Warner tapping their DC Live Action Multiverse is the best move they ever did!

It all began with the big Justice League Movie flop. Which eventually cancelled their big plan to catch up with Marvel's Cinematic Universe. The haphazardly planned DC Extended Universe went on a nose dive that was heading towards obscurity. Leaving the future uncertain. But on the small screen, the quite successful and Fan favorite Arrowverse had continued to sew the threads of their interconnected shows. Beginning with Arrow (Green Arrow), a spiritual successor to Christopher Nolan's highly successful The Dark Knight Universe, the show would spin-off to include the more fantastical elements of the DC Universe's Metahuman population. The Flash was the first. Which would open the doors to the arrival of a host of Superheroes that are not grounded on the more realistic setting of shows like Arrow and The Dark Knight. The way Warner TV would marry the concepts of Nolan's grounded vigilantes to DC's more "SUPER" Heroic heroes would birth the arrival (heralded by Flash) of such heroes as Firestorm, The Atom, Sgt. Steel, Black Canary, Mr. Terrific, Kid Flash, Vibe, Killer Frost, Constantine, Supergirl, Martian Mahunter, and a host of other heroes of the DC Universe that became too big for one, two, or three shows to occupy. And the wide inter-connectivity of these heroes would also usher in the annual Arrowverse crossovers, a some sort of made for TV mini-movies that also serves as the coming together of these DC Characters. But the latest crossover would be the Big Bang! Titled Crisis on Infinite Earths, this would not only bring together the heroes of the Arrowverse, but this also served as the vehicle that formally acknowledges the inter-connectivity of DC's vast resources of past films and TV Shows to the current iterations of their DCEU and Arrowverse shows. This essentially was the birth of the DC Multiverse. This proved to be the spark that would lit the direction of Warner/DC's future TV and film projects.

While Marvel is successfully crushing it in the Hollywood box office with their Cinematic Universe, Warner is taking an even more ambitious step by green lighting their Film Multiverse. Something I believe is the right direction to take. In a previous article that I wrote, I argued that the reason why Marvel has been so successful with their cinematic universe was because their characters were not weighted by expectations and past cinematic baggage and offered a fresh imagining of their superheroes because these were basically their first appearances on the big screen. Contrast that to Warner/DC, which had been successful in the big screen thru their past movie offerings of Superman and Batman dating back from the 70's down to the 90's. It cannot be denied that there is a large portion of the fan base who are still in love with the nostalgia of these past offerings which were rendered so beautifully (The first two Superman and Batman movies) on the big screen. So comparisons to these movies are inevitable. This have been the dilemma of Warner/DC as the attempt to latch on to that nostalgia by way of Superman Returns did not turn out to be such a box office hit despite the approving reviews of critics. Whatever new re-imagining of these characters (Superman and Batman primarily) will always suffer the comparative memory of the past iterations. It is a dilemma that Warner/DC will continue to contend with (something which I believe will also happen to Marvel once they started recasting a new Tony Stark and Steve Rogers).     

So it is imperative for Warner/DC to embrace the past and incorporate them to what they are doing now, making people understand the concept of the Multiverse. A universe of stories that may or may not be interconnected with one another. This move by Warner/DC would free up the creative control of the studio and allow visionary directors/storytellers the leg room to tell their stories without the pressure of inter-connectivity to align with the whole narrative of a planned cinematic universe. Given that Marvel's successful interconnected universe is no slouch (how many companies attempted to copy Marvel yet failed), and is a success story of their own. This move by Warner/DC will allow their creative team to focus on character centric movies rather than being stuck and limited to the planned connection to a larger universal tone. This made movies like The Joker possible, something that the distinguished competition would never allow. The initial residue of the failed DCEU birthed fun films like Aquaman, Shazam, and Birds of Prey, which made vague references to the old DCEU. These however enjoyed varied levels of success, which was enough for Warner/DC to push on with their plan to treat their films differently from each other and just focus on telling good stories rather than pressure themselves to make everything interconnected.

The first hint of this bold move was revealed in the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover. In a top secret filming of a scene that involves Movie Flash (Ezra Miller) and TV Flash (Grant Gustin). In that surprise scene, while the TV Flash was traversing the multiverse, he came across with the Movie Flash, cementing the inter-connectivity of their current movie and TV universe. Past movies such as the Keaton Batman, Christopher Reeve/Brandon Routh Superman were also earlier incorporated in the initial parts of the crossover episodes to the point that even past TV series such as Batman and Robin, Smallville, Birds of Prey and even the current Titans were also acknowledged as part of the vast DC Multiverse. I always thought that the best course correction for Warner/DC's DCEU was supposed to be the Flash movie. A Flashpoint (inspired from the comic books) type of storytelling that would birth a new universe and step away from the groundwork and foundation of the DCEU that Zack Snyder initially laid down before us. But to my surprise Crisis on Infinite Earths pulled the rug under our feet. Now, the planned Flash movie would further reinforce the DC Multiverse by not only bringing along a Snyder foundation and stalwart Batman as played by Ben Affleck, but they are also bringing along the original Batman on the big screen as played by Michael Keaton! As for Zack Snyder's DCEU, he is even given the chance to either give his version of DCEU a finite end or a chance to further his narrative by giving him an opportunity to finish his cut of the Justice League movie. Dubbed as Zack Snyder's Justice League, this would essentially correct all of the mistakes and injustice done to Snyder and offer his fans and the general public the chance to watch the original Justice League movie that we were supposed to see in the theaters. A huge business move by Warner given that they needed all the buzz that they could get with the launching of the HBO MAX online streaming platform.          

So what is next on the pipeline for DC? The Wonder Woman sequel WW84 is on the pipeline waiting for the Pandemic to end so that it could have its grand opening in the movie houses. A Batman movie headlined by Robert Pattinson which is said to be a stand alone movie not connected to any DC Movies but will be tied in with a new Gotham based TV series for HBO MAX. Sequels for The Suicide Squad, Aquaman and Shazam is currently in the works along with a Black Adam movie headlined by The Rock and (fingers crossed) the return of Henry Cavill as Superman. Though there is no news of a proper Superman movie sequel, well be getting a healthy serving of a live action Superman via the recently announced Superman and Lois TV series as part of the Arrowverse (which is being renamed as CWverse or Berlantiverse to be politically correct). Arrowverse staples like the Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, Supergirl, and the new one like Stargirl as still going strong. Not to mention those on the fringes of the Arrowverse like Doom Patrol and Titans. Overall, Warner/DC is not only building their movies but also incorporating their success in the small screen to give us a vast look at the multi-versal entertainment that they have to offer. This is ambitious. And I believe this is a big win for the various fandoms of the DC properties as we celebrate the DC Universe by honoring the past as we look forward to the future!

 

     

My Top 5 Modern Superman Action Figures

To Celebrate Superman Day this day, I'm rolling out my Top Five Superman Action Figures. First, the qualifiers: This list will only include those in the 6-7 inch scale. So no Hot Toys and the vintage 5 inch ones from Kenner. Listing will be from 5 to 1 with 1 being the best in my opinion. The list will also be limited to those that I have. So Mezco is out of here as I did not mind purchasing one as the "doll" like appearance does not quite appeal to me. No Movie Figures will also be included, so no NECA Christopher Reeve or DC Films Henry Cavill Superman. So with that settled, let me roll out my Top 5 Modern Superman Action Figures.

5.) DC Direct Justice Superman
He has to be put here because aesthetically he is still the best Superman Action Figure for the simple reason that it is a perfect 3D Rendition of Alex Ross' art. However, movement articulation is what puts him down on my list. But the strength alone of Alex Ross designs' made him reach my list. It was also during this period where DC Direct began releasing comic book artist design centric action figures. Some of the comic book artists that were given the action figure rendition was those by Joe Shuster, Curt Swan, Frank Miller, Ed McGuiness, Jim Lee, Phil Jimenez, Ethan Van Sciver, Adam Kubert, and Gary Frank among others. There was also a re-use of this body using a new head which I call the John Byrne Superman. For some reason I wasn't able to do a review of this Alex Ross Superman but the John Byrne one is similar to this, so that should suffice for the time being.

4.) DC Essentials Superman
Perhaps being on this list is a case of recency bias? I don't think so. DC Essentials movement articulation wise is one of the best if not the best well articulated Superman action figure ever. But the too much articulation kinda sacrificed the aesthetic of the figure. For one, collectors are complaining about the "gorilla" arms that this figure sports. That double jointed elbow seems to be the culprit. The smallish cape design also takes away the grand majestic look of Superman. I've done a complete review of this action figure which can be accessed here.

3.) Mattel DC Superheroes Superman
Mattel has been battered by Toy Collectors for the longest time because they seemed to be steps behind when compared to rival Toy Manufacturer Hasbro who holds the rights to the Marvel Legends franchise. And just recently, Mattel also lost the DC license to produce action figures in 6 inch form to McFarlane Toys. Effectively ending more than 2 decades of DC action figure releases. But despite all the criticisms, Mattel's role in the modern action figure evolution remains to be a significant part of action figure history. And their DC Universe Classics (DCUC) line will still probably stand as the most expansive DC Universe Action Figure collection of all time. And their very first rendition of the ultra articulated Superman via the DC Superheroes toy line (which was a pre-cursor to DC Universe Classics) is still one of the best Superman action figures of all time. I even put this Superman on top of the recent improvements done on the DCUC version. You can read my full review of this figure here.

2.) McFarlane Toys Superman
Despite being new, McFarlane Toys Superman deserves to be this high on the list and this is just not another case of the recency bias. Everything seems to be going right with this figure. It features very strong aesthetic features. The movement articulation are all very well thought of. The paint works are very strong. Its only the weak ankles which kills this figure's chances to be the best. And yeah, the scale too since this is more 7 inch rather than the 6 inch scale which most old time collectors prefer. But there's nothing much you could knock from this figure. And if you are new to toy collecting, then this is a great starting point as I see McFarlane Toys still coming out with a very strong assortment of DC Action Figures. You can read my review of this action figure here.

1.) DC Direct Superman
And the best modern Superman Action Figure of all time in my list is none other than the DC Direct Superman. And despite being in existence for almost 2 decades, this Superman figure is still very hard to top even with the dearth of new Superman Action Figure releases utilizing modern production technology. The movement articulation in this figure coupled with strong aesthetic designs is still top notch and never gets old. I know that there are newer action figures out there with more improvements on the articulation but I still can't see them topping this. I also like the paint colors of this figure specially the lighter blue hues on his suit than the generally modern Superman colors of a darker hued costume. Everything just looks perfect to me. This figure's body was also re-used with two other versions featuring a different head sculpt (although I don't remember which of the three was released first.) You can access my complete review of this figure here.

So who's your pick? Do hit me some thoughts. Happy Superman Day!

The post-pandemic Comic Book Distribution Wars

First thing's first, I'm located in the Philippines, a small market player in the comic book industry. BUT, we are home to a lot of talented international comic book artists and illustrators who have contributed to the comic book industry since the 70's, from the likes of the legendary artists Tony De Zuniga, Alfredo Alcala, Nestor Redondo, Alex Nino, and Steve Gan, the 90's comic book boom headlined by Whilce Portacio, Gerry Alanguilan, Gilbert Monsanto, Ed Tadeo, Reno Maniquis, to the new millennium artists like Leinl Yu, Harvey Tolibao, Stephen Segovia, Carlo Pagulayan, and a host of others that are just too many to mention (and apology to those who I wasn't able to name here). Filipino illustrators have contributed to the industry for much of its existence. Now basically, the comic book industry in the Philippines is mainly controlled by Comic Odyssey, Filbar's, Planet X, Druid's Keep, and Comic Quest. These are the physical stores that are located in the capital, and which basically supplies the demand of the 7,000 plus islands in the country. Now with that background set, here's my take on the 2020 Comic Book Distribution Wars.


The Story thus far...

Well it seems the Corona Virus Pandemic has hurt the comic book industry so bad that not only the temporary stoppage of monthly comic book distribution has affected the monthly readers, but a new business landscape has emerged that it shook the decades long comfort zones of long time Comic Books store operators. In a nut shell, Diamond Comic Distributors (the sole exclusive worldwide distributor of comic books) who holds the monopoly of all the American comic book industry made announcements that they will shut down their operations (along with withholding payments to the publishers), affecting the distribution of monthly comic books worldwide. This left comic book publishers in a dilemma as they were forced to stop working on new monthly comic books due to the uncertainty of the resumption of the distribution. Some Local Comic Book stores were also affected, specially those who were allowed to open and continue doing their business. Realizing that putting too much power on Diamond's hand would result to the eventual collapse of the industry, DC Comics decided to open new distributors in the interim so that there would be a resumption of shipping new monthly books. But when the dust settled and Diamond resumed their Businesses, DC decided to effectively end their exclusive partnership and appointed new distributors UCS Comic Distributors and Lunar Distribution. This was met with violent reactions from Local Comic Shops (LCS)  in the U.S. because fellow Local Comic Shop operator/competitor Midtown Comics owns UCS, while another huge client of Diamond, Discount Comic Book Service (DCBS), owns Lunar Distribution. This results to Diamond losing 30% of their business as represented by DC's  market share for Diamond's total comic book business. This is an industry shattering catastrophe because Diamond basically finances (for a lack of a better term) majority of the local comic book shops because they are enjoying credit terms from Diamond. And the transfer to UCS and Lunar will greatly affect the LCS credit standing (and finances) with them because basically the LCS will come out as new accounts with no existing credit confidence with UCS and LCS. This possibly requires them to shell out additional capital for the purchase of DC Products. So this really affects the LCS' comfort zones and business health. Now with that established, let me share my thoughts how this Comic Book Distributor Wars will affect DC, their market, the LCS, and the industry as whole.


DC's Post Pandemic Strategy  

Covid or any world changing pandemic/event has always been the great equalizer. It is times like these where either you make it to the next evolution or break you down if you get stuck to the old ways. You have to act fast. And big changes like this are only applicable when there's a restart needed. Many LCS were furious at DC's move. But the thing is, they would have a hard time implementing changes like this if this was done when the market has recovered and the business running smoothly. Imagine if the backlash was so bad that they immediately lose all their customers and stuck with monthly books who nobody is willing to distribute. This was a calculated move. DC is forced (despite the stiff resistance) to change the Business model at a time like this because they look at the marketplace as damaged. Not doing this at a time like this will only see resistance. A resistance that they could not afford. So this gamble they are making right now is either they win big or lose big. And they are probably happy to take that gamble, whatever the outcome is. I mean I can understand the outrage of LCS operators because this will open up new distribution channels and in effect competitors and it lessens the "collectability" of the comic books and turn it into disposable consumer products. Relegating it as disposable entertainment. And the new executives at Warner probably never believe the comic book's value as a collectible. Personally I never believe Comic Books will turn you into a millionaire or something. Not unless those old books from the Golden Age, and even those are only limited to Superman, Batman, and probably Spider-Man. Beyond that, nothing worth millions. So instead of focusing on the speculator market who see comic books as collectibles, DC is focusing instead to reach out to more readers. And I don't mean to be insensitive to our LCS, but DC's move is basically about evolving to keep the business of comic books afloat by changing their business model.They are de-monopolizing the sources where you could enjoy their books. (And yes, to reiterate, Diamond withholding their payments to DC also freaked them out!) 

And one of those perceived intents is the gradual shift to the digital world. There are whispers that the endgame for this is for DC to shift their monthly books to digital format with the intention to have them collected as a whole and released as Trade Paper Backs and Graphic Novels in book stores and other retail channels (LCS included). This, according to sources, costs lesser to produce. And the success of their Kid friendly Original Graphic Novels and Young Adult Graphic Novels in book stores has been their model and basis for shifting their monthly books to trade and graphic novel formats. The monthly books will still be retained, but this will mostly be cheap reprints (like those currently found in Walmart stores, the 100 page monthly books that costs cheaper per page than the regular books right now). And by opening up the comic books to mainstream availability thru other non-traditional channels like bookstores and supermarkets, then they could probably encourage new readers to be brought in to their current and up to date stories thru their monthly digital releases. And if this pans out, DC is probably looking at it as an opportunity if those casual readers brought in by the mainstream availability will turn to become a serious comic book buff. Maybe it could revive the industry as they finally are able to tap a new market. Remember, the comic book industry began as reading materials easily accessed in Supermarkets, Drugstores, News Stands, and the likes. So this feels like a restart to the roots of the industry.


How this Affects the Direct Market/Local Comic Book Shops

This move by DC will open up more competition to LCS because if we could readily get these books anywhere, then the LCS will be severely affected. Right now, the LCS have the monopoly when it comes to the supply of comic books. And we loyal readers have no other channels to source it from but the LCS when it comes to our monthly fix. Of course digital is available, but it is a business model that is still not widely accepted by longtime readers. In my case, I still like to feel the pages of the books in my hands and see the vibrant art before me in person rather than obscured by the digital feel of the color hues of your gadget screen. So it is well and good that longtime readers such as myself have remained loyal to our favorite LCS, but on the flip side, does the LCS really get new readers beyond us? This new threat that DC seems to be head starting by expanding to new retailers to tap new markets, will the absence of this guarantee that LCS will continue to expand readership and patrons? I doubt that. Because the rise of new readership has become a constant struggle in the past few years, and the rise of sales has mostly been credited to publisher gimmicks that are more geared to the speculator market. People buy multiple copies of speculated books or variant cover incentives, thus temporarily rising the sales figures. Which I find temporary and artificial. And overall unhealthy once these people move on from the hype of the thought that comic books are worthy investments. In fact comic books for the most part is now treated as an art collectible/commodity like paintings more than as a reading commodity, as a source of entertainment. And also these readers' attention is being lured by other alternative entertainment like online games and Netflix. The publishers need to fight back to retain their readership. 

So while the threat is real for the Direct Market. What I could see however is LCS getting to benefit from this in the long run because these reading materials will be the entry point for casual readers. Remember those Dollar Comics by DC and True Believers reprints by Marvel? These are being sold at $1 each and serves as an entry point to the collected trade. Paid promo materials. If they want to enjoy the world of comics, then the LCS will have to be their source to get those back issues and other old runs. If the new readers reached by these new retail outlets is successfully fascinated by the world of COMICS, then they'll have to go back to the LCS for an even wider assortment of the books that they will begin to love. This drives more sales (if successful) to LCS and more patrons. Perhaps reinvigorating the love for comic books. As of the moment, it hurts for the LCS and their outrage is rightfully understood specially that they are dealing in the unknown. But granted that they'll have to deal outside their comfort zones, they have to quickly gather their wits and capitalize on new opportunities. This will be hard at first (like everything is) but if this pays off, they'll be more thankful and be able to expand their business outside the norm. The thought of having to deal with Mainstream competition is probably what scares them the most (apart from financial, logistic issues, and added work). But then they'll have to look at the flip side of things and what are the other opportunities available. They are mad at DC right now, and rightfully so. But the new ownership executives (they were just recently bought by telecommunications giant AT&T) running DC right now though is not loyal to anyone except to their Business. And that's how corporate entities work. They are not charitable institutions.

Our LCS will have to innovate and adapt. So far we have five. Comic Odyssey, Planet X, Filbar's, Comic Quest, Druid's Keep. They each have their own specialty. Filbar's have so far shifted to Pops. CO/Planet X are also bringing in Pops, and they have some trading card games and even KPOP photo cards, DK is more on the Action Figure and Statues variety besides the comic books. CQ is also a mix store. I understand it will be hard for them and we have to continue supporting them. In fact on my end I continue to get my TPBs (apart from my weekly pulls) in Comic Odyssey even if Fullybooked is more accessible to me. If I own an LCS, it will really be stressful for me during these times. And Diamond has really been a big supporter for our LCS especially if they enjoy credit terms. So eliminating Diamond and then forced to shift to other distributors and not offering the same perks will really hurt them. But I'm hoping in whatever the changes, by DC's plan to widen the Distribution, this will help draw in new committed fans and readers of comic books. After all, we all used to get our source in Supermarkets and other retails stores for our books. If we can get these new readers to buy them in our LCS (because our LCS is still the best source for pristine, well handled books) then it is a win for everyone.

How this affects me as a Consumer

So I put consumer there so that I could accommodate everyone. Comic Book consumers are basically divided into three, the readers, collectors, and the speculators. I basically fall on the reader/collector category. I don't join in the speculation and the slabbing (grading them and preserved in acrylic plastic) of comic books (though I own two for posterity purposes). CGS and CBCS (comic book grading systems or slabbers) for me is overrated. They are business models that are benefiting or driving the speculator market. And in my belief, speculators are not healthy to the totality of the business. Comic Books were created to keep us entertained. And like all art/entertainment forms, I believe it will survive for the years to come because people need entertainment in their life. Books are meant to be read, not to be framed. And the speculators bulk buying the speculated books most of the time leaves a bad taste in the mouth for those seeking books to read. Case in point, I was thinking of buying Hell Arisen books just to connect the events from Justice League and Dark Nights: Metal, but when issue 3 (or was it 2) sold out because it was heavily speculated, I decided to nix the book altogether. And if I could not get the monthly books regularly, then it would be better to shift to trades so that you'll get the entire story. In short, speculators took out the joy of reading the books on a monthly basis. And since I am a reader first and foremost, any format will do for me (digital or trades) as long as I get to enjoy my books. I enjoy buying the monthly books because of the variant covers and the likes. And that's why I continue buying them.  

Of course people say that if you are a regular customer or if you have a good relationship with the LCS owners, or Pre-Order in advance, you'll be prioritized and get what you need. Sure that is an option. But on the other hand there's a part of me who hates to beg for my entertainment. And I should not be stressed with my hobby. I'm also speaking in behalf of walk in or new readers who just discovered the joy of reading monthly books. So the thought of current monthly books would be released in digital format and with the intent of collecting them in trades is fine with me. So if you are a reader first and foremost, then you won't see this as a problem as you'll just subscribe the monthly digital books and opt to keep the printed collected trade if you like the book so much by buying one. Less clutter (and my house is filled with clutter really!!!), but you still get to enjoy the literary and art experience. DC (or any publishers) on the other hand still wins, because you get to pay for their services on a fixed monthly basis (like Netflix). But of course online digital piracy is another thing. And they'll have to deal with that too.

Oh and what benefit lies for the speculators if the comic book industry dies? Well, they can hold on to those comic books, because it may be of some value as OLD Art Relics from the PAST.

Final thoughts

I think DC is moving away from the "traditional" collector driven market. In short, they don't care about the business of speculators and collectors. They care more about the reading public. They just want the books sold. They don't care what you do with those books. They look at the speculator and collector market as unhealthy. Remember the 90's comic book boom that was driven by speculators? We are almost on that same state right now. Case in point, Marvel recently released a Filipino Character named Wave, and almost all Filipino comic book Fan bought that first appearance issue to own a piece of history. But did those people really sustain the title? You go to Filbar's and some comic shops you'll still see those New Agents of Atlas 1 lying around. If the LCS over ordered on those books due to catering to the speculator market, you know what's next. We are just one wrong decision away for the 90's comic book mistake to happen again (which bankrupt Marvel back then). And as I've read multiple articles about Marvel's strategy to gain "extra" sales, some LCS in the U.S. are closing down because Marvel forced them to over order just to get those speculated high price variants. Sometimes, that high priced variant is just enough for LCS to break even from those unsold regular covers. DC's plan for the industry is ambitious. It is for me the right strategy to ensure the health of the comic book reading public. Now for it to actually work, that remains to be seen.

McFarlane Toys Superman Action Figure Review

It's been awhile since my last action figure purchase because the Corona Virus Pandemic shut down malls, toy stores, and international shipments. I've been waiting for this figure since the first quarter of 2020 to be released in stores, I Pre-Ordered it via DC Superheroes Cafe but is still waiting for the shipment. I chanced upon this figure when I went to the mall to get my comic book pulls from Comic Odyssey. Since I could not wait for the shipment to come, I decided to purchase this figure anyway and will just sell the extra one. And now the long wait is finally over. Todd McFarlane's Superman action figure is finally in my hands. So what are my thoughts? Read on...

Aesthetically, this has got to be one of the best looking Superman figure in awhile. McFarlane Toys, which made its name since the late 90's was one of the pioneering toy companies that totally improved how action figures look like. But back then, they were mostly known for producing mini-statues (or 7 inch action figures that has limited to no articulation). They made a name producing and releasing ultra detailed SPAWN toylines (an original comic book character creation by founder Todd McFarlane), and ultra realistic looking NBA Basketball figures (still non-articulated), which made other toy companies up their game by improving their action figures' aesthetic looks while doubling down on featuring massive amounts of articulation. McFarlane Toys was late in the articulation department, and only had their taste of success in articulated action figures via the Fortnite action figure series (which was only around three years ago). It was that Fortnite action figures which became the basis for McFarlane toys to bag the DC Action Figure License as they wrested control from Mattel. Mattel after decades of owning the rights to DC Action Figures finally ceded control of the license. Mattel had an epic decade run on the DC License and their high point which by now is considered to be a classic are the 6 inch DC Universe Classics action figures. But the latter releases were just too boring to most collectors as rival toy company Hasbro kept on beating them with their Marvel Legends toyline. McFarlane getting the license means that toy collectors will be getting highly detailed action figures for the mass market that could pretty much rival DC's own adult collector geared DC Essentials toyline.   

When it comes to DC action figures, the standard for ultra detailed and highly articulated action figures are the ones from DC Essentials, or formerly DC Direct. But these figures were mostly marketed towards adult toy collectors and not the mass market. Their figures aren't as sturdy as the Marvel Legends from Hasbro's when it comes to playability. Mattel offered sturdier figures, and is pretty much in scale at 6 inch with Hasbro's Marvel Legends. McFarlane's on the other hand feels like a duplication of the Dc Essentials and I feel like it would probably eat up the sales of DC Essentials. The figures feel sturdy I guess, but the feel is pretty much the same as those from DC Essentials (price point is about the same or cheaper). You could see the details of McFarlane toys as so much superior than Mattel's. But most collectors' gripe is the scale size. Standing at 7 inch (similar to DC Essentials), 6 inch collector's will have to think twice before totally diving into the line. So for those who had built their DC collections with Mattel would feel McFarlane Toys like a sore thumb in their collection. They can't be displayed side by side with Hasbro's Marvel Legends, and would also not fit with the old DC Direct (Pre-DC Essentials) and Mattel action figures.  

Articulation wise, this figure features a Ball Jointed head, swivel and hinged with butterfly shoulders, swivel biceps, hinged elbows, ball jointed wrists (with interchangeable hands), ball-jointed abs, swivel waists, and this weird looking hip articulation (see photo above), double jointed hinged knees, ball-jointed swivel and hinged ankles, and hinged toes. Now that's a lot of articulation but the most disappointing thing for me is that it does not have a swivel thigh. Which really kills it for me because I had a hard time making this figure stand. The rubber cape is heavy for the weak ankles to carry. This basically has the same problem with the DC Essentials Superman.  

The paint applications on the figure is top notch but I noticed a few bad splotches in the other figures on the shelf. The figure really feels like a DC Direct/Essentials figure and I could say that fans of the old DC Direct and the DC Essentials will surely love this figure. I really love the sculpt work, this is very traditional McFarlane Toys and would really seamlessly fit with your DC Direct/Essentials display collection. I could probably say this is the best looking Superman action figure in a while and looks way way much better than the very feminine DC Essentials. 

Here is a comparison photo with the DC Essentials Superman. A lot of collectors are having a hard time choosing which of these two is the better one. And in my opinion, McFarlane Toys Superman is the winner between the two. But take note, I'm not saying MCF Superman is the best one. I still feel the lack of thigh articulation takes a lot of points away for me. His rubber cape meanwhile looks great on him compared to the one DC Essentials put on their figure. Actually, DC Essentials looks like Superboy when you put him together with the McFarlane one side by side.

Here in this photo is the McFarlane Superman on a DC Direct Superman base. I'm lucky I managed to dig some discarded DC Direct bases since I'm really having a hard time making this figure stand (I didn't open the flight stand that this figure came with). And this Superman base really looks perfect on him. I'm just not sure if it will hold over time without breaking its ankle. I'm keeping mine in the box though due to the lack of display space LOL.

Like I said, this MCF Superman fits nicely with the old DC Direct action figures. Here he is with the classic DC Direct Alex Ross Justice Superman. MCF really improved where the old DC Direct failed, the massive articulation. Aesthetically, they are a match.

MCF Superman and DC Essentials Superman with another variation of the Justice Superman, this one is from the DC Direct Superman through the ages box set.

I still think (the one on the far left) the old DC Direct Justice League Superman (or those who are similar to this from the DC Direct Superman line and the JLA Boxset) is still the best Superman action figure.

MCF Superman scale fits nicely with this DC Direct Justice Lex Luthor. 

MCF Superman is pretty low on accessories. He has a flight stand (which I did not bother to open) which is really needed considering his ankles are bad at standing. The figure also comes with alternative hands, an open fisted and close fisted one (which I used on some photos here) with the open flying hands as the standard ones on the packaging. It also comes with a Jim Lee art trading card from the cover art of the Action Comics 1000.  

Box art features the art of Jim Lee from the cover of Action Comics 1000 but I really don't agree that this figure is based on the Jim Lee art. In my opinion the figure is based on the art of Ivan Reis. Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of Jim Lee's recent works, especially the cover for Action Comics 1000.

The MCF Superman with an Ivan Reis Art Superman comic book cover. Fun Fact: The MCF Superman is basically based on the return of Superman's red trunks after years of having a trunkless Superman in the comic books (from New 52 to Rebirth). Jim Lee got a first crack of Superman's new costume (red trunks with wrist cuffs similar to Henry Cavill's Man of Steel Superman) by doing the art chores for the cover of Action Comics 1000 where this costume of Superman debuted. But it was Ivan Reis who did the art chores longer which started in the Man of Steel mini-series (see photo below) and the current Superman titles (see photo above).  So which is which? Jim Lee or Ivan Reis?

Another comparison shot with a comic book featuring the art of Ivan Reis.

The Front Box looks simple and clean. Not too much art but the figure really pops at first glance.

FINAL VERDICT. MCF Superman is one of the best Superman action figure ever created. It really is a tribute to the old DC Direct Superman action figures (and I couldn't help talking about it), from its aesthetic, the feel of the figure, everything. Even the tightness of the joints. But sadly I could not say it is the best. Until now, the search for the best Superman action figure for me continues. So is the figure worth your money? You bet it is. I've tried posing and looking at it in different angles and the figure really looks great. Now as far as the entire McFarlane toyline, I think this is a great line to start if you are a new collector because not only are they releasing old classic stuffs, they are also releasing new characters not yet made in toy form. Those armored Superman and Batman figures looks neat, as well as the Batman who Laughs figure. I on the other hand would not dive into the entire line and might just cherry pick. I belong to the jilted 6 inch action figure collector, and I'm sill fairly satisfied with my Mattel DCUC. I hope McFarlane Toys can hold on to the license in the long term, I really feel they have a great opportunity to come up with perhaps DC's greatest modern toy line ever. I'm still scratching my head though why DC Direct/Essentials is allowing themselves to face a very tough competition like McFarlane Toys. More toy pics below. Until next time!

MCF Superman with the art of Jorge Jimenez

MCF Toys Superman v.s. DC Essentials Superman

Justice League Snyder Cut is Coming!

I guess Arrowverse's CRISIS on INFINITE EARTHS not only fixed the universe of DC's Live Action TV series but also brought the return of Zack Snyder's Justice League. In a surprising twist, Snyder (during his Man of Steel watch party with fans) announced to the world that his original version of the Justice League movie is coming to the online streaming app HBO MAX in 2021. It has been close to three years when a movement spearheaded by the fans of Snyder's vision for the DCEU finally broke through those deaf ears in Warner Bros. It took a lot of reorganization in the corporate offices of Warner for this project to finally come to fruition. Warner Bros. is pumping in a very cool $20-$30 million to finish Snyder's version of the movie. It can be recalled that Snyder left (to his haters it was fired) the Justice League movie midway into production to deal with the tragic loss of his daughter. Joss Whedon (famed director of Marvel's Avengers and Avengers 2) was brought in to replace and rework Snyder's movie to fit the tastes of Warner executives clamoring for a more "Marvel" like movie in tone and in appearance. Whedon's version bombed at the Box Office angering fans and DC Comics purists of Snyder's vision for DCEU. In fairness to Whedon, the movie did get good reviews from general audiences spoiled by Marvel's cinematic universes but for the majority of fans who followed Snyder's Man of Steel and Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice religiously, Whedon's Justice League felt like a gut punch and left a very bad and disgusting taste in their mouths. But now with the announcement, the Justice League Snyder Cut is finally on its way. And what to expect from it? For the past year or so I have cultivated these information in various entertainment websites and youtube videos such as Bleeding Cool, Comic Book Resources, Screen Rant, Collider and I will present to you as much as I can an extensive list of what to expect from the Snyder Cut.

*READ ON IF YOU WANT TO BE SPOILED*

First, the Notable changes from Snyder's original version.

1.) Junkie XL the original composer (in collaboration with Hans Zimmer) of Snyder's DCEU who   
     was set to take full control of the soundtrack for Justice League was replaced by Danny Elfman, a
     veteran in Tim Burton's Batman movies.

2.) Steppenwolf's design was changed from a more horrific appearance as seen in the deleted scene         of  Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice to a more general audience friendly one.

3.) There was a scene of Lois visiting Superman's memorial but was omitted in the theatrical cut.

4.) The opening credits were reworked mostly by Whedon. Specially that ugly CGI mustache of
      Superman.

5.) Batman did not know about the details of the Mother Boxes and Parademons from that rooftop
     scene battling a Parademon. He learned it from Lex Luthor himself or from one of his journals.

6.) Most of the Superman scenes were re-shot as evidenced by those ugly upper lip.

7.) We were supposed to get a cameo of Darkseid. And he had an important role in the movie
      although brief.

8.) There was more Cyborg in Justice League, especially his back story. His narrative was actually
      supposed to be prominent in the movie, notably his connections to the mother boxes.

9.)  There was also more Flash in the movie, and a cameo of Iris West.

10.) Aquaman's backstory is also explored and the ending of Aquaman's story in Justice League
       leads up to his solo movie.

Those are 10 of the most important details. The succeeding write up below will dwell on the whole narrative of what Snyder's Justice League Cut will tell or what it would lead to.


The Snyder Cut Justice League Narrative

• Justice League was originally planned as a trilogy with the first Justice League movie setting the tone for the future movies where they intend to tie up the loose ends that was first presented in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice specifically the Knightmare scene.

• The first movie would not differ much from what Joss Whedon was able to come up with, but it would expand on the arrival of Darkseid which would set the Justice League to battle Darkseid in Justice League Part 2.

• Due to Warner Bros. meddling, the trilogy would be watered down into a duology, with Justice League Part 2 tying up the Knightmare scene when the Justice League lost to Darkseid, eventually realizing the foreboding Knightmare that Batman dreamed of way back in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.

• Steppenwolf would still be the same villain and utilized as is, he was the advance scout for Darkseid which would pave the way for the Justice League to seek out Darkseid (with the possible help of the Green Lantern Corps.) but would be unsuccessful in their battle. Devastating the Earth when Darkseid arrives with his Anti-Life Equation.                                             
• General Swanwick would be revealed as the Martian Manhunter. And the Martha that Lois  spoke with while she was having a coffee break was actually the Martian Manhunter. Though if he had a bigger role in the movie remains a mystery. Ryan Choi a.k.a The Atom also has an appearance.

• Superman's role in Justice League is expanded compared to what Whedon did. Superman upon his resurrection, succumbed to the Anti-Life Equation when Lois died. This would brought to light an unhinged Black Suited Superman siding with Steppenwolf as he fought against the Justice League. Now whether Snyder would push through with Lois' death, the Knightmare scene will still eventually play out. But Flash telling Batman that Lois is the key in BVS:DoJ certainly has an effect on Superman's role in the fight against Darkseid and the evil forces of Apokolips.

• There will be time travel elements (similar to Avengers: Endgame but remember these plans came out first before Avengers: Endgame even hit the screens) where Batman (as suggested by Flash that Lois is the key) sends Flash back in time to save Lois, freeing Superman from the influences of the Anti-Life equation. Superman upon waking up from the Anti-Life Equation would have a more expanded battle against Steppenwolf than what was seen in Whedon's version. 

• Batman would eventually die (possibly in Justice League 2) as he goes on a suicide mission, sacrificing himself in order for the league to beat Darkseid. Batman was also intended to have a more expanded search for the Justice League members as compared to the condensed one that Whedon gave us. So Batman's role as a Dark Avenging crusader in BVS to the most human of all the Justice League would come into full circle, defining his humanity and the redemptive qualities that a former violent killing machine deserves. And yes, there was supposed to be a Bad-Ass Batman scene where he took hold of a giant Parademon gun.

• As an icing to the cake, Lois (who has been pregnant in the JL2) conceives a baby boy and names him Bruce, in honor of Batman who sacrificed himself saving Lois from Darkseid.

How will it affect the existing DCEU

Ever since the failure of Whedon's Justice League, the DCEU has been experiencing a mix bag of success and failure in their DC Universe movies. For the most part, movies that featured casts from the Justice League movie and Snyder's DCEU as a whole (Aquaman and to some degree Shazam and Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey) tried to deviate and distance themselves from Snyder's DCEU, but it cannot be denied that some story threads were still quite attached to the old DCEU. And with WB stating that they are ready to do stand alone stories not connected to a larger narrative, like Joker and Robert Pattinson's Batman, I think furthering Snyder's DCEU won't be hard to do if the Snyder Cut proves to be a runaway success for critics and fans alike. But again first things first. We will have to see if Snyder's version proves to be the superior one compared to what was released on theaters. And I have no doubt that it would be. The world will be waiting for HBO Max come 2021.

Sources:

https://screenrant.com/justice-league-2-zack-snyder-darkseid-final-crisis/

https://screenrant.com/justice-league-2-zack-snyder-canceled-plot-details/

https://screenrant.com/zack-snyder-justice-league-2-crosses-deaths/

https://screenrant.com/justice-league-2-zack-snyder-canceled-plot-details/

https://screenrant.com/zack-snyder-dceu-plan-superman-justice-league-trilogy/

http://collider.com/zack-snyder-justice-league-original-version/#images

https://screenrant.com/superman-justice-league-zack-snyder-cut-role-changes-explained/

https://screenrant.com/justice-league-snyder-cut-three-script-versions-explained/

https://screenrant.com/zack-snyder-superman-original-plan-justice-league-details/

https://screenrant.com/zack-snyder-dceu-batman-death-confirmed/

https://screenrant.com/zack-snyder-cut-justice-league-changes/

https://screenrant.com/zack-snyder-cut-justice-league-darkseid-original-character-arc-revealed/

https://screenrant.com/zack-snyder-justice-league-ending-darkseid/

https://screenrant.com/zack-snyder-kevin-smith-justice-league-triligy-plans-truth/

https://screenrant.com/zack-snyder-justice-league-dceu-plan-puzzle-symbols/

https://screenrant.com/justice-league-apokolips-pilot-concept-art/

https://screenrant.com/justice-league-snyder-cut-three-script-versions-explained/

https://screenrant.com/dceu-movie-timeline/

Joker and Harley Quinn: and the Emancipation of Warner/DC

I just realized I wasn't able to post a review of the controversial Joker Movie. I haven't missed out posting reviews and comments on latest releases of DCEU movies and somehow Joker slipped out of my mind. Or was it because the movie was too jarring to me and left me speechless? This is not a late attempt of a review of that movie though. The last two Warner/DC movies released in the big screen were headlined by two of DC's more popular villains. And the audacity of Warner/DC to do that in the age of super HERO movies seemed like a big middle finger to the superhero movie genre. After the failure of Justice League, and the "marvelized"(general audience friendly) attempt of Aquaman and Shazam, Warner/DC turned the world of comic book movies upside down by releasing a very controversial movie about Batman's prime nemesis JOKER. And despite the director, Todd Philips, insistence that this isn't a comic book movie, JOKER was in every bit a comic book movie as evidenced by a litany of references to Batman's comic book lore. Joker was critically acclaimed and even romped off to 11 Oscar Awards nomination, a clear cut evidence that critics and audiences can take comic book movies seriously too. When I saw Aquaman and Shazam, I though that Warner/DC would be going soft on their stand in releasing "Dark" and "Serious" superhero movies after the failure of Snyder's "Dark" and "Serious" DCEU, but JOKER is clearly not a double down on "Dark" and "Serious". And like what I have said before and clearly what Warner/DC should have done in the first place, their superhero movies should have been based on the characteristics of the character more than what the general audience would want. And if JOKER has proved anything to Warner/DC, it is that "marvelized" is not always the ONLY WAY to make a successful/profitable comic book movie. Heck JOKER raked in BILLIONS of DOLLARS with little budget allotted ($62.5M), making it the MOST PROFITABLE comic book movie ever made! Picture this, CONTROVERSIAL, VIOLENT, CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED, and most of all HIGHLY PROFITABLE! And all of that despite getting an R-18 tag and not released in big market China, lessening their chances of raking in more money. I don't know if anyone would have thought in a million years that you could line up all those adjectives on a movie inspired by the funny books/comic books.

But enough about Joker, because one gal is about to have her emancipation from Joker. While the Suicide Squad movie was a critical failure (because Warner meddled with the director's original vision mind you), Margot Robbie's take on Harley Quinn was such a bright spot that she was awarded two quasi-sequel to her adventures with the Suicide Squad. She'll be returning in Suicide Squad 2 and she was just featured via the recently released Birds of Prey movie. And Birds of Prey (and the fantabulous emancipation of one Harley Quinn) is one Warner/DC movie that exactly goes the opposite direction from the Joker movie. And I can't help but smile about the clever parallelism of both movies' tone, direction, and theme to each other with regards to the word emancipation. To elaborate, while Joker is everything a comic book movie should not be, Birds of Prey goes the exact opposite direction by embracing all what a comic book movie should be. It is like, Birds of Prey does a complete emancipation from the last Warner/DC movie and a hard swerve to the opposite direction seemed to knock my head off from this new found film viewing experience of watching Warner/DC movies. Joker and Harley Quinn, inseparable, both tightly connected from the beginning of Harley Quinn's birth. But this emancipation has given Harley a new found freedom and a new lease on her comic book and movie life. Though no connection with the aforementioned Joker movie, Birds of Prey also gave us a glimpse of Joker (the version that Jared Leto played in Suicide Squad). In a symbolic way, the Birds of Prey movie is an emancipation of the tone of the Joker movie in the same way Harley Quinn has finally emancipated from her lovely puddin, Joker.

Birds of Prey is a perfect example of how Warner/DC should be approaching their movies. While the Joker movie was unnerving and too dark and violent, Birds of Prey (BOP) is the exact opposite. In all honesty I found BOP dull, brainless, and too simplistic for my own taste but it was very very FUN to watch! In fact you don't need to bring your brain along with you to enjoy the movie. The plot is too simplistic but you don't need it to appreciate this movie. BOP still had its violent content (as evidenced by the R-16 rating) and the movie seems to be one of the examples of glamorized violence that the Joker director sought to de-glamorize by showing us a very disturbing face of what real violence is via the Joker movie. In fact, BOP is everything that acclaimed director and Joker producer Martin Scorsese despised in comic book movies, one he labels as not real cinema but Popcorn theme parks entertainment. And BOP is not ashamed of that, in fact, it embraces everything about it. And this proves to be the reason why it is a hit with the general audiences. The bombastic cinematography and eye catching colors is everything the Joker movie is not. And Warner/DC is not afraid or conscious enough with regards to audience's acceptance to approve this audacious movie. And this is great! Because after all the failures and missteps in their quest to rival Marvel's cinematic success, Warner/DC has finally found the right formula in making their movies more successful to critics and audiences. And I laud Warner/DC for always pushing the envelope despite the risks (calculated risks at that because again BOP is a low budget comic book movie that could "potentially" rake in huge profits). Honestly, without Warner/DC gambling on Wonder Woman as a female led comic book movie, Marvel wouldn't have pulled the trigger on Captain Marvel and the solo Black Widow movie. This time, Warner/DC has even more empowered the Women audiences by giving them the first all-female comic book movie team up via BOP. And this gamble is already paying off when you look at the critics and audiences' response to the movie. Move over Power Puff Girls, this is what real Girl Power is like!     

I've heard qualms from comic book fans that BOP strayed away from the source material too much, especially when it comes to the character of Cassandra Cain. In the comic books, Cassandra was a mute assassin that possessed highly dangerous fighting skills who eventually donned the Batgirl costume. In the movie, she was every bit the opposite. There are also those who are complaining why Barbara Gordon (Batgirl/Oracle) wasn't a part of the movie when in fact she was an instrumental part of the Birds of Prey comic books. But it didn't bother me that much because I have learned to separate the movie universes from the comic book universe. Though I do understand the need to do fan service, but if I want to enjoy the characters that I've read, then there's no other way to enjoy them but from the books that I read. This is another example of Warner/DC emancipating themselves from traditional comic book movie that needs to do the required fan service. Harley Quinn after all wasn't birthed from the comic books, but from the Batman animated series. But yes, as comic book fans, we do enjoy the fan service and seeing our heroes on the big screen exactly do feats and stories lifted directly from the comic books. But Warner/DC has fully emancipated themselves from the idea that there is only the "Marvel" way when it comes to comic book movies. Marvel's offerings is always conscious and leaned more to a General Patronage rating, the same cannot be said for Warner/DC's last two films. Even the light hearted Shazam and Aquaman had little sprinkles of "Darkness" within them. And I like it that way, because it gives Warner/DC their own identity. That said, I can't wait for WW84, the Wonder Woman sequel. From the looks of the trailer, this feels like a Marvel movie more than a Warner/DC movie. And for the first time, I could confidently say IT IS OKAY! Because I know for every Wonder Woman, there's a Joker movie that Warner/DC is ready to unleash!


UPDATE!
Box Office numbers has already been released for the first weekend of showing and the movie has not met expectations. A lot of people are saying that this could mean big trouble for the movie. In fact, theaters across the United States are renaming the film in their marketing collateral to Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey. Is this a case of bad marketing on the part of WB/DC by not making Harley Quinn's name front and center in the title? Or is this because of the Coronavirus that some people are staying away from the theaters and crowded areas? Or is this a case of the R rating that Parents could not bring their kids along to see the movie and are not willing to spend on an R Rated film that is lacking in form and substance when compared to JOKER. Whatever the case, it is too bad that a WB/DC movie that is well loved by critics would be missed out by the audience. Then again the modest budget might save this film from being a complete disaster. I'd probably post another article after the theater run to tackle on the possible issues why the film felt like a downer to some audiences.