DC History Club: DC Comics Toys, Games and Collectibles Through The Years - w/ quiz

This actually looks pretty cool.

On the card game stuff. I’ve played the Pokemon card game but not the others. If they’re at all like Pokemon in price though, that stuff can really add up in cost :grimacing:

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Been waiting for the discussion to get into action figures and statues, since that’s what I collect. As some of you know, I have a small collection that I like to share stuff from with you all every now & then. It’s all DC Trinity stuff, with a newfound sharp focus on Superman. Let me answer the discussion questions. I know this is action figure week, but I know I will inevitably veer into statues; I hope that’s ok.

Holy Grail: What DC toy, game or collectibles is your holy grail that you’d love to collect? Why that item, what does it represent to you?

I’m lucky in that if I stopped collecting today, I have a piece that I do consider my “grail”. It’s this 1/3 scale Superman statue by Iron Studios, designed by Ivan Reis

Why? Because in my head “this is Superman”. The way Ivan Reis draws Superman is how I picture him. I also love the sheer size of the thing (about 3’ high) and the unique take on the classic costume. What does it represent to me? Aside from what I just mentioned, it really was the culmination of a couple years of collecting. I sold almost all the pieces I had to purchase it, and now I’m one of 400 proud owners to have one :slightly_smiling_face:. It’s a one off thing that will probably never happen again, because of cost and because I wouldn’t know where to put another piece of that size. It’s become the centrepiece of our little loft area upstairs.

Now, there is another piece that I consider a grail, but one I will in all likelihood never procure. Since this is History Club:

That is the “Superman Doll” sold by Ideal Novelty and Toy Company in 1940. It is known as the first ever superhero action figure ever produced. Yeah it says “doll” on the box but the term “action figure” wasn’t coined until the 1960s according this article. It’s 13” tall, is made of composition and wood, and was originally sold for 94 cents. Being an extremely rare find nowadays, it can go for thousands if you can find one in good condition in grandma’s attic. As you can see in the link below, the one pictured above was auctioned off for over $5,000.

Apparently only a few of the boxes are known to have survived since the 1940s. Check out this Pawn Stars segment on the piece:

I Played With That:

Post an Toy, Game, Collectible Image:

I’ll answer the 2 questions above with one answer: Super Powers.

Super Powers was a great line of 4” DC action figures sold in the 80s by Kenner. It was the de facto DC toy line of the decade. Here is a great website that does the line a lot more justice than I ever would in a single post:

http://www.kennersuperpowers.com/superpowersfigures.html

My collection started with this little Superman figure. It’s not the same one I played with as a child, but I hold it dear nonetheless. What makes it great? Nostalgia is an obvious reason. Another is synergy. Super Powers was on TV (later seasons of Super Friends), in comics and in kids play rooms. So great was Kenner’s influence with this line, that it was named by DC as one of “Fifty Who Made DC Great” in 1985, according to this Wikipedia article

Research Wiki Challenge:

I will leave you with this, a great resource for anyone looking to find out what DC action figures were produced, and when, by Mattel and DC Direct/DC Collectibles (and now McFarlane & Spin Master):

https://www.joeacevedo.com/figurezone/index.html

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First that statue is amazing
On the Superpower’s line, just look at that Superman. The design of those figures really holds up well. They just look great.

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I try to look for it, but it must be packed somewhere, on the night my friend passing, he had so much fun wrapping Christmas presents, when he wrap my present he gave me a Rader scope Batman
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Opening the present few weeks later from him was painful and sad. For 25 years I’ve kept him in the box. I didn’t have the heart to open it and to play with it.
As for my other action figures they’re all open and I always have a blast coming up with my own Batman story.
My first Batman the Animated series action figure was The Riddler, and the hardest character to find was The Penguin, thankfully I saw him on a school trip to Toys R Us and got him.:grinning:

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  1. Batman the Animated series, collecting toys, comic books was alot of fun. Back in the 90s the series was a big deal for me!:grinning:
    And also enjoy collecting Batman Forever toys and T-Shirt.:grin:
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Thank you and agreed. For a line that is over 35 years old, Super Powers does hold up just fine :slightly_smiling_face:.

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Sorry about your friend. It’s quite the feeling having something like that from a loved one that you know they put their heart into for you. Have an item like that from my mother, God bless her soul, so I understand the emotional value. May they both rest in piece.

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Thankyou.:slightly_smiling_face:

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DC Comics Pocket Heroes

Thanks to Joe Acevedo’s Figure Zone more information on DC Comics Pocket Super Heroes. The line ran early 2002 until 2004 and the picture above from our collection is most of the figures missing only a few new the end. A deluxe pack that included the Martian Manhunter had the JLA conference table with chairs that included hero logos. We had that but wasn’t in the treasure bag. These were great collectibles because of the range of characters offered, but also with a low price point you could buy a ton and ‘educate’ your kids into loving DC comics.

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Did a quick skim of the Total Justice videos, seems that the Huntress we have is from this line. She still looks awesome, but all the dude figures from that line look all extreme, ripped with exaggerated physiques. While Super Powers looks timeless, Total Justice is totally ‘90s

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Agree

Here is Total.Justice checklist

https://www.figurerealm.com/actionfigure?action=seriesitemlist&id=253

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Here is JLU checklist

https://www.figurerealm.com/actionfigure?ns=80&action=seriesitemlist&id=601&series=justiceleagueunlimited

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I like that statue, especially with the glowing eyes. I agree about the “Superpower” line with @msgtvhohoho. I watched your link for the “Superman: ‘Action Figure,’” on “Pawn Stars.” Gotta say, unsurprising, I think that’s my “Action Figure ‘Holy Grail’”!

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Both me and Supes say thank you (he is sternly staring me down right now :slightly_smiling_face:). I have a few other items that, while not “grails” per se, are definitely on my want list, and are more obtainable than that 80 year old toy. Not sure if this would be the right place to share that though :thinking:.

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Though I now know Pawn Stars plays a little loose with its facts. The Superman doll isn’t the first memorabilia that was a pin. And they say the “S” stands for hope which while true is a recent development. It’s almost if you can’t completely trust reality tv.

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Action Figures 1990s, Animated Swamp Thing
Every industry has a seedy underbelly, including the action figure industrial complex. Okay, maybe not seedy underbelly but certainly a downside. That is how toy sales, much of which would be action figures, drove animated programing decisions. A very well done Green Lantern doesn’t get a second season because of poor toy sales. Then there’s the 1990-91 animated Swamp Thing program which generated more action figures than it did episodes. A total of 5 episodes aired between October 1990 and May 1991 resulting in 12 action figures , two playlets and two vehicles. Even as a fan of the character, Swamp Thing for a children’s program seems an odd choice. But, we did get these:



https://www.figurerealm.com/actionfigure?action=seriesitemlist&id=242

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I got this guy a little while ago. Had it as a kid and after I saw it in a post @Vroom made I went looking for it and found one for just a little above what I’d pay for current figure today. It’s probably not high on the rare collectibles list but it has sentimental junk making it a must for me.

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It’s “Bio-Glow”
I may grab a couple of these
But again, no Abbey. Grrrr.

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This link
Talks about an
Abby Action Figure

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So what’s weird is I can only find two short identical articles with the same picture. eBay is zero hits. Wonder if they actual made it.
And, that is not an attractive action figure, someone surely can do better than that.

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