My Favorite WONDER WOMAN!

DC Comics Justice League of America Boxset - DC Direct 2009

Wonder Woman is a sticky situation for us collectors of female action figures.  I will go out on a limb and say that she is the single most merchandised heroine of all time, and I seriously doubt any ladies will be stealing that mantle from her anytime soon.  I don't dislike Wonder Woman, but I pointedly ignore the standard monthly solicitation of yet another Diana figure or statue.  I am an obsessive collector so I have to put my blinders on or I will be penniless and living in a star-spangled hovel.  A few years ago I started reading the revamped Wonder Woman comic with art by Terry and Rachel Dodson and I suddenly had a renewed interest in the character.  I made it a goal to find the single best figure I could find of her and limit myself to that one piece.  Of course I now have a small handful of Dianas, but they entered organically into my collection, because each time I made a purchase I truly thought I was replacing my existing perfect figure with a newly-produced superior version of that single perfect representation.

DC Direct - VIXEN!

Justice League of America (Ed Benes) - Series 01 - Vixen - DC Direct 2007

I mentioned during my recent DC Multiverse Vixen review that I was suddenly inspired to collect all the Vixen figures ever made (there aren't many). This presented me with a bit of moral issue though because I specifically remember being highly disappointed with this 2007 DC Direct figure when it was released (and vowing not to buy it). Vixen had been around for decades but was just being launched into A-level status by being included in the new roster of the Justice League in 2006. This figure was meant to commemorate her new status, but to me she looked like an awkwardly failed attempt at over-sexualization. Her breasts are larger than her head and laughably exposed. Bared cleavage can be beautiful and provocative, but this is pure male titillation and impracticality. Her hips and thighs look unproportionally narrow compared to her shoulders and chest. And the odd articulation in her arms makes her look like she is in a permanent state of airing out her armpits. This figure's popularity has been a mystery to me for years.

Character Spotlight in LIVEWIRE!

A Collection of Metropolis' Most Electrifying Shock-Jock: Livewire

I've always considered Livewire the Harley Quinn of Superman's world. They're both formidable villains created by Bruce Timm for the DC Animated Universe.  Since their unassuming beginnings they've both become pretty popular in mainstream comics and video games.  Livewire has also appeared on television in Smallville and very recently in Supergirl. Harley is way more popular obviously, but Livewire has always had my attention. Just to clear up her first appearance dates: She debuted in the comic Superman Adventures #5 (March 1997) and her first television appearance was in Season 2, Episode 5 of Superman: The Animated Series ("Livewire" - September 1997).  Leslie Willis was a shock-jock hosting an outdoor concert in Metropolis during a dangerous storm.  Superman tried to get the concert to disband, but Leslie refused and was struck by lightning. Her hair turned blue, her skin turned white, and she gained crazy electrical power - irrationally blaming Superman for all of it. Revenge-based villains thrill me.

Justice League of America HAWKGIRL!

Justice League of America - Series 2 - Hawkgirl - DC Direct 2008

Hawkgirl is one of the oldest female costumed heroes in comics.  She was first introduced in All Star Comics #5 in 1941 and has held her own in the DC Universe ever since.  I was always aware of her as a character, but somewhat abstractly as I only ever saw her as the wife or girlfriend of Hawkman, and never a hero in her own right.  Then she was cast in the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited cartoons as one of the seven core members of the League.  This cartoon version was physically based on the Silver Age Shayera Hol character, although her personality was a new creation for the show.  These cartoons boosted her popularity immensely and now she is always considered one of the great DC heroines.  So when the Justice League of America comic rebooted in 2007, she was a shoe-in.  This action figure represents that incarnation of Hawkgirl (as Kendra Saunders) in the artistic style of Ed Benes via the sculpting prowess of Ray Villafane.  Let's check her out in detail below!