not the case itself. So Joseph was nice enough to send in these pics of the whole wonderfully spiffy little object!

One of the nicest bonuses to this case (besides the aforementioned awesome art by Dick Giordano) are the mini-Secret Origins comic strips for each character. Hard to tell a complete story in just five panels, but they did it:

(...hey, another entry in the Atlanna's World series!)

This really is an awesome piece, full of the dynamic art and bold colors that, to me, signified DC Comics as a whole for a good portion of my life. Would it be wrong to find this sucker on eBay and use it to carry my lunch to work? I can probably fit a sandwich in the Hawkman compartment, at least.

Thanks Joseph, and welcome to F.O.A.M.!

Super Powers Carrying Case Original Art

Here is Dick Giordano's original art (click to embiggen) for the Super Powers carrying case, a quite spiffy little item that allowed you to lug your SP action figures around. As is usually the case with the work of the late great Mr. Giordano, it is drop-dead awesome--exciting, iconic; everything superhero comic art should be!

While I did collect the Super Powers figures at the time, I never had the carrying case (let's just say I wasn't too concerned with ever having to carry them out of the house). But now of course I want it!

And check it out...of all the heroes, it looks like Aquaman is gonna be the first to paste the bad guys one! Way to go, Arthur!

Super Powers Concept Art

Hot on the heels of our Super Powers Collection-centric episode of The Fire and Water Podcast, F.O.A.M. member extraordinaire Ray DeForest sent in this uber-rare piece of Kenner SP concept art, featuring some Aquaman accessories!

"Aquaman accessories", you say? What "Aquaman accessories"? Exactly! As cool as it is just seeing this piece, it raises all sorts of questions. As far as we know, the Aquaman figure was never considered for a repaint or deluxe version, so why was Kenner prepping scuba gear accessories (pieces that, of course, Aquaman wouldn't need in the first place)? I smell a mystery!

Thanks Ray!

The Super Poderes Collection

On Episode 17 of The Fire and Water Podcast, Shag and I covered the Super Powers Collection (or at least much as we could in one show), which was a lot of fun--and not just for us, obviously, since that episode received more response from listeners than pretty much any show to date.

One of the listeners who wrote in was Hector Negrete, who also provided some info and graphics on the Mexican version of the line, called Super Poderes: "The Super Powers line in México was produced by Lili Ledy, a mexican company that produced locally several toy lines, due the extreme restrictions for importing toys made in China (on benefit of local toy makers and companies). Lili Ledy is mostly popular nowadays for also doing a Star Wars line for México. In Mexico, the line was called 'Super Poderes Colección' (literal translation of Super Powers Collection)

According to Lili Ledy's catalog (and cardboard), all of the 12 original first wave from Kenner were announced, as well as two vehicles: The Batmobile and the Lex Soar-7. But for what I have searched only 6 action figures were made (can't find any evidence that proves me wrong): Superman, Batman, Robin, Flash, Aquaman, Wonder Woman and Lex Luthor. For the vehicles, the only produced was the Lex Soar-7."

Like the American line, these figures came with custom-made mini-comics highlighting each of the characters, including Aquaman. Oddly enough, though, on the back of each comic where all the other books are listed, Aquaman is absent:

Hector continues: "The Comics and the cardboard were also translated. Inside the mini-comics the following text appears (translated from Spanish): 'Friends: Welcome to the world of the Super Powers Colección. Congratulations for acquiring one this fantastic characters.

We have included this free mini comic to take you to the adventure world of our friends Superman, Batman, Flash, Lex Luthor, Wonder Woman (La Mujer Maravilla) and Hawkman.' (Not translated) 'Collect them all and recreate their feats.

Importante notice: Soon, new characters and surprises. Keep your eyes open!'"

I love seeing unusual stuff like this, and Shag and I will definitely try to cover the foreign versions when we do a second F&W episode about the Super Powers line. Until then, thanks for the info Hector and welcome to F.O.A.M.!

Argentinian Super Powers Album

F.O.A.M.er Carlos Mucha sent me this scan of an Argentinian Super Powers sticker album, featuring a collage of the various Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (Praise Be His Name) stock art poses--including, of course, Aquaman.

Hey, wait a minute--let's look at the Sea King a little closer:

Hmm, looks to me as if someone took JLGL's Aquaman shot and re-drew it, or traced over it at least. The pose is there, the ink lines are pretty much the same, but the head and arms are definitely different. All the other heroes and villains are clearly the work of JLGL, and him alone, but Aquaman isn't. What the?

To muddy the waters (sorry) even more, here's a similar shot of Aquaman from the classic figure packaging, using the same pose you see at left, except this time it's all JLGL:

...or is it? Now that I look at Arthur's right hand, I can see a slight stylistic difference than in the rest of the figure. Was JLGL's stock art changed at some point down the line to work in the figure's trident accessory? Any Super Powers fans want to shed some light on this? Or do I just need some sleep?

Thanks for the mystery Carlos!

Super Powers T-Shirt

When people ask me why I have such a grudge against Shazam!, I can point to stuff like this as Exhibit A.

Someone had to go out of their way to take Aquaman off of this, because he is on the original piece (which comes from a JLA Treasury Edition), a decision that Make Rob Angry, Make Rob Want To Smash.*

If I wanted to really petty, I could point out that Aquaman is starring in a top-selling book, while Captain Mar--oh, excuse me, it's Shazam! from now on--is still nowhere to be seen in the New 52. I think, sometimes, it's like you want to fail!


(h/t: F.O.A.M.er Jason Motes Bowles)


*Shrine Correspondent Russell Burbage pointed out to me that Captain Marvel is actually on the original illustration, which appeared in the 1975 DC Comics Calendar. It was Aquaman who was added when the piece was re-used for the JLA treasury book. So, to be fair, I guess my outrage should be watered down a bit. And yet it isn't.

"Super Powers" by Tom Whalen

This awesome tribute to the Super Powers line of toys is by artist Tom Whalen (click the image to go his DeviantArt page and see a larger, even more beautiful version)!

If I want to nit-pick, I could ask why Aquaman is so small (Cyborg, really?), but at least we know The Green Aaron will be happy. No matter what the placement of your favorite character from the line, this is one amazing piece.

This was sent in by our newest F.O.A.M. member, Ted Sullivan. Thanks Ted, and welcome to F.O.A.M.!

Super Powers Collection UK Edition

These are the three VHS tapes in the UK-formatted version of Super Powers Collection, which featured the 1960s Filmation cartoons repackaged for the then-burgeoning home video market. Anyone notice anything?

F.O.A.M.er Chip Cataldo--possessor of the greatest Super Powers collection anyone has ever seen and the guy kind enough to send these pics in to the Shrine--sure did. In an email to me titled "Poor Arthur", he points out that in this UK version, Aquaman has been mercilessly cut out of the collection!

Here's the original ad that ran in America:

On the back of each tape, there was also a piece of Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (read: awesome) stock art of the four heroes banded together in heroic solidarity, which was used as a giant standee display in video stores (also from Chip's collection):

So some Warner UK executive actually made the conscious decision to eliminate Aquaman from the collection, and had to have the stock piece amended, removing Arthur as if he was never there, 1950's Communism-style! Aaaarggggghhhhh! What the hell do the Brits have against Aquaman?!? They have water there, right?

When applying labels to this post, I went for the "Missed Opportunity" one, but that's really not accurate: this wasn't a good chance to include Aquaman that was missed, this is...an atrocity!

Nice catch, Chip. Thanks for sending this stuff in...even though it makes me cry.

Bootleg Super Powers Action Figure

This is another sad, sad bootleg Aquaman figure courtesy F.O.A.M.er Chip Cataldo, from his amazing collection of Super Powers stuff. Contents may have shifted during transit.

This is the same figure as the one I have in my collection, except that Chip's figure has a red trident, while mine is black. Yes, Virginia, we've got a variant--somebody alert Toyfare!

Thanks Chip!

Super Powers All-Terrain Trapper - 1985

Behold...the Hamsterball of Justice!

This is a panel from the package of an unproduced Super Powers vehicle called the All-Terrain Trapper, where heroes could trap villains in the little plastic bubble and humiliatingly bring them to justice.

This is from the collection of Super Powers collector ne plus ultra (and F.O.A.Mer) Chip Cataldo, who was nice enough to send this as a little "preview" of an upcoming article he's written about the ATT for Action Figure Insider, which will show up here on Sunday.

Great to see its Aquaman dispensing the justice, especially on a badass like Steppenwolf. Battle of the tridents!

Super Powers "Estrela" Aquaman - 1985

This foreign edition of the Aquaman Super Powers figure is from the vast, final-scene-of-Raiders-esque collection of F.O.A.M.er Chip Cataldo.

Whoever designed the Super Powers cards really did a spectacular job--not only are the cards just nice to look at, but they could be adapted for the foreign markets with a minimum of fuss. Since these were produced before the days of desktop publishing, the former paste-up artist in me really appreciates that.

Thanks Chip!

Bootleg Super Powers Aquaman Figure

This sad, sad bootleg Aquaman figure is courtesy F.O.A.M.er Chip Cataldo, from his amazing collection of Super Powers stuff. It hails from Mexico, and is manufactured from young children's tears.

Thanks Chip!