Gripe at DC Direct "action" figures

[G'c]

Dear all dc fans,

I haven't been on this forum for a long while and whilst i have still been collecting comic based stuff (mainly bats and now mixed with some marvel thor + iron man), I haven't posted my opinions on the boards for awhile... so guys please bear with me for the following:


In view of the revamp of the DC universe, no matter what people may think about it, I personally, imho, thinks that it is great way to revitalize not only the looks/stories of these characters, but also a chances to revitalise its products.

A big part of these comic products come in the form of action figures and statutes, and I personally mostly focus on action figures. For those of you who have collected DC figures for long, it is safe to assume that you guys will/might collect both DC Direct and Mattel DCU figures.

There seems to be always a compromise here: Mattel's DCU with the overused bodies but very articulated and fun to play with, and DC Direct has better sculpts but virtually little to no articulation. Although I personally have no problem with Mattel's sculpts, sometimes I do come across DC Direct figures with a nice sculpt and design which I think Mattel wouldn't release (For e.g. the batman incorporated version of bats).

However, this is where DC Direct really annoys me.... yes I know they are merely toys but I seriously fail to see the improvement that they have made to make their toys actually TOYS (i.e. ACTION figures) instead of plastic statutes.... if I want a statue, why don't I just buy the statutes released by DC Direct?

The new pictures of NYCC 11 have surfaced showing the new arkham city figures and also the new 52 figures. In my opinion, the sculpts look great. They gave a good representation of how the comics/game images are to be translated to 3D format, HOWEVER, if you see those pictures, ALL OF THEM look like Robots because of a lack of mainly leg/hip articulation.

I don't know about you, but I have been sick and tired of hearing DC Direct's argument about "looks over articulation". I think just a look at the Playarts Arkham City figure will really shut dc direct's mouth up..... A fabulous figure, with great sculpt AND great articulation, even on batman's cape!! Yes these figures might a bit more pricey..so one might argue that these two cannot compare with each other....

But ...really? Let's take a look at marvel select, another line of figures which are always compared to DC Direct figures. Now marvel select also have limited articulation in the past, but they seemed to have been improving much more during these years, with more leg joints and hip joints. Sure some may argue that they face sculpt doesn't look as nice, but I am pretty sure that their body proportions do not look off even with the added hip joints/leg joints.. So this brings me to this:

Why the hell is it so hard for Dc Direct to add just two extra joints:
(a) the hip joint
(b) the chest/stomach joint.

Even if some may prefer them to have no chest joints, i don't think with the technology in the toy industries these days, adding a hip joint is so difficult for the guys at dc direct and will not compromise the look of the figures themselves. I do not agree that it will add so much costs that it will be impracticable to add the joints. I believe that if these joints are added, they could even easily increase their prices with a $2-3 mark per pop and still ppl will be buying them. It's funny how you buy a nicely sculpted batman figure, and will ...he can't even spread his legs apart or do a crouching down pose .....Look at the catwoman figure pic they released via NYCC 11.... I can't believe that even a catwoman did not have a ball hip joint.......not to mention robin...who's supposed to be a god damn acrobat.... can't do a leg split in his figure form from DC direct!


Well anyways that is my rant and thanks for reading... please give me your thoughts, whether you agree or not with my statement. If you do... I hope that our voices will be heard by the fellas at dc direct.

 

[karamazov80]

DC Direct has made a number of questionable decisions over the years IMO, not the least of which was getting rid of their relationship with DST/Minimates in lieu of about 10 different forgettable, wacky looking styles of mini-figures they've tried and failed with since then. Maybe things will improve with Georg Brewer gone, but. . .I wouldn't put money on it.

 

[SnakeDoctor]

The Play-Arts figures are $50 each. DC Direct is $15 each. I'd rather have less articulation for 1/3 the price.

And, even then, the DC Direct Arkham Asylum figures look better than the Play-Arts ones ... particularly the Joker. I think the Arkham line has been great so far. DC Direct seems to be doing fine.

SnakeDoc

 

[batfan08]

This is why I collect 1/6th. Sure, the prices are higher and I get fewer figures, but with 1/6th, you get the whole package: looks and articulation, no compromising.

 

[Batty]

Too many worrrzzzzz...

 

[G'c]

Too many worrrzzzzz...

sorry bud... the main point basically is this:

1) DC direct has little to no articulation;
2) Their excuse of having looks over articulation is pretty much invlaid because other companies can do it without the compromise (maybe should learn from marvel select in the articulation dept.;
3) Suggestion to add hip joint at the very least and add an optional crunch/ab joint

 

[karamazov80]

Everything has a reason. Even if that reason is stupid.

 

[RyanSD]

I think the Arkham figures are definitely DCD's best work and most of them have above the standard DCD articulation. That being said, I'm not the articulation buff I used to be, now I prefer a solid sculpt over articulation that breaks it up. I don't 'play' with these anyway.

 

[G'c]

The Play-Arts figures are $50 each. DC Direct is $15 each. I'd rather have less articulation for 1/3 the price.


And, even then, the DC Direct Arkham Asylum figures look better than the Play-Arts ones ... particularly the Joker. I think the Arkham line has been great so far. DC Direct seems to be doing fine.
SnakeDoc

Yes I have indeed addressed that issue.... then what about marvel select? Granted their face sculpts are not as nice but as a whole they have a nice balance between play value and aesthetics.

As to the dc direct figures..really? They look better? That is a subjective opinion and I personally think that the playarts look better... just my 2 cents

This is why I collect 1/6th. Sure, the prices are higher and I get fewer figures, but with 1/6th, you get the whole package: looks and articulation, no compromising.

I collect 1/6 but now it seems limited to movie versions (Hot toys) but not comic versions. Actually I don't have much problem with dc direct 13" but due to space restrictions it's much easier to have 6" figures etc... of course maybe that is only my concern is I don't live in the States and in hk where space is limited.

I think the Arkham figures are definitely DCD's best work and most of them have above the standard DCD articulation. That being said, I'm not the articulation buff I used to be, now I prefer a solid sculpt over articulation that breaks it up. I don't 'play' with these anyway.

I agree that Arkham figures are generally great (but imho the bats looked a bit off ... I got the armoured version which I think looks better) I don't really "play" with them either but at least I hope that they would have the articulation to put decent poses for the purpose of display. Note that usually for non-articulated items such as statutes they will usually be in dynamic poses. The value of an action figure is supposed to allow the owner to make various dynamic poses OR The choice of it having a static pose.

 

[Blood Electricity]

Firstly, it's important to note that I always kind of pick and choose through my figures. I don't collect entire lines.

that being said, I mainly collect 6 inch figures.

I've always liked dc direct. The articulation isn't always there, but they make a lot of characters with really decent designs. I love the long halloween figures, I have a few alex ross style ones, and it's good to fill in characters that mattel won't make.

ultimately, my figures are for display, so even if I get a new figure and it sits on my desk for a while and I fuss around with different poses, it eventually ends up in a shelf.

That being said, at my lcs dcd is about the same, if not cheaper than dcuc figures now. It's interesting that mattel and dcd are both making arkham city figures. I've bought the mattel bat/twoface 2 pack and the dcd arkham asylum joker from that line. I think they actually look pretty decent together. But today I've decided, that I will be buying a majority of the dcd AC figures, over the mattel ones. There are actually no future batman legacy figures that I really want from mattel in comparison. The new killer croc by dcd looks exceptional, and appears to have the same or close to a mattel or marvel select figure.

I have found the DCUC line to be a huge let down. After that gorilla grodd wave, I picked up very little of it. There are so many re-uses and repaints of characters that are no familiar to me. the bane wave was probably the last one I really picked up in it's entirety.

Even more of a let down is that batman legacy line...the potential to get articulated designs of some villains we haven't yet seen, and apparently they are stopping in 2012to focus on just dark knight rises stuff. while both companies are going to spit out a thousand different batmen at you..mattel will give you dirt covered batman, and dcd will give you a specific story/artists rendering of one.

I have to say, DCD looks like it's improving and it has the stones to release characters people actually want.

 

[SnakeDoctor]

Yes I have indeed addressed that issue.... then what about marvel select? Granted their face sculpts are not as nice but as a whole they have a nice balance between play value and aesthetics.

As to the dc direct figures..really? They look better? That is a subjective opinion and I personally think that the playarts look better... just my 2 cents

The DC Direct Arkham line looks better than the Marvel select line. Better paint apps. Better face sculpts. One of the best smaller-scale figure lines I've seen. If you're not playing with them, what difference does articulation make anyway?

And, yeah, really ... the DC Direct figures look better. See the pictures below of the Joker. The DCD face is a lot better. The articulation on the PA figure makes the proportions look weird ... the shoulders and elbows are terrible looking. The PA colors are off. Aside from range of motion, I think the DCD Joker is better-looking all-around.

The DCD looks like an AA Joker. The PA figure looks like a stylized adaptation of the AA Joker. And ... the PA version is 3x the price.

SnakeDoc

 

[pavehawk78]

I much prefer sculpt and accuracy to articulation. IMO DCD has enough articulation as it is.

 

[buzzybean]

I like DC Direct's action figures and have tons of them. I'm glad Brewer is gone though; he started a bunch of different lines without completing many of them.

BB

 

[superman1938]

Brewer is gone? Oh happy day!

 

[IrishJedi]

When it comes to lack of articulation at that scale, your beef should actually be with McFarlane Toys and the army of people who purchased their figures in droves over the years. That's what started it. DCD actually has better articulation than them and some others.

 

[JEDSTER]

I much prefer sculpt and accuracy to articulation. IMO DCD has enough articulation as it is.

I am very much the same.
Agreed !!!!!!!

 

[lerath666]

just do what i'm doing and wait for sideshows new line of comic book dc 1/6th figures.

 

[karamazov80]

If you're not playing with them, what difference does articulation make anyway?

More posing options.

 

[JBElliott]

DC Direct doesn't make action figures.

 

[JosephCPR]

My only problem with their figures is not the lack of articulation, but the inconsistencies in scale from line to line. Of course, I know they might not meant to be displayed together...but these are action figures, come on! I don't want my Alex Ross Supergirl to tower over my 52 Booster Gold!