Sometimes as toy collectors, we can look across our displays and, no matter how many toys we have, only see the ones that aren’t there. They are the missing figures. The characters toy companies never got around to, never thought were important enough, or worse – the figures companies felt the need to show us at comicon in the “We’re Never Gonna Make These” case.

For Joe fans, there is the Sigma Six Scarlett, or Big Lob and Pythona in the 3 3/4″ line. Transformers Alternators fans could never have a Bumblebee. Bandai showed and then axed the Teen Titans Doom Patrol. Some MOTU fans are still waiting for an update, any update, of Scareglow. The list goes on and on.

For DC Universe Classics, the shelves are filling up as the roster fills out from both ends with crucial figures like Green Arrow and obscure limbo-dwellers like Earth-3 Alexander Luthor. But as we look across our DCUC shelves, many of us still see that certain figures are inexplicably missing this far into the line. Central to most of our lists is the Martian Manhunter

Why Martian Manhunter? Despite that many feel he’s an interesting character in his own right, the primary reason that J’Onn is so highly sought may not have much to do with the character himself, but rather his status as a founding and basically constant member of the Justice League. One thing that tends to drive toy collectors nuts is the inability to complete teams. DC Direct has made an art out of it in the last ten years.* We as fans understand that it might be difficult to get a Chief and round out a Doom Patrol, to get all of the JSA, or to get any Metal Men at all, but to not have a complete Justice League? Unforgivable. And that’s why J’Onn J’Onzz despite having probably two dozen toys already is “No. 1” on the must make list for DCUC. It’s just not a DC shelf without the League, and it’s not a League without the Martian.

* – I keep a DCD Justice League in my shelf space. Even though DC Direct has made multiple versions of all the characters (including 9 Martian Manhunters!), it’s still a hodge podge of assorted styles and sizes that don’t quite go together.

Sure, some sources have told us that Martian Manhunter will be along. He’s on the five year plan, right? But some of the rumors say we might have as long as a year-and-a-half to go; that we won’t see him until 2011 at the earliest. That seems like an eternity in the toy business – the equivalent of Wave 17 when a lot of us are working on putting Wave 8 together. Imagine it in terms of volume, our shelves will be have twice as many DCUC figures as they do now by the time he comes out. Martian Manhunter – 180th on the DCUC list. That’s crazy.

Hopefully, some plans can change or some stars can align and the Manhunter can show up on toy shelves sooner – any sooner would be better.