Tuesday, June 12, 2012

DC Heroics


So I know I've mentioned my ever-growing collection of Heroics before, but I thought I'd give a breakdown of both the Marvel and DC Heroics, their respective chase figures, the quality of the figures, etc. then I'll drop a rating on the series as a whole.

This standing Batman figure is very nicely detailed, especially when it comes to the cape. I didn't get a picture of the back of the cape because I didn't want to spend all day getting pictures of 1" action figures from all angles. You'll just have to take my word for it, the cape is great. The paint job on this figure is from my favorite era of Batman (pre-yellow circle and pre-all black), so it's really a figure that got everything right. The pose is a little boring, but that will be improved upon in the next figure I review. I'll be giving each figure a letter grade so I can figure a final grade for the series at the end of this review. Grade: A

 This Batman figure is essentially the same paint configuration as the first one, but features a much more exciting pose. The pose reminds me of a Golden Age Batman comic book cover, but I can't find a picture of it anywhere. Anyway, the pose is great, the detail on the figure is very nice (especially because the cape isn't covering half his body like the first figure) and I love the era this Batman comes from. Grade: A+

 I'm no expert on The Flash, so I can't tell if this is Barry Allen, Wally West, or Bart Allen. I'm smart enough to know that this isn't Jay Garrick, but that's about the extent of it. Anyway, the great thing about this Flash figure is that I had to buy a zillion of them to finally get my Reverse Flash figure. All 9 of my Flashes standing in a row look like 1 Flash running really fast. So yeah, the pose on this figure is exactly what you would want, as is the paint job. They even put the little lightning bolts on the sides of his head, which shows just how much detail can go into a 1" figure. This is another solid figure in this series. Grade: A

The manufacturer calls this one Reverse Flash, but all the collectors I know call him Professor Zoom (I know they're one and the same, but I wish the manufacturer woulda gone with Zoom as well). Anyway, this is one of the chase figures in this series, and, much like the other chase figures, uses the same mold as the non-chase figure and a different paint job. I like the way this figure looks, but it seems kinda lazy, so I'm not going to grade it too highly. Grade: B+

 The only major problem with this Green Lantern figure is that I can't tell which Green Lantern he's supposed to be. I think we can safely rule out Alan Scott, John Stewart, and Kyle Rayner. His hair is reddish brown. It seems not red enough to definitively be Guy Gardner but not brown enough to definitively be Hal Jordan. I like to believe it's Hal Jordan, but I don't know if I'm right. So yeah, that takes away a few points. Aside from that, I love the pose and everything about the paint job except the hair. Grade: C+

I love this figure because it looks like the Cesar Romero Joker, which is one of my favorite Jokers ever. The purple tux and frilly yellow shirt are perfect, as is the walking stick. Somehow I took a picture of the one figure in my collection that doesn't have the green bow tie which offsets the color of the shirt. Just know that they usually have that little detail. Anyway, something about this figure just makes it super awesome, and I'm not 100% sure I know what it is. I just know that this figure is one of the best in the series. Grade: A+

 This is another one of my favorites in the Heroics line. J'onn J'onzz (aka Martian Manhunter) looks both awesome and slightly terrifying, which is exactly what he should look like. He is by far the most sturdy of the figures in this lineup (something about his stance makes him hard to knock over whereas I've knocked my Green Lanterns and Flashes over about a zillion times by now). The detailing on this figure is impressive because there are just certain things that make the figure pop (the yellow medallions on his belt and cape and his red eyes). Without these fine details, the figure would be a bit boring. Because of the details, I love this figure. Grade: A

This is one of three Superman figures in the DC Heroics series. The Marvel series has three different Spiderman figures, so I guess they went with three versions of the most iconic character in each universe. Makes sense. Anyway, I've always found Superman a bit boring and have never been intrigued by his costume or its symbolism and mythos. I know that's comic book heresy, but that's how I feel. So yeah, this is how Superman looks and I guess it's a good rendition. I can't knock them for doing a faithful version of something I don't care that much about.  
Grade: A

  This is just Superman in a different pose. I don't know what that bit of rock or whatever that is by Superman's foot. Maybe he's leaping from the top of a mountain, or jumping off the fortress of solitude. I'll knock a few points off just because I don't know what that rock/crystal is doing there.
Grade: B
I actually find this chase figure quite interesting even though it's merely a different paint job on the Superman figure I just knocked. This is Justice Lords Superman, which means this is a villain Superman from an alternate earth. I like the idea, and I love the stripes on the forearms and calves. It's a good look for Superman. Earth-One Superman should give it a try. Grade: A






Overall this is a strong series of action figures. The only big flaw is with Green Lantern, and that's more a flaw in identification than design. It isn't a perfect series, but it's well worth collecting, especially because the figures are inexpensive and readily available. The series deserves the overall rating of...


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