{"id":25694,"date":"2013-11-13T00:09:19","date_gmt":"2013-11-13T06:09:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=25694"},"modified":"2013-11-13T18:19:41","modified_gmt":"2013-11-14T00:19:41","slug":"top-ten-dc-universe-classics-were-crushed-they-skipped","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=25694","title":{"rendered":"Top Ten: DC Universe Classics
We’re Crushed They Skipped!"},"content":{"rendered":"

In our first two Top Tens, there was some (maybe misplaced) optimism. MOTUC could possibly go on beyond 2015. Star Wars Black has a shot to be “the” line to collect the next few years. Today’s Top Ten has nothing to do with anything like that. With the last five figures slated to be released on Mattycollector in 2014, we can offically stuck a fork in DC Universe Classics*. And that means it’s time to reassess. To take a look at our sprawling DC Collections and do the thing collectors seem to love, staring a giant shelf of toys and seeing… who’s not there<\/em>. <\/p>\n

* – Call me foolish, but I’m still hopeful that those DC bucks can find a way to limp along. Looking at JLU & MOTUC, I’m sure Mattel’s game, but I’m not so sure that DC would want to play ball. They kinda suck like that.<\/em><\/p>\n

These lists aren’t necessarily a list of the ten (twenty) most popular characters Mattel skipped over for DC Classics or even one we expect a lot of folks to agree with like the two previous. It’s also not geared to give even one iota of concern if “DC Direct” had made a particular figure or not. I don’t care about that anymore than I care if there was a Super Powers or JLU figure. It was a free-for-all and I told Vault to just pick the ten figures he really wanted on the shelf. He did. I’ve seen his list and I would buy all of his picks, and I’m sure he’d buy all of mine, but my list morphed a bit into something different after he & I talked. I decided to exclude characters that had already been made, but in a different costume (mostly, you’ll see). I might do another Top Ten later just for alternate costumes on released characters. That might be fun…. for another day. Let’s get on to the list! <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Noisy No. 10 – Aztek & Zauriel!<\/th>\nVault No. 10 – Alternate Supermen & Batmen!<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nI’m already cheating, I know. I just couldn’t chop the Morrison Baby in half. I’ve been reading comics for thirty years, but Morrison’s JLA run is still one of the most fantastic things I’ve ever read and we didn’t get near enough toys from it. My JLU Aztek and TJ Zauriel still stand proud on my shelves, but articulated Classics of this 90s pair is still a huge want.<\/td>\nI\u2019m glad to say, aside from one particular Green Lantern, DC Classics was a line of mostly unique characters. Don\u2019t get me wrong; I am truly happy about that fact, but DC\u2019s big two suffered a bit because of it. Bats fared better because of his short lived sub-line, but great versions like Kingdom Come, One Million, Earth 1, etc. never happened & my shelves are sadder for it.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Noisy No. 9 – Phantom Girl!<\/th>\nVault No. 9 – Doc Magnus & The Chief!<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nI could’ve picked any Legion girl for this spot, but I’m partial to Phantom Girl (or Apparition, if you prefer). I get Mattel’s caution, the Legion is a huge<\/em> rabbit hole even if you’re just reading the comics & not trying to make toys, but only one lady in that giant Legion set was a poor showing. Admittedly, I can’t pick who I would’ve left out for her either, but that doesn’t make it right.<\/td>\nI\u2019m putting these two together because they\u2019re in a similar situation. Both characters are the “leaders” of their group, but are just mere, apparently uninteresting, mortals. This apparently precluded them from selling in an \u201cadult collector\u201d line. Even the failed subscription didn\u2019t bother with them and now my Doom Patrol and Metal Men will forever be little incomplete.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Noisy No. 8 – The Ray!<\/th>\nVault No. 8 – Oracle!<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nI think, out of everyone on my Top Ten, this is my most indulgent pick, even more so that Aztek or Zauriel. The Ray was a fun 90s dalliance & GA legacy character and I loved it. Particularly that “Legacy” bit. It’s a shame DC doesn’t want to tell stories about them anymore, but I digress. The Ray is just one of those toyetic designs that would’ve looked great in Classics.<\/td>\nA major part of Barbara Gordon\u2019s career took place behind a computer instead of a mask. As Oracle, she not only ran interference and research for the Bat Family, but she helped coordinate the efforts of most of DC\u2019s major heroes and ran her own super team, the Birds of Prey. It\u2019s a shame she wasn\u2019t recognized as Oracle in the Classics line.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Noisy No. 7 – Stephanie Brown (Um, Any?)!<\/th>\nVault No. 7 – Warlord!<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThis is one character that I wonder about ever coming up in the Mattel offices. DC was really big about disavowing here for the line’s heyday, so approval might not have been easy to come by. We did get a great DCD Batgirl version, but I feel like a Spoiler would’ve fit well in Classics (most of the Bat-family got figures after all). Honestly, I would really love a figure of her as Robin.<\/td>\nWarlord pains me on two different fronts. Not only is he a great silver age character that deserved a spot in this line, but he also would have made a perfect tie-in to MOTU Classics. In 1982 Remco Toys produced a line of Warlord figures that was heavily inspired by the original MOTU style. A modern SDCC two-pack with both DC & MOTU Classics would have been an awesome homage.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Noisy No. 6 – Vigilante!<\/th>\nVault No. 6 – Trickster!<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nWhile I love Marvel Legends, I prefer the DC aesthetic that the 4H crafted. It looks fantastic, but the need for part reuse kept us from getting some truly unique figures. Vigilante here is one great example. This GAer would’ve lent some nice western spice to our shelves, but figures like him, the Shining Knight, or the Viking Commando couldn’t seem to get the time of day.<\/td>\nThe Flash Rogues a sore subject for a lot of collectors. While Batman’s Rogues fared well, Barry & Wally’s did not. Only a couple made it into the line despite hundreds of chances. Then again, had Trickster made it into the line in those later years, we might not have gotten the right version. Yep, I’m looking at you Captain Boomerang.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

Continue to Page 2 for our Top Fives<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Noisy No. 5 – Dr. Light II!<\/th>\nVault No. 5 – Batman (Damien Wayne)!<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nDCUC needed more (& better) women and one I would’ve loved to see was the second Dr. Light! She was sometimes a hard character to love in the comics, but I’ve been a fan ever since she first appeared in Crisis<\/em>. I’d say one of the my main reasons is her sleek B&W costume, but I never, ever want a figure of the first Dr. Light, so it can’t just be that. <\/td>\nI know I just threw a bunch of Supermen and Batmen out at the beginning, but I consider the next two their own unique characters with a valid costume change and not just more Bruces. Damien is probably my favorite DC character in the last decade. I\u2019m extremely happy his Robin has squeaked under the cutoff, but wish his Batman had seen a little love too.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Noisy No. 4 – Vixen!<\/th>\nVault No. 4 – Batman (Dick Grayson)!<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nYears from now, when we learn some behind-the-scenes bit about DC Classics, I’d be interested to know if Vixen ever got close. She would’ve been an amazingly easy figure for Mattel to do (they made her in JLU) and she even made it on the packaging art in the last couple years of the line. She seemed imminent, but she just never made it. <\/td>\nMore important than Damien is Dick Grayson\u2019s Batman. I realize the status quo in comics doesn\u2019t change much, and Bruce was never going to be dead forever, but damned if I didn\u2019t find Dick Grayson a better Batman than Bruce. He brought a fresh feel and perspective to the mantle that entertained and inspired me more than anything Bruce did. Those were great comics.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Noisy No. 3 – Warlord!<\/th>\nVault No. 3 – Starro!<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThis ended up being the one character to appear twice. I’d again cite DCUC’s lack of aesthetic variety due to buck reuse, but Warlord probably could’ve scratched out a great figure on that buck! I’m not sure why they never tapped him for a figure. It could’ve been awesome. Oh, and Vault & I both agree, that we’d love a 2nd Warlord on a MOTUC buck to homage Remco! <\/td>\nI still enjoy reading what came before, and nothing makes me happier than the crazy sci-fi goodness of the Silver Age. Back before all the retcons, it was okay for the JLA to find a giant starfish named Starro. Only needing one arm, repeated five times and a central body piece, he might have been the easiest, and largest, C&C in the Classics line. You\u2019ve failed me, Mattel.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Noisy No. 2 – Mera!<\/th>\nVault No. 2 – Kyle Rayner (First Appearance)!<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nIf you read regularly, you had to know this one was coming. Mera was one of Mattel’s biggest goose eggs. She had a big popularity surge during the course of the line and tooling could’ve been reused for Red Lantern Mera – remember when they made six of the seven Rainbow Deputies? Yeah. Mattel did collectors & Mera wrong. No doubt about it. <\/td>\nI\u2019ve always loved DC, but I didn\u2019t \u201cget into\u201d comics until the 90\u2019s. The first character I stumbled across was a young kid called Kyle. What caught my attention was a neat black and white costume with strange gloves and a crab mask. What kept my interest was his portrayal. Just because you\u2019re unsure of yourself, doesn\u2019t mean you don\u2019t have the willpower to push through.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Noisy No. 1 – A Good Superman!<\/th>\nVault No. 1 – Parallax!<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nI’m breaking my “all new characters” rule, but this really is my main DCUC want. To me, the 4H never captured a good Superman likeness, but the various releases were also never the right blue. I don’t have a Superman in my display as a result. Mattel was close with a proper repaint in a cancelled 2pk (A few leaked to eBay, I kick myself for not snagging one), but they never got this SP homage done right.<\/td>\nHal Jordan received eight DC Classics figures, yet none of them represent the one time in comics he had personality and characterization that went beyond \u201csuper jock\u201d. Hal made such a good villain because he wasn\u2019t evil, just tragic. His time as Parallax left a greater impact on the DCU than anything he did before or since, and this aspect deserved a spot in Classics.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

Alright, those are our lists. Who did we forget?
Who should we have forgotten? Let’s hear yours below!
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[6,590,10],"tags":[15,665,20],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pObc6-6Gq","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":16031,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=16031","url_meta":{"origin":25694,"position":0},"title":"MOTU Classics.Com: DC vs MOTU Zodac Review","date":"December 28, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"This summer was a challenging time for me as a MOTUC collector. The loss of our subscription sent me back to the Monthly Matty Madhouse. The con exclusive Faker had me (successfully) watching TRU.com like a hawk, but another TRU 2pk, Zodac vs Green Lantern, slipped through my fingers... until\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "MOTUClassics"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4573,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=4573","url_meta":{"origin":25694,"position":1},"title":"ItsAllTrueReview: DC Classics vs. MOTU Classics 2pks","date":"March 24, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Joe vs. Cobra. Optimus Prime vs. Megatron. Ninja Turtles vs. The Foot. Marvel vs. Capcom. All great battles that fans have long taken sides on. Thanks to Mattel, we can add a new one to the mix: DC Universe Classics vs. Masters of the Universe Classics. Hey, it's less clunky\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "DCClassics.Com"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12594,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=12594","url_meta":{"origin":25694,"position":2},"title":"Matty on Facebook: DC Universe Classics 17 in Package","date":"May 11, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Earlier this week, Mattel released images of the DC Universe Classics Wave 17. This wave stirred up a lot of controversy when it was announced, so how it sells in the next few weeks will be interesting. I'm buying because I want to build the Anti-Monitor and, hey, the figures\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "DCClassics.Com"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9905,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=9905","url_meta":{"origin":25694,"position":3},"title":"DCUC Hal Jordan 2-Up Charity Auction","date":"October 25, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"One official, fully painted DC Universe Classics Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) 2-up prototype figure is be being auctioned right now to benefit the Mattel Children\u2019s Hospital UCLA!! One official, fully painted DC Universe Classics Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) 2-up prototype figure is be being auctioned right now to benefit the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Four Horsemen"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9846,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=9846","url_meta":{"origin":25694,"position":4},"title":"Sponsor Announcement: Ka-Razy Kings of Toys","date":"October 18, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Hey there, folks! Hope you're enjoying the Fall!","rel":"","context":"In "Sponsors"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3730,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=3730","url_meta":{"origin":25694,"position":5},"title":"ItsAllTrueReview: DC Classics – A Question and Two Deadmen","date":"February 4, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"","rel":"","context":"In "DCClassics.Com"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25694"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25694"}],"version-history":[{"count":39,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25694\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25734,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25694\/revisions\/25734"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25694"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25694"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25694"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}