So we've been told that the DCUC replacement line will include more mom and kid appealing character selections, and it's likely that a lot of them will be in line with the the current versions in the comics. Superman and Batman will be released later this year, but having thought about it that still leaves a lot of big name New 52 characters.

Batman Family
Batman (Earth 2)
Batman (armored)
Robin (Damian Wayne)
Robin (Jason Todd, flashbacks)
Robin (Earth 2, Helena Wayne)
Red Robin
Nightwing
Nightwing (flashbacks)
Batgirl
Batwoman
Batwing
Red Hood
Huntress
Mr Freeze
Poison Ivy
Harley Quinn
Katana (gonna be in the "Beware the Batman" cartoon)

Superman Family
Superman (jeans and t-shirt)
Superman (Earth 2)
Superman Beyond
President Superman
Superboy
Supergirl
Supergirl (Earth 2)
Power Girl

Green Lantern Family
Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
Green Lantern (Sinestro)
Green Lantern (Earth 2, Alan Scott)
Larfleeze
Saint Walker
Zilius Zox
Bleez

(The last three are all prominent in the cartoon, but Bleez might be pushing it.)

DC Heroes
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman (Earth 2)
Wonder Girl
Flash
Flash (Earth 2)
Kid Flash
Aquaman
Mera
Cyborg
Green Arrow
Arsenal
Hawkman
Hawkgirl
Martian Manhunter

Looks like Mattel could go through a lot of waves without running out of Batman or Superman characters. And then of course there are a lot of pre-New 52 and Elseworlds variations that could be considered.

The problem, for me at least, is that once you start getting into all those variants, you start losing the customers interest.

I don't want 15 different costume variants of Batman, I want 15 different Batman characters.

In the case of Dick Greyson/Robin/Nightwing (which makes for a nice example), I'd like an original "Robin", a 1st appearance "Nightwing", and then maybe, a current "Nightwing". Anything outside of that and I have no interest and won't be buying.

Jason Todd Robin is too similar to Dick Robin so I can skip that one entirely. Tim Drake Robin should be in his 1st appearance costume as that is the one I most closely relate to. Damian Robin should be in his Batman & Robin costume. Everything else is an easy skip for me.

The other problem with building a line around variant costumes for Batman and Superman is, eventually, you run out of "in continuity" costumes, or only have those truly obscure 1 issue appearance costumes from the 60's, and start to introduce things like "firefighter" Batman, or "deep space" Superman (both of which have seen production in "mom & kids" toy lines in the past so the precedent is set).

I agree that the retail line will be very heavily focused on Superman and Batman. Mattel has already said as much. But that doesn't mean we should have to have a line that relies so heavily on variant figures.

If you want to give me a Zur-En-Ar Batman (yay!), then use that to introduce me to a character that I might not have known before.

The new retail line will still need to offer something from the obscure-er corners of the DCU, in addition to Bat- and Supes-family characters or the well (and people's interest) will quickly run dry.

The day the New DCU version of this character is considered MOM & KID appealing- will be the day we can call Mattel liars- without- 100% of any chance of rebuttle.

I like that post!

I wholeheartedly agree that second and third tier characters should be included as well! The above list was an example of figures that could be big name draws (or have a bat or Superman emblem on their chest) for a wave. I wouldn't expect them to use more than two Batman or Superman characters per wave.

In terms of Robins, Damian Wayne is one of the few heroes whose costume went unchanged for the New 52 relaunch. Jason Todd, as shown in the link above, has had a new costume in flashback sequences since the reboot. A 1990s Tim Drake Robin would work very well at retail I think, as would jeans and t-shirt Superboy, but I limited the list to New 52 stuff.

Harley Quinn I did think twice about, but most of the problem there is with how the Suicide Squad artist draws her. Jim Lee's original design sketch is a bit more modest! http://insidepulse.com/2011/07/26/dc-co ... ide-squad/

It's an intresting approach from DC these days. "We want Batman to lighten up and not be so obsessed on the death of his parents 24/7." So... is that why Damien has murdered two people so far and Batman hasn't so much as grounded him? Yeah... a 10 year old murderer is very kid friendly. Those middle America moms will be so overjoyed.

(that being said, I'd buy a JLU Damien Wayne in a heatbeat).

Bleez is also a major character within the Red Lantern Comic and one of the the New Guardians so I think it wouldn't be pushing it.
Also some other characters would be cool for the Lantern side of DC would be:

Jack Moore AKA Rankorr The newest Human Red Lantern
Indigo-one
Munk
Brother Warth
Sister Sercy
Fatality
Glomulus (although I guess he could come with Larfleeze)
Oh please a new Guy Gardener. One with out the "Moe".