McFarlane DC Multiverse Gen. Zod, Superboy Prime, Lex Luthor, God of Apokolips

 I received my preorder of Superboy Prime, Lex Luthor, and "God of Apokolips" Darkseid/Lex variant from McFarlane Toys a couple weeks ago, bumping into the new General Zod just last weekend. I thought all these might make a nice group. I'm barely interested in the Darkseid/Lex variant, but paired with Lex in his green power suit and the throne included make things way for inviting. I haven't read The Darkseid War story arc, purchasing both these figures solely on their merits as action figures.

My last post did in fact include both General Zod and Lex Luthor in 14" Mego form. While I love the more retro Mego costumes, the modern styling McFarlane chose for these characters works better with their DC Multiverse line, and current comic book styling..

I had a DC Direst Superboy Prime in this scale for years, but never a General Zod. I felt they would pair well when I saw Zod in a local Walmart this last weekend. Their sci-fi armored gauntlets, boots, and chest harness/shoulder pauldrons complement one another. General Zod is based on his current appearance in DC Comics as best I can tell- I really liked the outfit!

There is another McFarlane DC Multiverse Kryptonian in my collection, the ElseWorlds-inspired Red Son Superman. I love the muted colors on that figure, he looks fantastic!

Etrigan the Demon might be a McFarlane figure that could pair well with Zod for battle. The sword that came with my McFarlane Toys Bloodshot makes a great accessory for Zod- like it was made for him!

While there are aspects of McFarlane figures I sometimes don't like- the ball-swivel joints in the wrists and ankles can be cumbersome when posing, and larger figures can have balance issues. I like the aesthic of these figures individually and together, particularly Superboy Prime and Zod. There is a plainness to the Darkseid Lex's paint scheme, but the chair adds a lot. While flight hands were appropriate, I wish Superboy Prime included additional hands like Lex and Zod included. Not sure if I care about the collector cards these came with, but I appreciate Mcfarlane including a base with each figure. Complaints aside, I enjoyed these figures together, and though I haven't kept up with DC Comics' current stories, these are just fun character designs and "toyetic" action figures. 

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Mego 14in. Lex Luthor, General Zod, New 52 Superman

 I circled back last month to pick up these 14" Mego figures on the secondary market, Zod and Lex from the 2018 introductory wave of 14" DC figures, and the New 52 Superman from a later wave in 2019. I'd had my eye on this Superman in the past, but the Zod & Lex were at such a discounted price, I kind of picked them up on a whim. They kind of get overwhelmed by Superman's bright colors, but are both nice comic book representations of two of Superman's greatest foes.

General Zod and Lex Luthor are so much like the 12" Mego versions from the '70s, in their costumes and face scuplts. There was a Jor El included among the original 12" figures as well, which we unfortunately didn't see in this 2018 return to large scale DC figures. I hope we will see a Jor El now that Mego recently dropped 14" Star Trek, Universal Monsters, and DC characters, all with upgraded bodies, outfits, and accessories.  

Below, 14" Mego New 52 Superman with several other New 52 Superman figures of varying make and scale in my collection: 12" Medicom Real Action Heroes Superman, 11.5" Mattel Superman, 7" DC Collectibles Superman, 5" Justice League Superman, and 6" Total Heroes Superman...

I actually liked the new 52 Superman costume the first time I saw it and am glad I came back for this extra-large version by the same company that introduced me to action figures in the '70s. The lines in the outfit and boots are right in line with Mego's toyetic styling of whatever character they are producing. And the cape is fantastic- true to artist Jim Lee's redesign, pointed down the middle at it's end. Though a little different in design, this oversized Superman figure's bright colors fill me with nostalgia for the 12" Mego Superman of my childhood!

As illustrated below, the new 14" Mego figures are a little smaller than the older ones in both height and girth. While I love the new 14" Mego Classic Superman, I did like the bulkier look of the earlier waves.

Each of these three figures came with a Kyryptonite crystal, an often-criticized accessory when included with Kryptonian characters vulnerable to the element. I consider it a token with characters that aren't really known for a signature weapon or tool, and I like having one in a different gold color. There are many types of Kryptonite throughout the long history of Superman in the comics, but it was introduced to the character's mythos in 1943 through a radio broadcast of The Adventures of Superman. We are all aware of the more widely recognized green variety, but gold Kryptonite is also canon, appearing in 1962, capable of permanently removing any Kryptonian's powers by destroying their ability to process the Earth's yellow sunlight.

While the new 14" bodies do have some improvements, notably in articulation, I'm fond of the thicker buck on these earlier figures. Mine stood up unaided well enough, but you won't get dramatic poses with them .As Mego forges onward with news about future releases even this week, solicitations for 8" Previews Exclusive Deathstroke and Batman Beyond just announced. There are more 14" and 8" DC characters I'd like to see from Mego, and you will certainly see more posts on Mego figures I've been picking up. In the meantime, be sure to visit the online Mego Museum!

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Imaginext Lex Luthor Mech Suit

I passed on this guy in the clearance aisle, like four times, in the last couple months- when I discovered it to be under fifteen bucks, which didn't really seem like that much of a discount (typical of Wal-Mart). Still, I like the design, and I wanted another villain worthy of my Imaginext Superman. For seven bucks I could have picked up a variant Imaginext Lex and black/silver Superman I didn't care about, and no chunky mecha that fires a missile either, so here we are   :D

This is a fun toy! The power suit has limited articulation, but it's there: hinge swivel shoulders, independent leg swivel legs, a gripping claw, and missile launcher mounted to the left wrist. It can't stand on it's head or one leg, but there are parts for a small child to build motor skills with, and that's what these are for- playing with.

The Lex Luthor included has some great surface texture, and mischievous smirk- great detailing! His body doesn't fit well into the mech suit well with his hands down, but his swivel wrists and hinge-swivel shoulders help him grip the windshield nicely. And Fisher-Price gave Lex a swivel neck, unlike some of the Imaginext figures, which lends some expression to even the simplest action figure. 

In the 6" mechanical suit, Lex towers over my New 52 Superman! It's claw can easily grip other Imaginext figures at arms length, but the projectile fires somewhat meekly- probably as a result of safety standards, though I have other Imaginext toys that fire with higher velocity. The toy's deco is simple but nice overall- I like the yellow-green tinted windshield and rocket, but not the decal within the suit's navel. Though again- there's a lot of play value here, the "vehicle" in the set being a big robot with moving parts, and it's a cute toy. Fischer-Price released an even larger Superman Exo-Skeleton mecha that lights up and makes sounds for about $25.00, which seemed a little steep for my tolerance- the Black Manta Sub and Wonder Woman Invisible Jet, and a couple Batcopter sets I've seen for fifteen bucks that seem like a better value. So far, I've resisted the temptation! 

Ultimately, we get the best of both with this Imaginext set- Lex in his bandoliered jump suit, like my 8" Mattel Retro-Action Lex, and in his power suit look, like the DC Direct "Crisis" Lex and the Mattel Lex.

Group Shot! DC Direct Crisis on Infinite Earths Battle Armor Lex, Mattel Retro-Action Lex, Imaginext Lex Luthor Mechanical Suit, Mattel Kryptonite Chaos Lex, and Mattel DC Super Friends Kryptonite Blaster Lex Luthor...

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Infinite Crisis: Villains United

Continuing from my post on the Countdown to Infinite Crisis 80 page Special, I've been catching up to more of the story arcs preceding and surrounding the Infinite Crisis event, having the luck to find quite a bit recently in the dollar comic bins, including this six-issue limited Villains United series. Lex Luthor has managed to assemble his Secret Society of Supervillains with the exception of a few that refused to join- The Secret Six! Catman, Cheshire, Deadshot, Scandal, Ragdoll, and Parademon oppose this new Secret Society, and are led by the mysterious Mockingbird who uses a personal threat against each member to ensure their united loyalty against Luthor's army. This team assembled of villainous characters undertake missions of dubious morality, resulting in bloody conflicts with high casualties.

Right off the bat there's inner conflict and odd fellowship within the group, the prominent testosterone-fueled rivalry between Catman and Deadshot, the latter revealed to have killed the former's pride of lions he'd been living with while in exile. Blamed on Lex Luthor and Deathstroke, the ploy to designed to lure Catman to joining the Secret Six for revenge. The two men are at odds throughout the series, their uneasy alliance finally resulting in a truce of sorts at the end. Cheshire and Catman hit the sack together at one point, after which she accuses Catman of being a spy, wanting to be a hero. She later reveals their consumation merely a plot to conceive a child. And Rag Doll shares a strange relationship with a Parademon, who refers to him simply as "Clown". For reasons unexplained it protects Rag Doll, threatening to kill anyone who gives the contortionist a hard time.

One of Mockingbird's first assignments has the group stealing Thanagarian weaponry from a tanker in Gotham harbor, only to be ambushed by members of the Society and tortured by the Crime Doctor, who's eager to discover Mockingbird's identity. Catman breaks free, releasing the others so the group can go from one hair-raising situation to the next, including fighting their way through a legion of H.I.V.E. troopers led by Queen Bee in Brazil. Who can be trusted is a constant wedge between the members, finally resulting in betrayal by Cheshire who has given Luthor their coordinates and defected from the group in return for safety. A bloody last stand against the Society is the result!

The final battle is riveting: the Society storms the Secret Six hideout castle, the traitorous Cheshire is shot by Deathstroke, and Talia and Scandal (daughters of immortals Ra's al Ghul and Vandal Savage) duke it out. Scandal's mole in the Society, Knockout, take Talia down (also revealing that Knockout is Scandal's lover). Ragdoll bumps into Solomon Grundy on the run for cover, deftly convincing the fellow "ugly monster" to switch sides. Just as Catman and Ragdoll Jr. escape from Black Adam's group, Parademon blows himself up with a stack of Motherboxes sending everyone flying. Outside the castle, Deathstroke and Deadshot are caught in one another's sights, pumping several rounds into each other simultaneously. Fed up with Luthor and concerned for daughter Scandal's safety, Vandal Savage storms Society's headquarters and threatens to kill him if he doesn't back off the Six. Luthor hesitantly ends the battle, the remainder of the Six taking Deadshot to medical attention. 

The climax reveals that Mockingbird is Lex Luthor and that the Luthor who organized the Secret Society is an impostor, Alexander Luthor, Jr., the Earth-Three son of that world's Alexander Luthor and Lois Lane-Luthor. In Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985, DC Comics), the Anti-Monitor destroyed incalculable universes, including Earth-Three. To save their son, the Luthors place him in an experimental device that carries the infant to the safety of Earth-One. The real Lex Luthor chose members of the Secret Six based on their knowledge of the Society's members' strengths & weaknesses. It's fun reading all this after having read Crisis on Infinite Earths and Infinite Crisis, all the pieces of continuity slowly pulling together in my head!

I was also lucky to find the Villains United: Infinite Crisis Special in the dollar bins! Discussing their future as a group, Deadshot is of the opinion they fight for whatever side pays, mercenary style. Meanwhile the Society breaks all the incarcerated villains out of metahuman holding facilities around the world. Oracle responds, but is quickly losing ground against the massive group of escapees. She turns to Martian Manhunter who establishes a global telepathic link, calling on all available help, retired or otherwise, as the heavy hitters of the Justice League are unavailable. In the final scenes, Doctor Psycho leads the villains, Doomsday at his side, meeting the heroes for a big standoff in Metropolis. Surveying the scene from a helicopter above the battle, the Secret Six decide to remain neutral surprisingly, leaving the scene determined to maintain their independence.

 All this comes together in The OMAC Project, the Rann-Thanagar War, and the Spectre: Day of Vengeance crossover events, which tie into Infinite Crisis. Again, I'm really excited to be reading these all now! Gail Simone's dialogue got better & better as things progressed, and art duties were superbly executed by pencilist Dale Eaglesham and inker Wade Von Grawbadger (Val Semeiks and Prentis Rollins filling in seamlessly on issue #3). This one is worth your time, Kids!

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(Sources: Wikepedia, Villains United #1-6, Villains United Infinite Crisis Special)

DC Super Friends Lex Luthor

After my post on the DC Super Friends Hawkman, I couldn't resist cracking open my Lex Luthor from this brief but fun line of toys. I've been catching a lot of Justice League Unlimited episodes on YouTube lately that feature some great episodes starring Superman's brilliant arch nemesis, and I read Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, in which then-U.S. President Lex Luthor declares Superman and Batman enemies of the state, claiming that a Kryptonite asteroid headed for Earth is connected to an evil plot by Superman - what a FUN supervillain!

Lex's body armor is removable, I just didn't remove it for the photo session for fear of breaking it. His shoulder harness in tampographed onto the torso underneath, too- see Cool Toy Review for more pictures. Lex came with a picture card, and a folded product sheet advertising othe toys from the DC Super Friends line, including the My First Batmobile I have:

 

 Released in 2007, these 6" figures have very basic articulation: swivel hips, wrists, & shoulders, and a pretty expressive ball-jointed head. The line didn't last too long, but they were pretty simple toys meant for younger children and made for play- I mean, how many of these does a 3 year old need to throw at his sister?   :D   I was mad about them at first sight and have seven; I love their chunky design and think they are super cute!  

The included accessory has an action figure, albeit a sleepy one- by pumping the balloon in Lex's pack, the green "Kryptonite" missile at the end of his weapon pumps in & out of the barrel. I wish it shot out the barrel of course, but these action figures are for ages 3 and up. I loved the geared out aesthetic of this particular figure from the DC Super Friends line, and the translucent green portions in his weapon and armor give him extra eye appeal.

  

Lex is a great companion piece for the variant DC Super Friends Superman I have- he is perhaps my favorite Superman figure due to his unusual costume deco- Love!

Looks like Hawkman had to step in and help Superman handling Lex on account of the Kryptonite!

DC Super Friends Lex with Mattel Retro-Action Lex Luthor and DC Direct Battle Armor Lex Luthor:

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