The Batman - CATWOMAN!

DC Multiverse - The Batman - Selina Kyle (Gold Label) - McFarlane Toys 2022

Yet another McFarlane Toys variant that should have been the original figure. As much as I have appreciated McFarlane's DC Multiverse efforts, the blatant cash grab of the figure variations is a little frustrating. It seems like every other toyline or company has no issue including an alternate head when appropriate (and oftentimes when it's not), but McFarlane releases a feature like that as a new limited variant, makes it an exclusive, and suddenly you're re-buying a figure. It's kind of genius from a business perspective, but I predict it's going to make me give up on the line in exasperation eventually. This Gold Label Catwoman should have been the first one released. It has a movie-accurate headsculpt which looks great. The first release had a full skimask that (as far as I can recall) never appeared in the movie. But at the time it was the best movie representation. It's surprising how much I love this Gold Label version considering the difference is so minor. Let's check out Catwoman below!

Black Adam 12" - CYCLONE!

Black Adam (Movie) - 12" Action Figure Series - Cyclone - Spin Master 2022

I've said this a thousand times on this blog, but I think modern 12" action figures are amazing. When I hold them in my hand it gives me this childlike sense of wonder that's oddly more palpable than other toys (even figures from arguably more nostalgic properties). A friend once theorized that it's because these are scaled in a way that replicate our once tiny hands playing with our seemingly oversized ThunderCats and He-Man figures at the time. That tactile sense of holding on to a larger figure makes a ton of sense. Lately I've been overwhelmed with new 12" figures: Wakanda Forever, Halo, Power Rangers, and Black Adam all have new figures hitting the shelves right now giving me seven new female figures. Plus my fingers are crossed for sneaky late releases of another Shuri and Isis after the movies are released. Of the Cyclones I've bought to far, this is my favorite.  The colors are bright, the articulation is decent, and the overall playability is just all-around better. Let's check out Cyclone below!

Black Adam - CYCLONE!

DC Multiverse - Black Adam (Movie) - Cyclone - McFarlane Toys 2022

The majority of female DC characters released by McFarlane Toys are truly great and I have no complaints. However, I honestly can't say the same for their movie-based releases. So far there have been several cinematic figures for Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, and Catwoman, and unfortunately none of them are especially good likenesses. This Cyclone is played by an actor who is largely unfamiliar to me (Quintessa Swindell), but even from the brief glimpses I've seen, this figure does not do them justice. The facial expression is very glum and appears significantly older than the youthful 25 they are. Additionally, the other toys and images I've seen incorporate a ton of bright purple in the costume design. In this figure most of those bright colors have been swapped out for black. I'm leaning heavily towards the likelihood that this figure was created from earlier concepts. It's not a bad figure overall, but it just pales in comparison to the quality of recent comic releases. Let's check out Cyclone below!

Black Adam 3.75" - CYCLONE!

Black Adam (Movie) - 3.75" Action Figure Series - Cyclone - Spin Master 2022

I'm pretty excited to see Black Adam in theatres next week. I don't know much about the title character at all, but seeing Hawkman, Doctor Fate, and Atom Smasher on the big screen will be amazing. The big mystery character for me, however, is Cyclone. I honestly only knew this character from her Kingdom Come DC Direct action figure and her self-explanatory powerset, but until a few weeks ago I had never read a story with her. That first comic I picked up was a movie tie-in titled Black Adam: Justice Society Files - Cyclone #1 and featured an introduction to the DCEU version of the character, which from everything I've read is pretty different from her comic version. For starters, the DCEU version seems to have nanobot-driven powers as a result of a lab accident, whereas the comic version seemingly inherited genetic powers from her grandmother, Ma Hunkle. Who knows how this new character will be portrayed. By next week we should have a lot of answers. Let's check out Cyclone below!

Birds of Prey - HARLEY QUINN!

DC Multiverse - Harley Quinn (Birds of Prey Jumpsuit) - McFarlane Toys 2021

This Birds of Prey Harley Quinn in her bright gold jumpsuit is a figure I thought for sure had been cancelled. More than two years ago in January of 2020, the very first waves of McFarlane Toys DC Multiverse figures were hitting the shelves. And one of the "coming soon" images on the backs of all those boxes was a photo of Margot Robbie in this getup. But after 18 months with no mention of her, I think the entire toy community assumed McFarlane had missed the wave of movie popularity and she'd never be produced. But then around Thanksgiving of this last year she miraculously hit the shelves. I assume she was actually sculpted and tooled several years ago when those first waves were teased, because she seems slightly inferior to the recent Suicide Squad Harley. (Her face is more generic and her posture is a little slumped and awkward). It's amazing the improvements McFarlane has made in a few short years, but she's still a great and quirky figure. Let's check out Birds of Prey Harley below!

The Batman - CATWOMAN (UNMASKED)!

DC Multiverse - The Batman - Selina Kyle (Unmasked) - McFarlane Toys 2022

For the time being, this is my last Catwoman post from The Batman. I'm sure there will be additional product hitting the shelves eventually, but for now I'm skipping the mud-splattered variants and Funko Pops. I showed a lot of restraint only buying four figures. (Although I would definitely be super tempted by a Mafex figure if they made one). This unmasked McFarlane variant is surprisingly my favorite of the group. I say surprising because I typically opt for the masked versions. But until I saw this figure in Walmart last week, I didn't realize she had a hybrid mask situation going on. The face sculpt is compelling but she also has the cat ears visible on her folded-up mask. So for me it is the best of both worlds. I'm still lukewarm over the oddly-cut ski mask, I don't hate it, but I haven't fully embraced it yet. But Catwoman without ears always seems lacking. The funny thing about this figure is that she seems like she's seven feet tall, when Zoë Kravitz is actually the shortest Catwoman yet. Let's check out Selina below!

12" Spin Master - CATWOMAN!

DC Universe - 12" The Batman (Movie) -  Selina Kyle - Spin Master Toys 2022

DC 12" figures are arguably the best on the market. They have better articulation than the Hasbro lines (Marvel, Fortnite, Power Rangers, etc) and they release a lot more figures than the random one or two per movie like the Titan Hero Series. There always seems to be a decent selection of the current DC Spin Master line in the toy aisles with a good mix of comic and movie stylings. I have been waiting for a Catwoman in this line since I bought my first figure (a Mattel Wonder Woman back in 2016), but it took until 2022 to finally get one. And although I highly enjoyed The Batman and Zoë Kravitz's interpretation of Selina, I still want a masked Catwoman figure in the scale - either movie or comic based, I'm not too picky. This version, although quite stunning, doesn't scream "Catwoman" to me. Without a mask or whip, she blends in with the plethora of black catsuited femme fatales like Emma Peel, Eva Kant, or even Selene from Underworld. In short, I'm super glad to have this lovely figure, but now I want one with ears!

Spin Master - CATWOMAN!

DC Comics - The Batman (Movie) 4" Series - Selina Kyle - SpinMaster 2022

Did you ever lose a toy you just bought? That's what happened to me this past week. I bought this 4" Spinmaster Catwoman last month and was very excited to photograph it in conjunction with seeing the movie. I also wanted group shots with the 12" figure and the McFarlane release. But last week when I sat down to do it, she was nowhere to be found. I literally spent about five hours over three nights trying to find her to no avail. Saturday morning I went out and bought a new one before I saw the movie that evening, but then my momentum was gone. But I finally have them all photographed and edited, just five days later than I intended. I really enjoyed The Batman. Zoë Kravitz gave Selina a younger, slightly more naive and reckless vibe than we're used to, but I enjoyed her performance immensely. I need to re-read my 1989 Catwoman miniseries and Batman: Year One because I think there were several direct references. This Spinmaster figure is a great first product to represent the character.

Suicide Squad 2 - HARLEY QUINN!

DC Multiverse - Suicide Squad 2 (Killer Shark) - Harley Quinn - McFarlane 2021

I just watched The Suicide Squad last night and was excited to write this review. I tried to schedule a theatre outing, but it proved impossible so I finally caved and saw it on HBO. Right off the bat, I enjoyed this sequel more than the original (note that the original is simply Suicide Squad and the sequel is The Suicide Squad). There are several returning characters, but of course Harley finds herself front and center. I was curious to see how this red dress outfit would play into the movie. At first glance, I would have much preferred the leather Arkham-esque costume that her SHFiguarts figure sports, but after seeing the movie, I think the dress is much more iconic. She wears it for the majority of the film and the lack of utilitarian features doesn't hold her back for a second. I also questioned the lack of an iconic Harley accessory like a bat or mallet. But again, after seeing the movie, I love that she has the javelin. (It's so hard to talk about my appreciation of the figure without spoiling the movie!) Let's check out Harley below!

McFarlane Toys - WONDER WOMAN 1984!

DC Multiverse - Wonder Woman 1984 - Wonder Woman - McFarlane Toys 2020

I'm very excited to see the Wonder Woman 1984 movie when it (supposedly) will be hitting theatres this August. By that stage of our pandemic (three months from now), I will have attempted a family vacation, potentially traveled to a wedding, perhaps have gone back to the office, and I think I will be open to experiencing a theatre outing. It will actually be my birthday week as well, so I'll be feeling social. While I'm not opposed to the home-release of movies like Trolls and Scoob, Wonder Woman 1984 is definitely the type of movie I want to see on the big screen. The action and music in the trailer just gets me all revved up. The toys are adding to my anticipation as well. It's weird how all the standard-release Wonder woman figures so far have been unable to capture Gal Gadot's likeness. I've seen high-end items that look great, but this McFarlane figure is easily the best one in the $15-30 range. I'm holding out hopes that there will be a surprise release of Cheetah closer to August. Let's check out Diana below!

Shazam! Movie - MARY MARVEL!

Shazam! (Movie) - Power Slingers Basic Series 01 - Mary Marvel - Mattel 2019

I saw Shazam! this weekend and I really liked it. I'm going to discuss the movie so consider this your spoiler alert. Although if you have read his New52 comics or walked down a toy aisle in the last month, you won't be learning anything new. At the end of the movie, just like in the comics, Billy chooses to split up his powers among his family. Suddenly there is a rainbow-hued Marvel Family fighting off the Seven Deadly Sins. Some of the heroes have very clear powers; Darla: Speed, Freddy: Flight,  Eugene: Lightning, and Pedro: Strength. But Mary's aren't obviously announced (possibly because she has them all, or possibly because she has one of the non-physical powers like Wisdom). But either way, her presence in the final scene was lackluster. She didn't get any good battle moments like the rest. Mostly she was seen locked in static struggle with different Sins in the background. I was disappointed in that small aspect, but pleased with the rest of the movie. Here's hoping for a sequel (with more Mary)!

Shazam! Movie - DARLA DUDLEY!

Shazam! (Movie) - Power Slingers Basic Series 01 - Darla Dudley - Mattel 2019

I'm super excited for the Shazam! movie now. The character of Captain Marvel himself has never really spoken to me, and even Mary Marvel just never sparked an interest in me. But in the early 2000s, the Flashpoint storyline rewrote the history of Shazam. Suddenly there was a group of six friends (and family) of Billy Batson that each gained a single unique power from the wizard. Those six friends could then combine to form the ultimate hero, Captain Thunder (aka Shazam). Darla's power was the Speed of Mercury. The trailers for the movie seem to show the traditional billy-centric origin, but this basic assortment of figures contain Darla, Freddy, Pedro, Mary, Eugene and Billy and make me think the newer origin story is a big plotline of the movie. I know it's a pipedream, but I would also love for more Darla (and Mary) product in different scales. The 12" and Multiverse lines for this movie were pretty short on character assortment (only Billy and Dr. Sivana included). Let's check out Darla below!

Aquaman Movie 6" Basic - MERA!

Aquaman Movie 6" Basic Figure - Series 02 - Mera - Mattel 2018

I saw the Aquaman movie this weekend and found it really entertaining. The visuals and costumes were great. I especially loved the different races/species depicted among the seven undersea kingdoms. And who knew the cheesy seahorse steeds could be so badass?! I only had two issues with the film. Firstly, Black Manta seemed shoehorned into the story. He probably should have been the spotlight villain in the next Aquaman movie and let Orm take center stage here. (Although if they're prepping for a Legion of Doom storyline, they probably needed to get him on screen asap). My second complaint was a lot of weak dialogue. There were "serious" points where the movie morphed into a poorly written soap opera. Don't get me wrong, I liked the story, it was just the dialogue that was weak. I felt that Amber Heard as Mera looked phenomenal, but as an actress I felt that she did the best she could with the words she was given and the end result is a commendable, but not terrific performance.

Aquaman Movie 12" True Moves MERA!

Aquaman Movie: True Moves 12" - Basic Series 01 - Mera - Mattel 2018

I'm in the process of revamping my toy room right now and one of the focuses will be to better accommodate my booming 1:6 scale action figure collection. I know there have been 12" action figures for decades, but in the past they almost always have had removable clothing and high price tags and they blurred the lines between dolls and action figures. I have nothing against dolls, but I've limited myself to not collecting them (strict parameters are very important for a compulsive collector like me). But then back in 2016 I first started paying attention to a new trend of lower-cost, fully-sculpted 1:6 action figures. They had been coming out for a while, but female characters weren't included until early 2016 (Wonder Woman and Black Widow). Now this scale seems to be a staple product for most comic-based movie merchandise (I'm eagerly awaiting the inevitable Captain Marvel figures). In a few short years I somehow assembled 25! This newest Mera one is probably the best yet. Let's check her out below!

Aquaman Movie Multiverse - MERA!

Aquaman Movie DC Multiverse - Trench Warrior C-n-C - Mera -  Mattel 2018

I'm pretty excited about all the comic book movies coming out in the next few 6-8 months. Aquaman, Venom, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and X-Men: Dark Phoenix. None of these are top-tier movie choices for me, but there is something about each one that has me excited. For Aquaman, I'm obsessed with the aquatic monsters like the Brine King and the Trench Warriors, but I can't deny how excited I am to see Mera on the big screen again. I barely remember her from Justice League (I don't remember much from that movie honestly). But the character is so classic and underused that she deserves a more memorable role. I'm shocked that Mattel gave us a brand new figure to be more accurate to her new look, when characters like Wonder Woman were just getting minor repaints. And honestly, the Justice League figure looked great and would have really benefited from a repainted release (she had a lackluster face). But I'm not complaining, just observing. Let's check out the Aquaman movie Mera below!

Suicide Squad Rock Candy - HARLEY QUINN!

Rock Candy Vinyl Collectible - Suicide Squad Harley Quinn - Funko 2018

One thing I've always said about Funko is that they consistently deliver. It may take several years, but the product you wish for almost always gets released eventually. (My favorite example is the Yvonne Craig Batgirl which came out four years after the first Batman '66 Pop wave). When the Rock Candy line launched two years ago and we got two Harleys almost immediately, I just assumed we would get a Suicide Squad version before Christmas. Then my assumptions were further bolstered when the GameStop Exclusive Enchantress Rock Candy dropped on Black Friday. I was literally saving space for the new Harley that was certainly coming. And she did come of course, but two long years later. But I wasn't upset because I never doubted that she was coming. And honestly she looks perfect so she was well worth the wait. It makes me excited for all the other fun Rock Candies coming out this Summer. Let's check out the long-overdue Suicide Squad Harley Quinn below!

DC Justice League Multiverse - MERA!

DC Comics Multiverse: Justice League - Mera (Amazon Exc) - Mattel 2017

I'm super nervous about the upcoming Justice League movie. Despite the amazing spectacle of the Wonder Woman film, I am not very confident that lightning will strike twice. I guess I will know for sure in a couple weeks. (The trailers are not helping though!) Despite my trepidations, one thing I am definitely looking forward to is the unexpected inclusion of Mera in the movie. Not only is it awesome to get an underused fan-favorite character in the cast, but she might have one of the best costumes of all the DCU designs. It feels very cinematic while retaining all the charm of her standard comic look. The Amazon-exclusive DC Multiverse figure was an unexpected reveal at SDCC this year and it was honestly the most exciting news for me of the entire show. I was so happy with the quality of the Wonder Woman Multiverse line, that I was hungry for more figures right away. Mera totally fits the bill. She even looks like an aquatic Themysciran with all that costume detail and metallic highlights. Let's check her out below!

12" Multiverse - WONDER WOMAN!

DC Comics Multiverse - 12" Wonder Woman Movie - Wonder Woman - Mattel 2017

It's amazing how much of a difference a slight retooling can make. When I first bought the 12" Wonder Woman from last year's Batman v Superman line, I thought it was a really great looking figure. But now in comparison to this updated version from the upcoming Wonder Woman movie, the older one looks like a beast. The only real difference between the two figures is the head sculpt, but the overall improvement is massive. If you like this sculpt, but aren't crazy about the 12" scale, there is a Toys R Us exclusive 6" Multiverse figure coming out that appears to be a perfect scaled-down version of this sculpt. (That figure also comes with a bonus shield accessory for Ares). I'm really happy with all the merchandising that this movie has produced so far. I think it bodes well for upcoming female-centric superhero movies like Captain Marvel and Gotham City Sirens. Now my only worry is that I will like those costume designs. Wonder Woman and Supergirl look great, so hopefully the bar will remain high!

DC Multiverse - WONDER WOMAN (CLOAKED)!

DC Multiverse - WW Movie (Ares Series) - Cloaked Wonder Woman - Mattel 2017

Here is my final review of the basic Wonder Woman 6" line. I'm looking forward to reviewing the awesome 12" figure (I saw it at Barnes & Noble today, but couldn't bring myself to pay $3 above MSRP for it haha). And I'm super excited about the Menalippe and "standard" Wonder Woman 6" figures that should be popping up as exclusives soon. If you haven't seen the exclusive Wonder Woman figure yet, check out the Hong Kong TRU site. It's a scaled-down version of the 12" figure with a shield accessory for Ares. I think she'll be my favorite of the series when I finally get her. This cloaked Wonder Woman is a very nice figure, but definitely my least favorite of the group so far. I feel like this should have been the exclusive like the Nightclub Harley last year with the standard version seeing a wide release. But who knows what additional Diana figures we'll see with the Justice League film this Fall. We could be gearing up for a full-on Amazonian overload. Let's check out the cloaked Wonder Woman below!

Jada Metals - Suicide Squad - HARLEY QUINN!

Metals Die-Cast - Suicide Squad - 2.5" Series 01 Harley Quinn - Jada Toys 2016

I'm very aware that most of my readers do not like the Jada Metals figures at all, but I still maintain that the tiny 2.5" ones are really cute. Now that they seem to be readily available in the new Funko sections at Walmart, you can go check them out for yourselves (Especially the Batgirl figure, she's my favorite). These Suicide Squad Harleys were on my radar since summertime, but I wasn't really planning on getting them until I saw them last week on the shelves. Now I'm just hoping they scale down all the cool Marvel ladies into this scale. I would love a Lady Deadpool and She-hulk at the very least. It's painful for me to pass on all the cool 4" character I see in the stores, but I'm steadfastly holding out for the smaller size. I think the Harleys in this Suicide Squad line are especially fun because they made multiple original variants. In the 2.5" series, the domino-masked and ponytailed hybrid is weird but cool. I'm excited to see what else they show at Toy Fair. Let's check out the Harleys below!