Toy collectors often wonder what it would be like if major licenses were done by smaller companies that may not be as mass-produced but deliver more detail. Are the big companies like Hasbro and Mattel too complacent? What if more collector-focused, detail-oriented companies could get their hands on major rights just for a little while? We’ll find out the answer to some of that when McFarlane Toys takes over the Mattel DC superheroes collector line. But for right now, this Comic-Con will see NECA‘s versions of Superman and Batman, as they fight the company’s signature lines: Alien and Predator.
NECA has made one comic-styled Superman in the 7-inch scale before. It was a two-pack with Muhammed Ali, using legal loopholes that allowed the Ali estate to license that particular comic. DC Collectibles currently holds the retail rights for 7-inch Superman figures, but by making this a convention exclusive, NECA can bypass those rules since a convention isn’t a store. Plus their Alien and Predator rights include a deal with Dark Horse, which co-published the comics that inspired these toys.
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The prior Superman was based on their sculpt for Christopher Reeve’s movie Superman, while this one looks all new, and comes with alternate head and heat vision effects.
If you think this Batman looks a bit like Ben Affleck’s armored version, it’s because Zack Snyder was probably inspired by the Batman vs. Predator comic. In anti-Predator gear, this version of Bruce may be all tech’ed out, but he also gets back to basics with a baseball bat. Making him the bat man in more ways than one.
Each set will sell for $60 at SDCC; for non-attendees, a limited amount of bundles (both sets for $120) will be available online in advance. Later in the year, for New York Comic-Con, there’ll be two more DC versus Dark Horse packs. A Batman (classic costume) vs. Joker Alien, and an unnamed fourth pack rumored to include Green Lantern.
What do you make of NECA’s take on the classic heroes? Will NECA and DC Collectibles turn out to both have the same mother’s name? Tell us in comments below.
