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REVIEW: Kotobukiya DC Comics Green Lantern Classic Costume ARTFX+ Statue
Super Powers Line Adds The Emerald Warrior...
Last summer I brought you a sneak peek at the first figure in Kotobukiya’s new line of DC Comics ARTFX+ Statues that replicate the look and feel of the old Kenner Super Powers action figures. Superman is of course going to be high on everyone’s list when a new line comes about, and as the inaugural character he made a big impact with his bright colors, cloth cape, and fun “action feature” replica parts (see the full review HERE). However, there was one superhero coming up a little farther down the line that really got me excited. You see, I’ve been a huge fan of Green Lantern since I was a little kid, and I still to this day have my Super Powers GL figure (in pretty good condition, no less). Today I’ll be taking a look at the Koto Green Lantern Classic Costume 1/10 ARTFX+ Statue, currently available wherever you buy toys and statues.
As we first saw in the Superman review, anyone who knows toys from the 80s is going to recognize the massive amount of Super Powers references on the packaging for these Classic Costume statues. Of course these statues come in substantially bigger boxes rather than on cards, but Kotobukiya included all of the same colors and graphics from the originals to hit that high nostalgia note. The front panel of the package looks like an action figure blister on card with the statue in a bubble, Green Lantern artwork, logos for Super Powers, DC Comics, Green Lantern, and more, and even an “unpunched hook” at the very top. The sides of the box appear to be the interior of a case of Super Powers action figures packed in a row, while the back panel has a ton of material including a “Collect Them All!” section, a description of Green Lantern and the statue, and more. I got an unexpected bonus when I began to open the box; there’s a small Green Lantern symbol hidden on the lip of the top flap that’s only revealed when you lift it!
While the new statue may look like the Super Powers figure at a glance, it is a quite different animal. First off, the new Green Lantern stands about 7 ½ inches tall, towering over the 3 ¾ inch Kenner version. And it’s pretty apparent that Kotobukiya didn’t just take the original mold and blow it up, but rather offers a new interpretation of the figure and character with a modern, high quality sculpt. Artist Naoya Muto combines retro and modern aesthetics in a statue with more normal proportions and a nice amount of detail while keeping the overall pose and style true to the original along with sculpted (but non-functioning) articulation.
They say that body language tells a lot about someone, and this is a perfect test case. The original Super Powers Green Lantern figure was captured in a bit of an odd pose thanks to the included action feature and ability to carry the included power battery accessory. Muto took that as inspiration and make something far more sensible and appropriate for the character. Hal Jordan stands tall, legs more than shoulder width apart and arms down and extended away from his body. The space cop’s back is slightly arched making it look like he’s puffing out his chest, showing off his muscular physique (especially when standing next to powerhouses like Superman). Hal’s head is pointed down while his eyes look straight ahead, giving him a roguish appearance that’s enhanced by his cocky smile and swept over hair. There are some nice little details on the statue too like clothing creases on the boots and gloves, nice raised borders at the edges of costume elements, and of course the ring on Hal’s finger.
The color scheme on Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern costume is pretty straightforward, and Kotobukiya nailed it in this iconic style. Green, black, and white are in all the right places (and “fixed” since early prototype images had the boots in the incorrect color). The deep green contrasts nicely with the matte black and bright white, and if you know what to look for you’ll see that all of the elements of the classic costume are there like the blocky chest logo. The only parts of Hal’s skin showing are on his head and neck where you’ll see a light skin tone, and his hair is a medium brown. There’s nice, crisp paint on the aforementioned Green Lantern chest symbol and on the face where the hero’s solid white eyes pierce through the green mask. Lastly, the sculpted ring on Hal’s finger is green as well, standing out from his white glove.
Like Superman, the Green Lantern Classic Costume ARTFX+ Statues has a special feature that pays homage to the Kenner original. But while the Man of Steel had an interchangeable “action punch arm,” for Hal Kotobukiya (smartly) chose not to replicate his “power action ring thrust” and instead opted to give him an honest to goodness accessory! Packed in with Green Lantern is his trusty Power Battery, a very cool little collectible on its own. The Battery is, like the statue, a huge improvement on the original design while keeping the same iconic shape with a large open front end and a smaller plug-like back. The Lantern stands up on its own and can be displayed alongside Hal, or you can insert its handle into Green Lantern’s open left fist. That was surprisingly tough to do, actually, and so you won’t have to worry about it falling out any time soon.
These Classic Costume ARTFX+ Statues may not be for everyone, but I really like the mix of classic and new in a nice size and sturdy form. As I said at the outset, Green Lantern has always been my favorite so I was going to get my hands on this one no matter what, and I’m very glad I did. The statue looks great without being silly or awkward, and I’m very pleased to add it to my Green Lantern collection. If you’re a GL fan like me or a collector of Super Powers you should absolutely consider this version of Hal Jordan for your display. He’s currently available for about $30, which is a perfect price point for a statue in this scale with this level of detail.
Review and photos by Scott Rubin
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