As you may recall DC Direct was kind enough to let me announce this new assortment of First Appearance figures right after Comic Con last year. Now, almost one year later, they are here and the First Appearance line stretches into it’s third incarnation bringing us to a more recent past in the DC Universe. Those of you that have been reading my column from the past year know that the DC Direct First Appearance line was one of the surprise hits of 2004 for me and this 3rd assortment continues to deliver. An interesting story behind this wave, I was told by a DC staffer at Toy Fair that when they were planning this wave they were thinking for the Composite Superman they would take the Silver Age Superman figure and the Silver Age Batman figure that Tim Bruckner had previously sculpted and would stick them together to form the new figure, but when that was proposed to Bruckner he insisted on doing a new sculpt and making it true to Curt Swan’s artwork… and everyone agrees that decision paid off. What we are now getting is Curt Swan art in three dimensions. There are so many subtle differences in the Superman and Batman sides of this figure, the length of the thigh muscles, the position of the rib cage the tension in the hands… it may be Bruckner’s finest figures to date.

COMPOSITE SUPERMAN- Sculpted by Tim Bruckner: This figure that has seen several grassroots campaigns for it’s inclusion somewhere in the DC Direct line When the marketing group told the DCD gang that they want to be sure there was a Batman figure in this assortment Georg found this creative way of satisfying his bosses and giving the fans another long requested figure that has never been made. Composite Superman made his first appearance back in World’s Finest comics # 142 in 1964. A crazy janitor with the powers of the Legion of Superheroes, Joe Meach wasn’t half-Superman/half-Batman- he just wore a split costume to tweak the heroes. Click here to learn more about this ultra-weird DC villain.

COMPOSITE SUPERMAN articulation: neck, Ball-jointed shoulders x2, elbow x2, wrist x2, hips x2 and knee x2

NIGHTWING articulation: ball-jointed neck, shoulder x2, elbow x2, wrist x2, hips x2 and knee x2

BATGIRL Articulation: ball-jointed neck, shoulder x2, elbows x2, wrist x2, waist, hips x2 and knees x2 Also a detached ultility belt (not sculpted on, loose piece seemingly not removable).

RIDDLER articulation: ball-hointed neck, ball-jointed shoulders x2, elbow x2, wrist x2, hips x2 and knees x2