Hey, Mr. Postman: Kenner 1:6 JLA Kyle Rayner

I'm unapologetic about my dolly-love here at the Super-DuperToyBox, and so it's with great delight that I present my latest acquisition under that category, this 12" JLA Kyle Rayner made by Kenner back in 1998. Kenner produced very few of these DC superheroes from the JLA comic title in 1:6 scale, as best I can tell  the only others being Flash and Aquaman. Other characters like Batman & Catwoman, and Superman were released as 12" dolls, but respective to their own series, not as JLA members. These are becoming somewhat rare, especially the Flash, so I was happy to score this fellow on eBay, shipping included for around twenty bucks. His packaging was a little beat up, but I didn't mind as I planned to remove him for photography and display.

I was barely aware of  Green Lantern's evolution during the 90's, and never gave the character much of a look during my childhood either for that matter. But after getting back into comics a couple years ago and starting this blog, I read Blackest Night and Blackest Night: Green Lantern, I became a huge fan, going on to read any back issues from the last couple decades, as well as the New 52 Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, and Green Lantern: New Guardians. I also read a dozen assorted trade paperbacks from across that span of material. I always say I'm from the Hal Jordan era, but I've come to appreciate Lantern Rayner as well, both somewhat straddling the line of my generation. Kyle is the passionate artist, once the reluctant last hope for the Green Lantern Corps.

My Green Lantern action figure collection is in a class of it's own apart from my collection as a whole, but not too big to stop me from finally taking the plunge and picking this guy up. The articulation on these 12" Kenner JLA dolls figures is as clunky as their appearance, which I really like. He looks like a toy- colorful and fun. Kyle has hinged elbows & knees, and basic swivel shoulders & head, but also has hinge/swivel combos at the wrist, and ball-jointed hips that help out. He won't stand on his head or anything, but it's something to work with.

Kyle came with some great accessories, made of a really solid, rubbery plastic, translucent green in color. A giant rifle, complimented with a removable ammunition belt, and his signature, squat-looking lantern. Great! He can hold only one accessory at a time, the right hand balled into a fist, wielding a nicely sculpted, tiny Green Lantern ring (DC Direct: take note). The clench-teeth sculpt on his face goes great with Kyle's big, scary mask- hilarious! It's obnoxiously exaggerated in such a fun way that I really enjoy. 

Kyle's outfit is stitched up the back, and not removable, as are the boots & wrist gauntlets. The material seems amply tough and flexible, but that screen-printed Lantern symbol on his chest may be somewhat vulnerable. I'd imagine the white portions could become soiled with play, but he'll be in a plexi display case, like all my cloth costumed figures who aren't stored are.

Though I sold my Batman/Catwoman set awhile back, I've held onto my Kenner Superman, who contrasts nicely with Kyle. I have little interest in the JLA Aquaman from this series, but am on the look-out for a Flash  that's in newish condition. In fact, I recently lost one in an eBay auction by fifty cents! Drat! Well, that's all part of the fun then, isn't it Kids? You win some, you lose some   ;D

12" Kenner Kyle with my DC Direct 2010 JLA Kyle, 6" DC Direct 2003 JLA Kyle, and 8" Mattel Retro-Action Kyle:

Sometimes a big, dumb toy really gets to me like Kyle here- a product of my childhood love of those 70's Mego dolls I'm sure (Mego never produced any Green Lantern characters in it's 8" line, but Mattel rectified that generously more recently). He's ridiculous, funny, and cool all at once, He's not as epic as my DC Direct Deluxe Green Lantern Corps figure, but Kenner Kyle does his own thing!

More Later- Make It Fun!