New DC Action League 2-packs

I've seen only one set of these new DC Action League figures in one dumpy K-Mart across the county- no where else. At $8.49 a pop, up from seven bucks when I first started collecting them, they had understandably lost my interest (ouch). These two were too cute to pass up however. The packaging has been updated, which I am quite fond of. The previous design, was fine mind you, but these have a likeness of the "main" character included across the front, warmer colors, and an even splashier, open feel. The character/characters are announced as part of a titled adventure, like in a comic or animated feature, with no further elaboration or explanation. In my opinion, Mattel/DC should include a mini-comic with these a package set, perhaps detailing Atom's escape with Plastic Man against "the Flying Creature of Doom",  especially if they are going to charge $8.50. 

Mattel's corporate machinations aside, this Atom/Plastic Man 2-pack is a triumph! Plastic Man in form of a hand glider, his tiny partner latches tightly onto his arms to ride out and save the day. This set could not be more whimsical and fun!

Plastic Man's arms move on a swivel at the shoulders, and his head is on a ball joint that also enjoys an added swivel at the neck, allowing him to look in almost any direction. I was pleasantly surprised by his expressive quality. His sculpt is simple but thoughtful, the bands at his waist actually incised into the sculpt, not just painted/tampographed onto the plastic.

I've come to appreciate both Plastic Man and the Atom a lot more as an adult comics reader- they aren't marquee heroes in the DC Universe, but their function is important. Their powers are as unique as their personalities, the Atom bringing his fluency for sub-atomic science, and Plastic Man providing comic relief.

Atom enjoys hinges in his shoulders in addition to the swivel joints like some of the newer Action Leaguers have, which he need to hitch a ride with Plastic Man. Other than that, his neck and waist are the only other points of articulation- very simple. His buck is also smaller than the standard Action League male, which was thoughtful, and an atomic symbol is neatly tamped onto this forehead and tiny belt buckle. While these are atrociously overpriced, they are wonderfully designed and cuter than a bug's ear! Love!

Atom has the dynamic running pose like the DC Action League Flash does, whom he pairs quite nicely with...

 I have a couple other Atom figures, including this very cool Justice League Unlimited Atom. I love action figures with a fun, cartoony sculpt and color as much as those with a realistic treatment. Mattel's JLU line was a lot of fun...

Larfleeze has a fun sculpt, clutching a small orange lantern to his chest. He doesn't have shoulder hinges like the Atom, so his insignia are not uninterrupted. He has neck and waist swivel, and a left elbow swivel that really adds to the lanky arm gesticulation his character is known for. Nice! And word to DC Direct: DC Action League Larfleeze has a neatly tamped lantern symbol on his tiny orange ring.

And though the holidays are behind us, I was reminded of the Larfleeze Christmas Special (Feb. 2011) in my collection when I started playing with him. Cheezy, but still fun  :D

Larfleeze's 2-pack partner is Glomulus, one of Larfleeze's creepy bouncing minions that bring Slimer from Ghostbusters to mind. He's bigger than Larfleeze which is fine because of their elastic physicality, generated by the orange Lantern's energy. He has no articulation, made of an translucent orange plastic with rubbery arms. He has a, ummm... cavity in his posterior where Larfleeze can put his ringed fist. Hard to get him to stand this way, plus it's embarrassing  :D

DC Action League Larfleeze & Glomulus 2-pack with DC Direct's Blackest Night Larfleeze & Glomulus...

And finally, Larfleeze with the rest of my DC Action League Lanterns- see more of them at all these embedded links. Freshly back into comics as an adult around the time of Geoff John's Blackest Night story line, I became a huge Green Lantern fan, a character whose toys and books I now own a great deal of.

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DC Action League Martian Manhunter/Deadman 2-Pack

I picked up this DC Action League Martian Manhunter/Deadman 2-Pack at the same time as the  Arkillo/Sinestro 2-Pack last week. There was a Professor Zoom/Flash pack as well, but I was watchcing the bucks, and I believe a Batman/Bronze Tiger was released with this wave as well. I love the packaging, on these- it looks like a squashed version of the DCUC packaging I know, but it says FUN.

Obviously a tip of the hat to Jonn Jonzz & Boston Brand's resurrection at the conclusion of Geoff Johns' Blackest Night for the following Brightest Day series,  Martian Manhunter and Deadman are paired together, Jonn having been murdered by Libra in  Final Crisis (2008), and Boston having been dead his whole career.

What can I say about this tiny Deadman? Extremely cute! I've read a few comics in which he appeared, including some team action with the Spectre & his appearance in Alex Ross' Justice, but am still hardly a novice concerning the ghost of a circus aerialist. Jonn was the clincher for me in this 2-pack, but Deadman is a great little figure, his body and collar molded in translucent, dark red plastic, a small "D" engraved into his abdomen. He stands well on his pedestal footprint, his white head able to turn to either side, looking around his tall collar. Extremely diminutive, but cool!

While my Martian Manhunter collection is becoming a nation of it's own among my action figures, this little guy is by far the shortest! I have a 7" DC Direct Brightest Day Martian Manhunter in this new outfit with black pants, the red bandoliers crossing his bare chest again, but with a new ornamental buckle at the center. I dig. He stands well, and has four point of articulation like most in this line: neck, shoulders, & waist. I'm a huge fan of Jonn Jonnz, in case you didn't know- I highly recommend The Idol-Head of Diabolu Martian Manhunter blog!

Of course here at the Super-DuperToyBox, I love to play BIGTOY/littletoy, so here are the pair with their 6" Mattel DCUC counterparts... now how is this not fun??  :D

Click this link to see all my posts on these Action League figures :)

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DC Action League Arkillo/Sinestro 2-Pack

Seems like awhile since I bought any of these, but it was really only the beginning of the summer. I knew they were coming, but sort of forgot as I'm easily distracted by the next thing. Since my last post was on both a Mattel product as well as the Sinestro Corps, I thought I'd crack these open & have a look.

I love these little DC Action League figures! The articulation is really simple, but they are so much fun! They are extremely cute, and somewhat addictive. These still go for $7.99  at Wal-Mart, and yes, I think it's overpriced! That said, they character selection and scuplts/designs are really great. This line started with the Batman: the Brave & The Bold, but evolved and was rebranded under the DC Universe banner, and even branching into the Green Lantern line. At first I thought it was odd seeing these on the pegs so long after the Green Lantern movie premiered, but after seeing the movie recently, and Sinestro slipping on the yellow power ring in the last scene, perhaps the timing isn't that bad.

I was glad to finally see some Sinestro Corps members show up in the line, as there have been several Green Lantern Corps members already produced. Sinestro's drill sergeant Arkillo has a gaping mouth and pissed off look that made me really love him at first sight! I just like the whole black & yellow color scheme & design features of the Sinestro Corps uniforms period- it's contrasty & powerful looking to my eyes.

Sinestro has a similar pose & sculpt to the White Lantern Sinestro from Wave 1, but they are not the same- their uniform lines are cut into the sculpt, and the the Corps version has banded cuffs & belt. The Corps version is smaller, too, and I'm not really sure why. It's hard to see in the pictures, but I've studdied them closely. Additionally, the White Lantern Sinestro stands better, his round feet better shaped to plant together on a flat surface. It could just be mine, but the Arkillo rocks slightly on his stance as well.  

It's fun to get a worthy opponent for the Action League Kilowog, another large figure in this line. And unlike Kiliwog, Arkillo has a cut joint in his neck- nice! He made this set a must get- really hilarious  :D

Sinestro & Arkillo with fellow Corps member, Low:

Sinestro Corps Vs. the Green Lanterns!

Click this link to see all my posts on these Action League figures  :)

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DC Action League: Kilowog Vs. Zilius Zox

Mattel chose some fun characters again for this great line of mini-action figures, and Kilowog Vs. Zilius Zox is arguably best of the third wave.

The Red Lantern Corps put the hurt on both the Green Lanterns and the Sinestro Corps when they intercepted the Green Lanterns transport of their prisoner Sinestro to Korugar to stand trial for crimes against his homeworld. The Sinestro Corps had planned to ambush the Green Lanterns & free their leader, but the Red Lanterns flew in to decimate them both. I hate it when that happens!

These are both unusual body sculpts for this line- Kilowog nearly twice the size of the other DC Action League figures, and Zox's body spherical with a gaping mouth. If you get any from this line, grab these- they are really fun and will undoubtedly sell out quickly!

Zilius with his fun-loving leader Atrocitus! Good times with the Raging Red Lanterns!  :D

Was THRILLED to get a Kilowog, Drill Sergeant of the Green Lantern Corps! Both The BAF Kilowog and the DC Direct Kilowog figures go for a lot of money, more than I'm willing to part with. I was happy Mattel made him so BIG, much larger than I anticipated...

Kilowog with his fellow Lanterns Tomar-Re, Hal Jordan, & John Stewart...

All the Green Lantern-related characters released in the first three waves of the DC Action League figures- ten of the first twenty-four!  The branding power of the GL franchise is currently dominating the marketplace in anticipation of this summer's motion picture!  I'm pretty excited!

I have a pile of these fun toys constantly at war on my drawing table- they make me smile! I highly reccomend them  :)

More Later- Keep Having FUN!