DC Direct: JLA Superman

DC Direct JLA Superman

Since Mattel's release of DC Superheroes, they have actually been beating DC Direct in terms of releasing action figures that actually packs a lot of action. On the plus side, DC Direct have been known for their highly detailed sculpts. But on the negative side, their action figures have been deemed by collectors as Mini-Statues with limited articulation. This all changed when DC Direct decided to experiment by coming up with action figures that features more points of articulation.

DC Direct JLA Box Set Superman

In my last entry, I made mention of the premier Superman writers/artists like John Byrne, Dan Jurgens, and Jerry Ordway. For me they were three of the most influential Modern Age Superman writer/artist. But they held no exclusive rights in shaping up the Man of Steel's characterization in the 90's. Writers like Roger Stern, Karl Kesel, and Louise Simonson were as much a part of Superman as the aforementioned ones. What differentiated them however was that they were purely writers only, while Byrne, Jurgens, and Ordway were both writers and illustrators. But Stern and Simonson had enough talented illustrators (names like Bob Mcleod, Tom Grummett, Jackson Guice, and Jon Bogdanove were no slouch either) to support their stories. What amazes me about the Modern Age Superman is that the illustrators that came after Byrne seemed to have taken their cue from him when it comes to illustrating Superman. These illustrators almost share the same Superman illustrating profile. Jurgens' illustration of Superman is still for me the perfect Superman. His Superman is not too bulky. He illustrates Superman more proportionate than let's say Byrne's who illustrates his Superman being wide shouldered. Jon Bogdanove (and Tom Grummett?) on the other hand illustrates their Superman with a more defined chin. This action figure I surmise was based on Bogdanove's art because of it's defined chin.

Jon Bogdanove's Superman?

The Action Figure: If it weren't only for the less desirable head sculpt, this would have been my favorite Superman action figure. There's really nothing wrong with the head sculpt, as it gives Superman a more menacing look but I prefer a less antagonized looking Superman (the head sculpt of the JLA box set Superman below would have been perfect) as my default Superman action figure in my collection. This Superman's body I think was originally released as part of the DC Direct Return of Superman toy line. This body was reused three more times (this one, the JLA Box set below, and the Superman/Doomsday Box Set). What I love about this figure is the costume colors. It captures the early 90's Superman's costume colors nicely. I'm not a fan of the darker toned blue tights (as seen below) which was popularized by the Dean Cain Superman (the Lois and Clark T.V. series) and was used in the comic books after Superman's return from death. This figure tries to rival Mattel's highly articulated action figures. The figure features a ball jointed neck and shoulders. It has swivel biceps, wrists, waist, and thighs. it has pivot elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles. His right hand is also interchangeable with a clenched fist alternative hand. It also has a stand and an American Flag as accessory. Versus Mattel, it only lacks articulation on the torso and it's legs does not split. But sculpt wise, this is a better looking action figure when compared to Mattel's DCSH and DCUC Superman. He is displayed as my default Superman in my Superman Family display shelf. My DCUC Superman on the other hand, stays with the Justice League shelf (as most of my JLAers comes from DCUC the toy line).  

Bob Mcleod/Tom Gummett Superman?

This Superman action figure is actually confusing because of the reissues and it's toy line's name. The Superman pictured above is simply called JLA Superman (not to be confused with the Ed Benes inspired JLA Superman action figure). It was released along with Wonder Woman, Firestorm, Atom, Aquaman, Kyle Rayner Green Lantern, Elongated Man, and Flash. The Superman action figure pictured on the left meanwhile is from the JLA Box Set which featured Batman, Wonder Woman (same Wonder Woman with the JLA series but with a better head sculpt), Aquaman (hook hand), and John Stewart Green Lantern. This box set is also not to be confused with the Ed Benes one. The parent action figure that sports this body sculpt was from the Return of Superman toy line. This was re issued as a single in the reactivated toy line and also re released as a two pack with Doomsday. Overall I think there's five of these same bodied Superman action figure, with the two (both that I featured here in this review) bearing unique head sculpts against the originally released one (which shares with the two others). If only they had used the head sculpt of the JLA box set Superman on the JLA Superman, then that would have been the perfect DC Direct Superman. But alas, after this Superman was released, DC Direct went back to their mini-statue like action figures. Check out the Different articulation this figure sports below.

Truth, Justice, and the American Way

Super Punch

Don't Make Superman Angry

The Man of Steel

Up Up and Away

Defining Comic Book in my collection featuring this figure: There were actually a lot to choose from. I believe I didn't touch on the Eradication storyline (which featured the first appearance of the Kryptonian artifact Eradicator), the Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite (Superman losing his powers), or even the Exile storyline (Superman exiling himself from Earth). I eventually decided to choose They saved Luthor's brain (although Bogdanove wasn't a part of this stoyline). Those aforementioned above will have their day in my future posts. I decided to pick this because it is an important storyline before we head into the Death of Superman. Casual readers might be surprised as to why during the Death of Superman storyline, Lex Luthor looked younger and sported a red hair and beard. This younger Luthor was actually a cloned body from the original. The original body was dying from radiation poisoning due to the Kryptonite Ring that he wore for years to keep Superman at bay. Luthor faked his own death by piloting a plane crash and had his brain removed and transferred to the cloned body. The trade paper back They Saved Luthor's Brain chronicled all this, giving the readers a younger and stronger Luthor. But this so called Luthor II (who was initially introduced as the son of the original Lex Luthor) did not last long. Cloned bodies had side effects that makes their body rapidly breakdown as the months progress. Lois Lane discovers the truth and finally had Luthor face his crime. But a deal with the demon Neron restored Luthor to his original health (and body), escaping his criminal trial by making an alibi that he was captured by cadmus and cloned, blaming all of the crimes committed on the Luthor clone. I'm ending this entry with more photo reenactments from the aforementioned storyline.     

The Modern Age Superman

Kryptonite!

They Saved Luthor's Brain

 For my next entry, I will be talking about the Death of Superman. Stay tuned!

Mattel: DC Superheroes Superman

DC Super Heroes Superman

In 2006, Mattel decided to release an action figure toy line to rival that of Toybiz/Marvel Comics' highly detailed and articulated six inch action figures from the Spiderman toy line. Mattel had been enjoying their own success with their 6 inch Batman toy line, but Toybiz beat them to the punch by offering action figures featuring multiple points of articulation that was never before seen in six inch form. Mattel's DC Superheroes became their answer.

Superman

When their six inch Batman toy line began featuring Superman in their Batman Superman two pack, it was inevitable that characters that belong to the Superman family (Supergirl (Linda Danvers), Supergirl (Kara Zor El), Clark Kent, Steel, Battle Suit Lex Luthor, Robot Brainiac, Bizarro, Doomsday, Darkseid, Parasite, Mongul, and Cyborg Superman) would make an appearance. Superman was released with repaints that featured his different costumes (post Our World's at War costume that featured a red and black S shield, all black Black costumed Superman Prime, as well as a variation of the Hunter Prey Superman costume) during the 2000's. Batman also shared this toy line as his rogues gallery were also released through this line. This toy line proved such a success that DC decided to rebrand this toy line as DC Universe Classics and even expanded to include the whole of the DC Universe. This figure quickly became one of the best Superman figure that I ever had. I've never held such an awesome Superman action figure that has a full range of articulation that can give you hundreds of action poses. I'm not sure though where they based this Superman figure from. He looks like a generic Superman figure. The latter part of the 90's saw a number of rotating artists as Dan Jurgens was on his way out. This was released in the mid 2000s, but the Superman comic books of the 2000s only saw success when Jeph Loeb started writing the stories and Ed McGuiness' bulked up yet cartoonish Superman became the defining image of the 2000's Superman.

DCSH Superman with Jerry Ordway's art

With that said, being a generic representation of Superman, nothing screams generic illustration for Superman's as it was during the 90's. With the latter part of the 80's saw John Byrne establishing his visual representation of Superman, those who succeeded him when he left retained an almost similar illustrating style. The quintessential Superman of the 90's was mostly defined by Jerry Ordway and Dan Jurgens (along with Roger Stern, Louise Simonson, and co.). Both of these writer/illustrator steered Superman's story direction in the same way that John Byrne handled Superman as both writer and illustrator. Jerry Ordway was one of the main architects of the revamped Superman along with John Byrne and writer Marv Wolfman. Wolfman's departure paved the way for Ordway to start writing Superman stories. This kind of setup he would share with John Byrne as both of them handled the writing and illustrating duties. Byrne's departure meanwhile paved the way for Dan Jurgens to take over as both writer and illustrator for one of the Superman books. Significant events of Superman in the 90's such as his revelation to Lois about his dual identity as Superman and Clark Kent, Clark's marriage proposal to Lois, the Superman led DC Universe epic crossover Panic in the Sky, and the highly controversial Death of Superman was mostly co written by Jerry Ordway and Dan Jurgens (along with Roger Stern and co.). These stories defined the Modern Age Superman.

Superman

The Action Figures: I initially was able to purchase the single pack Superman but would later dispose of it in favor of the Superman/Clark Kent two pack. One of the main problems collectors have with the single pack Superman is the wide stance that it sports. It is annoying as it makes it appear that Superman is doing a leg split stance. Luckily, Mattel would rectify that problem in the Superman/Clark Kent two pack. I initially didn't take notice of that problem until I began reading in toy forums about that problem. And also, getting a Clark Kent figure was on top of my priority list. So upgrading my figure with the two pack was a no brainer. While I fell in love with the first 6 inch Mattel Superman from the Batman two pack (which I actually did not buy at that time), this one for me was the more perfect one. Of course more articulation is the primary reason. This features a ball jointed neck, ball hinged shoulders, swivel biceps, wrists, waist, and thighs, pivot torso, hinged elbows and knees, double pivot hips and ankles. This type of articulation became the standard articulation for Mattel's 6 inch toy lines that were a spin off of this toy line. What keeps me from making this the best Superman in my collection is the costume colors. I always preferred Superman's costume with a lighter shade of blue. Actually there is no one perfect Superman figure in my collection because each one of them has problems. Currently, it has to be a toss up between this figure, a DC Direct JLA Series 1 Superman (hated the head sculpt but they got the right costume colors), and the DC Universe Classics Superman (which sports a darker shade of blue costume that he wore during the post death and return mullet haired period). There could have been one, but Mattel pulled the plug on releasing that one.

Clark Kent

Clark Kent is included in this review because he came with this figure as a two pack. I'm actually glad that I was able to acquire this one because he seems to be rare nowadays. Clark shares the same articulation with Superman except that he has no torso articulation. The business suit obstructed that articulation. This body type was re released in the DCUC toy line for figures that sports a business suit (Two Face and Riddler). This could have been a great Clark Kent figure except that Mattel made him look too skinny. When displayed side by side with Superman, it makes Superman's transformation to Clark Kent impossible. How can he hide those muscles in this fitting wardrobe? But nevertheless, I'm glad Mattel did make a Clark Kent figure. Except for the overly skinny body when compared to the DCSH Superman, this Clark Kent is spot on. The eyeglasses are not removable though. He also is way much better when compared to the Bruce Wayne figure that Mattel previously released in the Batman toy line. That Bruce Wayne sported the same articulation with the Zipline Batman. It's disappointing though that Mattel never really made a Lois Lane figure. But hey, being a Superman fan, It's only fair to be disappointed when you don't get to own a Jor El, Lara, Pa Kent, and Ma Kent figures. It's a good thing that DC Direct was able to release action figures of the Daily Planet staff (Silver Age versions of Lois, Perry White, and Jimmy Olsen) as seen below.

Clark reveals to Lois that he is Superman

The Daily Planet Staff

Superman: Panic in the Sky

Defining Comic book in my collection featuring this figure: There were notable stories in the early 90's that needs mention. There's Exile (Superman exiles himself from earth), there's Eradication, The Kryptonian artifact Eradicator's attempt at making Superman more Kryptonian than Human. There was the Supergirl Saga, which introduces a new Supergirl, Clark's marriage proposal to Lois, the time traveling adventure Time and Time again, Red Glass, and others. But one of the best story arc before the famed Death of Superman storyline was Panic in the Sky. Here, Superman assembles DC Universe's finest heroes as they ward off Brainiac's Earth Invasion. The story is epic in proportion because we get a first glimpse of the Modern Age Superman's leadership. Of course there were already crossover stories preceding this, but those were not as Superman centric as this one. I initially missed this collected trade when it first came out. It took me 20 years to finally acquire one. In this story arc, Brainiac takes control of Warworld and sets his sight on Earth as his new target for his collection of alien civilization. Outnumbered by the sheer volume of Brainiac's army, Superman enlists the help of various DC Superheroes as well as his arch nemesis Lex Luthor. Brainiac had several of the heroes under his mind control, creating one epic clash pitting Superheroes against Superheroes. In the end, Superman and his allies proved victorious as they successfully defeated Brainiac, but at the cost of the life of Draaga. A former Superman foe who inspired by Superman, changed for good in this story arc. A lot of the major plot points during the close of the 80's and the opening of the 90's were resolved in this storyline. I'm glad that after 20 years, I was finally able to own this trade paper back.  

Superman flight

Superman v.s. Brainiac

We are inching closer to the Death of Superman story arc, but before that, I'm going to take one more side trip to another Superman story, featuring an action figure that I would like to think was based on the art of Jon Bogdanove.

A First Look at the Mattel Man Of Steel Movie Masters

I've been waiting for a long time for this. Finally, Mattel's Man Of Steel Movie Masters Toy Line is revealed. The Movie Masters Toy Line first originated during The Dark Knight Movie (The second Batman movie from Chris Nolan's epic Dark Knight Trilogy). The highly successful movie and toy line gave Mattel the strong resolve to follow up the release through the Green Lantern movie (I'll be reviewing this soon). Unfortunately, Green Lantern crashed and burn in the box office, the movie masters to line suffered the same. Mattel though bounced back through the third and final Nolan Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises. Both the movie and toy line proved to be successful. With that in mind, Mattel hopes to replicate that success via Man of Steel. So far the movie looks quite good (it blew me apart, really) basing on the trailer that was attached to the Dark Knight Rises movie (trailer is attached above). And just the same, the Movie Masters Toy Line is going to blow a lot of Superman fans and toy collector alike. See for yourself below, the Movie Masters Action Figure of Superman, Jor El, and General Zod.

Henry Cavill as Superman

Russell Crow as Jor El

Michael Shannon as General Zod

4 inch Superman Man of Steel Action Figure

For sure, the Movie Masters figures will feature similar articulations with the Dark Knight and Movie Masters action figures. But for the basic line, I'm slightly disappointed though that they opted to continue with their godawful basic 4 inch action figures that first began with Green Lantern. I preferred the 5 inch ones from the Superman Returns toy lines. But doesn't matter, I might pick up this 4 inch one just the same. Will be reviewing the Superman Returns toy line pretty soon (you could check out one Superman Returns action figure with a Man of Steel colored suit here), as my countdown to the Man of Steel movie winds down. But for the meantime, check out my Comics Based Superman Action Figure Reviews. Each week, I'll be featuring a 6 inch Superman Action Figure, highlighting the figure's background, it's appearance in the comics, as well as it's historical significance in the Superman mythology. A complete list of the reviews that I've done so far can be seen below:

1.) Joe Shuster Superman
2.)Curt Swan Superman
3.)Frank Miller Superman
4.)John Byrne Superman
5.)Hasbro Superman
6.)Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez Superman

Watch out for more reviews in the coming weeks!

Mattel: Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez Superman

Mattel's First Superman

Mattel's first crack in releasing a six inch Superman was through the 2003 Batman Toy Line. This toy line is legendary because this served as the precursor to Mattel's highly acclaimed DC Superheroes and DC Universe Classics toy lines which brought almost all of the DC characters from comics to action figures.  

Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez's Superman?

Mattel's very first six inch Superman action figure I believe was based on the art of Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez. Garcia Lopez has been regarded by many long time Superman fans of the late 70s to 80s as the natural successor to Curt Swan. Though he may not be as popularly known as other high profile Superman artists like John Byrne and Dan Jurgens (this was due to the fact that Garcia-Lopez didn't stay with Superman that long and was transfered from one DC Superhero to another), but what sets Garcia-Lopez apart from other Superman artists is his well known contribution to the DC merchandise licensing art. He is responsible for bringing Superman in the mainstream audience as his Superman art is used in various licensed DC merchandise. His Superman combines the best elements of Curt Swan's take and giving it a close resemblance (but not too close like Gary Frank's art) to Christopher Reeve (the first big screen Superman actor). Almost all of the Superman art that we are seeing in T-Shirts, Lunch Boxes, Caps, and other Superman merchandise belongs to him. And just the same, this action figure's packaging bears Garcia-Lopez's art. This made me conclude that Mattel based this action figure's appearance from Garcia-Lopez's art. Is my conclusion correct? Hit me up with your thought if indeed this was based on Garcia-Lopez's art.  

Mattel's Superman and Batman

As mentioned previously, this action figure was released through the 2003 Batman toy line. This toy line was Mattel's first crack in producing DC Comics related action figures after finally winning out the licensing battle from Kenner/Hasbro. This was the toy line that brought us the highly popular Zipline Batman action figure. Until this very day, toy collectors still consider Zipline Batman as one of the most highly faithful to the Batman comic books' rendition of Batman. But just like the previous Batman action figures released by Kenner, Mattel also released various Batman of the same mold but featuring different costume colors and accessories because of Batman's huge mainstream appeal. This though did not deter Mattel from exploring the Batman universe. Newer waves featured Batman's partner, Robin (Tim Drake version), and Nightwing (former Robin Dick Grayson). Batman's rogues were also given the action figure treatment. Mattel released popular Batman villains like Joker, Mr. Freeze, and Killer Croc in this toy line. The toy line also featured a very cool Batmobile which could accommodate the 6 inch action figures in this toy line. Superman on the other hand was released in later waves via a twin pack with Batman. Superman's entry proved to be the game changer as Mattel decided to rebrand the line into DC Superheroes, which now also featured Superman related characters. The articulation of the action figures were also improved to rival those of Toybiz's Marvel Legends line.

Superman

The Action Figures: Because this came from a two pack with Batman, I'm also going to include Batman in this review. This is actually the first Superman that I coveted when I first saw it on the shelves (yet I only was able to acquire him after eight years). At that time, I've been considering my Total Justice Superman as the best Superman action figure that was in my possession. But seeing this changed all that because this was bigger. This also featured more articulations. This figure has a swivel neck, ball hinged shoulders, hinged elbows, swivel wrists, swivel waist, swivel hips, hinged knees, and hinged ankles.The figure is also more articulated compared to the Batman figure which birthed this toy line. As a Superman fan, it means much to me because they put more effort on Superman than the Batman figure. Mattel should have opted to improve the articulation of the Batman figure that was paired with this one as well. But I believe this Superman figure gave Mattel the motivation to come up with newer Batman figures bearing more articulations compared to the Batman from this toy line. After the release of this 2 pack, Mattel relaunched the line as DC Superheroes. Now featuring even more Superman and Batman related action figures. This figure (as well as the other Batman related figures) was also re-released as a single pack in the DC Superheroes line. The DC Superheroes toy line also featured an even more articulated Superman (and Batman). That figure will be tackled in my next entry.

Batman

Although Batman is a straight repaint of the Zipline Batman figure (which was the standard Batman figure of this line), this figure features a new belt and a newly sculpted cowl. The figure's costume colors I think is a variation of the modern age Batman (80's-90's period). And as I've said previously, articulation is not as good as Superman's. It only sports a swivel neck, ball jointed shoulders, swivel gloves, swivel waist, swivel hips, and hinged knees. The figure also features a much harder cloth cape material compared to the Zipline Batman's cape. The cowl is also more detailed compared to the Zipline Batman's smooth cowl. While Zipline Batman makes the cowl appear as made of rubber, this one makes it look like that Batman is donning a metallic cowl. The utility belt is also larger and is made from a different design. This Batman looks good if not for the unusual looking utility belt. The costume colors looks great when displayed side by side with the Superman that came with this figure.The figure also comes with a wrist communicator or something (by the way Superman also has one). Photo of this communicator can be seen below. I have three more Batman (Zipline Batman, Ninja Batman, Bruce to Batman) of the same mold with this one. I'll be tackling them in my future reviews.

Superman and Batman with their communicators

Superman Vol. 2 Issue no. 104

Defining Comic Book in my collection featuring this figure: I sifted through my collections and luckily could only find one issue that was entirely illustrated by Garcia-Lopez. I think I have two classic Bronze Age Superman comics whose cover was illustrated by Garcia-Lopez. I eventually chose this because this issue was illustrated in it's entirety by Garcia-Lopez. Sadly though, this is the mullet haired Superman (Post Death and Return of Superman period). I was hoping I could find older Garcia-Lopez illustrations in my collections but I'm a post crisis guy, so I expected my chances to be nil. The issue showed how Superman can readily strike fear in Darkseid. In this issue, Darksied's top assassin Kalibre visits Superman to ask for his aid in rescuing his daughter Buna from Darkseid's death sentence. Superman agrees to help and joins Kalibre in infiltrating Darksied's home planet Apokolips. Superman saves Buna from death and confronts Darkseid, warning him that either he let's go of Buna and allow him to leave peacefully or face a war with Superman leading the slaves to battle by inspiring them and giving them hope. Darkseid concedes and lets Superman go but also won this confrontation when Buna reaffirms her loyalty to Darkseid. As the issue ends, Darkseid releases an imprisoned Henshaw (The Cyborg Superman). Garcia-Lopez's art in this issue is rough. I don't like the way he illustrated Superman. I think the mullet haired Superman period was one of the most roughly illustrated issues in the history of Superman comics (was it because of fatigue? Jurgens, Bogdanove, and the others seemed to have done the illustrating chores for more than two years). Not even a cast of rotating illustrators could save the issues from achieving a more desirable finish product.

The Dark Knight Over Metropolis (Superman 4 not included)

And since this is a Batman/Superman 2 pack, I'm sneaking in another comic book arc in my collection, The Dark Knight Over Metropolis story arc. I think this is the best opportunity to touch upon this classic tale of the 90's (though the art is not provided by Garcia-Lopez). The Dark Knight Over Metropolis story arc revolves around the tale of Superman's discovery that there's someone out there who wanted to discover his secret identity. He enlists the help of Batman to try to discover who among his enemies are trying to obtain his secret identity. A couple of common deaths was discovered, with the revelation that Kryptonite radiation had a hand in the deaths. Further investigation also revealed that the deaths by Kryptonite radiation was caused by Luthor's Kryptonite Ring, which was stolen in Luthor's office. In the end Superman entrusts the Kryptonite Ring to Batman, telling him that he is the only person that he trusts and believes that only Batman is capable of doing the right thing when the time arises for the Kryptonite Ring to be needed. In their initial meeting in the revamped Man of Steel story arc by John Byrne, Superman and Batman weren't the best of friends as both distrusts each other. This story arc though sparked the growing friendship between Superman and Batman in the post-crisis continuity.


I'm ending this post with three more photos of Mattel's first 6 inch Superman. Whether this one is Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez's Superman or not, you be the judge.

Imitating Garcia-Lopez's Superman merchandise art 

Superman

Superman v.s. Batman

Next post will be the beginning of a barrage of Mattel's modern Superman Action Figures. Stay Tuned!

Hasbro: DC Superheroes Superman

Hasbro Superman 

Before proceeding to the glorious Mattel and DC Direct produced six inch Superman Action Figures, Hasbro had it's first taste in producing DC Comics related characters in action figure form for adult collectors. Hasbro is well known for their 3.75 inch GI Joe and Star Wars toy lines and is currently the licensee for action figures of DC Comics' rival comic book company Marvel Comics. 

Superman

Way back in 1984, a toy company called Kenner Products was awarded as the exclusive licensee of DC Comics properties for action figures. They spawned the highly popular DC Super Powers toy line (as well as other toy lines such as Ghostbusters, Robocop, Silverhawks, and Centurions among others), which was based on the highly popular cartoon series called DC Super Friends. Kenner's involvement in producing action figures for DC was legendary (Mattel at that time, after losing the DC Comics franchise to Kenner, hooked up with Marvel Comics to produce their own Secret Wars toy line based on Marvel Superheroes characters). The DC Super Powers toy line is still until to this very day the standard for Superhero action figures. From the mid 80's to the early 90's, Kenner's strong hold of the DC franchise earned them the right to produce various DC Comics toy lines (most notably the Batman Movie Franchise of the 90's). They were also responsible in bringing to us the Superman: Man of Steel toy line as well as the highly successful Batman the Animated Series and Superman the Animated Series toy lines. Kenner had exclusive rights to DC Comics Characters up until the Batman: Total Justice toy line (sometime in the mid 90's) before rival toy company Hasbro bought them. Two years later, Hasbro produced the DC JLA series as an off shoot of the Batman: Total Justice toy line.

Hasbro JLA Superman and Hasbro DC Superheroes Superman

Curiously though, in 1999, Hasbro shifted gears and went on to produce 7 inch toy lines composing of Superman and Batman related action figures. Toy collectors who were a fan of the Total Justice/JLA series were dumbfounded to know that these newer releases were no longer compatible to the old line (as the old lines were in 5 inch scale). Somehow the toy market was not yet ready to embrace the bigger lines (although at that point, DC Direct was beginning to produce 6 to 7 inch action figures). With sales slowing down, Hasbro decided to kill the line. All in all, Hasbro was able to produce seven 7 inch scaled action figures (Superman, Superman Blue, Superman Red, Shazam, Batman, Knightfall Batman, and Joker) for their DC Superheroes toy line and a number of Batman related figures for their Batman: Legend of the Dark Knight action figure toy line. Not soon after, Hasbro lost out the DC Franchise to Mattel. Hasbro though went on to acquire Toybiz (who at that time owns the Marvel Comics action figure franchise). Currently, Hasbro's foray in the 6 inch adult collector market is mainly sustained by their highly popular Marvel Legends line (a line that was originally started by Toybiz). Mattel on the other hand went on to produce their own highly popular 6 inch adult collector toy line called DC Super Heroes/Universe Classics (as well as a 6 inch Batman toy line which was the precursor to the aforementioned toy line and other various DC toy lines).    

Superman in an awkward flying pose

The Action Figure: The Hasbro DC Superheroes Superman is actually just like an upsized Kenner Total Justice action figure. The Total Justice toy line has been heavily criticized for being too exaggeratedly posed. Though I fell in love with the Total Justice toy line and was bent on completing them, but this bigger figure of Superman looks so ugly. The awkward pose is clearly a distraction. You also could not actually display him in a decent pose not unless you're going to pose him in a flying pose. The figure has decent paint applications. The articulation is also better compared to the Kenner Total Justice toy line. The figure features a ball jointed head, swivel shoulders, pivot elbows, pivot hips, pivot knees and pivot ankles. Compared to the DC Direct action figures of the same year (1999), this Hasbro Superman features better articulations as those DC Direct figures were more statue like. The cape is also removable just like the Total Justice figures. I got this figure because it's a key piece of history as to the evolution of 6-7 inch scaled Superman action figure. It is also a nice addition to my Hasbro Marvel Legends collections because it shows how far Hasbro has improved since this failed toy line. Below features more photo comparisons of the evolution of the 6 inch Superman Action Figure as well as Hasbro's own evolution of their 6 inch toy lines.   

Evolution of the 6 inch Superman Action Figure

From left to right, Hasbro Superman, Superman from the 2003 Mattel Batman toy line, Mattel DC Superheroes Superman, DC Direct Superman (I chose the best articulated DC Direct Superman figure for this comparison shot), and the Mattel DC Universe Classics Superman. 

1999 Hasbro Superman and their most recent 2013 Marvel Legends Hyperion (a Superman pastiche) 

Hasbro got a big boost in their 6 inch toy line when they acquired Toybiz. Hasbro's strength is primarily in the 4 inch toy lines (GI Joes/Star Wars).  They did try to come up with a bigger sized GI Joe type articulation toy line in the late 80's called C.O.P.S. and Crooks. Many Marvel Legends fans though preferred Toybiz produced action figures than Hasbro's version of Marvel Legends. But I think each year Hasbro is improving by leaps and bounds.   

Up Up and Away

Defining Comic Book in my collection featuring this figure: I don't think this Superman figure is based on any artist's illustration. In 1999, Superman comic books had a rotating set of artists, ranging from Jerry Ordway, Steve Epting, to Mark Millar. So this figure probably is a generic Superman figure. But I would like to think that this figure is based on Jerry Ordway's art. For me, Ordway is one of the illustrators who defined Superman in the late 80's to early 90's (the others were John Byrne and Dan Jurgens, though I put him behind the former and latter). Superman stories in the late 90's kinda lost their luster after the Electric Superman Blue/Red debacle. It also didn't help that after a decade, a burned out Dan Jurgens (my favorite Superman writer and artist by the way) continued to write Superman stories heading into the new millennium. Currently though, I'm still looking for that Millennium Giants story arc  (the last adventure of the electric Supermen before Superman was reverted to his original form and powers) and the succeeding Superman Forever one shot (which brought back Superman's original form and powers). Somehow I feel that there's a gaping hole in my Superman comic book collection because of that missing adventure. I'll be ending this post with two more shots of this horrid Superman figure, posing them in the best way that I can.

Removable Cape

Ready for Action

For the next post, I will be writing about Mattel's very first 6 inch Superman Action Figure. Hope to see you guys again.

DC Direct: John Byrne Superman

John Byrne Superman

In 1986, DC Comics decided to revamp their Superman comic books with the hopes of making Superman more accessible to the new generation. They set the stage of this revamp by setting in motion a continuity altering 12 issue limited series called Crisis on Infinite Earths. This mind bending tale brought together different generations of Superheroes as well as the multiple versions birthed from the Golden Age down to the Bronze Age, wiping them clean by forging them into a one new Universe/Continuity. The Golden Age Superman was revealed to be a different Superman from another universe. Same goes for The Silver Age Superman. Both were wiped clean from continuity (though the Golden Age Superman was later revealed to be from a different alternate earth) to make way for the Modern Age Superman.

Man of Steel

With Superman's powers and stories getting more and more ridiculous, DC decided to wipe the slate clean by revamping Superman. Bringing in John Byrne to write and illustrate the new Superman, Byrne whipped off a new origin story that streamlined all of the key elements of Superman and wrote them to be more accessible to new readers. The result was the 6 part mini-series called Man of Steel. In this beautifully crafted mini series, Byrne stripped off Superman from all of the excess ridiculous powers that he possessed during the Silver and Bronze Age period. He opened his story in Krypton and chronicled Superman's (as Clark Kent) early life in Smallville, Kansas. He introduced the Daily Planet Newspaper staff and also established Superman's first encounter with Batman (as well as his first encounter with his arch enemy Lex Luthor). He also revamped Lex Luthor from being a mad scientist into a power hungry billionaire. This hunger for power would drive Luthor to devote his life into finding a way to kill Superman. Byrne wrote Luthor's earliest attempt to destroy Superman by introducing Bizarro, a clone of Superman who's creation was financed by Lex Luthor. Byrne also ended the mini series by firmly establishing Superman's American roots and his loyalty to his adoptive planet, Earth.    

The Action Figure with Byrne's actual Superman art

After revamping Superman, Byrne would go on to revamp the immediate environment of Superman by taking on them via three four issue mini series of each respective worlds (World of Krypton, World of Smallville, and World of Metropolis). Byrne adopted many elements from the Richard Donner film Superman The Movie, which was starred by Christopher Reeve, and incorporated it to his revamped Superman. With the revamp completed, Byrne would take on the writing (and sometimes illustrating) chores of three monthly Superman books for two years, firmly establishing his vision of Superman. I could say that Byrne was the late 80's most identifiable Superman writer and illustrator. His contributions to the success of the Modern Age Superman is incomparable. Despite his brief tenure as a Superman writer, his handling of virtually all the Superman monthly books for two straight years made him deserving enough to be mentioned among the ranks of the greatest Superman writers ever.

Superman

The Action Figure: I'm not really sure if DC Direct based this figure from John Byrne's Superman but since It comes from the Superman Through the Ages Box Set, I just presumed that this was so. The Box Set contained repaints, new head sculpt, or partial re-sculpts of previously released figures from DC Direct. They chose three different representations of Superman based on the art of Joe Shuster, John Byrne (presumably), Ed Mcguiness, and Jim Lee. I'm led to only presume if this is the John Byrne version because the figure's head sculpt. It is kinda off. The cheekbones though is very reminiscent of Byrne's signature cheekbones. The body is a straight reuse of DC Direct's earlier release, the Justice Superman which was based on the art of Alex Ross (I will be posting a comparison shot of this in my Alex Ross Superman review). The articulation of this figure is pretty much standard DC Direct. It has a swivel neck. ball jointed shoulders, pivot elbows, swivel wrists, pivot hips, and pivot knees. I think the cape that is used in this figure is a newer cape because the Justice version is not as wide looking as this one. This definitely isn't one of the best Superman figures out there. But the Box Set is worth getting if only for the sole reason that you want to start up a Superman Action Figure collection featuring diverse artistic representations of the character.

The Man of Steel Graphic Novel

Defining comic book in my collection featuring this figure: So what else could it be? Of course it has to be The Man of Steel mini series. John Byrne made a name with Marvel characters, but his revamp of Superman is what put him on top of the A-list. Byrne wonderfully crafted and dissected all the key elements of Superman and presented them to the modern audience in a subtle yet effective manner. Divided into six issues, Byrne dwelled on the different elements of Superman's origins on an issue per issue basis. Issue one would tell the tale of the last dying days of Krypton and how a baby, the last survivor of his home planet, was put on a journey to find a new planet, a new set of parents,  and a new home. It spoke about Clark's growing up years in Smallville as well as his first public appearance as a mysterious flying man, with the final page of the issue featuring a splash page of Superman (in full costume) flying to the skies. Issue two would dwell on Superman's first appearance in Metropolis as well as his initial dashing adventures and his supporting casts, the Daily Planet Staff. Superman's powers were now simplified and stripped off from all the ridiculousness of the Silver and Bronze Age Superman. Issue three introduces us to a new relationship dynamic between Superman and Batman as well as their first adventure as a team. Issue four centered on a revamped Lex Luthor, now a power hungry billionaire, who was humiliated by Superman when Superman turned down his offer to "buy" Superman's services and was sent to jail. Issue five introduces us to Superman's first super powered foe in the modern age, a new Bizarro Superman which was a clone of himself. The final issue of the mini series dealt with the finishing touches of Byrne's Superman revamp, further grounding Superman to be more relatable to us by establishing his loyalty to his adoptive planet, Planet Earth. Until to this very day, Byrne's Man of Steel continues to be the benchmark of how a Superhero origin story should be told.

I'm parting this post with two more photos below, featuring action shots of John Byrne's Superman.  

Superman against one of Luthor's soldiers in a Lexcorp battle suit

Superman and the Daily Planet Staff

For the next post, I might center on the historical evolution of the 6 inch Superman Action Figure. Stay Tuned!