Action Figure Planet: DC Direct: Ed McGuiness Superman

DC Direct Ed McGuinness Superman

In my last entry, we were given a Superman that looked different and had a different set of powers. That brief experimentation with Superman did not last long however as DC and the entire Superman editorial team brought Superman back to the more traditional costume and powers. But new blood had to be infused. In this entry, I will be sharing to you about Superman's resurgence in the new millennium.

McGuinness' Superman and Superwoman

With the restoration of Superman's appearance and powers back to the ones that we are more familiar with, DC and the entire Superman editorial team and writers struggled anew to come up with interesting stories. Chief among them was Dan Jurgens, who have been writing Superman stories for more than a decade. Dan Jurgens finally ended his Superman run with Superman 150 in a controversial exit with DC. At the turn of the new Millennium, DC introduced to us a new creative team for their Superman books. The most prominent among them was writer Jeph Loeb and artist Ed McGuinness. This infusion of new creative teams would give the readers a fresh take on Superman, not seen since John Byrne, Dan Jurgens, and co. took over the Superman books just after the Crisis of Infinite Earths DC Universe spanning reboot. Jeph Loeb and company gave us Superman stories that were action packed and adventure filled. This slam bang and fast paced action would make the readers take notice of the changes. The editorial team also made a conscious effort to have the Superman illustrations presented in a more muscular way to compliment the action packed stories. Ed McGuinness' Superman art blew the readers away as he distanced himself from the more realistic and proportionate Superman art and illustrated Superman with exaggerated muscles and body build. Though Superman looked cartoonish, nevertheless, Superman fans were too engrossed with the stories that Loeb and company were writing (stories such as Emperor Joker, President Lex, Our World's at War, and Return to Krypton among others), and McGuinness' dynamic art was a natural fit to Loeb's writing style to the extent that DC decided to give the two of them their own new Superman title, a Superman/Batman monthly series. More on that later.

Superman

The Action Figure: For my past few posts, we have been spoiled by Mattel's highly articulated Superman action figures. But for this entry, we will be awed by DC Direct's highly detailed artist centric Superman action figures. DC Direct has not been known to produce highly articulated action figures, but their one advantage over Mattel is the high amount of detail on their action figures. This Superman action figure is a faithful rendition of Ed McGuinness' Superman art. As seen on the photo, DC Direct gives us a Superman action figure that looks like it came right out of the pages of the Superman comic books that were illustrated by McGuinness, complete with the exaggerated muscles and body frame that make this version of Superman cartoonish in a good way. Though he might stick out like a sore thumb when displayed alongside other Superman action figures that looks more realistic, his place in Superman's history cannot be denied as this Superman was involved in classic stories that were mentioned above. This action figure sports the standard DC Direct articulation. He sports a swivel neck, ball jointed shoulders, hinged elbows, swivel wrists, pivot hips, and hinged knees. Simple articulations really, as he doesn't sport a swivel waist. Fans of Mattel's highly articulated action figures need not fret however as Mattel also released their own version of Superman from the Superman Batman storyline Public Enemies (Luthor's fall from the U.S. Presidency). The only downside however is that it was not based on McGuinness Superman art, but was based from the Superman/Batman animated movie, an adaptation of Loeb and McGuinness' first Superman/Batman story arc. I'm actually regretting that I did not purchase that figure as I was at that time thinking that I only need one Superman/Batman Public Enemies Superman action figure for my collection. There was also a DC Direct Robot Superman based on McGuinness' art featuring almost the same sculpt as this one but with the head and hands replaced with robotic features of the robot Superman. I skipped on buying that as I think I don't need him in my collection.

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

Defining Comic book in my collection featuring this figure:
I could have chosen Our Worlds at War story arc for this but that story arc involves Loeb and McGuinness' collaborations with other Superman writers and artists. A pure Loeb/McGuinness creation on the other hand is the Superman/Batman Public Enemies story arc which was their first story arc for their own specially launched Superman/Batman monthly title. DC trusted both guys enough that they gave them their own monthly title. And they did not disappoint as Superman/Batman became one of the top selling comic books at that time. Public Enemies was written to conclude Lex Luthor's U.S. Presidency and his fall from it. In the story, Luthor has Superman framed for the murder of Metallo, blaming it on a fast approaching massive kryptonite meteor which he falsely broadcasted that it affects Superman's judgement. Being the President (a story arc that was previously established by Loeb and co.), Luthor announces a bounty on Superman and Batman whom he accuses of having gone rogue. True to Loeb's action packed writing style, a cadre of Super-Villains as well as Luthor's own government sanctioned Superhero team led by Captain Atom comes to claim the bounty/arrest Superman. Superman and Batman survives the attack and decides to infiltrate the White House to expose Luthor's lies. Meanwhile, Luthor's plan of blowing up the Kryptonite meteor to bits fails and has just decided to let it crash on Planet Earth. Superman and Batman enlists the help of a young Japanese genius who calls himself the Toyman to create a robot that could destroy the Kryptonite meteor. Luthor knows about this and he dons his battle suit to foil Superman and Batman's plan. Superman keeps Luthor preoccupied by battling him while Batman takes control of a gigantic robot that was made to look like a composite image of Superman and Batman. In the end, Superman manages to defeat Luthor, ending his Presidency. Batman on the other hand successfully destroys the kryptonite meteor and saves the planet from destruction. The defeat of Luthor and the subsequent fall from his Presidency and his losing the control of his Lexcorp business empire would drive Luthor to escape and plot his revenge. This establishes a new status quo with Luthor, reverting back to the Pre-Crisis Lex Luthor characterization who was an evil scientist/adventurer than the Post-Crisis version of a corrupt business mogul Lex Luthor. I will be sharing more photos below.