DC have announced a new product lineup ahead of the New York Toy Fair and while there's a fair bit of filler on display, there are a few pieces that are worth keeping an eye on. The first of these has got to be Batman: The Animated Series version of the Dark Knight himself. It was an iconic look for Batman that has been perfectly realized in all his stark angular glory and needs to be a part of my collection.

There's also a great looking Catwoman figure which, while true to the original source may not have made the transition from cartoon to reality as well as Batman. Speaking of the man, this Bat-heavy update includes an interesting take on the New 52 style which looks interesting aside from some of the detailing which may be a little heavier than it should be; the body armour style look of the New 52 costumes has divided fans and this isn't going to win any over. On the subject of armour, Batman's Thrasher armour is another that I'm really looking forward to see up close.

There are non-bat related figures on offer, including a particularly intense looking Atomic Green lantern figure based on the Infinite Crisis game and while there are also some so-so pieces such as the cheap looking New 52 Supergirl and Batman dartboard, there's enough here to keep any DC fan saving up and looking forward to that toy fair in New York.

Click the above image to browse through a gallery of choice items on offer.

Full press release:

DC Collectibles, the exclusive line of toy and collector items from DC Entertainment, announced today an exciting 2014 product line-up just in time for New York Toy Fair. DC Collectibles will offer a wide range of new action figures and collector’s items based on DC Comics’ iconic characters and other properties including the highly-anticipated Son of Batman direct-to-video film and Infinite Crisis, the upcoming video game from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and developed by Turbine. And for the first time ever, new 6” scale action figure lines based on designs from both Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures will be released later this year.
“DC Collectibles has an amazing 2014 line-up in store for fans and collectors and we’re psyched to be showcasing our new action figures, statues and more at New York Toy Fair,” said Geoff Johns, chief creative officer of DC Entertainment. “The new slate shows off the team’s commitment to bringing innovative ideas and the highest quality toys and collector’s items to fans worldwide, and as a fan myself I’m particularly excited about the new Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures lines.”
Additional new product categories scheduled for 2014 include a “(Bat)man cave” line of high-end lifestyle products, an all new Wood figure line, and porcelain dolls based on a beloved character from Vertigo’s THE SANDMAN series.
Following up with some of their most popular lines comes a second wave of action figures based on art from Greg Capullo, and new additions to both the DC Comics Bombshells and DC Cover Girls statue series.
DC Collectibles 2014 line-up includes:
NEW LINE -- Batman: The Animated Series action figure: Catwoman
NEW LINE -- The New Batman Adventures action figures: Batman, Two Face, Mr. Freeze
NEW LINE -- Son of Batman action figures: Deathstroke, Robin, Batman, Nightwing; based on character designs by Phil Bourassa
NEW LINE -- DC Comics “(Bat)man Cave” Super-Villain Poker set with art by Kevin Nowlan, Batman Dart Board set
NEW LINE -- BATMAN LI’L GOTHAM action figures: Harley Quinn, The Joker, Batman, Robin
NEW LINE -- Wood figures 4”: Batman, Superman
NEW LINE -- Porcelain Doll: THE SANDMAN’s Death
DC Comics The New 52 action figures: Supergirl, Nightwing, Batgirl
Infinite Crisis 6” action figures: Pajama Party Harley Quinn, Atomic Green Lantern, Atomic Poison Ivy, Mecha Wonder Woman, Renaissance Batman
DC Comics Cover Girls statues: Katanna, Mera
Batman Black and White: “Zombie” Batman statue based on artwork by Neal Adams
Batman Black and White: The Joker statue based on artwork by Dick Sprang
Batman Black and White: Batman statue based on artwork by Michael Turner
Superman: The Man of Steel statues: designed by Shane Davis, and one based off Superman The Animated Series
DC Comics Designer Series: Greg Capullo action figures: Catwoman, Batman Thrasher Armor, Mr. Freeze, Red Hood
Wonder Woman The Art of War statue based on artwork by Yanick Paquette
DC Comics Bombshells statue: Zatanna

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Harley Quinn as a character. After her first introduction in Batman: The Animated Series she became so popular with fans that she made the transition into comic book continuity seamlessly, and she could do this because she was so well realised. Of course she was beautiful but she was also strong, intelligent (when she wasn’t trying to hide it), funny and took an optimistic outlook that bordered on the extreme. Sure, she was a little bat-shit-crazy but she had a tragic element that resonated with a lot of us; she was in love with someone who was incapable of loving her back. Literally. That guy’s a narcissistic sociopath.

The comic style is carried over through more than just the talking beaver - even the art has a safe but fun sense of humour.

Then there was THAT episode where she teamed up with Poison Ivy.

The problem with her these days, though, is that DC just doesn’t have a clue what to do with her. Suicide Squad gave her a couple of ok moments but somewhere along the line it was decided that she couldn’t be sexy unless she was half naked all the time and while I liked one moment of terrified humanity during Death of the Family all it really did was prove to us that a character born of a Saturday morning cartoon doesn’t work particularly well with a Joker that would casually remove his own face. So after breaking up the second most dysfunctional romantic relationship in comic history (After going back and reading The Killing Joke I realise that the top title goes to Batman and Joker) Harley Quinn is striking out on her own and I really hoped DC wouldn’t muck this up.

Harley Quinn #1 is a reskinned Deadpool without the healing factor. I was going to step easily around that revelation, but there really is no sugar coating it. After the enjoyable fourth wall shattering zero issue where she goes through different artists to try and work out her new look we find out that she’s been left an old apartment building from a deceased former patient and she sets out to make a new life for herself.

If that sounds like the tenuous premise for a sitcom spin-off then the rest of the issue will feel like a pilot episode for that same sitcom spin-off. Given how DC can often seem overly serious that is actually a good thing, even if it does feel like a cross between Deadpool and The Golden Palace (ask your parents).

And yes, that feeling that someone read a little too much Deadpool sticks throughout the book, everything from the jokes to her talking beaver feel ripped straight from those pages and while it does seem to be taking the character in a different direction it’s a preference to the road she was on previously. The artwork too is certainly on the more cartoony side but for the most part it does look very nice indeed. Occasionally faces will look a little too much like caricatures (or worse look like they’ve been heavily photo-referenced to the point of looking like other people) but it doesn’t break thematically from the story that’s being told.

Tara Strong's Harley Quinn has been doing the rounds in recent productions... now it seems Tara Strong is doing the rounds literally in Harley's new book.

Fortunately it’s not a bad story either. Yes, it suffers from trying to cram too much exposition into the pages but it’s one of those pilot episode conceits that will hopefully leave up the rest of the series to pace itself with so much already established… unfortunately there IS a lot established. She has a new home, new financial concerns, two new jobs, a team of cookie-cutter supporting characters and even a bounty on her head; with so many threads the future could see them either woven deftly into an engaging read, or else unravel into a roller derby style bloody mess. But it’s certainly worth giving a read.

I give it 4 talking beavers which are optimistically telling me to read the next issue... and also to burn things.

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