Points of Articulation - 13" Deluxe Collector Green Lantern!

Wow, our first non-Marvel Legends review! Hal Jordan certainly is in the spotlight these days, what with Rebirth and the upcoming 52, so he's more than suitable for a write-up in Points of Articulation!



Okay, here's the story. I don't usually buy action figures that come with real clothes. Somehow, in my mind, that tips the scales towards "doll" rather than "action figure". Nevertheless, as a slobbering Green Lantern fan, I've had my eyes open for one of these figures ever since I first heard that DC Direct would be releasing this line-up. However, Hal did not come cheap. I picked him up for $64.99 CDN at The Silver Snail in Toronto, and that's about $10.00 cheaper than at any of the other stores I frequent.

The first two figures in the deluxe 13-inch series were Superman and Batman, from the movie Batman Begins. I've seen lots of Batman figures on store shelves, and the occasional Superman figure - but selling for as much as $100 CDN! According to the GL box, we can expect to see more 13-inch figures, including Lex Luthor, a Superman Returns figure, Batman and Two-Face!

And what a box! Normally I don't get too jazzed about the package, but the box art is really nice, with a gatefold panel that reveals the figure through a display window. I tried to take some pics of the box, but it has a glossy surface that reflects the flash of the camera. I could certainly understand some collectors keeping Hal in the box for display purposes, although that's not my style. Besides, you'll notice that one of Hal's hands fell off in the package, so I set to work opening that sucker up!

Freed from the box, I set about trying to find all the joints. I didn't want to go the bother of removing all the clothes, although I could do so. The boots unzip and so does the back of the costume. I counted 25 points of articulation, although the box says there are 28. There's no doubt, however, that this figure has a far-greater range of movement than the standard offering from DC Direct. Hal comes with different hands (fists or open palms), and a removable mask, as well as a flight-stand and a light-up power battery!

The battery is really cool, shining with a brilliant green LED light, which you turn on and off by twisting the base of the lantern. Unfortunately, Hal can't actually hold it! His left fist is closed, so he can't grasp the handle of the lantern. If you click on the pictures, you'll see that I lashed the lantern to Hal's wrist with a clear twist-tie. This is one of my two big gripes with the figure, especially since the box art (cover and rear) specifcally shows Hal holding the power battery by the handle! At best, you could use the left open-palm hand, but that looks a little stupid. This omission really, REALLY bugs me, especially since the light-up lantern is so darn cool - it would look awesome if Hal could actually hold the darn thing.

The base and flight-stand are nice and sturdy. Since Hal wears a real costume, it doesn't use a Marvel Legends style peg to slot into a hole in his back. It uses a little clamp around his waist to hold the figure.

However, the flight stand is about two inches too short. With the clamp around Hal's waist, his feet still touch the base. As a result, the flying pose looks a little weak, with his feet barely clearing the ground. That's my second complaint.

Look, this isn't a figure for the casual collector. When I spend this kind of money on a single toy, I expect greatness. As a result, little things like Hal not being able to hold the lantern and a too-short flight-stand can really compromise the overall "wow" factor. Despite those shortcomings, it is still a great figure, with lots of articulation. The only part of the scuplt that matters (the head) looks good and the removable mask is a nice touch. The costume, representing the current version of Hal's get-up, is made from a stretchy spandex or lycra-like material, and the logo feels like a T-shirt iron on transfer. It looks great, even with the obvious zippers and a few tiny threads that need to snipped.

So what's the verdict? If you're the kind of serious collector who doesn't open the box, then this figure makes for an incredible display piece. If you like to play with your toys, like I do, then even the raving Green Lantern fanboys should temper their excitement. Although it is a really neat figure, I can't help but feel a bit let down by the short flight-stand and Hal's inability to carry the power battery. Those gripes aside, I'm still happy to add this guy to my collection.

Now, if only there was a Mogo figure . . . can you say zero points of articulation?

That's all for now. Kudos to Almeister112 for a great guest column, I'll try and throw up a few additional pics of the variant Iron Fist, Sasquatch and Bishop figures soon!