Subscription Box Review: Legion of Collectors Green Lantern Corps

We are back, with what is. sadly, the last box in the Funko DC Legion of Collectors Box.  The final box features the emerald protectors of all  3600 Sectors of the Universe, the Green Lantern Corps.  So, don’t be a “poozer” and read on as we look into the box!.

The cover features the silhouette of Green Lantern Hal Jordan on the box.  The Legion of Collectors logo is there, as always.  Moving on.

The liner features some Silver-Age artwork, featuring Kilowog, Hal Jordan and Sinestro in his classic outfit and in his Green Lantern duds.  Once again, it looks nice.

No patch or pin this time.  The t-shirt is this black Green Lantern shirt, featuring Hal, John Stewart and Guy Gardner flying out front, with other Green Lanterns hanging in the background.  The art gives me an early 90’s vibe, I’d say around the Green Lantern: Mosaic era (mostly because there is no Kyle Rayner.)  It also looks like Hal has grey in his hard, as he did in the comics at that time.  It’s a good shirt and the not pop style is appreciated.

We also get this lantern-shaped stress toy.  It is fairly squeezeable and can be used as you worry over how you’ll get your DC pop vinyl fix without the subscription.

Next, we get this set of Green Lantern Pint-Sized heroes.  We get these ridiculously cute version  of main GL Hal Jordan and his arch-nemesis Sinestro.  Sinestro is even in his modern Sinestro/Yellow Lantern uniform.  These always give be a Fisher-Price Little People vibe, which, to be honest, is a bit weird.  Still, more nic-nacs for your shelf.

For the last Pops in this subscription, we get a three pack!  We get three Green Lanterns; Ch’p, Guy Gardner, and Kilowog.  Each figure is a different sculpt and size, which gives you three unique Green Lantern Pops for your collection.  I was personally hoping for a Ch’p pop and Funko came through.  You got to love a sentient chipmunks wielding a power ring!

This box is what a  Green Lantern Corp box should be.  With so many different, unique characters showing up in the comics over 60 years, the only way they do the box wrong was to only focus on Hal Jordan and Sinestro.  Both Guy Gardner and Kilowog have their fans and Ch’p was too of a unique character to not make into a Pop.  The shirt, stress toy and Pint-Sized heroes were all great, but the Pops make the box, as it should be.

Sadly, this is the last box in the Legion of Collectors subscription.  You can go to https://legionofcollectors.com/  to find out more, but they haven’t really said what the next step is.  Those who had a subscription can log in and buy this or any other box that they have left in stock.  Supplies are limited, though.

This Review is for entertainment purposes only.  I have not received anything from Funko, DC, or Warner Bros for doing this review.  The item was purchased with my own funds.  All opinions are mine and any pictures taken are for review purposes only.

 

 

 

 

Subscription Box Review- DC Legion of Collectors: Teen Titans

It’s my first post of 2018, and we are starting off with the latest DC Legion of Collectors  box by Funko.  This month’s theme is the Teen Titans, based off of the “New” Teen Titans comics that ran from 1980 to 1996.  Will this box rate a “Boo Yah!” from Cyborg?  Let’s take a look!

For those unfamiliar with the Teen Titan’s history, here is a little back story.  Originally conceived as a team made up of the sidekicks of various Justice League members, the Teen Titans featured Robin, Kid Flash, Speedy (Green Arrow’s sidekick), Aqualad and Wonder Girl. The group had two series in the 60’s and 70’s (plus a cartoon that omitted Robin) and was mildly successful.  But in the 70’s, the trend was to age up the sidekicks:  Robin and Kid Flash went to college, Speedy became a heroin junkie.  Aqualad… got wet, and Wonder Girl went to comic book limbo as she never really fit into the Wonder Woman comics at the time.

Then, in 1980, the series was revived.  Guided by the creative Team of Marv Wolfman and George Perez, the series reunited Robin, Wonder Girl and Kid Flash along with Beast Boy (then called Changeling) from Doom Patrol.  It also introduced three new characters:  Cyborg, Starfire and Raven, all who are would be familiar to those who watch the recent cartoon.  The new series was called “The New Teen Titans” because, well, it was new at the time, though most of the characters were pushing 20, so, not teens.  The series saw many of the other Titans returned (Speedy got off the smack, Aqualad was…still wet) and show the evolution of two of its characters: Robin, looking to get out of Batman’s shadow, adopted the name Nightwing, and Kid Flash took over as the Flash after Barry Allen died (he got better 25+ years later), leaving the team and eventually joining the Justice League.  The comic was a hit and even had a crossover with Marvel’s #1 team at the time, the X-Men.

But enough history, let’s look at the box.  The lid features the silhouette of Nightwing in his 1980’s costume.  I had always called it his disco costume, not only because of the large collar, but also because he was written by Marv Wolfman, which made me think of the 70’s DJ, Wolfman Jack (side note, I have see pictures of Marv and he is not nearly as hairy as my 10 year old self though he’d be.).  Beside, he was the writer; George Perez probably had more influence in the design.

The lining has artwork featuring the Titan members most would be familiar with (i.e. from the cartoon)  The art seems to resemble George Perez’s work.  I could be wrong.

First out of the box is the T-Shirt.  There are two variants this month and both feature Beast Boy.  Once has him changing from a tiger, the other (i.e. this one) has him changing from a eagle.  I personally like the Changeling name better than Beast Boy, especially since he was more mature over the course of  the New Teen Titans series.

There is no flap any more and we only get a patch this time.  Cyborg is featured on the patch in his 80’s design.  It is good that this character has evolved over the years and now is part of the Justice League franchise.

We get a comic this time, too.  It is a copy of The New Teen Titans #1 from 1980.  IT features a new cover by artist Phil Jimenez, the original story from 1980 and a couple of Who’s Who in the DC Universe pages from 1986 featuring the team and the Titans Tower.  The cover is really nice and the story, well old, still holds up.

Next we get…figures!  I really like the Funko figures we have been getting and I have said that I wanted more.  There are four different figures available and you get two of them per box:  Cyborg and Starfire are featured here, but Raven and (disco) Nightwing are the other two.  Funko said there may be a way to order the figures you are missing, and I hope these turn up at comic shops and EB Games along with the other original members.

Finally, we get to the Pop!  It is Nightwing, in all his pop-collared glory!  In the comics, Dick Grayson, looking to distance himself from Batman (and wear big boy pants), decided to give up the Robin identity (which Bruce fills really quick!) and takes the name Nightwing, based on a hero he met/heard about (depending on the story) who protect the streets of the bottle City of Kandor..  Dick used that name exclusively since them, only dropping it to take over as Batman for a few months in the early 90’s and from 2009-2011 (Note.  Kandor did have a modern Nightwing for a while when Power Girl went there for a bit.)

And that is it for the box.  I really enjoyed this one as we got a lot of cool stuff and figures!  The figures have been improving over the years with these ones slightly larger than the Suicide Squad ones.  They also have ball-jointed arms (Starfire even has a ball-jointed head!)  The Golden-Age Superman figure from last April also had ball-jointed arms, but I never noticed until I compared him to Starfire! And we get a Pop of Nightwing! This is a good buy for both old and new Teen Titans fans.

The next DC Legion of Collectors box ships in March 2018 and will feature the Green Lantern Corps.  I am hoping for a Ch’p pop, Funko If you wish to get the next box, you can subscribe at https://legionofcollectors.com/ .  The deadline is 1 March 2018.  By subscribing, you can order boxes from previous months like this one. (supplies are limited.)

This Review is for entertainment purposes only.  I have not received anything from Funko, DC, or Warner Bros for doing this review.  The item was purchased with my own funds.  All opinions are mine and any pictures taken are for review purposes only.

Interior shot of the comic

 

 

All the Legion of Collector Funko action figure thus far.  They are getting better.

 

 

Classic Starfire and Cyborg next to a modern Nightwing (from Mattel)