A Brief History of Green Lantern Figures: Justice League Unlimited

Annnnnnnnnnd we're back! Sorry for the delay. There is far too much geek going on this Summer. We continue our stroll down the pegs of Green Lantern plastics with a focus on the Justice League Unlimited figure series, which is winding down this year before coming to a sad but inevitable close. We had a great run! This is a love/hate line for most die hard fans. We love them because they are awesome representations of the Bruce Timm designed DC Universe in its animated form. We hate them because a good 50% of them can't stand up or stay standing...at all. They made figures stands just for that reason, correct? That would be great, if all the figures had peg holes in their feet! I can also gripe about the ever increasing prices, but this isn't a pity party. This is a TOYPALOOZA!! WOOO! Let's celebrate the animated Green Lantern Corps, shall we? Here's the lineup...

John Stewart - The chosen Green Lantern of the slightly multi-cultural Justice League from the start, John brought a strict, somewhat militant vibe to the group. This allowed Flash to embrace the roll of "funny guy" as well as wild card, without any scene stealing a Hal Jordan may have inadvertently caused. As a core member, John has had many action figures over the course of the line, but few offered anything profoundly different from previous entries. Painted symbol, inlaid symbol, sculpted symbol...TECHNO GOD!! Occasionally we'd get a deluxe GL with awesome constructs, but all too often, he was left powerless in the package. (I realize now, that sentence is awesome.) Aside from the techno look, evil Green Lantern of the alternate Earth Justice Lords, and a bit of articulation in the arms and legs treated to the core members, the majority of his figures are either with hair or without. Choose your favorite ladies!

Kilowog - The massive and memorable alien star of the Corps, recently featured in the film and given an oh so puny body for his figure. Mattel bulked this one up a bit, but he is still nowhere as big as he should be. He gets the standard 5 points of articulation in the head, shoulders and hips. Kilowog comes in a 3 pack with Tomar Re and John Stewart as well as single packed with his lantern.

Tomar Re - Another alien in the mix; this figure features the standard Green Lantern chest with slimmer arms and legs and a new head. He appears only in the previously mentioned 3 pack.

Katma Tui - Ahhh..the ladies. When we talk about JLU figures that don't stand at all, we are looking at you. These figures all come packed with a stand for just that reason. Katma is your very standard, very re-used female body. She comes in a 3 pack with Kyle Rayner and Arkis Chummuck. There was a second version of the character with a far more accurate paint job and different costume packed into a second three pack featuring John Stewart and Despero. (sorry no pics of that version I have yet to own.)

Kyle Rayner - So far Kyle is the only other human to make it to the core line of figures. Kyle shares a body with many other figures across the line, with the addition of the obligatory new head. Kyle can be found in the previously mentioned 3 pack as well as a purple backed single pack with his lantern. He is also set to re-surface in a convention exclusive 3 pack with Evil Star and Goldface.

Arkis Chummuck - Hey, kids! It's Kyle again! No, it's just that same body with a new head. Why mess with success? Arkis can only be found in the previously mentioned Kyle/ Katma 3 pack.

Sinestro - Before the yellow light gave him an evil stiffy, Sinestro was part of team green. When the animated film Green Lantern: First Flight was released, Mattel created a 3 pack to celebrate. This is the only place to get Sinestro in his green duds. He has also been released in his silly jester-ish blue and black costume and finally, his killer Yellow Lantern costume, using the same body with reversed arms, which would been a nice touch had they put his ring on the opposite hand. Also included in the exclusive "Origins" 3 pack were Abin Sur and Hal Jordan in his flight uniform. To appease some fans, Mattel made the heads interchangeable so you could put Hal in his GL uniform as well. Why was this a big deal? Read on.

Hal Jordan - The single most important, most recognised Green Lantern of all time. Sure, he wasn't in the show, but you would think he'd at least warrant an action figure for old times sake! Hell, they made Aqua Man in his old school outfit!! Gotta complete the vintage Super Friends, right? Right?! Mattel finally gave Hal some respect in the form of a "employees and friends of Matty" exclusive, no doubt created to make us sob creepy large man tears. And by us I mean me. It wasn't until the release of the Animated film to DVD that we would see him again, this time in his orange flight suit. Three cheers for an original sculpt, but what about our love of Hal in uniform? Never fear!! Pop his head off and put it on Sinestro's body and Hal can finally join the team...sans his mask. ~sigh~ Missed it by that much...

Abin Sur - Recreate the moment where a dying alien hands over a great power to the reckless but heroic Hal Jordan! Yay dying toys. Abin rocks the standard GL body with his new, pink, pop off head. To reiterate, Abin can only be found in the Green Lantern Origins 3 pack with Sinestro and Hal Jordan; an exclusive to San Diego Comic Con 2009.

MANHUNTERS!! - I do love when Matty makes the bigger guys and keeps them affordable for us. Due to their size, they are among an elite group of JLU figures that don't fall over! The mechanical menace of the cosmos come 2 to a 3 pack with their pal John Stewart alongside. Since people like to army build, finding this pack was exceedingly hard at the time of release. The Manhunters each come with a control rod accessory; a rarity in 3 packs, making the pack even more desirable. How can you resist a Manhunter holding his rod? (you didn't think I'd let that opportunity slide, did you?)

Star Sapphire (not pictured) - There's that skinny female body again. I swear I have this lady somewhere in my collection, but she chose to not show up for the shoot, so I apologize. Women...m'I right? Hal's on again off again girlfriend/evil doer/cosmic hero turns up with Sand and Superman on a purple backed 3 pack. She also got the single pack treatment along with a purple translucent lightning bolt which she used often in no episodes of the show.







CLICK HERE for the full photo shoot and stay tuned for the 6 inch madness!!

Toy Victory: FINALLY....NEW JUSTICE LEAGUE 3 PACKS!!!

...And the skies opened up and heaven shone down on the lowly state called New Jersey and a booming voice said "You there who would be the keeper of the plastics, go unto Target and begin the reaping!!" And so I went forth and lo, there were JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED FIGURES!! At this point, seeing new JLU figures on the pegs is such a rare occurrence that you rub your eyes in disbelief when it happens. Today I visited my local, daily scalped Target and noticed something different on the pegs. Amid the rows of Fire and Ice 3 packs was one item screaming the words to "one of these things just ain't like the otherrr". A 3 pack with Wonder Woman, Superman and...Blackhawk!! Pretty damn cool, yes, but I was reluctant to spend 12 dollars on 1 new figure, especially when I should be Christmas shopping. It was a pretty easy call as Blackhawk isn't an essential for me. I flipped over the card and saw two familar 2 packs I've been seeing in stores for months now and 1 new one including Batman, Amanda Waller and General Eiling!! So...let me get this straight. The Marvel family is a MattyCollector exclusive but I can walk into a Target and buy two human characters?! Madness. I put Blackhawk back on the peg and took a knee to flip through the 6 inch Public Enemies figures hoping to score a Silver Banshee. What I found was way better. Some enterprising (and un-imaginitive) collector left me a hidden present!! 2 three packs I would not pass up. One was the previously mentioned Batman vs Cadmus pack. The other was the Superfriends pack!!! Again, how this wasn't an online exclusive is beyond me but I'll never argue the logic that puts 3 new figures in my hands for only 12 bucks. Apache Chief, Black Vulcan and Samurai are now MINE. Not even a rampaging Big Arms Joe could tear them from me. Check the eye candy...






















The third three pack on the back was Silver Banshee, Superman and Metallo. I'll take this moment to once again beg Mattel to re-issue the last 2 multi figure packs that included Bwana Beast and that lot. Pleeeeeeeeease? OK I'm done grovelling.











After some spontaneous dancing in the Christmas isle with Lori, Eileen and a feminine sounding elephant caroler, I headed for home and noticed I still had a half hour before Walmart would close. I'd been putting off scoring the Clone helmet for my nephew anyway, so I pointed the car toward evil commerce. NEW STUFF! First I spotted new Batman Brave and the Bold figures. I've got a little love for this line and the giant Lego like holes in their arms. When done well on a specific character, it's a must buy. Other times, they just look like baby toys. On my last run, I grabbed a very retro looking Joker and Green Arrow as well as Plastic Man. Now I spotted Robotman, a smirking gold guy. Meh..pass. On the back, the promise of FIRESTORM!! That one will be a must grab, but this time around, I'd have no joy. Lucky for me those new figures were there because otherwise, I never would have noticed new packaging for Spider-Man! Another line that has been rotting on the pegs, constantly refilled with the same stale wave, and now, some odd differences. A new Black Spider-Man hung next to the older one, nearly identical unless you are a super geek like me. Less blue wash on the new edition and maybe even a new body? He seemed to be standing differently. Behind him, Green Goblin! Talk about an ugly mug...I know Goblin is supposed to be creepy looking, but it almost looks like the sculpt of the head was smushed and they went ahead and did the mold anyway. The second thing you'll notice is a severe cut back on articulation. No wrist swivels, ankles, waist and to add a smack in the face, swivel hips!!! What remains are those awkward Star Wars joints for the knees and elbows, mid torso ball joint, pegged and hinged shoulders and a ball jointed head that is already super loose on my figure. Accessories include a semi translucent pumpkin bomb and a glider with not one drop of paint on it. I feel like I bought the ugly little sucker just because I was so happy to find another new Marvel figure so soon after my Nemesis score. Mistake. You may also want to note that Goblin is slightly shorter than the dudes from the Nemesis wave as well as Torch from the new 2 pack. Complete misfire. I'm positive he'll make some kid very happy but for collectors that most likely have 2 or 3 superior versions (some of which are YEARS older), this one is a definite pass.