superman.nuMary Immaculate of Lourdes NewtonHolliston School Committeefacebook    
  •   forum   •   COUNTDOWN TO MIRACLE MONDAY: "IT'S REAL!" •   fortress   •  
Superman Through the Ages! Forum
News: Superman Through the Ages! now located at theAges.superman.nu
 
*
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?
March 28, 2024, 01:06:47 PM


Login with username, password and session length


Pages: 1 [2] 3   Go Down
  Print  
Author Topic: New Super Toys for 2005!  (Read 12796 times)
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
TELLE
Supermanica Council
Council of Wisdom
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 1705



WWW
« Reply #8 on: March 19, 2005, 07:22:19 AM »

Quote from: "nightwing"
Some folks are a bit miffed that it's going to be the older, gray-templed version as they'd like a youthful Supes to display with their JSA figs.  Personally I think they're daft!  I loved the idea of an older Supes and I especially like the fact that Perez differentiated him from the Earth-1 model with more than just gray hair.  Perez' Kal-L had blunter features, a stockier build and was I imagining it or did he look more than a little bit like George Reeves?  


Agreed.  There was something exquisitely different about the older Earth-2 Superman.  I never was consciously aware of the George Reeves resemblance in the Perez version, although the last time I regularly watched the Reeves Superman was in the mid-70s.  I don't actively collect new figures (more passively, if I happen upon one used somewhere, and then I shyly sneak it into a drawer in my desk) but I would seriously consider getting this one.
Logged

Everything you ever wanted to
know about the classic Superman:
Supermanica
The Encyclopedia of Supermanic Biography!
(temporarily offline)
dto
Action Ace
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 417



« Reply #9 on: July 11, 2005, 08:17:42 AM »

The first wave of Crisis on Infinite Earths figures have just been released.
 
Supergirl is a very nice sculpture, and unlike early photos of the prototype (such as the first post) her red shoulder trim doesn't stop at the joint but extends down her upper arms. However, be advised that there is considerable unhappiness on the DC Direct boards about poor paint jobs, so inspect carefully. I was lucky that there were only two insignificant errant brushstrokes that were easily remedied by tiny dabs of touch-up paint. The face and shield design were perfect, though. (This seems to be the center of many complaints.) I did find some glue drips on one boot, but CAREFUL scraping with an x-acto blade worked fine.

She seems to be in scale with the young Supergirl figure that's in the Superboy/Supergirl box set, though it would be slightly odd displaying them together -- you couldn't go back in time and meet your younger self in the Pre-Crisis days.   :wink:

Oh, and those who dislike the new Kara's skirt for being too short better not lift the Crisis Supergirl's cape!   :shock:   Then again, it's rather obvious that she's wearing a leotard and that pleated "cheerleader" miniskirt was merely for decorative effect, somewhat akin to a ballerina's tutu.  :wink:

The Anti-Monitor will be released later this year. I wonder how many Supergirl fans will pose their smiling Kara triumphantly stomping "Anti's" ugly face into the ground.  Twenty years is a LONG time for payback... :twisted:
Logged

DTO
Gernot
Last Son of Krypton
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 327



WWW
« Reply #10 on: July 11, 2005, 04:05:54 PM »

"...Oh, and those who dislike the new Kara's skirt for being too short better not lift the Crisis Supergirl's cape!..."  

HEY!  You stole my joke, DTO!  LOLOL  

You can see it here!  Wink  

http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000031772&tstart=25  

Gernot...
Logged

dto
Action Ace
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 417



« Reply #11 on: July 12, 2005, 05:17:06 AM »

Gernot, you had FOUR DAYS to post on this board about Kara's undies.  I thought I gave you sufficient time.   :wink:

Actually, I just found (and promptly bought) the Supergirl figure on Sunday afternoon.  I don't usually check the DC Direct boards, but I did later that same day and saw your thread.  Had I known about the quality control issues, I would have inspected my purchase more carefully.  Fortunately I lucked out.

And in the DC Comics boards there have been long criticisms about the new Kara's skirt length in both the Supergirl and Superman/Batman forums.  My post here was only slightly modified from my original message on the DC boards, thus the reference to the skirt issue.

So since YOU had more time to examine this Supergirl figure, Gernot, what's your review?  I wasn't a fan of the Crisis costume, but because of its historic significance (Kara's final uniform, and one that was originally destined for Helen Slater), I've grown to like it over time.  And the headband is SO 1980s -- I'm reminded of aerobics or "Jazzercise" every time I see it.  Thank Rao DC never gave her legwarmers...  :wink:
Logged

DTO
Gernot
Last Son of Krypton
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 327



WWW
« Reply #12 on: July 12, 2005, 01:23:21 PM »

I actually feel the same way YOU do about the costume, DTO.  I didn't like it when it first came out, but I also grew fonder of it as time went on.  

I'm STILL hoping we eventually get a "hot pants" version of Supergirl, though.  Heck, they could make TWO.  One with boots, and one with the little slippers (elf shoes) she wore briefly.  One could be a "chase" figure!  LOL  

I like the figure I got, but I DID have to switch the one my guy held for a better one.  I think that's the first figure I really had any sort of problem with re paint apps.
Logged

dto
Action Ace
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 417



« Reply #13 on: July 12, 2005, 04:31:34 PM »

Gernot, the "blouse and hotpants" costume had other small changes over the years, in particular the beaded fringe of the hotpants and the belt.  (During "The Krypton Chronicles" it was revealed that the decorative metal disks on Supergirl's belt were chronometers that at a touch revealed both Earth and Rokyn times.)  The hotpants also grew less baggy and more form-fitting -- closer to modern bicyclist shorts.

Also, I believe the cape was later attached to her blouse rather than wrapped around Kara's neck, though she continued to wear a neck ribbon.  (The cape attachment was the only thing I really disliked about this costume.  Even though Supergirl had a Kryptonian windpipe and neck vertebrae, it always looked like she was in danger of an "Isadora Duncan" accident if that cape ever got snagged in flight.  Ouch.)  

As for the "elf shoes", they were originally ballet slippers, but the leg ribbons quickly disappeared.  I'm sure the artists appreciated that simplification.

Unlike her cousin who clung to his "working blues" for decades, Kara was definitely fashion-conscious.  That was probably part of Supergirl's appeal back in her Adventure Comics days.  Supergirl might have been unique in actively seeking out costume suggestions from her fans.  Some even appeared for one or two stories, but both the "miniskirt and hipboots" and the "blouse and hotpants" costumes came from readers.  

The downside is that Supergirl's adventures from the Seventies and Eighties now look very "dated" because her costumes (and to a lesser extent her hairstyles) are TOO closely tied with the times.  Her miniskirt, long gloves and hipboots make the "Mod" Kara look like a Super-Go-Go dancer.  The hotpants are also very Seventies, and I've already mentioned how the Crisis costume looks like an Eighties aerobics workout suit.  I suspect the new Kara Zor-El's bare midriff look will also look dated before long.

The advantage of having a consistent costume free of fashion fads (and avoiding topical references such as contemporary US presidents, celebrities and world events) is that it imparts a "timeless" quality to older stories and doesn't betray the fact that a superhero hasn't aged in decades.  Naturally, Superman's traditional suit is the best example, but so was Kara's original all-blue dress and the movie version that survived in slightly modified form during the Matrix and early Linda Danvers years.  (In fact it's ironic that the general public usually associates this Post-Crisis costume with "Superman's cousin", even though Kara never QUITE wore this design during her lifetime!)

As for future Supergirl action figures, I agree that the "blouse and hotpants" version needs to be represented.  I can do without the "mod miniskirt and hipboots" suit.  Maybe a movie version in 2009 to celebrate the 25th anniversary?  (Perhaps there's enough time to navigate the legal aspects and get Ms. Slater's approval.)  Or perhaps a Post-Crisis Matrix version since it could be retrofitted to resemble the movie outfit.  

Now if we could only get a PVC set of miniature Supergirls tracing her various costumes and incarnations in the same scale...
Logged

DTO
TELLE
Supermanica Council
Council of Wisdom
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 1705



WWW
« Reply #14 on: July 14, 2005, 02:59:48 AM »

Since we are going in to so much detail here, I thought all Superman Hall of Trophy fans should check out the following article, written by fellow Canadian Herve St. Louis about action figure care during heat waves.

http://comicbookbin.com/actionfigures01.html

Quote
Heatwave Stability
By Hervé St.Louis
Jul 3, 2005, 15:11
 
A major problem affecting all types of action figures is the heat. In the summer, the problem is worse and at any given moment, one of your precious action figures will fall over itself, often taking along a bunch other figures in its path. The problem is serious as often the figures are damaged. As these are collectors’ items costing lots of money, manufacturers should consider improving the quality of the plastics they use.



Logged

Everything you ever wanted to
know about the classic Superman:
Supermanica
The Encyclopedia of Supermanic Biography!
(temporarily offline)
MatterEaterLad
Council of Wisdom
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 1389


Silver Age Surfer


WWW
« Reply #15 on: July 14, 2005, 03:58:25 AM »

LOL!!!!!!

Is it REALLY that bad?
Logged
Pages: 1 [2] 3   Go Up
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

CURRENT FORUM

Archives: OLD FORUM  -  DCMB  -  KAL-L
Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2015, Simple Machines

Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS! Dilber MC Theme by HarzeM
Entrance ·  Origin ·  K-Metal ·  The Living Legend ·  About the Comics ·  Novels ·  Encyclopaedia ·  The Screen ·  Costumes ·  Read Comics Online ·  Trophy Room ·  Creators ·  ES!M ·  Fans ·  Multimedia ·  Community ·  Supply Depot ·  Gift Shop ·  Guest Book ·  Contact & Credits ·  Links ·  Coming Attractions ·  Free E-mail ·  Forum

Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
The LIVING LEGENDS of SUPERMAN! Adventures of Superman Volume 1!
Return to SUPERMAN THROUGH THE AGES!
The Complete Supply Depot for all your Superman needs!