DC Universe Classics

DC Universe Classics is a sub-line of the DC Universe toy brand manufactured by Mattel. This is considered by many to be the main line of the DC Universe re-brand. These are 6-inch scale figures based on characters in the entire DC Comics library, an expansion from previous Mattel lines that only allowed for the use of Batman, and, later on, Superman characters. The entire line is sculpted by the Four Horsemen Studios.

History

The line's history can be traced back to 2003, with the start of Mattel's Batman line. After failing at retail, the line was rebranded into DC Superheroes in late 2005, and those figures (from both the Bat- and Super-families) came with comics and dioramas rather than action features. Mattel was given the rights to produce all of the DC Comics characters on June 28, 2007. DC Universe Classics was first announced at San Diego Comic Con 2007, with the first wave of action figures on display. The line was scheduled for initial availability in January 2008. On Mattel's slide shows at SDCC, close ups of the second wave of action figures was shown, along with a line of 3" game figures under the name 'Battleague' (which later on became the 'Fighting Figures' sub-line). The second wave of 'Classics' figures (and variants) were shown in full at Wizard World Chicago, alongside the first wave of figures. The third wave of figures were announced in October, 2007, with photos being shown in the December 12, 2007 issue of ToyFare magazine. The fourth and fifth waves were announced in full at the 2008 New York Comic Con, and three of the five (or six, if you count the Collect and Connect figure) were shown in 2-up form at Wizard World Philadelphia in May of 2008. More figures were revealed at the 2008 San Diego Comic Con and on MattyCollector.com.

Collect and Connect

In 2005, Toy Biz introduced the "Build-a-Figure" (referred to as a "BAF" in the collector community) to the Marvel Legends line. Each individual figure in the series was packaged with a piece of a larger figure. Mattel emulated this pattern in the DC Universe Classics line as "Collect and Connect" with five (and later, six) separate figures including pieces to build one of DC's bigger characters. Variant versions of figures include the same piece as the regular version. The goal is for the Collect and Connect figures to be around 25% larger than the basic figures. This is only a ballpark figure, though - the Collect and Connect figure's size will vary based on the character's needs, though significantly larger characters (such as Chemo) will need to be reduced in size in order to be released in the line.

Criticisms

As with DC Superheroes, many collectors reported difficulty finding figures in mass market retail stores such as Toys "R" Us, Target, and Wal-Mart. The issue came to a head with the Wal-Mart exclusive fifth wave, which was not available at all Wal-Mart stores, clearly not satisfying the demand. Availability also became a concern with the San Diego Comic Con exclusive Gleek figure, which was only available at the convention and was not offered on Mattel's website after the show. The figure quickly sold out, and there are currently no plans to re-release it.

Another issue with the line was quality control, as collectors reported problems with figures having stuck joints, bad paint applications, and mismatched parts. Some collectors were also concerned about scale issues, with certain figures coming out too large (Lobo) or too small (Sinestro, Big Barda), as well as the fact that Collect and Connect figures have a height limit.

Figures

As stated above, the first wave of figures were shown at San Diego Comic Con, while the second wave was shown at Wizard World Chicago. At the outset of the line, the figures were slated to come five to a wave (with variants thrown in when possible), with five waves per year for five years. These plans have been altered to increase the number of figures per wave to seven, and to include retailer, convention, and online exclusives at various times throughout the year. Though the line has been criticized for its very limited inclusion of women (only three female characters appeared in the line's first six assortments), it has been confirmed that every wave from 2009 onward will include at least one of DC's leading ladies, and indications are that there are nearly no characters that are too obscure for incorporation in DC Universe Classics (as evidenced by the inclusion of Killer Moth). This gives fans of characters like Elongated Man, Soranik Natu, and Catman great hope that their favorite DC faces will have a shot at making an appearance in the line.

Wave One - Rex Mason, the Element Man (December 2007)

Batman heads this first line of figures. The Penguin, Red Tornado, and Etrigan were originally supposed to have variants, which were scrapped at different times. The Penguin's chase robotic penguin accessories were dropped for cost reasons, while Red Tornado's modern costume and a repainted Etrigan to better reflect the art of Jack Kirby were skipped in favor of getting the second wave out as soon as possible. Mattel is looking into ways to get modern Red Tornado released. For some reason, some of the Batman figures are labeled "Crime Stopper," while others are dubbed "Classic Detective." It is unknown if this was a variant or a running change. Along the same lines, the first shipment of figures showed the classic Red Tornado on the back of the package, while the second shipments showed the modern incarnation.

The Collect and Connect figure for this wave is Metamorpho, labeled Rex Mason, the Element Man. Metamorpho includes snap-on accessories, including a giant right hand, a giant hammer for his left hand, and an extension for his right leg.

Number	Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Collect and Connect Piece
1	Orion	Astro harness	Classic	23 points	Right Leg
2	Crime Stopper or Classic Detective Batman	Grappling gun, batarang	Blue and gray, yellow oval		Right Arm
3	The Penguin	Umbrella	Classic	18 points	Head/Torso
4	Red Tornado	Snap-on tornado	Classic	23 points	Left Arm
5	The Demon, Etrigan		Classic		Left Leg

Wave Two - Gorilla Grodd (March 2008)

The electric-costume Superman from the late 1990s anchored this second assortment of figures. There are three characters with two versions each; cases included both Superman variants and either the modern or classic Aquaman, with the modern one packed at a smaller ratio to the classic incarnation. The Firestorms were done as a running change, with the classic one showing up in the first shipments and the modern one coming in later shipments.

The Collect and Connect for this wave is Gorilla Grodd.

Number	Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Collect and Connect Piece
1	Firestorm	Atomic/molecular structures	Ronnie Raymond (Classic)	23 points	Right Leg
			Jason Rusch (Modern)
2	Aquaman, King of Atlantis	Trident	Arthur Curry (Classic)		Right Arm
			Joseph Curry (Modern)
3	Harley Quinn	Mallet, gun	Classic		Head/Torso
4	Superman	Snap-on electric bolts	Superman Blue		Left Arm
			Superman Red
5	Black Manta	Trident, stun-gun	Classic		Left Leg

Wave Three - Solomon Grundy (August 2008)

Hal Jordan heads this third line of figures. Nightwing and Robin are redone in this third wave after both previously having had figures when the line was DC Superheroes. The previous representations of these two characters were not sculpted by the Four Horsemen. The wave was first seen in the December 12, 2007 issue of ToyFare. Sinestro's variants were issued at a 50:50 ratio, while Deathstroke's were slightly less.

The Collect and Connect for this wave is Solomon Grundy.

Number	Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Collect and Connect Piece
1	Sinestro	Lantern	Classic	23 points	Right Leg
			Sinestro Corps
2	Deathstroke the Terminator	Gun, sword, bo staff	Classic		Right Arm
			Slade Wilson unmasked
3	Nightwing	Escrima sticks	Dick Grayson (Modern)		Head/Torso
4	Robin	Bo staff, batarangs	Tim Drake, One Year Later costume		Left Arm
5	Green Lantern	Lantern	Hal Jordan (Classic)		Left Leg

Wave Four - Despero (September 2008)

Wonder Woman anchors the fourth wave of figures. Toy Fair 2008 saw the unveiling of her and Cyborg. The rest of the lineup was unveiled at New York Comic Con 2008. Mattel made good use out of its acquisition of the rights to the Charlton characters in a move that surprised fans - not only was Captain Atom released, but so was a variant featuring his costume from Kingdom Come. Also coming as a shock to the fans was the announcement at the 2008 San Diego Comic Con that Batman Beyond and Cyborg would have variants that would be exclusive to KB Toys. Following KB's going out of business, Mattel made those variants available through other retailers.

The Collect and Connect for this wave is Despero in his mid 1990s incarnation, complete with two guns.

Number	Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Collect and Connect Piece
1	Wonder Woman	Axe, shield	Classic	23 points	Right Leg
	Artemis	Bow, arrow belt	Wonder Woman costume
2	Cyborg	Laser and claw attachments	Classic		Right Arm
			Sonic Blast Arm; KB Exclusive
3	Captain Atom		Silver version		Head/Torso
			Kingdom Come version
4	Batman Beyond	Batarang	Classic		Left Arm
		Batarang, mask	Unmasked Terry McGinnis; KB Exclusive
5	Ares	Axe, Sword	Classic		Left Leg

Wave Five (Wal-Mart Exclusive) - Metallo (November 2008)

A surprise announcement at the 2008 New York Comic Con was that not only would Wal-Mart begin carrying DC Universe Classics figures starting with wave three, but that they would receive a store exclusive wave in November 2008. At the request of Wal-Mart, the characters included in this wave are characters that were able to be created using relatively few new parts.

The Collect and Connect for this wave is a mech version of Metallo. According to the Four Horsemen's panel at Wizard World Philadelphia, Metallo was originally sculpted to be part of DC Superheroes but was held back when Mattel was awarded the full license to the DC library. Given Wal-Mart's cost requirements, his inclusion was probably a no-brainer. Metallo features a removable chest plate that reveals his Kryptonite heart.

Number	Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Collect and Connect Piece
1	Amazo		Classic	23 points	Right Leg
2	The Atom		Ray Palmer (Classic)		Right Arm
3	The Riddler	Question mark cane	Modern	21 points	Head/Torso
4	Eradicator		Reign of the Supermen	23 points	Left Arm
5	Black Lightning		Modern		Left Leg

Wave Six - Kalibak (December 2008)

Unveiled in its entirety during the 2008 San Diego Comic Con, the sixth assortment of DC Universe Classics borrows heavily from Jack Kirby's Fourth World. It also brought collectors another four steps closer to having the Super Powers collection recreated, character for character. Superman is, once again, the tentpole character for the wave, though the other characters are fan favorites as well.

The Collect and Connect for this wave is Darkseid's son Kalibak with his club.

Number	Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Collect and Connect Piece
1	Mr. Miracle	Shackles, Hoverdisks, Mother Box	Classic	23 points	Right Leg
	Dr. Impossible		Modern
2	Hawkman	Shield, mace, sword	Classic	27 points	Right Arm
3	Killer Moth	Gun	Classic	23 points	Head/Torso
4	Superman		Recovery suit, mullet		Left Arm
			Classic costume, mullet
5	Captain Marvel		Classic		Left Leg

Wave Seven - Atom Smasher (February 2009)

With the resounding success of the line, Mattel found it possible to extend the number of figures in an assortment from five to seven, starting in 2009. With these new assortments, six of the seven figures have a Collect and Connect piece to make a larger character; the seventh - who is usually the A-list hero included in the wave - has a DC Universe display stand (which can also be bought from Mattel's website).

The seventh wave also saw the first release of World's Greatest Super Heroes (WGSH) figures - re-releases of earlier figures with a DC Universe stand. Figures released in this wave included Batman, Captain Marvel, Firestorm (Ronnie Raymond), Green Lantern, Robin, and Wonder Woman. The seventh wave was shipped in two assortments - each containing a mix of WGSH figures along with the regular figures in the wave.

The Collect and Connect figure for this wave is Atom Smasher.

Number	Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Collect and Connect Piece
1	Ocean Warrior Aquaman	Trident	Blue camouflage costume	23 points	Upper/Middle Torso
2	Kid Flash		Wally West, yellow/red costume		Right Arm
3	Blue Beetle	Blaster	Ted Kord (Classic)		Right Leg
4	Booster Gold	Skeets	Classic (with collar)		Left Leg
			Modern (without collar)
5	Big Barda	Megarod	Classic (with helmet)		Left Arm
			Classic (without helmet)
6	Captain Cold	Ice gun	Classic		Head/Lower Torso
7	The Flash		Barry Allen (Classic)		Figure Stand

Wave Eight - Giganta (April 2009)

On November 3, 2008, Mattel revealed the lineup for the eighth wave on their website, including pictures. Making good on their promise to deliver more females and venture beyond the best-known characters in DC's stable, the figures include members of the Justice Society of America and some of the most obscure characters ever offered in a mass-market line - without a Superman or Batman to be found. Initially, the modern Doctor Fate variant featured a yellow cape and gloves. Mattel has indicated that there will be a running change to the figure to give it a gold cape and gloves to match the other gold-colored parts of the costume.

The Collect and Connect figure for this wave is Giganta in her classic, cavewoman outfit. In addition, a miniature Atom figure was included with the Collect and Connect pieces.

Number	Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Collect and Connect Piece
1	Commander Steel		Hank Heywood	23 points	Upper/Middle Torso
2	Doctor Fate	Ankh-shaped electric bolt	Hector Hall (Modern)		Right Arm
	Doctor Fate		Kent Nelson (Classic)
3	Mister Terrific	T-Spheres	Michael Holt		Right Leg
4	Vigilante	Uzi, rifle, pistol	Adrian Chase		Left Leg
5	Parademon	Club	Classic		Left Arm
		Gun	Super Powers
6	Gentleman Ghost	Cane, pistol	Classic	21 points	Head, Lower Torso, and Mini Atom
7	Hawkgirl	Staff, dagger, mace	Golden Age Hawkwoman	27 points	Figure Stand

Wave Nine - Chemo (August 2009)

On February 7, 2009, Mattel revealed the lineup for the ninth wave of the line at the 2009 New York Comic Con. Fan favorites Green Arrow and Black Canary make their debut. One of the villains in the wave, Mantis, has a 50/50 split consisting of his comic book counterpart and his depiction in the Super Powers line. A Guardian variant was initially shown, but was scrapped in favor of a Wildcat variant.

Some specialty stores only received a fraction of their pre-orders from Mattel.

The Collect and Connect for this wave is Chemo, the arch-nemesis of the Metal Men, in his modern form.

Number	Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Collect and Connect Piece
1	Wildcat		Ted Grant, black costume	23 points	Upper/Middle Torso
			Ted Grant, blue costume
2	Deadshot		Classic		Right Arm
3	Guardian	Shield	Classic		Right Leg
4	Black Adam	Scarab necklace	Classic		Left Leg
5	Mantis		Comic version		Left Arm
			Super Powers
6	Black Canary		Dinah Lance (Classic)	21 points	Lower Torso
7	Green Arrow	Bow, arrows	Classic	25 Points	Figure Stand

Wave Ten (Wal-Mart Exclusive) - Imperiex (September 2009)

The tenth assortment of DC Universe Classics strays a bit from the recent trend of releasing obscure characters. Instead, some fan-demanded releases are addressed, along with the inclusion of some lesser-known characters. Man-Bat is a hold-over from the DC Superheroes line, which saw albino and clear versions released as convention exclusives but not the classic, brown version of the character. The Joker is an updated sculpt to better match the style of DC Universe Classics.

After the Wal-Mart exclusive wave five proved to be hard to find at retail, wave ten was much more easily available for collectors.

The Collect and Connect for this wave is Imperiex.

Number	Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Collect and Connect Piece
1	Robotman	Removable skullcap	Classic	23 points	Upper/Middle Torso
2	Beast Boy	Green hawk	Modern		Right Arm
3	The Joker	Cards, fish, mallet, cane	Classic	22 points	Right Leg
4	Power Girl		Modern	23 points	Left Leg
5	Man-Bat		Classic brown	19 points	Left Arm
6	Forager	Shield	Classic	23 points	Head/Lower Torso
7	Batman	Bat-laptop, Batarang	Black costume		Figure Stand

Wave Eleven - Kilowog (November 2009)

Dipping back into the deep well of characters available in the Green Lantern mythos, Mattel expands upon the team they began building in the third wave. Also seen in the eleventh wave of the line is the winner of the 2008 ToyFare poll and another character that works to complete the Super Powers lineup.

The Collect and Connect for this wave is Kilowog.

Number	Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Collect and Connect Piece
1	Katma Tui	Ring constructs (sword and shield)	Classic	23 points	Upper/Middle Torso
2	The Shark		Classic		Right Leg
3	Deadman		Classic		Right Arm
			Phasing variant
4	Cyborg Superman		Sinestro Corps costume		Head/Lower Torso
5	The Question		Classic		Left Leg
6	John Stewart	Ring constructs (fist and power tool)	Modern		Left Arm
7	Steppenwolf	Cable snare, sword, horn	Classic		Figure Stand
		Battle Axe	Super Powers

Wave Twelve - Darkseid (January 2010)

Confirmed by Mattel and revealed for the first time in the November 2009 (#147) issue of ToyFare magazine, the twelfth wave of DC Universe Classics further moves toward completing the recreation of the Super Powers Collection, as well as begins the formation of DC's Metal Men in action figure form for the first time.

Wave twelve also marks the switchover to a new theme and an updated package design. In celebration of DC Comics' 75th anniversary, each Classics and Infinite Heroes figure comes with an anniversary button (75 buttons in all). Additionally, rather than featuring comic book art for only the characters appearing in a given wave, the packaging is showcasing a rotating cast of characters. Included on the twelfth wave's card art is (counterclockwise from top left) Superman, the Joker, Wonder Woman, Sinestro, the Flash, Cyborg, Darkseid, Katma Tui, the Atom (Ryan Choi), Catwoman, Ultra-Humanite, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg Superman, and Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes), Two-Face, Gold, Zatanna, the Spectre (Crispus Allen), the Question, Deadman, Vixen, Steppenwolf, Firestorm, Giganta, Hal Jordan, Lex Luthor, and Batman.

The Collect and Connect for this wave is Darkseid, a larger version than the one released in the DC Superheroes line. Darkseid comes with his Killing Glove, which is interchangeable with his regular gloved hand.

Number	Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Collect and Connect Piece
1	Eclipso		Bruce Gordon (Classic)	23 points	Left Leg
2	The Spectre		Jim Corrigan (Classic)		Right Arm
			Glow-in-the-dark
3	Copperhead		Classic		Head/Lower Torso
4	Dr. Mid-Nite	Hooty the Owl	Charles McNider (Classic)		Left Arm
5	Desaad	Torture device	Classic		Figure Stand
6	Mary Marvel		White costume (Modern)	22 points	Upper/Middle Torso
			Red costume (Classic)
7	Iron	Die-cast hand attachments	Classic	23 points	Right Leg

Wave Thirteen - Trigon

Hot on the heels of the official confirmation of the lineup for wave twelve came the leak of the thirteenth wave's characters, as well as images. Several fan requests - and another Super Powers character - are found within, as well as the line's first wave with two women as basic characters.

The Collect and Connect for this wave is Teen Titans foe Trigon, complete with staff.

Number	Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Collect and Connect Piece
1	Negative Man		Classic
			Unbandaged head variant
2	Superboy		Reign of the Supermen costume
3	Cyclotron	Removable face and chestplate	Super Powers		Figure Stand
4	Blue Beetle	Wings and gun	Modern
5	Cheetah		Priscilla Rich
			Barbara Ann Minerva
6	Blue Devil	Trident	Classic
7	Wonder Girl		Classic (Donna Troy)

Wave Fourteen (Wal-Mart Exclusive) - Ultra-Humanite

Confirmed in ToyFare #152 and at the New York International Toy Fair, the fourteenth wave of DC Universe Classics continues to build teams and flesh out the Super Powers lineup. This wave is scheduled for a summer release and has been confirmed as being exclusive to Wal-Mart. This wave is much more ambitious in terms of new tooling and the obscurity of character selection.

The Collect and Connect figure for this wave is the evil Ultra-Humanite.

Number	Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Collect and Connect Piece
	Green Lantern	Lantern	Alan Scott
	Gold	Die-cast hand attachments
	Hourman		Classic
	Kamandi	Gun
	Obsidian
	Tyr				Figure Stand
	Zatanna	Magic wand	Classic

Exclusives

2008

San Diego Comic Con

The first ever DC Universe Classics exclusive figure was announced at the 2008 New York Comic Con. It was none other than the main man himself, Lobo. He was only sold at the Mattel booth at the 2008 San Diego Comic Con, though some very limited quantities were offered on Mattel's online store. His inclusion in the line had been in question for quite some time, as DC Comics did not feel as though he was a character they would want in a mass market toy line, due to his persona in the comics.

Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation
Lobo	Chain, Dawg, 2 guns, 3-D glasses	Dreadlocks	23 points

Toys "R" Us Two-Packs

Because of poor distribution when DC Universe Classics was still DC Superheroes, many fans did not get a chance to even see (let alone purchase) several of the figures offered. As a solution Mattel has released, exclusive to Toys "R" Us, two-packs that give collectors a way to purchase the figures without breaking the bank. Some of the sets include a brand new figure in with an older one, as an added bonus. One wave has been released in 2008.

Name	Figures	Accessories	Description	Articulation	First Release
Batman Figure Pack	Azrael		Re-releases	23 points	DC Superheroes
	Batgirl
New Gods Figure Pack	Orion	Removable helmet, astro harness	Classic		DC Universe Classics
	Lightray
Green Lantern Figure Pack	Hal Jordan	Lantern	Year One costumes
	Abin Sur
Super Enemies Figure Pack	Cyborg Superman		Re-releases		DC Superheroes
	Mongul

2009

San Diego Comic Con

In an effort to top their long-requested Lobo from last year, Mattel chose to produce two (or three) figures as their exclusive. Straight from the Super Friends - as well as the ranks of the unproduced Super Powers characters - come Zan and Jayna, better known as the Wonder Twins. Available both at San Diego and on MattyCollector.com, the set comes with the aforementioned twins, along with a bucket with Zan in his water form and Jayna in her shape of an eagle. Gleek, their pet monkey, was only available at the convention as a special gift to the fans that were able to attend.

Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation
Zan	Bucket with water, eagle, and Gleek	Classic	23 points
Jayna

MattyCollector.com Two-Packs

After years of requests from collectors to begin some semblance of an official online presence for their boys brands, Mattel launched MattyCollector.com in conjunction with the 2008 San Diego Comic Con. The site will have exclusive news, updates, archives, and products that collectors can buy directly from Mattel. Though limited numbers of 2008 Comic Con exclusives were made available for order in late July, exclusives began in the first quarter of 2009 with two-packs of characters that won't be available anywhere else.

Set	Name	Figures	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Release Date
1	Space Heroes Two-Pack	Adam Strange	Pistol	Modern	23 points	January 15, 2009
		Starfire
2	Battle for Earth 3	Ultraman		Classic		June 15, 2009
		Alexander Luthor
3	Color of Fear	Romat-Ru		Modern		November 16, 2009
		Karu-Sil	Pack member
4	Justice in the Jungle	Animal Man		Classic		December 15, 2009
		B'wana Beast

Online and Toys "R" Us Exclusive Two-Packs

Shortly before the 2008 Christmas holiday, four pre-orders for previously unannounced two-packs appeared on various online toy stores. Mattel offered some clarification as to the offerings - proposed as exclusives to online retailers and Toys "R" Us, these two-packs would target both children and collectors alike. Children would get a chance to get the more basic, "core" characters, and collectors would have a second chance at getting some hard-to-find figures, as well as some other surprises. Two of those four two-packs were released in 2009; the third two-pack (featuring Lex Luthor and Supergirl) was delayed until 2010, while the fourth (featuring the Golden Age Hawkman and Hawkgirl) has been put on hold.

Name	Figures	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Release Date
Fists of Clay Figure Pack	Clayface		Re-release	15 points	June 2009
	Batman	Batarang	Mud-splattered	23 points
Clash in the Cosmos	Superman		Short-haired, heat vision	23 points
	Brainiac	Ray gun	Green-skinned Coluan

Wal-Mart Exclusive Five-Pack

Originally intended for the 2009 holiday season, an exclusive five-pack was offered by Wal-Mart stores in August. Four of the five figures are repaints of figures from the DC Superheroes and DC Universe Classics lines, while the fifth figure (Lex Luthor) is an all-new sculpt.

Name	Figures	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Release Date
Gotham City 5	Superman		Classic	23 points	August 2009
	Batman		Black/gray with yellow oval
	Lex Luthor		Purple/green jumpsuit
	Catwoman	Whip	Purple bodysuit
	Two-Face		Orange/purple suit

2010

San Diego Comic Con

At this point, all that is known about the 2010 San Diego Comic Con exclusive is that it is a figure with five accessories, one of which will be exclusive to the Con. Rumors are circulating that the figure is Plastic Man; the figure will be announced in April 2010.

Toys R Us and Online Exclusive Two-Packs

February 2010 saw the re-release of the Green Lantern and Super Enemies two-packs from late 2008. Along with these two packs, another previously announced set that had been delayed several times was finally sent to stores.

Name	Figures	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Release Date
Kryptonite Chaos	Lex Luthor	Green, blue, red, and gold kryptonite	Re-releases		February 2010
	Supergirl

Wal-Mart Exclusive Two-Packs

Two exclusive two-packs are set to be released at Wal-Mart in early 2010. Both sets are comprised entirely of repaints and have no new sculpting.

Name	Figures	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Release Date
Dynamic Duo	Batman		Gray and black suit, bat symbol without yellow, and pouched belt		2010
	Robin		Tim Drake's original green and red outfit
Undersea Assault	Aquaman		Gold shirt
	Black Manta		Dark blue suit

DC vs. Masters of the Universe Toys R Us Exclusive Two-Packs

Combining Mattel's two huge fantasy properties, these sets of figures serve as a means to get Masters of the Universe Classics figures back onto the shelves at retail. The DC figures are straight re-releases of previously done figures, while the Masters of the Universe Classics toys may have slight paint changes.

Set Number	Figures	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Release Date
1	Superman		Re-release
	He-Man	Axe and shield
2	Lex Luthor	Gun, green, blue, red, and gold kryptonite	Re-release
	Skeletor	Sword

Walmart Exclusive Five-Pack

After the success that Walmart found with its 2009 Batman- and Superman-related multipack, Mattel has provided them with a second five-pack, this time featuring two brand new characters, as well as three existing figures in new paint schemes to make the repeat purchase worth the collectors' while.

Name	Figures	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Release Date
Green Lanterns	Guy Gardner		Classic		June 2010
	Hal Jordan		Gray temples
	John Stewart		Mosaic costume
	Sinestro		Green Lantern costume
	Tomar Re		Classic

Toyfare Fans' Choice

2008

ToyFare #133 launched a contest quite similar to one done by Marvel Legends for DC Universe Classics. Through an online vote, fans of DC Universe Classics got to pick from a short list of possibilities to appear in a future wave. Fan reaction was positive until the nominees were revealed; most felt that at least three or four of the characters were already shoo-ins for inclusion in the line due to their popularity, their ties to an A-list character, or both.

The Choices

• Catman
• The Huntress
• The Question
• Ragman
• Starman
• Vixen

It was announced that the Question came out on top in the December 2008 issue of ToyFare. He appeared in the eleventh wave of Classics, and it was confirmed that none of the five runners-up would appear in the line before he did. It should be noted, however, that these other five characters are by no means off the table - they are just coming a little bit slower than many would like.

2009

For its 2009 poll, the DC Universe brand managers and ToyFare staff picked another interesting group of six characters for possible inclusion in the line. Once again, many were surprised by the choices, as several seemed like very basic characters that could be made with just new heads on the existing buck bodies and others seemed like obvious inclusions in the line without the need for a fan poll.

The winner by a large margin was Raven, who will make an appearance in the line's fifteenth wave. Her inclusion in the line was a foregone conclusion to many, but her confirmation is a relief to those looking to further complete their Teen Titans lineups.

The Choices

• Captain Marvel, Jr.
• Geo-Force
• Libra
• Raven
• Toyman
• Uncle Sam

Media Tie-Ins

Public Enemies (Target Exclusive) - Brimstone (October 2009/January 2010)

Deviating from the usual comic-based formula that the line has adhered to quite closely, Mattel produced a wave of figures inspired by the direct-to-video Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. Using the basic buck bodies with newly-sculpted and animation-influenced heads, a variety of characters were made to be sold alongside the film. This series comes in two different waves. The first wave (released in October 2009) includes Batman (Black and Gray), Superman (Classic), Silver Banshee, and Icicle. The second wave (released in January 2010) includes Batman (Blue and Gray), Superman (Metallic), Major Force, and Black Lightning.

The Collect and Connect figure for this wave is Brimstone.

Figure	Accessories	Description	Articulation	Collect and Connect Piece
Batman	Figure stand	Black and gray	23 points	Lower Torso
		Blue and gray
Black Lightning	Figure stand	Public Enemies costume		Left Arm
Icicle	Figure stand	Modern		Left Leg
Major Force	Figure stand	Classic		Head/Upper Torso
Silver Banshee	Figure stand	Modern		Right Leg
Superman	Figure stand	Classic		Right Arm
		Metallic

See also

• DC Direct
• Marvel Legends, Marvel Comics' counterpart to DC Universe Classics

External links

• DC Universe Classics at Batman: Yesterday, Today, and Beyond
• DC Universe Classics Toy Archives @ Legions Of Gotham
• DC Universe Classics at Toy News International
• DC Hall of Justice - reviews
• DCUC Info Archive
• DC Universe Classics at Poe Ghostal's Points of Articulation
• DC Universe Classics Reviews at Articulated Discussion
• DC Universe news at Toyark.com