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!

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Hey, Mr. Postman!

I don't get a lot of toys in the mail lately, but this box came a couple days ago from Lange's Sports in Michigan. I've scored a lot of older DC Direct figures from their eBay store over the years for good prices with decent combined shipping.

I just finished reading Avengers: X-Sanction limited series (2012), and really like McGuinness' unique art- these really capture his style. They're chunky and fun! Also known for his work on Superman/Batman title, Marvel's The Hulk, and of course JLA: Classified, the latter of which I've not yet read. His figures are robust, body-builder types that some might describe as steroid-enhanced. They certainly aren't everyone's cup of tea, and I'll admit I'm not crazy about all the figures from this line and the Superman/Batman: Public enemies line from DC Direct that pay tribute to this artist's style. I am fond of this pair however, and wouldn't mind having the Superman, Hawkman, or John Stewart Green Lantern from this series. I have a Martian Manhunter from this series that I love!

* Visit the DC Direct Action Figure Archive!

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Hey, Mr. Postman!

Gosh I sure love gettin' toys in the mail  :D  My postman is actually slender blonde beauty with sunny personality, but since I work 9 to 5 with the new job, I never see her anymore. Bummer. Well, at least she brought me these last week...

I told myself I wasn't gonna buy these from MattyCollector, and I didn't the first time around. When they recently re-released them all together, the bulk shipping was easier to swallow. Some of the first toys posted on the Super-DuperToyBox when I started 21 months ago were these Retro-Action DC Superheroes, which are so much like my childhood Mego World's Greatest Superheroes.

The Green Lantern franchise hot after Geoff Johns' Blackest Night saga, just before the Green Lantern motion picture premiere last summer, Mattel was all things Green Lantern so we got these. I've waited a long time! I have Hal Jordan and the classic Sinestro already, making a good portion of my Retro-Action collection GL Corps... What can I say? I'm a big Green Lantern fan! I love that Mattel gave John Stewart an Afro and Guy Gardner the bowl cut. I've read a couple Kyle Rayner books recently, too, along with the first six GL New Guardian issues released with DCs New 52 relaunch- I'm a big fan of Tyler Kirkham's pencilling! I love how these are packed old-school, no twisty ties, a simple backing card- just like when I was a kid!

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JLU Lanterns

I found some loose Justice League Unlimited Green Lanterns at V-Stock on Tuesday. V-Stock sells new & used CDs, movies, comics, video games, & toys, and has an ever-changing stock of the latter sold in little baggies for as low as $1.99. Pretty cool!

Arkkis Chummuck, Katma Tui, & Kyle Rayner were originally packed together in the orange DC Superheroes: Justice League Unlimited  in 2006. I posted about the Katma DCUC figure not long ago: the Korugarian chosen as Sinestro’s replacement as Green Lantern of Sector 1417 upon his banishment to Qward. Katma looks very different from her DCUC couterpart, most noticeably her change of skin tone, Korugarian's usually being red (like Sinestro). This was likely a result of artistic liscense taken by creators of the Justice League Unlimited show, for reasons I do not know- perhaps her coupling with John Stewart. It seems that her appearance in the earlier Justice League animated show was different than in the relaunched Justice League Unlimited, as well. She originally was packed with a figure stand, the females in this line even harder to stand upright than the males due to their tiny feet- I was challenged by this trait throughout the entire photo session.

Lantern Chummuck had had an unusual introduction to the Corps, accidentally killing a Green Lantern in defense of his homeworld, the ring choosing him as a replacement! From DC Wikia: As was the custom of his people, he ate Lantern Reever's remains to honor him as a worthy opponent. Then, in an effort to bring the senseless war in his region to an end, he established himself non-violently in a position of power on both planets. For these actions, Arkkis was brought to trial at a tribunal by fellow Corps member Malet Dasim. He was tried for devouring his "victim" and his unorthodox methods of bringing peace to his sector. Ultimately, it was decided that Arkkis wasn't a bad Green Lantern, just a strange one, and not used to the standard customs. He was put on probationary status, and Malet Dasim was appointed to advise him in how better to integrate himself with the regular practices of the Green Lantern.

And finally, my favorite of the three: Kyle Rayner. Lantern Rayner was chosen by the last surviving Guardian after Hal Jordan was possessed by Parallax and murdered most all the  Green Lantern Corps, destroying the planet Oa as well. Just a month ago I posted about DC's New 52 Green Lantern: New Guardians  #1, which retells the story of Ganthet's appointment of Kyle Rayner as the last Green Lantern.

Together with John Stewart, my new JLU Green Lantern Corps is a force to be reckoned with!

I've only seen John Stewart in any of the JLU episodes I've been lucky to catch on YouTube; the show was under my radar in it's heyday, having only returned to my childhood love of comics & action figures in the last 19 months. It's my understanding that that Lantern Rayner "adopted" Hal Jordan's origin story for the show, inheriting his ring from the dying Abin Sur, and that use of John Stewart as the shows main Green Lantern was somewhat hotly debated at the time, the least favorite of DC fandom. While liberties were taken with DC Universe continuity, John Stewart turned out to be a great character on the show, bringing ethic diversity and interesting edge to the group dynamic with his no-nonsense personality.

Aside from the reasonable price on these Lanterns, I wanted them to shoot some scenes with my Manhunter Robots, Power Ring, and Sinestro JLU figures! Toys are made to be played with!   :D

I love this group of villains! I'm a HUGE fan of Sinestro, and am pleased with his role in the New 52 Green Lantern title- it's been great! Power Ring is a member of the Crime Syndicate, alternate universe evil versions of the Justice League- he came with a fun clamping-hand construct (pictured above). And those Manhunter Robots I got in a 3-pack with my John Stewart figure almost exactly a year ago- they are rare among this line of toys having feet big enough that they don't fall down all the time.

The Manhunters appeared in the Justice League episode "In Blackest Night". Like their comic counterparts, they were the first before the Green Lantern Corps. However according to the Guardians, "they couldn't understand the subtle gradations between good and evil" and as such were reprogrammed for other tasks such as hunting and guarding. The Manhunters began secretly plotting their revenge against the Guardians for their perceived betrayal, bringing Green Lantern John Stewart to trial for accidentally destroying the planet Ajuris 4. Unknown to the masses, the planet's destruction was faked with the help of Kanjar Ro as part of the Manhunters' plan to overthrow the Oans and take the Corps' power source. Their gambit successfully draws five of the Guardians away from Oa to testify for John, as well as several unassigned Green Lanterns, leaving Oa severely weakened when the Manhunters attack in force. The Justice League clears John's name and then aids in defeating the Manhunters, assisted by the Corps. This was based on the comics story "No Man Escapes The Manhunters," which appeared in Justice League of America #140-141 (1977). (Wikipedia)

*Visit The Watchtower, "fan site dedicated to Cartoon Network’s animated, non-Superfriends adventures of DC Comics’ legendary superhero team!" ...not updated since 2007, but it has some insightful thoughts & information on the Justice League show and it's characters.

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New 52 Green Lantern: New Guardians #1 & #2

Another New 52 title by DC I've been reading is Green Lantern: New Guardians. I absolutely loved Tyler Kirkham's art in "The Weaponer" which I recently posted on (Brightest Day: Green Lantern Corps, 2010-11), so I've been reading this New 52 title from the beginning. "Who are The New Guardians? The Power of Rage, Avarice, Fear, Will, Hope, Compassion and Love combine to be the most powerful (and colorful) team in the corps under the leadership of Kyle Rayner. Beware their power . . . and their volatility!" (Green Lantern Wikia)

When DC decided to reboot their franchise, they sure left a great deal of the individual character's past intact, specifically at the beginning of this title, which assumes we have read and understand the fallout of Hal Jordan/Parallax in "Emerald Twilight". Within the first few pages we are vagely reminded of that, shown the moment artist Kyle Rayner is chosen, and thrown into a story with several characters with the future, new Green Lantern. For readers new to Kyle Rayner, this may be too light on backstory, but fans of the last twenty years may have been turned off by being dragged through it all again. I was familiar, so I just wanted to get to the core of the first story arc, and enjoy the great artwork (Tyler Kirkham/penciller, Batt/inker, Nei Ruffino/colorist). 

Other Lanterns of the emotional spectrum begin losing their rings and consequently their powers without warning, resulting in sudden death for some. Lantern Rayner, who swooped into Times Square to rescue a construction crew in trouble, is caught off guard when these lost power rings appear before him, "Kyle Rayner of Earth, you have been chosen." When Star Sapphire Fatality, Indigo Lantern Munk, Red Lantern Bleez, and Arkillo find the missing rings are in possession of a Green Lantern, they are enraged. Kyle Rayner, wanting nothing to do with the rings, tries to reason with the other Lanterns, but has to throw down with them right there in Times Square!

Each of the Lanterns takes a crack at a Kyle while he tries to get away from the crowd of innocent millions. Arkillo grabs the fleeing Lantern, throwing him down through the subway where he tries to pounce on Kyle. Taking the yellow power ring that seems to have chosen Kyle, it inexplicably overloads on Arkillo, giving Kyle a chance to throw the monster in front of an oncoming train (SPLATT!).  

Fatality encases Lantern Rayner in sapphire crystal, as she did Bleez, only wishing to recover the stolen Star Sapphire ring. But Kyle's power ring unexpectedly begins to power up, breaking him free from Fatality's crystal cage, heralding the arrival of  St. Walker, who shows up to lead Kyle away from the angry Lanterns (a blue ring can charge a green power ring to twice its maximum power level). The Blue Lantern leads Kyle safely to Oa. Upon his arrival, Kyle is questioned about the other rings of the Emotional Spectrum that follow him by Salaak, then by the impatient Guardians.

Pleading for an explanation from Gathnet, Kyle comes to realize his friend has been stripped of emotion by his brethren (in continuity with the events occuring in the Green Lantern title, wherein Ganthet was subjected to the control of his fellow Guardians in issue #1).

When the Guardians attack him, unsatisfied with Lantern Rayner's  answer to their demands, the rings slide onto his fingers. Lighting him up like a Roman candle. Lantern Rayner becomes a conduit for the entire emotional spectrum ...!

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War of the Green Lanterns

I've been reading A LOT of back issues of pre-New 52 Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, and Emerald Warriors, including issues from the "War of the Green Lanterns" crossover event. Krona had released the dreaded Parallax into the main power battery on Oa, taking control of the Corps' collective mind and turning them against Green Lanterns Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, Kilowog, and Ganthet. Unable to use their polluted rings, Hal convinced the team to use different colored rings left behind when Lyssa Drak trapped other Lanterns of the Emotional Spectrum in the Book of the Black. Krona is an Oan scientist who became obsessed with observing the origins of the universe itself, constructing a machine that pierces the temporal barrier to view the beginnings of time itself. Krona catches a glimpse of the hand of creation depositing the speck that would become the entire cosmos. His machine explodes at that instant, and the universe is shattered causing the creation of the Multiverse as the universe replicates into an infinite number of parallel universes. As punishment for this act, Krona is transformed into pure energy by his fellow Oans and is sent to forever wander the cosmos. Krona's actions are what caused the Oans to become the Guardians of the Universe. (from Wikipedia)

I've really enjoyed Geoff John's stories, and am a HUGE fan of Doug Mahke & Tyler Kirkham's drawing in Green Lantern & Green Lantern Corps respectively- EPIC work, People! The images above are from Green Lantern #65, and below is from Green Lantern Corps #59...

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