Toy Fair 2016: Mattel DC Multiverse and Suicide Squad

For those of you lamenting the death of DC Universe Classics, rest assured, Mattel is beginning to ramp up DC Comics-based figures again. And they will continue to collaborate with the Four Horsemen on them. However, if you are hoping for the return of a retail line solely focused on DC / Four Horsemen figures, that’s not happening in the near term.

Mattel’s strategy to have one line that encapsulates comics, movies, TV, and video game figures is working for them. The Four Horsemen, who were once the sole collaborators on collector-oriented DC figures from Mattel, will still have a portion of that – mostly the comics-inspired figures. Most of the others are falling outside the 4H aesthetic and are being done internally or by other design partners.

DC Multiverse

Some new additions to the Multiverse line here: Superman infected by Doomsday DNA, TV Supergirl, armored Batman and the Mutant Leader from The Dark Knight Returns comic, movie Lex Luthor in prison garb (if that’s a spoiler, blame Mattel, not me!), and a New 52 Doomsday.

I didn’t get to ask, but I’m guessing Doomsday is a Collect and Connect figure for the next Multiverse wave.

Suicide Squad

Mattel unveiled Suicide Squad figures for the first time, in both 12- and 6-inch scale. At 12-inches, the Joker and Deathstroke were shown. In 6-inches, we were shown Boomerang, Killer Croc, Katana, Batman, Deadshot, and Joker. This leaves Harley Quinn, Rick Flag, El Diablo, Enchantress, and Amanda Waller on Mattel’s cutting room floor or in a future assortment.

I asked if the Four Horsemen did any work on these figures – the answer is no. The likenesses for Jai Courtney and Will Smith are pretty good, but Jared Leto’s Joker doesn’t really strike me as him. Batman looks to be built off of the BvS Bats – and continues to look pretty abysmal despite the addition of a new gas mask alternate head and a bunch of accessories.