Alright fellow Speed Readers. As promised pictures of our very own Digger Harkness, better known as Captain Boomerang:
More pictures after the jump.
This is the good captain’s first and only full size action figure and Mattel for the most part hit it out of the park. Fortunately Boomer had a bit of a style update in the last couple of years courtesy of Geoff Johns and Co. so we have a hipper more stylish Digger than we’re used to. The figure isn’t the most dynamic but just about everything has been done so well that there really isn’t any need for anything more. The head sculpt is completely spot on and even has a bit of a cocky smirk going on there. The amount of detail put into the stubble alone makes this piece one of Mattel’s finest I’ve seen in a bit.
Boomer’s jacket sleeves and scarf are molded into the figure, but the jacket is made of a super pliable rubber that isn’t the least bit as restrictive as it looks when it comes to articulation. The bandolier is molded onto the jacket along with a few boomerangs that are unfortunately not removable. In fact Boomer only comes with one very flimsy boomerang, so naturally Boomer stole a few from his formerly estranged (now dead) son, Owen Mercer. Owen was released a few years back by DC Direct in the Identity Crisis series of figures and was also extremely well made. He came with six or seven different boomerangs that actually fit into his jacket when they weren’t in use. I really wish Mattel had gone that route with the bandolier or at least just included a couple more sturdier boomerangs than the one they did but I guess I could see where cost could be a factor. It is like they used the cheapest plastic possible (which is probably true). Some pics of father and son:
The figures look perfect together. A true testament to the Four Horsemen’s designs and how far Mattel has come with their articulation work and hiding it well. Now for some more comparison pics, first one up is Captain Cold and Captain Boomerang:
When Captain Cold was released alongside Barry Flash and Wally Kid Flash way back in DC Universe Classics Wave 7 there were a good amount of complaints concerning the size of Captain Cold. Similar to what happened with the release of Sinestro the molds somehow shrunk in production and produced these slightly smaller in stature figures. Now I’m not sure exactly how tall Digger is in relation to Len in the comics (Lia?) but I always got the feeling they were around the same height. It isn’t terribly noticeable but it could be a problem for people who like the scales to match up properly.
Boomer and Cold facing off against Flash and Kid Flash.
All three Flash rogues released in the DC Universe Classics Line thus far, Collect and Connect Gorilla Grodd, Captain Cold and Captain Boomerang flanking Barry Allen, The Flash.
I am in awe of all the Captain Boomerang collectibles released in the last few years. If you count Digger and Owen as one (which you might as well because I’m fairly certain Owen will be ceasing to have ever existed coming September) the only other Flash villains that can claim as many collectibles are Grodd, Cold and Professor Zoom.
Speaking of which, for those who aren’t aware Eaglemoss, the company that creates the DC collectible lead statues, will be making a Captain Boomerang to join Captain Cold, Gorilla Grodd and Professor Zoom:
Not too shabby for a former toy mascot from the bush. Not too shabby at all.
Thanks for reading,
I knew I forgot to pre-order something. I need to put one in for the Eaglemoss.
Hey Devin, I love the picture of the Flash beating up Cold and Boomerang with Grodd standing behind him. That’s some pretty awesome posing!
Not a Rogue fan, but…dang, that top figure of Boomer is really cool. I mean, really COOL.
I have Kid Flash and an Eaglemoss of The Question. Like the craftmanship as I’m a detail person when it comes to toys.
Seeing that Cold picture makes me wonder if there was ever a story where Cold got shrunk. I know Barry’s been shrunk, but what about Cold? 😀 I imagine he’d have been quite unhappy in such a story if it was made. Small size jokes from the others and all that.
Cold has never been shrunk per se, but he was canonically de-aged into a kid and in the process naturally shrank 🙂 He magically got a cuter costume too.
Dear God, a punk chibi in polar wear? Now I have to hunt that picture down.
Great pics! Did you order him or is he in US stores yet?
Cold is actually the tallest Rogue, barring the freakishly tall guys like Abra Kadabra and Girder. So his height here is indeed a bit annoying. Digger is quite short, at least going by his height stat — in practice, he seems to get drawn about the same size as the other guys.
I once made a list of everyone’s height stats here. You can see that artists don’t really follow them 😉
I ordered him. Actually ordered him loose because people want a arm and a leg for carded stuff these days and I open them anyway.
I remember a while ago I was going to do a line up type picture with all of the JLU Rogues action figures and it stalled because I got obsessed with lining up all the heights with the actual heights of the Rogues. Through all of my resources I could find nothing on their heights at all but I guess I didn’t think about checking out the who’s who for some reason. I wish I’d known that you had such information.
Hmmm, my sister lives in NY state and I was hoping he’d be widely out in stores by the time of her next visit (sometime in August) — maybe he won’t be. Dang.
I collect and compile all sorts of useless information…like the time I collected all the dialogue Golden Glider’s ever said or thought. Keep meaning to do the Top too, but haven’t gotten around to it yet.
Anyway, if there’s something you want to know Rogues-wise, chances are I have it or can get it fairly easily 🙂
Professor Zoom has been announced for Wave 20 – with his staff from Flash Rebirth as an accessory. Wave 20 will be the last of the line in its current form, then it will be rebranded and feature a mix of “DCnU” and classic characters.
Mattel ( mattycollector.com ) are also trying to set up a monthly DCU Classic action figure club. If they get enough subscriptions then Jay Garrick will be amongst the first few released, and will also be available on the website individually whilst stocks last.
Wave 4 of the cute Action League figures has a whirlwind armed Flash vs Zoom pack. Wave 5 is all Flashpoint based, with a Flash vs Citizen Cold pack.
A 6 inch Kid Flash is upcoming in the Young Justice line, with a cool diorama that has blur of yellow and red to trail behind the figure.
I’m liking the Reverse Flash announcement and the figure looks great but the Jay Garrick thing has me a little annoyed. It is like they purposely held back on releasing him in the JSA-themed wave in order to hold him hostage for joining their stupid club. I’m not going to subscribe to some club to get a ton of figures that I will never have any use for. I also don’t want to go through the effort of reselling them. It is nice that whatever is left will be offered through their extremely buggy website but that will be if they don’t all sell out. I’m wondering what exactly this will mean for aftermarket prices on eBay and the like.
The Action League stuff looks great. I love these little guys and I was very pleased to see Citizen Cold.
My favorite part was the 6 inch Kid Flash but I’m not loving the release date. Spring of 2012? Ooof.
Thanks for the info though, I plan on doing a round up of all the Flash-related toy news later this weekend.
http://aftimes.com/2011/07/sdcc-2011-mattel-dcuc-wave-20-and-beyond/
No sculpts to show yet, but it’s been confirmed that Wave 20 will also feature Sinestro and White Lantern Flash.
Wow, the close-up they have on that Thawne figure makes him look so sad. Now I feel sad, sheesh.