Saturday, November 21, 2020

DC Collectibles Killer Croc - Arkham Origins


Killer Croc, Aka Waylon Jones is a character created in 1983 to add to Batman's rogues' gallery. He has a rare disorder responsible for his condition aided by a kind of metagene; this allows him very tough skin, incredible strength and a keen sense of smell among others. In most comics, he is taller than the average person, but in the Arkham game series, he is MASSIVE, standing at about 11 feet tall. To add to that, in Arkham Knight's Most Wanted DLC, he is experimented on to further exaggerate his reptilian traits to make him even more monstrous and crocodile-like. 

The Arkham games also make him far more cannibalistic and vicious (not that he ever wasn't these things per se). He sports teeth that grow beyond his mouth, a massive frame, and has is basically singularly focused on eating and killing. He must use money for something though because in Arkham Origins he is part of the 8 assassins that seek to collect 50 million dollars for Batman's head. 

This figure is the craziest, largest 7-inch scale figure I own and unless I get Clayface, Solomon Grundy or Titan Joker, likely the largest I will ever own. He is glorious.

Thursday, November 12, 2020

DC Collectibles Deadshot - Arkham Origins



 After seeing some very reasonable sales on Amazon I've managed to acquire more of the 8 assassins from the Arkham Origins video game. Was it as good as any other in the Arkham series? No, but it still had some great fights and cutscenes that were motion captured by stunt people and gave me a tideover snack, if you will, before the Arkham Knight game. 

This look for Deadshot is a lot closer to his comic book look than the Arkham City game. In the game, he actually saves Batman a few times for the selfish purpose of being the one to kill him personally and collect the 50 million dollar bounty. He is eventually defeated via Batman breaking both his arms and leaving him for the police! 

As was DC Collectibles way further into the line of Arkham figures, this one has improved articulation compared to Arkham City and Arkham Asylum figures, but like the others was barebones on accessories. Masterful painting, shading and sculpting though! 

Monday, November 9, 2020

DC Collectibles Bane - Arkham Origins

 


I am usually not on the lookout for much when it comes to action figures. The only collection I really look at completing is my Arkhamverse one on a 7-inch scale. The deluxe or larger figures in this scale on the second-hand market are usually INSANELY expensive. Despite that, I continue to monitor sites like Amazon, eBay, and FB Marketplace for deals. When I noticed this figure and the Killer Croc from the Arkham Origins at near original MSRP, I had to snatch them up (about 70 CAD for each). 

This is the first appearance of Bane in the Arkham games, so while he is super muscled, he's not bulked up by the Titan formula yet. He is one of the 8 assassins hired by Black Mask (Joker, in reality), to kill Batman for 50 million dollars. Needless to say, he doesn't succeed but does manage to beat the snot out of him initially. He has many of the classic looks of Bane: black and white mask, insanely bulky body, giant in stature, tubes of green running from a device to various ports on his body. Unlike cartoon or some comic book appearances, he doesn't have red eye lenses, but just holes for his eyes and mouth. He also is wearing more of a tactical gear type look, strapping on a few extras like grenades and the like. 

He plays his classic role in the game as he does in many comics and shows: smart tactical leader, a former inmate who basically grew up in a prison, ruthless brigand who can easily tear a regular person's arms off! Despite all this, he's still designed with all these very vulnerable tubes sticking out! 

The figure here is superbly painted and sculpted. So many details in it are top-notch. The articulation is fairly abysmal, however, even by early DC Direct/Collectibles standards. Definitely, some of this is a product of his bulk, but as you'll see with the Killer Croc figure review later, that can't be the only reason. He also doesn't come with much for accessories. Given how large the package was that he came in, I wouldn't have minded an alternate head or hands for punching.