Super-Articulate: DC Multiverse Killer Croc Assortment
THIS . . . is a big one. Quite simply one of the best assortments that Mattel has released since the advent of DC Multiverse, the Killer Croc wave is almost everything that you’d want out of a Batman grouping. Let’s dig in. But first: thank you to Mattel for providing us with these figures free for the purposes of review. First up . . .
Red Robin (Tim Drake): I’m glad Tim got out as Red Robin before the Drake name change. (No sir, I do not like it). DC Multiverse has done a great job getting to Rebirth characters, and I’ve been really pleased with the attention paid to the excellent Detective Comics run. I think that Red Robin looks pretty great. The RR logo is easy to read. The cape is pretty solid. Also, the staff is well done. This figure has a pretty great face sculpt, too; that’s a grim and determined expression right there. I’m kind of surprised that it took until this deep in the line to get to him, but hey, I’m happy he’s here.
Red Hood (Jason Todd): This is the figure that I struggle with the most in the assortment. I’m definitely glad that it exists, but I’m equally bummed that the pistols are sculpted into the gun belt and can’t be removed. That’s a swing and a miss. The rest of the figure itself is pretty good. I like the jacket existing as a separate piece over the torso. The Red Hood helmet sculpt is okay, but the masked Jason head is great. This particular figure has some of the best paint work in the assortment; I especially like the shininess of the helmet itself. Red Hood also comes with a few extra hands, including hands sculpted to hold guns (which is a little ironic).
Katana: I was pleasantly surprised when Katana was announced as part of this group, and I think Mattel did a fine job. The splashes of red and white on a costume that’s predominantly black make for a striking figure; I got a really good paint op on mine, as it has a sleek sheen. Katana does have an extra hand for holding her namesake weapon; that’s another well-done piece. Knowing her history in the Outsiders, I had to take a picture of her with the CW Black Lightning from two weeks back. Seeing them together makes me wish Mattel had gotten time to do Geo-Force and Halo, too. Nice work, good figure.
Batman (Dick Grayson): There’s a lot to like about this figure. First off, I loved the Morrison/Quitely/etc Batman and Robin title. Secondly, he’s sculpted differently than Bruce. You can tell that THIS Batman is different from the OTHER Batman, and that’s excellent. Another difference that’s pretty clever is the use of the cloth cape; it’s another signifier, given the predominance in plastic molded capes for Bruce. Going in that direction with the cape also echoes the way that Quitely drew him, particularly on the cover of issue #1 of that run. The figure comes with an unmasked head and a”hanging cowl” accessory that lets you mimic Dick’s appearance when he has the cowl pulled off. I like this one. It wouldn’t have been one that I would have thought of immediately, and that’s cool; it makes for a nice surprise and it’s a solid figure.
KGBeast: Holy crap; this guy’s HUGE. Originally appearing in the class “Ten Nights of the Beast” story and popping up on occasion across media (Justice League Unlimited; there by his real name in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice), KGBeast has always been a favorite weird villain of mine. I feel like they got the flavor of the guy, particularly with his crazy weapon attachment. That’s just ridiculously big, and also awesome. A pair of daggers go into booth sheaths, which is a great touch. It’s just a massive and intimidating figure, and I really dig it.
Alfred: This Alfred figure is just tremendous. The basic look is terrific. It looks just like Alfred from the comics. The choice of serving tray and glass accessories is hilarious and super-appropriate; way to be on-the-nose, Mattel. This is all well and good. But the thing that pushes Alfred into the stratosphere is the fact that he’s got not one, not two, not three, but four frickin’ heads. Love the ’60s TV show? There’s the Napier head. Love the Keaton movies? Allow us to show you the Gough head. You a comic person? Comic head! And the fourth . . . the Outsider! If you don’t know who the Outsider is (short form: bad Alfred), then trust us; it’s a little complicated to get in right now. But that choice is just awesome. I love this Alfred; obviously, there have been a few over time in various lines, but I think this is the best.
Collect + Connect Killer Croc: Did I say KGBeast was big? Good Lord. Killer Croc is enormous. But even better, he’s still extremely poseable. Frequently in figures of this type, you trade that poseability for the size. Not here. Aside from the hinged jaw, you have good mobility at the joints. And the detail! The size makes it a little easier to achieve this, but this figure is a veritable explosion of scales and ridges. The texture and general weight of this figure is off the charts. Outstanding work.
As you can tell, I think that Mattel pretty much pulled out the stops this time. There are some fine figures here and I appreciate the selection. I got out the DCUC Signature Damien to pose Al and the boys for a couple of shots to mark the occasion. What about you, readers? You like this set? Tell us about it in the comments. Thanks for reading!
In part four of the Batman: Prelude to the Wedding series of one-shots, Tim Seeley, Javier Hernandez, Hugo Petrus, and John Kalisz show Catwoman’s bachelorette party. And Jason Todd, his “Outlaw” teammate Bizarro, and Anarky crash the party, hence, the title Red Hood vs. Anarky #1. Like he’s done with the other one-shots, Seeley finds the duality in Jason and Lonnie Machin aka Anarky. One is trying to please his adopted father Batman while the other is trying to please the Joker, who Lonnie’s single mother said was his dad to get him to shut up as a child. However, this neediness is buried beneath a rebellious and individualistic streak with Jason being the sole member of the Bat-family who regularly uses guns, and Anarky’s whole non-ideology ideology of creating chaos at every opportunity.
need is sprinkled throughout the comic – often being used as a plot device. Without a recap, this is still a Friendly issue, and Aquaman remains one of DC’s top comics. 8.75/10
and then he got four more after the four of the first Lanterns were killed by Volthoom, whom he’s currently trying to stop from destroying another planet in his desire to get home. There’s a glaring plot hole in this issue, but it’s other wise kinda Friendly. 6.5/10
can make you. The comic’s pretty good though. 7/10
Action Comics #987 Look here’s the deal: this issue reveals the identity of someone who has been pulling strings and plotting machinations in the DC Universe ever since Rebirth began. So there’s a chance that, if you just picked this issue up and it’s your first one in the series, not only will you not really know quite what is going on in the wider DCU, but you won’t care. If that’s the case, while this is slightly Friendly the impact of the big reveal will be lost on you. 6/10
Justice League Of America #14 Half of the JLA have followed the distress signal of Ray Palmer, the original Atom, into the microverse (the plane of existence that exists beyond the microscopic level), and they’ve found that there’s a reality ending threat occurring down there. Meanwhile the other half of the team are investigating the origins of the threat from the last arc, a being that can take control/influence you through your dreams, called The Might Beyond The Mirror. The issue is pretty Fiendly, especially with another quick in character recap from Ryan Choi – the new Atom. 7/10
process of attacking the JLA. The chaotic conclusion to Kill Your Darlings is here, and it’s pretty damn enjoyable – and Friendly to boot. 8/10
Batman #30 Another interlude issue in the War Of Jokes And Riddles arc that has been pitting Joker against the Riddler. Last issue had Bruce Wayne hosting the two at a dinner party to ostensibly try and make them see sense in some way, but the twist ending is that he was deciding which side Batman would join. With the first interlude we were treated to a phenomenal character study for Kite Man, so I went in expecting two things; that this would be a great read and a Friendly comic. I was not disappointed. This is utterly phenomenal. 9/10
pretty Friendly. What won’t make sense to you? Ollie Queen has been framed for murder, but he’s skipped town. Black Canary and Red Arrow are trying to find the woman Ollie was accused of killing who may or may not have been kidnapped by human traffickers. Basically that’ll be all you need to enjoy this wonderfully illustrated issue. 8.5/10
All-Star Batman #13 In a look at Alfred’s past, we see Batman face off against the man that Alfred was training to become. This is a really interesting story, and while I won’t be able to give you all the details in this blurb, you should know that the comic is worth reading. Bordering on Unfriendly, this is another win from Scott Snyder. 7.25/10
Action Comics #983 Superman has been attacked by his greatest enemies, and they;ve beaten seven shades of shit out of the Man Of Steel (it doesn’t help that he’ currently blind). Before the final blow came, the cavalry arrived…. it’s a Friendly comic. And really fun.s
Super-Man! This Friendly issue won’t be the easiest place to jump on, but it’s certainly doable.
Red Hood And The Outlaws #7 All you need to know is that this is a Friendly issue. It’s also relatively standalone, too.