This week’s issue of the Weekly Planet is dedicated to the huge crossover events that have defined DC and Marvel comics for the past three decades. In that vein, this week’s column is dedicated to some of the toylines based on those events. I will also touch on some of the new stuff that has arrived recently.
The first toyline based on a huge comic event was Mattel’s Secret Wars line. The first series included famous Marvel luminaries such as Captain America, Spider-Man, Iron Man and Wolverine alongside villains Kang, Doctors Doom and Octopus and Magneto. Several of Marvel’s characters made their action figure debuts in this series such as Magneto, Wolverine, Hobgoblin, Black-costume Spider-Man and Daredevil. The line was short-lived though and only went to 2 series in the United States with a rare 3rd series issued internationally. Interestingly enough, several characters issued in the toyline were not involved in the comic book storyline at all. My favorite from this line: Black Costume Spider-Man. It was a sleek neat look and has always been my favorite of the Spider-Man costumes.
When DC Collectibles started in 1999, the goal of the line was to make several characters that had been neglected in prior mass-market toylines. Characters such as Black Canary, Zatanna, The JSA and others made their debut during this time. Several years later and after acquiring the rights to make characters from the Batman and Superman families, DC Direct issued a 20th Anniversary line based on their classic story- Crisis on Infinite Earths. The first wave featured new and alternate versions of characters such as Robin and Supergirl plus Harbinger, Psycho-Pirate and the Monitor. The line also lasted three series and would include other major players from the story such as The Huntress, The Anti-Monitor, The Kimiyo Hoshi Dr Light and Barry Allen. Crisis sequel, Infinite Crisis would also receive its own line that featured Donna Troy, Power Girl, Alexander Luthor, and an OMAC along with new figures for DC mainstays like Superman and Wonder Woman. Crisis was also the theme for the first series of Infinite Heroes from Mattel and included characters seen in the earlier DC Direct set as well as characters not associated with the original mini-series at all. My Favorite From This Line: (DC Direct and Mattel) Headband Supergirl. One of the most 80’s costumes ever, this was the look I first knew Supergirl for and I love both the DC Direct 6″ version and the Mattel 3 3/4″ version.
Blackest Night was one of the biggest Green Lantern related events in DC history and also got a dedicated toyline from DC Direct which included all of the deputy Lanterns such as Red Lantern Mera, Orange Lantern Lex Luthor and Blue Lantern Flash plus Lantern leaders like Indigo-1, Arkillo and Atrocitus. Zombified versions of Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Superman and Firestorm also crept their way into the series. Several characters also made their way into the Mattel DC Universe Classics line. My Favorite From This Line: (DC Direct) Red Lantern Mera- one of the coolest designs for the oft-neglected wife of Aquaman also included the first-ever figure of Red Lantern Kitty Dex-Starr.(Mattel) The version of Dex-Starr from the DC Universe Classics is my favorite as he is slightly less stylized than the DC Direct and also comes with a piece that protrudes out of Dex-Starr’s mouth to simulate the Red Lantern’s blood-spewing action.
In this week from Funko- the Women of DC are back in vinyl form and in a brand new series. Rock Candy was first shown at Toy Fair and features DC women and a Barbie set. The first pieces have arrived in store and include Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn and the Gal Gadot Wonder Woman. Each figure is in the same price range as the Funko POPs and are adorable. Sailor Jupiter has joined the rest of the Sailor Scouts in Funko POP while new POPS from Independence Day, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Ghostbusters 2016 have all arrived.
Catch you guys next time!