Late comics for April 2, 2009

[dvandom]

     Dave's Bypassing Diamond Late Comics Capsules for April 2, 2009
                         Plus an action figure

"Other Media" Capsules:

     Things that are comics-related but not necessarily comics (i.e.
comics-based movies like Iron Man or Hulk), or that aren't going to be
available via comic shops (like comic pack-ins with DVDs) will go in this
section when I have any to mention.  They may not be as timely as comic
reviews, especially if I decide to review novels that take me a week or two
(or ten) to get around to.

     DC Universe Classics Blue Beetle: Mattel - This wasn't late due to
Diamond or anything, I just happened to get it in the mail on Thursday.  Why
did I get it in the mail?  Because the seven figures in this assortment are
shipping in half-cases...a friend in Montana only got the shipment that
includes Ted, Booster Gold (scalpers beat him to it) and blue-suit Aquaman,
while locally I've only seen the one that has Flash, Kid Flash, Captain Cold
and Big Barda.  I only want Ted and Booster, he wanted the Flashes and Len,
so we did a trade.  :)

     This is a Build A Figure (BAF) series like all the bigger DC Universe
figures, with pieces of Atom Smasher (from current JSA) included.  Barry gets
the figure base, whee.  Ted gets Atom Smasher's right leg...I have more BAF
legs than any other piece, I think.  Aside from the result of AS losing a
fight with Damage, Blue Beetle comes with one accessory, his BB Gun.  It fits
nicely into a snap-closed holster attached to his belt, and he has enough
range of motion to rest his hand on the grip while it's in the holster.

     Ted is 6.25" (16cm) tall, and Atom Smasher is likely about 9-10"
(23-25cm) tall to judge from the leg size.  The paint job and sculpt are very
good, with clear yellow goggles glued onto the mask over well-painted eyes.
The only marring on mine is a sprue mark on the top of the abdomen piece that
is visible when the figure leans back all the way.

     Articulation is very good.  Universal joint neck and shoulders, with
vest-style torso borders that allow the hands to touch in front when the arms
are straight (although the hands aren't molded to allow a two-handed grip on
his BB Gun).  Hinged elbows, swivels at upper arms and wrists.  The hands are
molded into open fists, and hold the BB Gun a bit loosely.  There's a
forward-and-back hinge between chest and abdomen and a swivel waist.  The
hips are a combination of the traditional "H-style" swivels and hinges that
swing outwards, although using these hinges results in some weird-looking
gaps in the legs.  They do let him do the Van Damme Splits, though.  There's
swivels above the knees, but the muscle sculpt gets all misaligned if you use
them (unlike the upper arm swivels, which take advantage of how the shoulder
muscles wrap into the biceps and triceps).  Hinge knees and ankles, and the
pegs on the soles of the feet are about 1/8" diameter.

     Other than the head and the glued-on belt, all the costume details are
printed on a generic mannequin, which is probably reused heavily throughout
the line, but I don't own any others to compare.  There's a rectangular panel
on the back which looks like it's meant to accept a backpack or cape peg when
the mold is repurposed for other figures.

     Atom Smasher's leg clearly fed the same sculpt into the computer and
scaled it up to 150%, then added boot detail molding.  It has the same
articulation, the same muscles, etc.  It has a hexagonal peg for attaching to
the torso piece, though.

     Compared to the $5 scale figures, it's definitely superior, not just a
scaled up version of those molds.  Of course, at more than twice the price,
it had better be!  Recommended.  $11.88 at Wal-Mart.


Comics Capsules:
     Short, relatively spoiler-free reviews of books I actually bring home
(as opposed to reading in preview form in the shop or online).  If I get a
book late due to distributor foulups or whatever, I'll put it in the Missing
section.

     Books of Note (Strongly Recommended or otherwise worthy): None.

     Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Alliance #4 (of 4): IDW - Well, it IS
a prequel.  For the most part, the story arc of this series was resolved last
issue, with a short fight scene starting this issue to make sure that the
non-movie characters introduced in the series don't make it TO the next
movie, and then it's montage time.  They establish the forces that will be
available in the opening fight of the next movie and close on shots of the
enemy in that fight.  Competent, but doesn't really exceed expectations.
Mildly recommended.  $3.99

     Wolverine First Class #13: Marvel - Peter David starts his run here.  It
actually came out two weeks ago, but I forgot to look for it so it may have
shipped and escaped my notice when I do my "is there anything else
interesting?" scan of the rack.  Or maybe Diamond shorted us.  Anyway, this
doesn't really follow from #12, jumping into a new story and dropping in a
supporting character who has probably been in the book before, but not in #12
(and other than her first name, she doesn't get introduced).  The art by
Cliquet has some problems, such as whether or not one of the villains is
human sized or a giant, and the choice by Arreola to make Matt Murdock's
sunglasses lenses red muddied the waters of his introduction...oh, I suppose
he actually had red lenses around that time, but in a book where Cyclops was
in the previous issue, red glasses mean something else.  The story's okay,
but not as good as Van Lente's piece last issue.  Mildly recommended.  $2.99 

     Agents of Atlas #3: Marvel - Dark Reign banner.  Diamond did ship this
one, just not as many as the store ordered, and the store filled pulls in
alphabatical order this week.  Fortunately, Hastings had one copy left when I
checked today.  The dual-timeline stories continue with no real signs of
dovetailing, and there's an interlude for Namora to deal with some of her
angst.  The cover's kinda spoilery, though, giving away the Final Page
Reveal, oops.  Recommended.  $2.99

Gone Missing:

     Stuff that came out some places this week and that I wanted to buy, but
couldn't find for whatever reason, so people don't have to email me asking
"Why didn't you review X?"  (If it's neither here nor in the section above,
though, feel free to ask, I might have forgotten about it!) 

     Current list as of 4/2/09: Official Handbook of the Gold Digger Universe
#22, Transformers Maximum Dinobots #1-4, Transformers Revenge of the Fallen:
Alliance #2, Jersey Gods #1-2, Booster Gold #17, Gen13 v4 #27, Dynamo5 #20,
Cthulhu Tales #12, Gold Digger Maidens of Twilight #2, Transformers Spotlight
Jazz, New Mutants Saga

Awards:

"Now My Brave And The Bold Blue Beetle Can Feel Even MORE Inferior!" Award
     to DC Universe Classic Blue Beetle

"They Need A Red Flashy Thing" Award to Transformers Revenge of the Fallen
     Alliance #4 (of 4)

"Kitty Has A Bad History With Masks Like That.  Or Future.  Whatever."  Award
     to Wolverine First Class #13

"Nah, He Can Go Soak" Award to Agents of Atlas #3

   Dave Van Domelen, "Maybe Bob can send a probe in and test for -- or, we can charge on through like a robot." - Gorilla Man, observing the Human Robot's actions.

Comments

[liabrown]

Aaargh, I ordered the Cold figure, but it still hasn't gotten here yet....

[dvandom.livejournal.com]

The slightly older boxed Captain Cold (the line with the Alex Ross designed stuff, IIRC) is sitting at the local Hastings for $15 if you still need that one.

[liabrown]

Nah, I got that one, thanks :)

Still looking for the old DC Direct one, though.

[dvandom.livejournal.com]

The leftover stock from the other comic shop didn't include any of that one, unfortunately.