{"id":28077,"date":"2014-06-01T20:24:52","date_gmt":"2014-06-02T01:24:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=28077"},"modified":"2014-07-01T00:41:20","modified_gmt":"2014-07-01T05:41:20","slug":"dc-collectibles-designer-series-greg-capullo-talon-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=28077","title":{"rendered":"DC Collectibles Greg
Capullo Talon Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a> If you\u2019ve been a DC toy collector for longer than fifteen years, then you know how crucial DC Direct was when it started. While Toy Biz pumped out mountains of Marvel figures throughout the 90s, Kenner\/Hasbro mainly stuck to Batman, the various movies and animated series. Superman occasionally got a figural nod. Wonder Woman was tied up, unused, at Mattel. And… everybody else? Ha! <\/p>\n

If you asked a DC collector in 1999 where to pick up the deepest roster of DC figures, they would have to point you to Super Powers, a fifteen year old toy line. Other than a non-Batman guy getting an occasional guest spot in a Batman line, or a couple 6-12 figure attempts by Kenner\/Hasbro over the years, that was it. The idea that Mattel would come along and rock our collecting DC world for the last decade wasn\u2019t even something to hope for. It was dark times. <\/p>\n

But in 1999, DC Comics took matters into their own hands. They formed DC Direct to… well, to sell directly to their customers through comic shops. Looking back, the first offerings weren\u2019t the best \u2013 soft sculpts, not the best articulation – but it didn\u2019t matter. The Sandman! Wonder Woman! Swamp Thing!* It was amazing enough that they existed! And talk about drinking the sand because you don\u2019t know the difference? Those figures still hold a special place in my new52-blackened heart. <\/p>\n

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DC Direct went on for years making characters DC fans had only dreamed of (& some we didn\u2019t) thanks largely to their inability to make any Superman & Batman figures. Thinking back, the sculpts were probably always the highlight. The articulation improved over time, but wonkiness would often crop up. Stil, it was awesome. Dr. Fate & the Spectre. Heck, almost the whole JSA. Flash Rogues. The Legion. Sgt. Rock! The Crime Syndicate. Were they all great figures? With what we see & expect today? Maybe not. But it was a hell of a ride! For the first five years, I bought every DCD figure (except MAD Magazine figs). Looking through Joe Acevedo’s awesome DCD checklist<\/A>, I see page after page of good memories. <\/p>\n

In 2005-6, the artist-inspired figures started. Miller figures. Jim Lee figures. And they could make Batman & Superman figures by that point too, so the depth chart dried up more than a littel. They still produced some killer figures, but I found myself buying less. That was probably spurred on by the regime change at DC too. Hal was back. The absolutely awful Identity Crisis was published. And Mattel would soon grab my attention with the better articulated, Four Horsemen sculpted, Super-Powersesque S3\/DCUC line. I\u2019d still buy an occasional DCD figure if it was really well done or from a story I enjoyed. That came to an end in 2011 \u2013 the Blue Lantern Warth was my last DCD figure \u2013 when DC Direct made the switch to the New 52 figures.<\/p>\n

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In the last three years, they’ve also switched to being called DC Collectibles instead of DC Direct. Over that time, various friends would tell me that the figures were getting better and better. Honestly, I wasn\u2019t interested. The sculpts did look better. Added articulation could be more fun. But everything was from New 52 or the Arkham games*. Solicit after solict, I didn\u2019t see anything I needed. And then I quit looking at solicits altogether.<\/p>\n

* – The Arkham stuff is well and good, but the life of a 90s DC Collector including buying countless versions of Bat-villains. An updated figure of the classic designs? I\u2019m game for that, but another new version of those guys. I’m just too old for that.<\/em><\/p>\n

This year finally broke that trend and DCC got me to notice. The new, six-inch, better articulated, Animated figures look snazzy. A handful of New 52 figures \u2013 mostly ones where I like the redesigned costumes, if not the books \u2013 look sharp. And, finally, a legitimate \u201cNew 52\u201d character, one that does not exist in my preferred DCU, but I enjoyed all the same seemed to have gotten a cool figure. Remember, this is a Talon Review after all. <\/p>\n

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I should\u2019ve just had my local shop order me one of this guy. I knew I wanted him, but I was maybe okay if I didn\u2019t run across him? It\u2019s odd to figure out. When I did find him, he was $25 and I still wasn\u2019t convinced. The funny thing is that the MSRP on a DC Collectibles figure is $25. I pay $25 pretty routinely for figures, but there are a couple guys at this particular store that price their DCCs at $18. It figures the first figure I finally kinda want had to come in while the smarter guy was working. I snagged my $25 Talon while leaving the $22 Crime Syndicate figures and $18 Bizarro nearby. Pains me. <\/p>\n

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Now that we’re finally talking about the figure, I should point out the packaging really wasn\u2019t notable other than it says this is a \u201cGreg Capullo Action Figure”. Maybe it\u2019s him under that Talon mask? The figure did look sharp in the package too. Riddler was also at the store, but those mutton chops of his offend me. Plus, another Riddler. Ugh. Batman & Nightwing had already been picked up before I got there, so I didn’t see ’em. Now, I never<\/em> need another Batman, but the promise that Talon seemed to have in the package made me kinda wish I\u2019d at least been given the chance to see the Batman. Continue to Page 2…<\/a><\/p>\n

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Out of the box, Talon was not as impressive as I hoped, but he is good figure. As usual for DC Direct, …er Collectibles the sculpt is best part of the figure. He\u2019s a matte black, but every detail is sculpted and contrasts well despite the solid color. He photographs great and the stark contrast with the silver & gold draws the eye. Greg Capullo did a great job on the design (I loved it enough in the comic to want the fig, after all) and DCC translated it very well; right down to the subtlety owl-shaped knee pads. <\/p>\n

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The paint was minimal but good for the most part, there was a little bit of slop on the gold areas, but I picked him knowing I could fix that without little issue \u2013 I\u2019m unlikely to see Talon a ton of times, so I\u2019m more willing to fix deco issues than I would be on mass retail figure. One thing i didn’t like was that there was a lot of white gunk in key areas. I had thought it possible that he was molded white and painted black for a split-second, but this appeared to be dried glue. I gave the figure a good wipe down after opening him, but you can still see it in some of the pictures. <\/p>\n

The articulation was what going to be key to my enjoying the figure and, except for a couple things, the articulation was what I wanted. In the central torso, the ab crunch doesn\u2019t have the best range, but it works and there\u2019s a waist swivel for good measure. I do wish the head had still been articulated. They opted to just make the head and torso one-piece, but the figure would be a lot more fun if the whole cowl piece had a little movement separate from the torso. Similarly, a double-hinge elbow would be nice in the arms to grab the swords from his back, but the ball-shoulders & wrists, and the bicep swivels still give plenty of arm range for posing. <\/p>\n

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The legs though \u2013 they\u2019re struck by QC. There\u2019s a lot to like. The hips have decent range, the thigh & calf swivels are great to have (one calf swivel is still stuck, doh), and the double-hinge knees are all fantastic. The ball-ankles are welcome too, but they\u2019re loose. Two other collectors warned me about this and it\u2019s true for mine as well. If you get him into a balanced pose, he\u2019ll hold it, but you\u2019ve got to get it just right or the ankles will give into the lean and *boom* Talon comes crashing down. It’s happened twice while writing this review. <\/p>\n

For the $25, Talon does include a few nice accessories. There’s the Court of Owls prop mask from the story. It\u2019s a cool add-in. Also included are two swords and two knives. He holds everything great, but they are brittle. The packaging itself already cracked the two knives near the hilt. It\u2019s funny. He has a sheath for just one, so it feels like they know you\u2019re going to break one and gave you an extra. <\/p>\n

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The amazing thing though, and I didn\u2019t know this until I was playing around with him, is that the six throwing knives on his bandolier? Removable! That was awesome! I had missed that in any news leading up to the figures release and was pleasantly surprised. It easily bumps the figure up a few notches in the wow factor. <\/p>\n

Overall, it\u2019s kinda sad to think about how much I used to love DC Direct, how many figures of theirs I had, and then how few of their recent releases have made it to the site. I could always go back and do some retros, but they never do as well as the current stuff. The good nesws is that things are looking up. Talon feels like he\u2019s somewhere between NECA & Mattel\/Hasbro in terms of quality and that honestly means DCD has come a long way from that first Wonder Woman figure. I was never that worried about the articulation or the overall toyness during all my years collecting these, but they should now give anyone that had those reservations pause if they\u2019re all like this. I\u2019m interested in picking up more; I just need the subject matter to come back around to stuff that interests me. <\/p>\n

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More DC Direct Reviews:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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For all our Reviews, check out our Review Index<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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