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Wednesday, August 28, 2024

The Penguin, Firestorm and Red Tornado

 



A couple of DC Comics superheroes and one super villain never seem to get the attention or credit they deserve.  Mattel Toys rectified that problem when it released a series of DC Universe superheroes and villains in its early 2000’s Collect & Connect series of articulated action figures.

Each of the 6-inch figures come on a transparent bubble pack with hanger and standup bottom.  The figures are cradled in form-fitting plastic cocoons along with a piece of a large action figure for assembly later.

One of Batman’s most dangerous adversaries is the umbrella toting bad guy The Penguin.  The portly avian adversary has the wits, intelligence and know-how to baffle and in several instances almost kill The Dark Knight

To me the perfect video portrayal of The Penguin was performed by actor Burgess Meredith in the original Batman TV series that ran from 1966 to 1969.

Meredith captured the absurdity of the character with his squawky voice, and waddle walk. Dressed in a three-piece suit The Penguin wore a top hat and carried an umbrella with all sorts of hidden gadgets.

The action figure features the portly Penguin in his top hat, orange vest, monocle, jacket with tails, stripped pants, spats and white shoes.

Included with the figure is a gadget-laden umbrella.

The figure stands with its right hand raised and its left hand clutching the open umbrella.

Like all the Collect & Connect figures The Penguin’s paint application is crisp and clean with distinct edges between color areas with no slopover.

The sculpt work is excellent as it really captures the Penguin’s features: pointed nose, jowls, beady eyes and slicked back black hair.  Articulation points are cleverly hidden and work smoothly.  

Firestorm, the dual-identity, atomic superhero is one of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe but never seems to get the recognition that he is due.

Firestorm was first introduced back in the latter part of the 20th Century by DC Comics.

The Mattel figure captures the true essence of the powerful atomic powered figure.

His hair is translucent red and orange fire, his features with its blacked out eyes and white iris, red helmet, yellow chest covering with radiating atomic symbol, puffed sleeves, yellow mid-arm glove and atomic energy swirls emanating from his hands match the comic book character.

The figure wears a white belt with a red buckle, yellow shorts, red leggings, yellow knee boots and has swiveling and pivot feet.

A colorful background on the package depicts the transformation of Firestorm.

A powerful android with the ability to control cyclonic forces, Red Tornado has endured much and still manages to come out a hero.

While his outfit is a little funky and dated, his powers are impressive.

The Red Tornado android has a computer fast mind, incredible strength and the capacity to learn and adapt to all situations.  He was even human at one point.

The Red Tornado figure is dressed in red with yellow stripes running down its legs, arms and torso. His red head has a large yellow stripe with arrow running done to his forehead.

Each hand is in a mid-arm yellow glove and the right hand emits a swirling yellow and orange mini-tornado.

The figure’s buccaneer boots have yellow flairs, yellow stripes and solid red body.

He wears a red cap with a blue interior and a large collar with a blue interior.

This figure is packed with articulation points that are hidden for the most part hidden by the yellow stripes running down its extremities.

Hebrews 10:25 - Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.


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