Cure my ignorance

[joey_nelson]

New to this forum and even newer to DC Classics. Please pardon such a crazy question, but I am wanting to start collecting the DC Classics with my kids and am curious of something not so obvious to me; What (if any) is the difference between the DC Classics, DC Direct, and DC Signature collection figures? I used to dabble in the wresting figures so I am savvy to deifferences in lines, but I am just too new to the DC game. I've used wiki and other sites, but I suppose it'd be easier to ask real people to break it down for me.

Also, am I correct in the fact that the DC Classics type figures are being phased out and no longer produced aside form specials and exclusives?

Thanks in advance

[Lay Ze-Man]

Welcome!!

Some quick- n-dirty distinctions:

Anything made by Mattel (DC Superheroes, DC Universe Classics, Club Infite Earths, Batman Unlimited, Signature Collection, etc) are made by the Four Horsemen, in the 6" scale, and highly articulated. They all feature an almost identical base figure type (buck) so they can be viewed as one umbrella line with different titles.

DC Direct/DC Collectibles are generally speaking too big to blend in with Mattel stuff, and usually feature much less articulation. They're also frequently artist-specific and done by a range of sculptors, so overall it lacks the uniformity of a Mattel set of figures.

Noisy here has some great checklists for the Mattel stuff you should definitely check out!!!

[joey_nelson]

Thank you, Thank you very much.

[dayraven]

it's worth note that for play purposes for kids, the DC Direct/DC Collectibles figures are more brittle and less likely to survive the kinds of punishment a kid will inflict.

that said, more than one DC figure from mattel too has broken under the play patterns of my children, who were not exceptionally hard on them. they're ok for kid play, but it better be light play.

[Lay Ze-Man]

Very important point DR! I totally glossed over the kid angle.

[PrfktTear]

Welcome to the fold! If you have not seen it already, please check out the DC Classics Checklist, it's an invaluable resource!

http://www.itsalltrue.net/?page_id=2038

[Tochiro]

I'll just chime in, most action figures today just aren't geared to the kind of stress that serious kid play imparts.

Those old Kenner Star Wars figures with their minimal 5 points of articulation could stand hard-core epic battles. Same goes for the Kenner Super Powers figures.

Nowadays, with the variable quality control, the curious choices of mis-matched plastic types for various body parts, I can't help but feel a kid would be buying more frustration than fun.

Plus let's not forget that as far as DCU is concerned, a person would be buying MOST of the key heroes on the secondary market. Is paying well, well over original MSRP worth the entertainment they might provide?

As a long-term DC fan (who feels completely abandoned by DC nowadays) I might suggest steering to the Marvel Legends figures (they're in the 6 inch scale) because as least Hasbro knows how to keep a line going. I think Iron Man can take 'Taker. Maybe not Cena.

[dayraven]

cena always wins... so yeah, i'd back him against iron man. but if the mcmahons were calling the shots!

[Mose]

cena always wins... so yeah, i'd back him against iron man. but if the mcmahons were calling the shots!

Cena's pushed so hard that he's flown passed the moon and is in Mars' orbit now.

Back on topic: As dayraven said Mattel's DCU is good but they're not the most durable figures. I only own a few though.