DC Universe Signature Series POISON IVY!

Pamela Isley Makes Her Long-Awaited DCUC Debut from Mattel 2012

Ughhh.  I had major issues with this figure.  The image you're looking at in the thumbnail to the left is my final product after I repainted her face.  I normally wait a long time before customizing a figure (I try to "live with it" a while first), but I needed to do something to make amends for my initial deflated reaction when I pulled her out of the box.  I love Poison Ivy.  She was the reason I subscribed to Club Infinite Earths.  The prototypes shown at conventions were beautiful.  I was really excited to get her.  Then yesterday I got the final product in my greedy little hands.  My first and most major problem was her skin tone.  The odd color and translucent quality of the plastic makes her look glow-in-the-dark.  The second gripe I had was the awful oversimplified and sloppy facepaint.  It was ridiculous how low-quality it was.  The third problem is her incredibly loose leg joints.  She can barely stand up without flopping over at the waist.  I was also surprised to see that the ivy snaking up her leg and arms were separate pieces of plastic that look a bit sloppy in person.

Mattel's Arkham City CATWOMAN (and VARIANT)!

Batman: Legacy - Series 3 - Two-Packs - from Mattel 2012

I've been waiiiitttiing for a girl like you to come intooo my life.  Seriously though, it's been a LONG time since we've had a decent modern Catwoman figure.  DC Direct's Hush Catwoman came out EIGHT years ago in 2004.  And even that awful DC SuperHeroes version was in 2008.  And I say awful because the goggle tooling and weird face paint applications ruined it in post-production, which is such a shame because the prototype 2-Up of that figure was beautiful.  Anyway, this figure is just awesome.  I have so few criticisms that this review is going to be be mostly pictures.  Or maybe I will ramble just a little about how this is going to be an awesome year for Catwoman fans.  This is the second and third Catwoman action figure so far this year.  We have the DC Direct version of this figure coming up next month, then a Mattel Movie Masters figure, and potentially a DC Direct DCU Online figure.  Plus I'm sure we'll see something for DC New52 eventually.  It's a virtual flood of Selinas!

Mattel's Arkham City HARLEY QUINN!

Batman: Legacy - Series 3 Singles - Arkham City Harley Quinn

While I will always prefer Harley's classic look, this Arkham City style is definitely growing on me.  I don't mind the fact that she looks like she accessorizes at Hot Topic or that the dye isn't staying in her ponytails like she planned.  I absolutely despised the Arkham Asylum "slutty nurse" looks that preceded this incarnation.  Perhaps it was that distaste that made me resist this version so long.  In fact, the first time I appreciated the re-design was when I first saw the DC Direct Arkham City Harley last month.  She still doesn't really fit in with the rest of my comic heroes -- looking more Spawn-Family than Bat-Family -- but i've officially caved and integrated her into the collection.

Silver Age CATWOMAN Review

Batman Legacy - Series 3 Singles - Silver Age Catwoman -  Mattel 2012

I've always been a fan of Catwoman.  My first exposure must have been Julie Newmar playing the role in the 60's television series (in cable syndication of course since I was born almost two decades later).  Comics became a big part of my life when I was 9 or 10 and my prized possessions quickly became the old backissues of Batman Family and The Brave & The Bold featuring Selina Kyle in her classic Purple and Green caped outfit.  I love almost every incarnation of this ever-evolving character (Jim Balent gritted teeth Catwoman and Halle Berry are excused from this praise) but this caped & cowled version will always hold a special place for me. That said, I was very excited when we saw an early version of a Batman Legacy Classic Catwoman shown at NYCC this past autumn.  The promo figure was not properly assembled and looked so weird, but I was glad to see it on the agenda nonetheless. Sometime in December, prototypes began appearing on eBay and I was relieved that she looked good.