After what many experienced with DC Universe Classics Wave 5, the last Wal-Mart exclusive wave, some people have been skeptical about Mattel’s claim that Wave 10 would be more broadly distributed, since Wal-Mart increased the size of their order. So it’s a huge relief to have these figures in hand – at least I imagine that’s how the people who’ve actually found them feel, because I’m still in a holding pattern with Forager, who VeeBee at the Fwoosh was kind enough to pass my way for my Cosmic Odyssey display.
These photos and quick thoughts on the DCUC 10 figures are from Buzzy Fret, who found these figures at a regular Wal-Mart down in Gainesville, Florida. After you’re done here, check out Buzzy Fret Customs – he’s done a lot with DCUC base figures recently, and I’ll be commissioning a Robin from him soon.
Robotman
Race car driver’s brain in a super strong ceramic metal body! Best of all you can pop his metal skull open to check out his brains. I like that the Horsemen took out some of the musculature to make Robotman look more… robot like. There’s not a lot to this guy but what is here, is cool. Now bring on the rest of the freak show known as The Doom Patrol!
Beast Boy
Personally speaking, Beast Boy is my least favorite of the Wave 10 set. I don’t think that BB’s a bad action figure, far from it. He’s well sculpted and has great details. It’s just that BB looks like a really nice 5″ scale action figure. His stature keeps him (and Kid Flash and Robin) from looking like he fits in with the rest of the DCUC herd. Other than that he is a phenomenal looking version of Beast Boy. Plus he comes with a green Eagle accessory that has articulated wings! Too cool.
The Joker
Just like he did in the first Keaton/Burton Batman movie the Joker steals the show in Wave 10. Awesome, detailed and FUN action figure. He comes with great accessories and best of all he holds them all well. Mattel and 4H have delivered the definitive version of the Clown Prince of Crime. I could fill pages about how cool he is but instead I’ll just say, “Go buy him. Now.”
Power Girl
The Four Horsemen make gorgeous female action figures! Karen “Kara” Starr AKA Power Girl is buxom and, because I’m from the South, bodacious! Pee Gee is rocking an enhanced Hawkgirl / Black Canary body and her details scream “Iconic.” Like all the figures in the Wave 10 set I purchased; her paint apps are sharp and her construction is solid. She’s a brick house.
Man-Bat
One of my all time faves out of the Bat-Family! I have the SDCC Albino Man-Bat which is a great collector’s piece but I’m extremely happy to have the iconic brown version of Kirk “Man-Bat” Langstrom now. Again, good, tight construction and fabulous paint apps. This version’s limbs and joints feel much improved over the SDCC Man-Bat. Skreek!
Bug… er, Forager
Another Fourth World homerun hit by the Horsemen! I love New Gods/Fourth World and it’s pretty obvious 4H do too. The Bug here uses a slimmer buck (like HJ GL, Manta, Nightwing) with some nifty little attachments to recreate his look. I love the black jagged painted details on his legs. I just can’t get over how sharp the paint apps are for this Wave.
Imperiex (Collect & Connect)
I know squat about this character but he is an outstanding C&C figure! I’m gonna go way out on a limb and say this is the BEST DCUC C&C yet. Imperiex feels very solid and tight when assembled and yet his joints move so smoothly. He is hand candy.
The overall quality of this whole Wave is very high. It harkens back to Wave 1 and 2. I’m so happy I went to Wal-Mart this morning.
Thanks much for the quick review and great pics, Buzzy! But rest assured, you’re still going to pay for that “Bug” remark! 😉
Awesome review. I can’t wait to find these. The Regional Manager will be getting a nasty letter from me if I can’t find them in my five local stores.
Also, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperiex Is the entry for Imperiex, i’d check out the trades on Amazon, Borders or Barnes and Noble, if your LCS doesnt have ’em.
I should stop at Walmart on the way home from work. I’d hate to not be able to get any of this line. It’s bad enough I had to complete Grodd by buying a limb on ebay (no orange and green Aquaman for me).
I’ve been waiting for months to get my hands on this wave’s Joker figure! This past Saturday, I drove up to a Walmart about 20 miles from where I live and nearly fainted when I found a near-complete set of DCUC Wave 10 (they had each figure minus Batman). They had 2 Jokers and one each of Beast Boy, Robotman, Man-Bat, Forager, and Power Girl. I only had money to buy two, so I bought one of the Joker figures and the Man-Bat (the Bat-Family is near and dear to my heart). No kidding, my hands were shaking… I was SO happy to finally get my hands on a Joker figure! I went back to that same Walmart the next day, hoping to be able to buy more, but they were all gone. I guess the “Action Figure gods” were smiling on me that day!
I went to one of those aftermarket toystores and jokingly asked if they had the wave 10 and they actually had them but are not selling them yet. I found out that they had someone sell them a bunch of cases. The same contact sold them 10 cases of Wave 5 way back then. I took the story with a grain of salt. Made me mad at the thought.
I went to my LCS and was telling the story and found out that the clerk there was calling up local Walmarts and buying up cases before it even gets to the shelves. I’ve been driving all around 4 walmarts twice a week. I am NOT a happy collector.