DC Collectibles Stargirl

Like the figures in my last post, I picked up this DC Collectibles New 52 Star Girl eleven months ago, circling back for some of the DC Collectibles and DC Direct figures I'd missed in years past. I was less familiar with the character, but thought she was a beautiful figure. Star Girl was created by writer Geoff Johns as a tribute to his sister Courtney, a victim of the TWA Flight 800 crash. I read more about her recently in the regrettably inflated Brightest Day books, which at points seemed directionless. Too long! Regardless, I liked Courtney Whitmore as a character, the stepdaughter of the original Star-Spangled Kid who is given Starman's cosmic staff upon joining the Justice Society, becoming Stargirl.

DC Collectibles was adding more articulation to their figures when Star Girl was released, so she has swivels in her ankles, wrists and biceps, and ball-joint hips. These new points of articulation did make her a little more poseable, but only a little. That said, I was always a fan of DC Direct's paint and sculpt detail, as well as their comic art-specific aesthetic. This is a fantastic figure I'm very pleased with, here's a few too many photos of her...

Below, Star Girl with her 2014 wave mate, Hawkman- another DC Collectibles New 52 figure that I picked up last year. The detail on this figure is stunning- a must-have for any Hawkman fan. Reccomended!

Below, Star Girl with her Justice League of America teammate, Martian Manhunter. J'onn J'onnz is probably my favorite DC character, and I loved this DC Collectibles New 52 version I got back in 2013. Fantastic action figure!

And finally, Stargirl pictured below with Huntress and Power Girl from the New 52 2-pk I reviewed in my last post. I think she complements them well. Her construction is very similar, but she is a more sturdy sample of DC Collectibles product from this particular moment in 2014, which actually had some beautiful figures that are sought after still today. See more of those at the DC Direct/DC Collectibles Archive!

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DC Collectibles Worlds Finest Huntress & Power Girl

I picked up this DC Collectibles Worlds Finest Huntress & Power Girl 2-pk eleven months ago, circling back for some of the DC Collectibles and DC Direct figures I'd missed in years past. These two had a real connection for me as I was reading World's Finest in 2012, part of DC Comics' second wave of New 52 books after their 2011 relaunch. I dipped my toe into a few of New 52 titles, this one of interest to me due to it's Earth 2 ties. I read all of the first volume, but moved onto other monthly titles after about the 8th issue, circling back to pick up an annual that crossed storylines with Earth 2.

While Power Girl's outfit didn't get the same treatment as in Vol. 1 of World's Finest, these are two beautiful figures, representative of the classic versions of the characters. They also have serious engineering issues that limit posing, and in Huntress' case, completely fail. The right knee joint on the aforementioned figure just came completely undone. I did manage to cobble it back together for a photo shoot, limited with the additional issue of the stuck joint at her right shoulder/bicep. As unfortunate as this was, reports of QC issues upon the release this 2-pk were well known, and I knew what I was getting into. I didn't pay a fortune thankfully, and was happy with the photos. I actually prefer DC Direct/DC Collectibles earlier figures with a little less articulation- these later first attempts to add articulation were a mixed bag with little improvement on posability. Power Girl has issues simply standing due to lack of a solid, flat footprint and weak ankles. There's seemingly little in the way of a good stance for her, as though her ankles aren't at the correct angle.

Complaints aside, I do love the aesthetic of these figures. I like the segmented armor on the gauntlets and boots, a unifying element on a lot of the New 52 character designs. A lot of fans didn't like the updates to their favorite DC heroes during this period, but I did. DC Collectibles changed their name back to DC Direct before folding recently, and their QC issues may have contributed, but I'm sure an oversaturated action figure market came into play. I hunted down several I missed in the past, and have been happy overall with their clean paint apps and design. I expect less articulation with DC Direct/DC Collectibles, and would have given this pair higher marks if Huntress' leg had not come apart at the knee. I can't recommend them because of poor engineering, but they sure look beautiful.

And finally, Huntress and Power Girl with my DC Collectibles Earth 2 Hawkgirl and Katana ...

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DC Collectibles New 52 Green Lantern Simon Baz

When this figure dropped in May of 2013, I was unfamiliar with his recently revealed backstory, a character born out of DC's New 52 relaunch. I was busy with other monthly titles at the time, including some of the Marvel NOW! titles- a fantastic time! I did buy the Green Arrow and Martian Manhunter that DC Collectibles released that year in this series, and had a substantial collection of Lanterns from across the spectrum at that time. I've had a renewed interest in the figures I collected in the first part of the decade, and have doubled back to pick up a few I passed on at the time.

Simon has a checkered past, driven to a desperate situation under pressure of poverty, but does the right thing when mistakenly chosen by a malfunctioning power ring. The character has received criticism for it's platitudinous characterization, and his use of a handgun merely a tool of controversy. Fair enough.  Eventually Batman calls Simon out on the mat regarding his sidearm, which the hero drops during the 2016 Rebirth relaunch of the DC Universe.

Below, Simon Baz with my other DC Collectibles/DC Direct Green Lanterns: 

Guy Gardner, Hal Jordan, Soranik Natu & Sinestro ...

Below, Green Lantern Simon Baz with Justice League of America teammates, DC Collectibles New 52 Martian Manhunter and Hawkman. I'm currently reading the first couple books of the New 52 relaunch of Justice League of America Vol.3- there's less regarding Simon in these, but he is welcomed to the team, and fights in Trinity War that runs through the middle of them. I had been reading New 52 Green Lantern Vol.5 just a year or so prior in 2011, invigorated by Sinestro's return as a Green Lantern, and fresh off reading Blackest Night, cementing my Green Lantern fandom. Maybe another GL in a growing line of others just couldn't keep my attention, maybe I'd just moved on to other reading, maybe it was the gun or overworked social message... I don't fully recall. Regardless, I like the figure aesthetically, DC Collectibles' execution was spot on.

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DC Collectibles New 52 Hawkman & Aquaman

I've circled back about seven years to look at some of the New 52 characters DC Collectibles dropped after the relaunch of all their titles around that time. Having jumped right into Green Lantern, fresh off the ride that Blackest Night was, I also got into Green Lantern New Guardians, Earth 2, Justice League, and at least a few issues of some others. I've had my eye on Aquaman for years, and dove back in when finding Hawkman at a good price recently. DC Collectibles had recently changed their branding from DC Direct, but had yet to upgrade articulation, but what they lacked in that department was made up for in aesthetic with these stunning figures. Check out the video:

Below, Hawkman with DC Collectibles New 52 Martian Manhunter, and Aquaman with DC Collectibles New 52 Wonder Woman and Superman. I limited myself to just a few of these when I started collecting them at the end of 2012, but finding a few I missed out on at a discounted price here years later made me look again. Beautiful!

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DC Collectibles Vibe

Another recent eBay find, DC Collectibles Vibe, another New 52 action figure from what I feel was a great moment in the line. For two or three years there around 2011 - 2013, DC Collectibles was making some beautifully sculpted action figures with nice paint apps. I bought several of the New 52 Justice League figures, and what they lacked in articulation was doubly repaid in aesthetics. I picked up the first issue of Vibe's New 52 solo title in February of 2013, and while I didn't stick with it, I did read more issues of different titles relaunched by DC around the sane time. I will say DC Collectibles did a commendable job capturing the character's look, producing a detailed figure with lots of great incised sculpting throughout Vibe's outfit.

Vibe's shoulders are mounted only to a swivel, no hinge to facilitate lateral articulation, and he has nothing in the waist. He utilizes DC Direct's classic Y-hinge at the hips, allowing only forward and back movement, but these figures have always been about aesthetic with less joints to break up the sculpt. While I enjoy a figure with expanded articulation, I do appreciate the beauty of these.

Vibe appeared first in Justice League of America in 1984, the first member of that team to be killed in action. He appeared in Blackest Night as a Black Lantern, but was retconned with the DC New 52 reboot, Cisco Ramon gaining his vibratory powers while being pulled from the event horizon of a boom tube by his brother, who was subsequently killed. Hence the impetus for Cisco becoming the hero Vibe.

Below, Vibe with the DC Collectibles Katana, another figure that came only in a 2-pack (Vibe w/Flash, Katana w/Wonder Woman). Like Vibe, Katana was reintroduced in the New 52 relaunch, and also enjoyed ten issues of her own solo title, starting in February of 2013.

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DC Collectibles Earth 2 Hawkgirl

I bought the Earth 2 Hawkgirl at the end of 2014 with a bunch of other DC Collectibles, opening her only recently to discover she had two left hands! I contacted DC Entertainment concerning the issue, and a very nice Kevin Kiniry said he'd do his best to find me another, which surprisingly he did! This was a relief, as she was a character I enjoyed in Earth 2, with a great update to the classic Hawkgirl...

The wings are hinged, pegging securely into two holes in the figure's back- they can be swiveled without falling out because of their tight fit. The ponytail is a separate piece with no articulation, which prefer draped behind the wings. Her pistol and knife sheath onto the figure securely and fit in her hands nicely. Hawkgirl has a fair amount of articulation, but the true appeal of a DC Collectibles figure are their artful aesthetic, for which this one is a particularly fine example. These are not toys for little kids, they're art and to be handled with care. That said, they're also poseable and fun, evident in the pictures below...

As if finding me a new Hawkgirl wasn't enough, Kevin went out of his way and sent an additional Batman figure I had confessed to have admired- wow! I really enjoyed artist Greg Capullo's work on Batman: Zero Year, and the visual homage to the Caped Crusader's origins with the flanged cape and purple gloves. I look forward to busting him out of that package and getting some photos. It's true we live in the Golden Age of action figures, and DC Collectibles are responsible for that with their groundbreaking work as DC Direct, producing figures based on the art from different DC Comics stories. This tradition has continued in DC Collectibles production of  figures of rare specialty as heroes of Earth 2. Se my post on DC Collectibles' Earth 2 Flash and Green Lantern...  

Thanks to Kevin Kiniry at DC Entertainment 
for giving me a great experience!
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