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<\/a>If the Super Friends or Geoff Johns versions of classic characters leaves you cold, then DC Universe Classics Wave 18 probably isn\u2019t your favorite, but the wave still has something to offer even the most stalwart DC Classics Collector, one of DC\u2019s most renowned martial artists, Ben Turner, the Bronze Tiger! <\/p>\nBronze Tiger has one of the stranger DC publication histories, first appearing as a supporting cast member for Richard Dragon in a novel, not a comic. Created by Denny O’Neil & Jim Berry, Ben Turner was a student of the O-Sensei alongside Richard Dragon. When the novel gave way to a comic adaptation, the pair became two of DC’s greatest martial artists. But in the final issue of that series, Turner is brainwashed and turned into a villain, the Bronze Tiger. After that, things get a little wonky. Turner exists on the fringe of DC for awhile and, as tends to happen to characters on the fringe, his history gets a little muddy. But there is one constant, as the Bronze Tiger, his skills continue to sharpen and he becomes one of the world’s more feared assassins. <\/p>\n
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<\/center><\/p>\nDespite various attempts to deprogram him over the years, Turner would almost always return to the role of a brainwashed villain. That is until he met up with the Suicide Squad and they flipped him back to ‘good’ on a more permanent basis. His tenure on the Squad during Ostrander’s run is surely what gives Bronze Tiger the street cred among fans and the oomph to get Mattel to produce a figure of him. He hasn’t been used as often in recent years, but when\/if DC brings back the Squad, the Tiger is usually sure to follow (but hopefully not in the relaunch because that Squad book looks awful).<\/em><\/p>\n I’ve rewritten the above biography a couple times because I just can’t quite get it to convey how cool a character Bronze Tiger really is when written well. He’s a really shining example of a great character that gets lost in the c-list and d-list ranks of the DCU. He’s an expert martial artist haunted by a million skeletons in his closet. He’s done some very bad things, but he’s an honorable man at his core and when a writer explores that… well, it’s made for some great comics. Man… I need to re-read some Suicide Squad…<\/p>\n Bronze Tiger uses a basic buck and that gets the job done for the most part. The line has always had painted gloves or boots here and there, but for some reason it’s bugging me more on this figure than previous offerings. Maybe I’m still just hung up on how Black Vulcan<\/a> turned out. Bronze Tiger does sport a new belt\/tunic piece that helps sell the figure’s look despite the other details being painted on. The new piece blends in great and really gives the figure a seamless look.<\/p>\n I harp on the boots and gloves, but the figure still looks great in-hand, particularly because of the two awesome head sculpts. We all know that the Four Horsemen can sculpt amazing animal heads, so there’s little doubt of just how awesome they would do the tiger head, but they also turned in a nice, stern Ben Turner head to boot. I’ll probably be leaving him with his tiger head most of the time, but the alt head might sneak out into the display on occasion. Continue to Page 2…<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Since the costume is light on sculpted details, the paint has to do most of the work and the good news is that the paint really pulls its weight. The figure is cast in a great orange plastic with sharp black lines for the details and some great black & red tiger striping along the seams. The paint details on the Ben Turner are similarly well done, but it’s the paint on the tiger head that really shines. It’s complex and well-executed. We can never have too much of that.<\/p>\n Bronze Tiger has all the articulation we’ve come to expect. Good range on the ball-joints at the neck (the tiger head can’t look down though) and shoulders, swivels at the bicep, wrist, waist, & thighs, hinges at the elbows, knees, & ankles, the ab crunch, and the 4H hips. His status as a preeminent martial artist makes the lack of rocker ankles rather criminal (and ball wrists wouldn’t have hurt either). <\/p>\n Bronze Tiger is also loaded up on accessories courtesy of a few friends from DC Universe Classics Wave 3 including Nightwing’s escrima sticks and Deathstroke’s sword and bo. I love having all this stuff for him even if they’re recycled. Though I will take a minute to again point out how awesome a karate choppin’ hand would be (even though it would mean he couldn’t use all these wonderful accessories). <\/p>\n Overall, Bronze Tiger is a solid reminder of what makes this line great. Yeah, I can point out the lack of sculpted details on the arms and boots or measure him against an ideal and whine about no karate choppin’ hand, but I still love what’s here. He’s a sweet representation of a great, but lesser known, DC character. I mean, I just got to take a picture of Bronze Tiger kicking Animal Man in the face. I would’ve never thought that possible, even a few years ago. <\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/reviews\/dcimages\/2011\/brt2.JPG?w=640\")
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