Super-Articulate: Catching Up on DC Multiverse (Batman Ninja Asst. Part 1)
Greetings again, friends! We have a veritable title wave of DC Multiverse to catch up on in our next couple of installments, as well as a look at the Imaginext Remote-Controlled Batmobile. We’re getting started today with five figures from the DC Multiverse “Batman: Ninja” Collect + Connect figure assortment. But first, we thank the fine folks at Mattel for providing us with these figures for free for the purposes of review. That said . . . Titans Together!
Nightwing: Four of the six regular figures in this group are Titans affiliated characters, and we’re starting off the ur-Titan, the original Boy Wonder himself, Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing. Nightwing has a pretty prestigious figure history at Mattel, having appeared in number of comic and animation-based lines. He lines up in verticals that include the mainstream DCU and animated product, as well as Imaginext. This particular version is a really nicely done piece; it’s look is taken from the recent Rebirth era in the comics.
One of the cool things about this particular figure is the hair. There was a singular look that Nightwing had in regard to his hair in the recent Titans series, via artist Brett Booth and others. Well, the sculpting and design team nailed it. On top of that, the general overall look of the figure is impressive. This is a rock-solid Nightwing. The figure comes with two sets of hands (fists and “holding”) and two escrima sticks. (I’ll talk about the individual Collect and Connect pieces in part two when I assemble Batman: Ninja).
Starfire: This is a really good representation of Kori. Focusing on the hair for a minute again, I really like the translucent effect that they used on the plastic; it allows light to pass through while also giving it a fiery and otherworldly vibe. It’s a nice resting effect for the character that gives the hair a unique look. The costume reflects that one that Kori’s been wearing in the Rebirth-era DCU, and that’s great. I have zero problem with her classic Perez look, which I love, but it’s been made a few times. This is a whole new take, and I dig it.
In terms of comic accuracy, Mattel went with the heeled boots here. Frankly, that doesn’t always work out, as figures with heels tend to fall easily. However, I had no problem standing or posing Starfire with the heels; even with the large hair, the figure is incredibly well-balanced. That’s a big win for displaying collectors. I also think that the face sculpt is fine work, with the individual tendrils of hair in front being a nice touch. This figure comes with two green energy signature/blast accessories. I found them to fit really nicely and up the display presentation of the figure.
Rebirth Wally West Flash: OG Wally West is one of my two favorite DC characters. I was a massive fan of Mark Waid’s run, and I was sad that he vanished from the DCU. I like the newer Wally, but I was also glad when our guy here made his return. For me, this was the figure that I anticipated the most from this assortment. I’m not disappointed.
Wally here has a number of cool touches. He’s got the silver accents. He’s got the two shades of red. He also has some cool hair. (Is 2019 the greatest year for action figure hair across all companies? It might be.) Including two sets of hands (fists and flat running/sprinting posed hands) makes complete sense. The silver lightning effects attach to the wrists to give the look that occurs when Wally is using his speed in the comics, which definitely shows that Mattel is paying attention to the books when they make the figures. Like Nightwing, Wally’s been represented a bunch of times in several formats, going back to Justice League, even. This is a fine version of the character that we’ve had back for a few years, and I was glad to see Mattel give it some love.
Green Lantern John Stewart: Not a Titan, but a stalwart of the DCU. With his somewhat recent return to the Justice League and his long history in animation and comics, John is definitely a DC A-lister. I’m glad to see him get a good treatment here. Of particular note are the eyes; the eyes might be the most “alive” set of eyes that I’ve seen on any of the DC Multiverse figures. That’s a really refined job there; it took some real craftsmanship to get that set and expression.
The figure overall is a pretty smooth sculpt. John doesn’t require a lot of extra details; just precision in the paint op and general quality, and this figure’s got both. In terms of extras, John comes with some alternate hands. The rest one is a ring-hang with a blooming energy signature. It’s a cool effect and looks good for display. It’s another strong showing from the team.
Black Lightning (CW TV version): Black Lightning (co-created by Tony Isabella and a Trevor Von Eeden) is back! This is a great representation of the TV version of Jefferson Pierce. First of all, that facial likeness, even around the goggles, is terrific. You can tell its him at a glance. It’s really well done.
The best thing about this figure would be all of the little fine details. The circuitry layout, etc. is captured really nicely and just pops under the right light. It makes the figure distinct from other figures. It’s a very cool effect. Also worthy of praise are the extra hands; we get three pairs here, including fists, holding, and electrified. I shot a picture of the lightning hand from the side to capture that “mid-action” look, and I think the piece turned out well. I’m historically less sure of TV or film-based figures, but this turned out to be a really good one.
So where’s Beast Boy? And the completed Batman:Ninja figure? You’re going to have to wait for the next installment for those! We’re going check out Garfield, assemble the Batman, and quite possibly check in with a couple of underwater inhabitants of the DCU. What do you think of these? Did you have luck finding them in your area? What’s your favorite? Talk to us here and on social. Thanks for reading!
