LEGION TOYS: Mantis (DC Universe Classics)

While not your atypical Legion of Super-Heroes nemesis, the  insect colony leader, Mantis, battles the Post-Zero Hour Legion during the DC Cosmic Event story titled Genesis! Emerging from his Power Pod, the second most-powerful being on Apokolips nearly defeats the Legion, if not for Ultra Boy punching Mantis away from his recharging apparatus.

LEGION TOYS: Ra's Al Ghul (DC Signature Collection aka Club Infinite Earths)

One of the Dark Knight Detective's greatest foes,  Ra's Al Ghul, The Demon's Head, has been revealed to be alive and well in the 31st Century of the Legion of Super-Heroes!

Disguising himself as the President of the United Planets, Al Ghul disbanded the Legion and replaced them with his Presidential Oversight Watch. Ultimately once discovered by M'Onel, Ra's al Ghul freely announced his plan to draw Earth's moon closer to Earth to supposedly accelerate the evolutionary abilities of humanity via Hypertaxis. Ra's plan almost came to fruition as he single-handedly defeats most of the Legion in hand-to-hand combat. Luckily, M'Onel and Triad were able to best the Demon's Head.

LEGION TOYS: Star Boy (DC Signature Collection)

Alone...
He wants to be alone so he can process this
To a point of understandingness
Starboy! That’s who he is that’s not who he ain’t
Starboy! He knows it now and now it's the truth...
The Captain of Outer Space that is his brother, Uh-huh!
The Captain of Outer Space he knows it’s true, Uh-huh!
Alone...
He wants to be Alone...

LEGION TOYS: Validus (DC Universe Classics Series 15)

by Derek William Crabbe
The first instance that I can recall where I personally "discovered" the awesome wonder of Fatal Five member extraordinaire, Validus, was on the epic all-villain cover of Crisis on Infinite Earths #9. Here's my attempt to re-create that Crisis cover on a toy shelf. This Collect and Connect figure came as part of DC Universe Classics Series 15.

LEGION TOYS: Tyr (DC Universe Classics Series 14)

by Derek William Crabbe 
Named after the one-handed Norse God of War, Tyr is one of the few Legion of Super-Heroes villains to be immortalized in plastic form multiple times.

LEGION TOYS: Imperiex (DC Universe Classics Series 10)

by Derek William Crabbe
The Wave 10 'Collect And Connect' figure from the DC Universe Classics line is the embodiment of entropy itself, Destroyer of Galaxies and Lord.....Imperiex. He is faithfully styled after his appearances in the Superman title in the year 2000, which ultimately led to his role as the 'Big Bad' in the DC Universe Event Crossover Our Worlds At War.

LEGION TOYS: Superboy (Mattel 12-Pack)

 by Derek William Crabbe
"The Greatest Hero Of Them All." Saving the best for last, we come to Smallville's Favorite Son, the inspiration for the Legion of Super-Heroes, Superboy!

LEGION TOYS: Chameleon Boy (Mattel 12-Pack)

 

by Derek William Crabbe

The Brandon Walsh of the 31st Century! The Durlan Shape-Changer who puts the 'N' in nepotism! It's Reep Daggle a.k.a. Chameleon Boy!

LEGION TOYS: Proty (Mattel 12-Pack)

by Derek William Crabbe
It's the greatest pack-in in a Legion of Super-Heroes 12-Pack Box Set next to a 24-carat gold plated Legion Flight Ring! It's....Proty!  Well, I guess technically, it's Proty II, but who's counting dead Protys?

LEGION TOYS: Timber Wolf (Mattel 12-Pack)

by Derek William Crabbe
Brin Londo a.k.a Timber Wolf was sporting a Dave Cockrum designed Wolf-Man hairdo long before a certain two-bit Hulk villain burst onto the X-scene! But that's not the only thing they shared in common! Much like that hairy Berserker who calls everybody Bub pined away for Cyclops' girl, Brin was also macking on Lightning Lad's girl, Saturn Girl, when they all thought they were gonna croak in space!

LEGION TOYS: Ultra Boy (Mattel 12-Pack)

by Derek William Crabbe
Is it just me, or is this action figure interpretation of Ultra Boy screaming to be played by Jared Padalecki? He has probably out-aged the role, but I think Padalecki, circa Season One of Supernatural, would make a terrific live-action Jo Nah. 

LEGION TOYS: Wildfire (Mattel 12-Pack)

by Derek William Crabbe

Drake Burroughs was an astro-engineer whose consciousness survived his physical form's disintegration by transforming into a pure anti-energy being. His snazzy looking containment suit keeps his energy form from dispersing and eventually joined the Legion of Super-Heroes with the code-name, Wildfire!

LEGION TOYS: Colossal Boy (Mattel 12-Pack)

by Derek William Crabbe
Gim Allon a.k.a. Colossal Boy was dating and marrying shape-shifting aliens way before Johnny Storm made it cool. He was towering over his fellow Legionaries and wrecking shop as a Giant, long before Hank Pym took the moniker Giant-Man. If you need someone to fight a Gi-Normus Purple Sea Creature in the depths of the Atlantean Gap, Gim is your man!

LEGION TOYS: Karate Kid (Mattel 12-Pack)

by Derek William Crabbe
He is the man who would fight for your honor. He'll be the hero you're dreaming of. You'll live forever, knowing together, that you did it all for the glory of love. Obviously, we are talking about Val Armorr a.k.a. Karate Kid, who is the master of every known form of Martial Arts from the 31st Century!

LEGION TOYS: Matter Eater Lad (Mattel 12-Pack)

Editor's Note: 
We are ecstatic to welcome our good buddy Derek to the Legion Of Super-Bloggers! Derek is a huuuge action figure fan and was more than happy to pick up the reviewing of the Mattel DC Universe Classic Legion of Super-Heroes 12-Pack where Duo David had left off. 
Derek will try to post a new profile every month until the set is done, and then he plans to get to the DC Direct figures, too! And we couldn't be happier. 
Just don't call him Doll Boy. 
Take it away,  Doll Boy Articulated Lad! 

LEGION TOYS: Brainiac 5 (Mattel 12-Pack)

Mattel 12-Pack Brainiac 5
by David Weter

When opening the set for the first time, I was filled with excitement. The figures were all top notch, with great choices for costumes, and fun details.

Then, I came to Brainiac 5 and.... I shrugged.

Brainiac 5, who uses his massive brainpower to atone for his ancestor, the Superman villain, Brainiac.

A key figure in Legion history, and one of the most gifted and inspired characters in the early roster. And, yet, I shrugged.

LEGION TOYS: Lightning Lad (Mattel 12-Pack)

Mattel 12-Pack Lightning Lad 
by David Weter

This time around, I am charged up to talk about Garth Ranzz, Lightning Lad. As the final third of the original Legionnaires, he stands out in ways positive, and negative.

All puns aside, Lightning Lad was a shoe-in for this collection, as not only one of the original members, but one of the most prominent and interesting characters in Legion lore- the first Legion member to die. He got better, but he also lost a limb along the way.

So, Mattel knew that they had to deliver Garth to the masses, and they constructed a fairly well-rounded figure, with some problems.

LEGION TOYS: Saturn Girl (Mattel 12-Pack)

Mattel 12-Pack Saturn Girl 
by David Weter

It was long-believed that female figures don't sell as well as male figures, and they were harder to make.

The second half seemed to be true for comic-based toys for most of the 80's and 90's. Teela never quite seemed shaped like a human, thanks to the ball-jointed legs. The Super Powers Wonder Woman looked a bit disproportionate while the Toy Biz Wonder Woman barely tried to get her curves right.

Lest I sound misogynistic- let me clarify that I am speaking of a natural, organic shape to a female figure, and not about the toy looking like it belongs on the cover of Maxim.

With all of that said, we come to the lone female figure in the Mattel 12 pack: Ms. Imra Ardeen.

It is a shame that there wasn't a second round of figures to diversify the boys' club feeling of the offerings. But, as one of the founding members, Saturn Girl was a must for this collection in my opinion.

LEGION TOYS: Cosmic Boy (Mattel 12-Pack)

Cosmic Boy is extremely excited to meet you

Mattel 12-Pack Cosmic Boy
by David Weter
When Mattel announced the Legion 12-pack of figures, I was elated. What a great selection of characters, from a company with a proven track record in their DC Universe Classics line.

Then, I realized that this would be sold through their collector-centric website, Matty Collector dot com. This meant a battle would be in store.

For anyone who has experienced the fervor and frustration of countless fans rushing to buy the latest offering from the site, and the long load times- I feel your pain.

And, in this instance, I was far too late. The Legion set sold out well before I was able to log on. There was much sadness, and gnashing of teeth since that meant that I would be paying an outrageous sum on the back market.

And, I ended up paying retail, thanks to patience and persistence. But, was the set worth it? That is the question that I will be looking at, figure by figure.

First off is Rokk Krinn, also known as Cosmic Boy, one of the original Legionnaires to contact Superboy.