Just before C2E2, DC sent out a press release announcing their name change from DC Direct to DC Collectibles. Despite the name not quite rolling off the tongue quite as well, a lot of excitement has been moving through the comics community due to the company expanding their figure offerings in their new online store. This made the panel at C2E2 a must-cover for us. Let’s go over some of the highlights!
DC Chief Creative Officer and writer extraordinaire Geoff Johns took the stage as moderator and was joined by Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner, Adam Hughes, and Jim Fletcher from DC Direct to showcase some upcoming releases and debut some exciting new figures from DC Collectibles, which I will never prefer typing to DC Direct.
They started out with a couple exclusives to start up DC Collectibles, which you may have already seen over the weekend on DC’s blog. First up is the Flashpoint Box set, which will feature some of the already released figures as well as the previously unreleased Emperor Aquaman and a 500 dollar poker chip from Wayne Casino, which Geoff Johns seemed particularly excited about.
Definitely going to be a buy for me, though I’m a bit disappointed that Aquaman is just a repaint of previous figures and not more accurate to Flashpoint with the head sculpt. With the much-deserved popularity of the new 52 book, let’s hope he gets some more attention soon.
A shot from the DC booth of the box. Would be nice if DC Collectibles in its new focus on the consumer would give us some more interesting ways to display figures like they used to with the Aquaman/Aqualad and Wonder Woman/Wonder Girl sets, especially with the new sets they’re putting out. Doesn’t look like it will be happening here.
Also coming as a web exclusive will be this new Sinestro bust. The buzz from the audience was good but it seemed a lot of people wanted GL merch that didn’t have to do with Sinestro and Hal, and there was excited and well-received talk of DC putting out a Mogo Beach Ball, which while it isn’t an action figure or statue I would definitely buy.
While I agree with everyone that there’s an oversaturation of core DC (and Marvel for that matter) characters released, I gotta say that this new bust is a great sculpt and much more detailed than the older Yellow Lantern release. Ever since Brightest Day the action figures from DC Direct have been really stepping up in quality, and it looks like the busts are following suit. I’m excited.
Speaking of busts, they premiered the New 52 versions of Wonder Woman and Superman releasing this fall. I prefer the Superman action figure sculpt over the bust, but the Wonder Woman is definitely going to adorn my shelf come September.
Coming out in August is this great Batgirl bust. I know a lot of people want more Stephanie Brown, in fact she was brought up at the panel as people wanting more of her in Robin and Batgirl forms, but you gotta love Barbara Gordon. This sculpt really steps up the quality compared to the previous Women of the DC universe line and again, showcases the attention to detail in the New 52 stuff that really gets me excited about future DC Collectibles releases. Now I just wish they’d give their sculptors a bit more attention, as whoever did this Batgirl deserves some serious applause. Expect a review from me once she releases. Looks like I’m going to be poor this fall!
Also in the New 52 line is this new Cyborg bust coming in July. What do you think of busts? Nice way to get a scaled statue without paying the price for a full figure? Would you rather DC Collectibles focus on cheaper PVC statues like Kotobukiya instead? Seems a lot of comic fans collect the Bowen Marvel busts but I haven’t heard as many supporters of the DC lines. Perhaps that will change with the fantastic sculpts on these releases.
Of course we have to mention the Dark Knight Rises releases including this Catwoman bust. Geoff Johns talked about working very closely with the crew and actors to get the most detailed likenesses possible.
They’re also releasing variants of the Bane and Batman you’ve probably already seen floating around the net. It’s hard to not prefer the Bane statue’s pose to this static one.
There is so much more to show you coming from DC that I am going to split it up into a few posts.
DC New 52 Action Figures
Arkham City and Before Watchmen Ame-Comi, The Dark Knight Rises, and everything else
Check back for more!
