There are figures you really want and then there are figures you inexplicably must have. The classic Penguin is one of those figures for me. I have a lot of wants for the 6” DC line. I want more characters. I want more tooling. And yet here I am geeking out over a same-character repaint.
If pressed and given a choice between another character and a Penguin repaint… I’d almost always have to go with a new character. I’d love it if the Batman Unlimited line were catered a little more (well, a lot more) towards me. Prometheus. A classic Ra’s Al Ghul. The Ventriloquist. Alfred. I have a lot of DC Classics figures, my list of wants is quite long, and somehow the Batman Unlimited line does just about nothing to trim it down. Well, almost nothing…
Despite my love for never-before-plastic characters, I’m just as excited to have this particular Penguin repaint as I am any of those. This is the Penguin I’ve been needing/wanting ever since I bought the original way, way back in the year 2008. That Penguin was good. The arms seemed a little long (or simply not stubby enough?) but the figure looked great overall and had an appropriately gnarled face sculpt for old Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot. But it just never struck a chord with me.
The reason was simple: I’m a Super Powers kid. The figures came out right around the time I was getting old enough to actually remember which toys I had. And while I had many loves as a kid (as evidenced by the way-too-wide-berth this site tries to cover, not to mention my wallet), Super Powers will always be foremost among them. And so my Penguin has always been a guy that delights in his villainy, is subject to the never-ending “blue was the highlight color” debate, and carries a primary color umbrella that turns a pukey purple color when you spin it around.
As Classics went on, and particularly when it went deep into its Bronze Age / Super Powers lovefest, that first Penguin stuck out more and more to me. The Joker was all Bronze Age. The jumpsuit Riddler, though never a Super Powers figure, also took me back to those good old days. The Silver Age Catwoman joined them to make a sweet “just like you remember” trio. And that Penguin, while technically correct, just never fit in for me. This was the Penguin I needed.
Mattel tossed this classic Penguin into their booth some time ago – SDCC 2011 maybe? It was back before the great line implosion of 2012 for sure. Larfleeze was coming to retail as part of a new DCU All-Stars line and Penguin… well, I was soon crushed to discover that Penguin was just there. He didn’t have a home.
I have a special place of rage that I go to when a toy company shows me something they’re not going to make. I mean, I want to know… it’s cool to know what goes on behind-the-scenes, but I also don’t want to know. Hasbro’s Sigma Six Scarlett & Joe Colton? Ugh! The MO2K figures that never were? Even with Classics and the Stactions, I still want some of the figures Mattel displayed in the “We’re not making these” case. And then there’s Zebra Batman. I’m still mad about that.
For awhile, I was worried that Penguin would end up with the same fate.
Luckily, after more than a year of waiting (and some major reshuffling from Mattel), this classic Penguin found his way to retail. He’s an odd man out in the line, mixed in with two nU52 figures in the first wave, but I don’t care one bit. He’s here’s. He fab. And I’m happy. Continue to Page 2…
Between this Super Powers homage and the upcoming Burgess Meredith TV version, I’m set for life in regards to this character. Pretty much the definitive Penguin for me as well since the previous one didn’t look too classic. The wait was worth it, though. In fact, I’ve yet to open mine. It looks so cool in the package that I placed him up front in my curio for the time being. Very grateful to the 4H for this guy.
Agreed on the two Penguins!
And the packaging is cool, but no blue on the umbrella! LOL On that note, I tried not to get too crazy and point out the nine spaces with yellow parts on the original and only eight on the new. It still turns purple when you spin it, but its not nearly pukey enough!
Way way back, in Spring 2010, I made a fuss over the umbrella sections in my SP Penguin custom.
Proof here: http://www.toymania.com/customcorner/cc25/zellers_r.shtml
And Mattel came to the same conclusion I did, it seems.
I keep meaning to size my old custom up against his new friend and see how it all compares.
Which Batmobile is in that last picture?
Looks like the Super Powers Batmobile.
Indeed! My original with it’s trademark missing passenger windshield.
I don’t trust Mattel to make a Ventriloquist. Knowing them, Wesker would be spot-on, then when they reveal Scarface, it’s just the Tin pack-in with a hat. No sculpt changes, just the hat.
That or repaint of Batmite with Tin’s head and a hat.
I keep seeing and do want. Just can’t pop yet. Gotta axe some of my pull list at the comic shop to save some money. I know will get him eventually.
Funny sidenote a local Walmart had the nu52 and instad of them being on pegs they were just tossed in a spt alla old Kmart stocking skills. No batman wave but had a laugh at this. Guess the nu52 hate is larger than thought. Still overpriced like the wave 18 straglers on NOT Clearance.
The WMs here have been putting all the 6″ figures on the shelves instead of pegging them. Kinda strange.
I was at WM last night, they must have had two cases out, but instead of pegging them they were on the bottom shelf.
Wave 18? Count your blessings. There’s a nearby Wal-Mart that has about 8 Foragers clogging up the works. They finally clearanced them…at $16 a pop! Yeah, that’ll move units.
Oh, I don’t know… My DC shelf is way full of cool figures…
actually there was a superpowers Riddler but its was a brazilian exclusive and was a repaint of green lantern
Actually, that’s a Super Amigo’s Riddler and wasn’t made by Kenner.
Oh yeah, I know about that Riddler! I almost threw that in the joke. Ultimately though, I don’t consider him a part of the line. If we include him, then we have to take a look at El Capitano Rayo and the Abominable Snowman! Best to just stick with the Kenner 34!
that riddler still has the hal’s lantern ring on his finger too.
Since he was a straight repaint of GL Hal, who is really surprised?
I’m still mourning the loss of the New Teen Titans expansion line, esp Donna and the Titans Tower playset!
Awesome review! Despite being slightly too old to appreciate Super Powers the way you do (I’d be a Mego guy), this figure is really charming on his own merits.
Also, can’t wait to see him rewarded with even a placeholder 2013 checklist spot…
List Nag rides again!
Changes noted. Thanks Noisy! 🙂
Thanks for removing the horrific Injustice figures. And there’s also the Red Rain Batman, but I don’t know where he goes.
(OK, apologies– next time I’ll get all my comments in one bag.)
Club Black Freighter?
I’m just trying to make you a better hero, like Zoom does with Wall West.
Love the Scooby Doo reference and man! I have to get me a Penguin!
Scooby Doo or Wendy, Marvin, and Wonder-Mutt?
I did like the modern inclusion/update of them a few years back, with the exception that Mutt was some Hades Hound planted by Ares(?), who then went on to maul and kill Marvin. Wiping this out of continuity with the nu52 was one of the few mercies of the reboot.
Great Job…this penguin is tempting me hard these days
Will the Super Powers umbrella fit in the new Penguin figures hand any better?
SP Pengy looks okay, but not being a Bat-maniac, he’s an easy pass for me.
Burgess Meredith Penguin, however, I might have to track down.
If they announced a Movie Masters Danny DeVito Penguin, I would probably get him, too.
Otherwise, I’m fine with my DCUC w2(?) comic version.
I found these today at Warshington Target, wasn’t impressed by Pengy or nu52 Supes/Bats variants, but I did grab Hawkman.
(and Onion WM was the only one to get a Helicarrier in, then had it for $59 clearance last week, but someone got to it before I could! 🙁 oh well, it wasn’t a *need it* item. FoC and Beast TF are trickling in, tho.)
Maybe its just me but the head sculpt looks like he is wearing one of those rubber celebrity masks.
It’s not just you. That’s all I see when I look at the face.
Well I guess now we know who the mastermind was behind the bank jobs in Point Break.
might be due to the separate piece for the nose?
and the plastic coloring?
(still…[shoots two guns in the air in frustration])
Dont Think ill be getting this one, I prefer wave 1’s head sculpt to this.I aint have any affinity for superpowers since i was born 6 years too late,so that may have something to do with it. Still Great review. Almost persuaded me towards buying one. Almost. Cheers on the updated DCUC Checklist btw!
have to admit of all the super powers redo i was hoping mattel would do for dc classics the penquin was my top choice even though the umbrella this time arounds comes up a little short size wize for without the machine gun the thing slips into his hands luckly i can borrow the umbrellas from my other penquin figures. including the one coming with Burges meridith in the batman 66 line.