Imaginext DC Super Friends Series 1 (2024) & More!

 As soon as BubbaShelby posted shots of these Imaginext Super Friends on Instagram, I had to at least snag that Martian Manhunter! And though I had sold off my collection, I compulsively scooped up what amounted to nearly the entire wave. And then I bought some other DC Imaginext...

As a Mego kid from the '70s, this color combo of Batman in his blue & gray with his chest insignia over a yellow oval with black trunks is my jam. Only the "bullet capsule" belt and blacked-out face cowl could have made it better, but he's certainly reminiscent of Bronze-Age Batman.

I found a similarly Bronze-Age Batman in a 2-pk with Riddler a couple years ago...

Oddly, this new Imaginext Batman has a black cape, made only stranger by the fact I bought my Figures Toy Co. Mego Batman an extra black cape just for something different only a month ago. The break of color between cape and cowl is too visually jarring for some, but I say why not?

I completely forgot I have a 4" Spinmaster Man-Bat, but I like this more classic brown with blue trousers and bandolier. He comes with a great katana sword accessory that could be useful to any number of other figures, too.

Bane looked a little plain to me, but the excitement ratchets up when the glow-in-the-dark feature kicks in. I guess the grapple gun is an okay accessory, again it's an accessory that can be used with other figures.

Classic Martian Manhunter is how we ended up here together, Friends- a character I took to later on more as an adult when starting this blog many years ago. J'onn J'onzz is the other alien powerhouse on par with the more popular Superman, and last of his kind from a lost world like the Man of Steel.

Classic Imaginext Martian Manhunter w/my BootLego Martian Manhunter:

Superboy Prime was an unlikeable brat and murderous psycopath in DC Infinte Crisis, but I did like his Ant-Monitor armor! I had a couple other Imaginext Superman figures I loved- I'll be on the lookout for another!

This is a more modern interpretation of Aquaman with the single shoulder pauldron, but he still hits a lot of the classic notes. I also had another Imaginext Aquaman I sold in a lot on eBay, but this is a fantastic, updated replacement! 

I love the classic Ted Kord Blue Beetle, but I also love the Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle in his alien tech, and have a few other figures of this character. I'm particularly fond of the Batman Brave & The Bold Jaime Reyes figures ...

Imaginext Blue Beetle w/my BootLego Blue Beetle:

After opening some Imaginext blind bags, I found a couple Imaginext Batman 2pks:

Both these figures are designed to accommodate Imaginext's more recent light-up feature trend, central to the design of their more recent figure and playset interaction. The unfortunate consequence of this is the ugly slot in the cape in back. I need one of the light-up accessories to make this work better, but I still like the black and blue Batman.

This Imaginext Batman reminded me of my XL Imaginext Bat Tech Batman:

I had the this very Scarecrow before, but w/o the translucent torso- great sculpt!

These are more modern interpretations of Batman and Huntress w/updated sculpts and paint apps- like the Batman/Scarecrow 2pk above, only one figure had an accessory, but I do like the crossbow.

Batman with Imaginext Batwing and Apokolips Armor Batman:

Follow the Super-DuperToyBox on Instagram!

More Later- Make It FUN!

BootLego DC: Joker, Venom, Blue Beetle, Katana, & Batman Beyond

A few BootLego DC minifigs scored off eBay- the Katana & Blue Beetle were part of a new purchase, the others from a Batman set I bought at the end of 2015. I really liked the New 52 version of Katana, my favorite of this group. I have a DC Collectibles Katana in this outfit that I absolutely covet. I like the idea of Katana as a partner to Batman in the 2013-14 Beware the Batman animated series- fresh!

This new Batman Beyond minifig is barely so, the chest insignia and belt true to character, but exposed chin & red cape not so. He looks a lot like the black and red Batman I got with a BootLego Nightwing and Robin posted on here in Nov. 2015...

The Joker below is standard Lego Joker, but a nice and colorful rendition. Like Joker, this simple Bane minifig came with the Batman set I bought at the end of 2015. Though irrelevant to the character, his sighted assault rifle is a bonus.

I love the third, Jaimie Reyes Blue Beetle! My only complaint with this minifig is the neck post barely accommodating the wings and neck horns, an oft fugitive blue head the unfortunate result. Check out my 2013 post on the Batman: Brave and the Bold Blue Beetle Cosmic Crawler!

Joker and Venom would have a hard time fighting Katana, Batman Beyond, and Blue Beetle!

More Later- Make It FUN!

ShadowTek Bane!

ShadowTek Bane is the last of these Mattel figures from The Batman animated television show I've bought... he was both a mild disappointment and a surprising joy upon his arrival from China...

As you saw in the video, I had not expected the smashing mechanism that severely limits the posing abilities of this eye-catching toy. Additionally, twisting at his torso pulls the seam at his shoulders apart- I'm not worried he will fall apart, but it's not cool. That said, the smashing feature is somewhat fun to play around with, and children would love this chunky, interactive toy. I purchased him loose for as low a price I could find, but I'm certain he came in a boxed set with a battle-injured Batman:

All complaints aside, I had a ball playing around with Bane, and it was worth the price of admission for the photos alone. He hardly resembles the Bane of DC Comics fame, but I like that about him...

With my EXP Ultimate Defender Batman...

...a picture I took while failing to get the shot I was looking for... kind of a happy accident... Hawkman sneaks in from behind while Batman and J'onn distract!

And finally, the whole gang: Hawkman, Martian Manhunter, Bane, Camo Tech Batman, Ultimate Defender Batman, and Firefly...

 In closing, pal BubbaShelby was nice enough to show me some very cool figures from this line that pad his personal collection- check out the links at his world-famous Toyriffic toy blog:
*Mail-Away Campbell's Batman! Incredible!
*The Ventriloquist and Scarface!
*Bubba's Firefly with different color than mine