DCClassics.Com: Fourth
TRU figure to be… Nightwing?

Toysrus.com has listed the Hal Jordan and Flash exclusives on their website as of today, but with that update TRU possibly revealed the identity of the fourth figure: Nightwing. While there’s no picture yet, if you toss in an eBay leak from a few months back, I believe we can hazard a guess.

Just to get a few doubts squashed about this Nightwing reveal, a cursory check of the TRU site shows two Nightwing figures. One, which is pictured, carries the SKU associated with the regular releases. A second, the one we’re speculating about here, carries the SKU associated with the exclusive Batman, Hal Jordan, and Flash. To us, that seems to make Nightwing a pretty good bet for the fourth TRU exclusive. But what would they do to refresh Nightwing? It turns out we may already have that answer too.

While Nightwing has had his fair share of costume changes over the years, an eBay leak in March (the same leak which first showcased the possibility of a metallic Hal Jordan) showed a Nightwing in his “Renegade” costume. In this particular story arc, collected in Nightwing: Renegade, Dick Grayson creates the villain Renegade to spy on the Secret Society of Supervillains. I’ve not read these particular issues firsthand, but the story sees Dick questioning his role and choices (both as hero and faux-villain) while training (& attempting to redeem) Deathstroke’s daughter Ravager in exchange for information on the Society. If you were reading the larger DC books and not Nightwing (like me) this storyline takes place shortly before Chemo is dropped on Bludhaven.

In the comics, the Renegade costume featured two spikes protruding from the elbows and a fuller cowl that left only his mouth and hair visisble. The ebay picture from Spring was simply a repaint of the standard figure (no spikes) with black boots and gloves on a brown body with the blue symbol in red. The head piece was unpainted, so it’s unknown how Mattel would approach it if they were going in this direction. Would they ignore the mold lines of the Nightwing mask? Would they simply paint that mask brown? I’m not sure. Mattel hasn’t done much painting over sculpted lines with DC Classics, but that’s a common feature of JLU.

So, will Renegade be the fourth TRU exclusive figure? I can’t say for sure, but the signs are definitely pointing to Nightwing as the identity of the last figure. Will it be Renegade? We should know for sure in a few days…

23 thoughts on “DCClassics.Com: Fourth
TRU figure to be… Nightwing?

  1. Even though it is not a needed variant, I can deal with it rather than just a metallic blue repaint of the existing figure. Still, I can’t see a brown and red “Nightwing” being at all recognizable to most collectors or even DC fans. I had no idea of this version of the costume and Dick Grayson is one of my favorite heroes of the DCU. I didn’t follow his series all the time, but can’t believe I missed this particular arc. I may have to pick it up! Thanks for the article, Noisy!

    1. I’m wondering if they should try and sell it was Nightwing or as Renedage. I really don’t think it would matter. šŸ˜‰

  2. I remember this arc, however it seems like an obscure choice for a repaint. In fact, re-releasing Nightwing again seems like overkill! I’ve seen him on the pegs more often than Batman or Superman.

    1. I haven’t here, but the cases where he is an all-star never really showed up in mass quantities. But yeah, the light blue Superman makes a much better fit for the fourth figure.

  3. Another repaint..amazing line. DCUC hits the skids in the 3rd year, but they’ll likely get an extension and more waves if the GL movie announcement a couple weeks back says anything.

    Can’t help but think the same thing could happen to MOTUC next year and they fill monthly slots with He-Man variants. Smash Blade! Thunder Punch He-Man with no action features! Rock on.

    1. So far the bad repaints have only been this awkward TRU subset and the Wal-Mart exclusives. But the line is going past Wave 15, things could start getting wonky.

  4. It’s not Renegade, it’s Chris O’Donnel’s Batman & Robin costume!!
    Or not. I doubt the color scheme would go beyond straight repaint or change the character name.

    The light blue Superman would rock! I don’t really want another Supes, but the light color really could be too Super Powers retro to resist!

    At SDCC, I’d love to see the reveal of Keaton/Reeve 6″ Movie Masters.

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