If you’ve ever been to any flavor of Comic Con, then you know that there are a few universal truths. For example, one cannot throw a disparaging glare without hitting a Harley Quinn. One also cannot throw a Harley Quinn without hitting some manner of vinyl collectible. Funko‘s Pop! line is clearly the favorite in this space, with an enormously wide assortment of characters showcasing just how versatile their stubby, lantern-eyed aesthetic actually is. But lots of other manufacturers have been getting in the game these past few years, and one of them is Diamond Select Toys. I’ve chronicled my journey from loathing to loving their Vinimates line before, so I won’t retread that path; but, suffice it to say that I love these things now, and they’re one of the few categories of items that I’ve been holding onto as my house fills up with review merchandise.
DST has a brand new series of comics-based Vinimates out now, and they hooked us up with a set for review. Let’s take a look.
Green (frickin’) Arrow
Maybe it stems from my childhood love of Robin Hood, but I’ve loved Oliver Queen—the Green Arrow—for as long as I’ve known of his existence. I disagree with his politics (Robin Hood’s are starting to sound a little sketchy, now that you mention it…), but that’s never stopped me from enjoying the character. He’s got good intentions at his core, and as long as you aren’t a legitimate creep, he’s actually pretty charming.
As a Vinimate, Ollie looks especially great. The costume features and accessories are a lot of the fun with these things, and Ollie has lots of distinct elements: the Robin Hood hat, the bow—complete with that iconic boxing glove arrow, the quiver, that blonde hair. His painted details look really good, too, with the domino mask and goatee translated nicely to Vinimate form. This one is a legitimate challenger to the Aquaman film Black Manta that I reviewed a month or two ago.
Superbaremidriffgirl
Practical or impractical, like it or not, this version of the Supergirl costume is the one that a lot of people know. For the record, I’m in the not category, but that’s not super relevant. Diamond has done an excellent job here capturing the essence of Kara’s look in a dynamic pose, and I can appreciate their efforts. This may not be my favorite in the set, but that has nothing to do with its quality. If you like this version of Kara’s costume, you’ll be super happy with what Diamond has made.
The Flash
I’m torn on this one. The production quality is very high, with excellent paint detail, and really cool lightning streaks suggesting The Flash’s rapid movement through space (and possibly time). But the metallic paint is not only different than what’s shown on the box (and in marketing materials)—it’s also a departure from my expectations for a comic-accurate Flash. Instead of scarlet and yellow, he’s a much darker red and gold. I’ve asked Diamond about this, and was told that Diamond’s Vinimates designer was a fan of Mike Wieringo’s Flash run, and that this is essentially a Wally West Flash. I’m not familiar enough with the distinctions between Barry and Wally’s suits to validate that, but I trust you’ll let me know in the comments.
Those boxes…
One last note, for all of these: the boxes look amazing. I absolutely love what Diamond is doing here with the packaging, to the point that I’m almost considering leaving these three in the box—something I’ve never done, or even thought about doing, before.
Overall
This latest batch of comics-based Vinimates is another winner from Diamond Select. Even with my misgivings about the Flash’s color, the quality of construction and paint is very high, and the poses for all three of these little vinyl vigilantes are dynamic and right on the money for the characters they represent. You can find these new Vinimates now, in comic shops and wherever else Vinimates are sold.
DISCLAIMER: Batman News received these Vinimates from Diamond Select for the purpose of this review.
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