Review of Green Lantern - Super Powers ArtFX+ Statue

Introduction

In the collectibles biz these days, it's all about the nostalgia.  How can they find a creative way to tap into your childhood memories, yet remain interesting and cool? Gentle Giant is doing it with giant sized versions of action figures from lines like Batman: The Animated Series and Star Wars. Funko is doing it with 3 3/4" versions of new licenses done in the Kenner style. And Kotobukiya is doing it with a series of 7 1/2" statues loosely based on the original DC Super Powers line.

If you're a child of the 80's that loved superheroes, you'll remember the Super Powers from Kenner. A classic line that commands big bucks today, several companies have taken a swing at producing modern lines based on this particular nostalgic theme. Kotobukiya is going after it with their ArtFX+ style of statues, which they are also using for a variety of other DC characters.

Superman was the first release, and tonight I'm checking out the second release of Green Lantern, with Flash following right after.  These will run you about $30 each, depending on the retailer.

Packaging - ***1/2
These come in boxes, rather than cards, but they did do something I really like - they made the boxes look like cards.   The front provides a 3D effect, designed to look like an old Super Powers carded figure. The side looks like a stack of three figures on the peg.  It's tough to find creative ways to do packaging - it's all been done before. I have to give them a lot of credit for looking for something new and different here.

Superman had a weird cardboard insert that didn't make a lot of sense to me.  This time they went back to the usual plastic tray that will keep the statue very safe, and is still completely collector friendly. The cardboard used in the box itself is a little thinner than I'd like, but overall it's nice work.

Sculpting - ***1/2
Part of the attraction with these is that not only are they sorta, kinda, based on the Super Powers designs, they are also capturing the classic 80's character appearance.

They have started with the basic design of the original Super Powers Green Lantern figure, with some updating to a bit more modern quality. The chest and torso are still pretty thick compared to the rest of the body, and the stance matches right down to the turn of the left hand, but the head is cleaner, with a more detailed hair sculpt and sharper lines all around. This is Hal Jordan in his classic suit, which allows it to appeal to more than just the Super Powers aficionado.

He stands great on his own, which is important since it is a statue with no opportunity for you to adjust anything. While there might appear to be articulation - they've matched the articulation cuts at the shoulders, neck, hips and knees perfectly - he's all one solid piece.

The ArtFX+ series is in that 7 - 8" range, with Hal coming in at 7 1/2" tall.

Paint - ****
The greatest strength to these is the paint work.  It's amazingly clean and sharp, with an excellent consistency to the color, finish and tone.

There aren't a lot of cut lines simply because there aren't a lot of colors, but there is zero slop between the ones that are here.  The green and black of the costume stay in their respective locations, and the edges on the hair, mask and eyes are very impressive. Even the ring on his right hand (which isn't just painted, but sculpted as well) is about as clean and perfect as you can get. And way, way less sloppy than it was back in the 80's! I suppose they could have added a touch of green to the center of the ring, but there's something to be said for how clean the white inside and out looks together.

Articulation - N/A
This category will NOT be part of my Overall assessment, but I included it for informational purposes. They do such a good job adding in the lines for articulation that you might think it's really there...it's not.

Accessories - ***
As statues, these aren't really supposed to have accessories - that's the exception. Getting any accessories with a statue is a huge plus.

Green Lantern comes with his green lantern, which is not a huge surprise.  The sculpt is basic, but the paint is clean and consistent.  It fits neatly in his left hand, but be careful, because the hand is very, very hard plastic. I suggest using a little hot water first to soften up the fingers enough to slip the lantern's handle in place without getting any paint rubs.

Value - ***1/2
Suggested retail on these is $30. And you can find them at some retailers for a couple bucks cheaper than that.  Current MOTUC figures will cost you $30!  Batman Black and White statues are $70! DC Bombshells are over $100! Even most smaller scale 'collectors' action figures, like Star Wars Black 6" figures, are $20. This is an excellent price, making it possible for collectors and fans to actually pick up the entire series without breaking the piggy bank.

Things to Watch Out For -
I mentioned earlier that you should take care putting the handle of the lantern into his hand. It's a tight fit, and the white glove could mark the green handle pretty easily. Use a heat source like hot water or a blow dryer to soften the fingers up just a bit to make it easier. Other than that, you're good to go.

Overall - ***1/2
I'm not a big fan of exact duplicates of nostalgic figures.  I really don't get the appeal - if you want the exact figure, buy a vintage version.  I'm even less impressed by simply changing the scale, creating something that reminds me of an giant pencil. I'm much more impressed when a company can take a theme or style and modernize it, maintaining enough of the nostalgia but giving it something for new fans as well. A great example of that is Masters of the Universe Classics by Mattel.

These statues are another great example. Like any statue, the aesthetic may not appeal to you. The simple stance is based on the old figures, and helps emote that nostalgia, but could also loose some more modern fans.  But by not going all in - just making an exact duplicate - they've also created a series that will give fans of the 80's characters in general a terrific looking representation. You don't have to love Kenner's Super Powers to love this guy, because he is also a great looking 80's Hal Jordan.

Like Batman Black and White or DC Bombshells statues, these also look better in a group. While one is nice (if you have a character that's your all time favorite), it's in a mob on the shelf that the similarities in design and style create a greater appeal. The Flash will be out very shortly (I have one here waiting for my review), and they showed off Batman and Robin at last summer's SDCC. And because they are doing a wide range of DC (and Star Wars) figures in the ArtFX+ line, these will fit right in scale-wise with a broader range of their statues.

I wanted to mention that some of the marketing descriptions I've seen of this figure (and the Flash) are incorrect.  They are advertising Hal with a second arm (like Batman had), and that's clearly not the case. They are also advertising these with magnets in the feet, and that's not been a feature of any of the statues so far.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***1/2
Sculpting - ***1/2
Paint - ****
Articulation - N/A
Accessories - ***
Value - ***1/2
Overall - ***1/2

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has him at $30.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I've covered the Super Powers Superman they released earlier. While I've reviewed a lot of the ArtFX style (larger scale), I've only covered a couple others in this slightly smaller 1/10th scale: Arkham City Batman and General Grievous.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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