Monday, April 13, 2009

Comic Characters Who Really Need an Action Figure

I am a toy collector, and I can live with that. As a kid, the hero figures were few and far between, but today it seems like just about any hero can get a figure given time. With so many new figures pouring out on a regular basis, it's cool to see some of those secondary (and even third-tier) characters getting the action figure treatment. Folks we never thought we'd see in plastic are finally finding their way to our shelves.

Still, there are those comic characters who really deserve an action figure. Let's take a look at a few we'd love to get our hands on.

Puck

This tough little Alpha Flight hero is no longer with us, but there's no reason he shouldn't get a figure. Guardian has had two of them, so let's move to other members of the team now.

His costume was simple, his origin complex (he's harboring a demon inside that keeps him small), and his powers almost nonexistent, yet he stood toe-to-toe with Canada's premiere super-team for years. How hard could this one be to create? Two basic colors and you're done.

Nomad

Yes, another dead hero looking for treatment. I'm not talking about the Steve Rogers version, but the Jack Munroe take on it years later.

I never thought the original suit was much to write home about, but that last version really worked well. It's got that basic Desperado Cowboy kind of look while still keeping a little superhero edge.

I could easily see this figure with a little shotgun, and a small Baby Bucky that you could strap on his back.

Hawk & Dove

Since the DCU packs usually try to come up with a double-set most of the time, this is a sure winner! I'm talking about the originals here, not the pale imitations and reboots we've had to deal with over the years.

These costumes by Steve Ditko were based on other popular hero costumes he'd drawn in recent years (Spider-Man and The Creeper), but as simple as they are there's just something really cool about them.

They've gotten the JLU versions (not bad) and the proper Heroclix treatment recently (finally), so let's see them taken to the next level!

Madrox

Yet another trenchcoat hero, but this new Madrox has developed into a pretty interesting character.

He's the leader of the new X-Factor, and he's got enough emotional issues going to keep the series moving along for quite a while.

Of course, this character would come in a multi-pack, with perhaps two or three other versions of himself with different expressions on their faces to represent the myriad sometimes-unstable dupes he creates.

The Question

Yes, he has a JLU version, and even a smaller Infinite Heroes version, but where's the DC Universe treatment? We need to see that 8-inch treatment that catches all the nuances of his trenchcoat and mask.

He has received a treatment, but it was his first appearance look, and not the modern one he had just before DC killed him off. Forget the Renee Montoya version, give us this in-between look that really set the stage for the guy.

Ant Man (modern version)
We've had quite a few versions of the Hank Pym Ant Man over the years, so we can't complain about that. Still, the new look deserves a chance too.

I'm not a fan of those freaky arms coming off the back of the suit, but otherwise it looks pretty good. Hey, at least he finally has a few offensive weapons for once (and it only took 4 decades to make that happen).

Yes, he reminds you of a cross between Spider-Man and Ambush Bug, but he still has potential.

Vigilante (both classic and modern versions)

Adrian Chase became the Vigilante in the pages of the now-classic New Teen Titans in the 80's before moving on to his own title for 50 issues. Though Adrian is dead, DC has recently brought the character back to his own title (as basically their version of the Punisher).

The new version keeps a basic look reminiscent of the original, but they are both different enough to deserve a shot at plastic immortality.

If I can only get one, give me the original.

Hawkeye (Ultimates version)

This fresh new take on an old character is a welcome change for Clint Barton. Though he was originally introduced to the Ultimates Universe as a glorified archer, we soon found out he could use anything he could get his hands on as a weapon, making him a tough opponent for Bullseye.

When Ultimates Volume 3 began, his appearance changed radically again. A lot of people immediately called him a Grifter rip-off, but whatever you think of the change you have to admit it was a nice touch. Suddenly Hawkeye threw the bow and arrows out for pistols, and developed a death wish that made him seriously dangerous. His new look is sleek and seems like a combination of the original suit, Deadshot, Grifter, and Deathstroke. Any way you look at it, we should see it in plastic.


Anybody you're watching the shelves for?

4 comments:

Bubbashelby said...

The Question is slated for a future DCUC release, but I haven't seen any prototype or 2-up pictures yet.

There's also a variant to the DC Infinite Heroes Question which looks really nice because they included a trenchcoat:

http://toyriffic.blogspot.com/2009/01/follow-up-question.html

And the DCUC classic Vigilante should be out in the next couple months:

http://www.dcuc.info/heroes/vigilante-pre-sales-photo/

Finally, I'd do flips if DCUC or DCIH made a Ma Hunkel Red Tornado!

Brian said...

Sweet! I didn't know about Vigilante, but I'll definitely have to find a place to pre-order him online somewhere!

As far as Ma Hunkel, I know she ended up as a Pocket Superhero in a 2-pack with the JLA Red Tornado (I actually grabbed that one on a whim at Dragon-Con last year). It would definitely be cool to see a JLU version of her or the DCU one as well.

And how could I forget Forbush Man??? Of all those "little guys" who get overlooked, he should be in plastic!

Anonymous said...

I want Herbie!

Anonymous said...

Puck had a figure way back when. It sucked, but it existed.

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