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120-615: Prior to 1998, merchandise sold by DC Comics was branded with the DC Comics logo rather than with the DC Direct or DC Collectibles logos. The company was called DC Direct from 1998 to 2012. From 2012 to 2020, DC Direct was known as DC Collectibles. On January 23, 2019, DC Comics told its employees that DC Collectibles would be moved to the Warner Bros. Consumer Products division as part of a company-wide re-organization. On Wednesday, February 19, 2020,

240-611: A car accident, Adrian gave it away to see if he could be a success by himself. Veidt traced Alexander the Great's path across the globe and ultimately returned to the United States, where he became a successful businessman. However, when his business partner and would-be love interest overdosed on drugs (purchased with funds given to her by Adrian as a gift to allow her to have fun in New York City one night), Veidt decided to avenge her death as

360-564: A character with a particularly large accessory. There was a proposed series of figures based on Alan Moore 's Watchmen that never got past the prototype phase. Rumored to be scheduled for release in July, 2001, a few of the figures were displayed at summer conventions: the Comedian , the Silk Spectre and Dr. Manhattan . There were two different prototypes of Dr. Manhattan - one solid blue, one with

480-403: A chrome head and cyborg feet. During the oil supply crisis of the 1970s, like many other manufacturers of action figures, Takara was struggling with the costs associated with making the large 11 + 1 ⁄ 2 -inch figures, So, a smaller version of the cyborg toy was developed, standing at 3 + 3 ⁄ 4 inches (95 mm) high, and was first sold in 1974 as Microman . The Microman line

600-463: A color-changing feature has been demonstrated on some figures throughout the years. This concept involves dipping the character's head into cold water and revealing a temperature-sensitive paint. Examples include Kenner's Sky Escape Joker and Camouflage Swamp Thing, as well as Hasbro's Desert-Camo Sgt. Savage . The majority of figures in Kenner 's Super Powers Collection toted a punching action upon

720-418: A costumed adventurer. On Halloween 1985, The Knot-Tops led by Derf assault Hollis in retaliation for the release of Rorschach, which was caused by Nite Owl II (Daniel Dreiberg) and Silk Spectre II (Laurie Juspeczyk). Derf hits Hollis on the head with Mason's own Nite Owl trophy killing the former superhero (in the film, this event is only depicted in the director's cut version). Hollis' death was avenged when Derf

840-523: A crime-fighting alter ego anymore, this older, hardened version of Laurie nevertheless shows several parallels with her father the Comedian, having taken her father's last name, sharing his affinity for jokes as metaphors for her worldview, and having become an FBI agent after giving up vigilantism as the Comedian did before her. In the animated film Watchmen Chapter I , Silk Spectre is voiced by Katee Sackhoff . Adrian Veidt , known as Ozymandias prior to

960-525: A cut's strict vertical rotation. Basic knee articulation often relies on what is considered a pin joint. The amount and style of figure articulation used by toy designers have varied over the years. Two of the most popular figure lines of the 1980s, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and Masters of the Universe , contrasted one another greatly in articulation; the former included several points in their small, 3 + 3 ⁄ 4 -inch (95 mm) scale while

1080-465: A funny name, whose surname begins with a 'K,' who's got an oddly designed mask". As a result, Rorschach's real name is given as Walter Kovacs. Ditko's Charlton character the Question also served as a template for creating Rorschach. Comics historian Bradford W. Wright described the character's world view as "a set of black-and-white values that take many shapes but never mix into shades of gray, similar to

1200-456: A god. He is successful, only to be arrested by Wade Tillman and Laurie Blake for his many crimes. Prior to being knocked out by Wade, Veidt asked if the FBI was going to go after Robert Redford as well which he got a positive answer out of it. In the animated film Watchmen Chapter I , Veidt is voiced by Troy Baker . Key to the success of Watchmen is the wide range of characters it features beyond

1320-403: A home for troubled youth, after which he began working in a garment factory. After reading about the murder of Kitty Genovese and the reported complete indifference of the witnesses of the crime, he modified a special fabric that she had ordered, according to him, to create a mask and became a vigilante, eventually forming a productive partnership with Nite Owl II. In 1975, after failing to rescue

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1440-549: A huge leap forward in myriad areas of science and technology. As a result, the technology of the alternative 1985 of the Watchmen universe is far more advanced. After the death of his father in 1969, he does not conceal his birth name and is referred to as "Jon" or "Dr. Osterman". Perhaps due to his own transhumanist nature, Doctor Manhattan is not only able to perceive time as non-linear, with him often describing past, present and future events as though they were all happening within

1560-423: A mockery of society, fighting and killing without reservation. Blake's murder, which takes place shortly before the story begins in 1985, sets the plot of Watchmen in motion. The character appears throughout the story in flashbacks and aspects of his personality are revealed by other characters. Richard Reynolds described the Comedian as "ruthless, cynical, and nihilistic , and yet capable of deeper insights than

1680-524: A move that would create global popularity for this type of toy, Hasbro also licensed the product to companies in other markets. These different licensees had a combination of uniforms and accessories that were usually identical to the ones manufactured for the US market by Hasbro, along with some sets that were unique to the local market. The Japanese had at least two examples where a Hasbro licensee also issued sublicenses for related products. For example, Palitoy (in

1800-458: A new Star Wars figure line had surfaced and Spawn figures flooded the toy store shelves, proving action figures were not just for kids anymore. Corinthian Figures of association football players were popular in England during this time. Beginning in 1997, ToyFare magazine would become a popular read for mature collectors in providing news and embracing nostalgia with a comedic twist. And with

1920-425: A number of ways. Window Box packaging Window box packages consist of a sturdy, but somewhat thin cardboard box that allows for easy stacking. The box has colorful artwork to draw one's attention. The front of the box will have an area of the cardboard that is cut out and a thin piece of soft plastic then fills the cutout area. This ensures easy visibility of the action figure inside of the box. This type of packaging

2040-475: A part of the Minutemen's promotional materials. In episode 3, Laurie Blake used National Bank Inc. to fake a bank robbery in order to draw out Mister Shadow. Hollis Mason is the first Nite Owl who retired in 1962, and author of the autobiography "Under The Hood" which appears in excerpts throughout the story. Hollis was the only member of the Minutemen who did not have any social problems and mainly enjoyed being

2160-478: A particular series includes a body part to a larger-scaled figure. This encourages the consumer to purchase every figure of the given series, in order to complete the larger figure. The concept has spread into Mattel's DC Universe Classics . Figures intended to appeal to the collector market commonly include a display base and/or pack-in comic book. In such cases accessories may be designed more for display than play. Manufacturers have packaged their action figures in

2280-483: A partner to the young rookie hero. In the Watchmen film, he is portrayed by Patrick Wilson , who put on 25 pounds (11 kg) in between the filming of his flashback scenes and the 1985 scenes, showing the physical decline of his character. He is not present in the HBO Watchmen series, having been under federal custody since the events of the graphic novel. In the animated film Watchmen Chapter I , Nite Owl

2400-459: A partner. In Doomsday Clock , Kovacs is succeeded by Reginald "Reggie" Long , son of Dr. Malcolm Long, the psychologist in Watchmen who was assigned to evaluate Rorschach after he is apprehended. In the Watchmen film, he is portrayed by Jackie Earle Haley . Due to his death in the graphic novel, he does not appear in the HBO sequel series Watchmen , but his legacy and likeness are depicted in

2520-548: A pet owl, it is heavily hinted she pines for Doctor Manhattan. She is sent to Tusla by Senator Joe Keene Jr., who apparently offered to have Dan released from prison, to investigate the death of Judd Crawford, but in reality she is meant to help the Seventh Kavalry locate Doctor Manhattan. She is present when Veidt manufactures another squid attack in an attempt to stop Lady Trieu from becoming a godlike entity, and ultimately arrests Veidt for his many crimes. While she does not have

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2640-506: A punch and emit a loud bang from the ring cap in his backpack. Other features emphasized aesthetic rather than action, such as the flocked bodies of Grizzlor and Moss Man as well as the unique scents of the latter and Stinkor . The success of the many Transformers lines has relied heavily on their signature feature of shifting from vehicle to robot. The popularity of this carried into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ' Mutatin' series among others. In 1987, Mattel introduced figures for

2760-567: A superhero. His costume was conceived as a Halloween costume but he quickly developed a name for himself as a hero. Two years before the Keene Act passed, Veidt went public with his secret identity and began merchandising his alter ego as he became one of the most important businessmen in the USA. However, his fear of a nuclear war between the USSR and the US, plus a rivalry with the Comedian (who unknowingly planted

2880-421: A swiveling waist are also common. Various terms have come into practice such as a "cut" joint, frequently used to allow a basic head rotation at the neck or arm rotation at the shoulder. The "T" joint at a figure's hips commonly allows up to 180° of front-to-back leg rotation; although, this may vary. Ball joints often allow more liberal movement than a cut, such as the figure's head being able to tilt in addition to

3000-455: A toy line, laments Dollar Bill's death while Hollis Mason commented in his book that his death would've been averted if Dollar Bill designed his own costume. In the film, he is portrayed by Dan Payne . In the first episode of the TV series , a racist poster with Dollar Bill on it was seen in one of the hideouts of the Seventh Kavalry. The same poster also appears in the subsequent sixth episode as

3120-416: A translucent chest. It is unclear if other characters such as Nite Owl , Ozymandias and Rorschach were to also receive figures. The proposed figures were to be part of a 15th anniversary celebration of the miniseries, as was a Watchmen hardcover. Moore and co-creator Dave Gibbons decided not to participate in any promotional activities, in part because of a long-standing dispute over merchandising for

3240-543: A young girl, he lost all faith in humanity. When the story begins, a man is seen walking around New York carrying a sign that reads, "The End Is Nigh", but it is not until several chapters later that the reader learns that this man is Kovacs/Rorschach. Moore based Rorschach on the Steve Ditko creations the Question and Mr. A . Moore said he was trying to "come up with this quintessential Steve Ditko character—someone who's got

3360-565: Is a vigilante , initially based on the Shield and then on the Charlton Comics character Peacemaker , with elements of the Marvel Comics spy character Nick Fury added. Moore and Gibbons saw the Comedian as "a kind of Gordon Liddy character, only a much bigger, tougher guy". Gibbons went with a Groucho Marx -style appearance (mustache and cigar) for the Comedian in his design, deciding that

3480-494: Is a bank-sponsored member of the Minutemen who was created by National Bank Inc. for publicity purposes. While he is described as having no actual superpowers, Dollar Bill was known for having apparently supernatural luck, surviving many things that should have outright killed him. Socially conservative, he is portrayed in Before Watchmen as homophobic (barely tolerating his homosexual Minutemen colleagues) and good friends with

3600-462: Is a former Marine Lieutenant . He was one of the more active members of the Minutemen, having organized its formation. Metropolis was involved in a sexual relationship with Hooded Justice. The relationship was reported to be abusive, with Hooded Justice abusing and cheating on Metropolis until H.J.'s mysterious disappearance in the early 1950s. In the 1960s, the Captain unsuccessfully attempted to recruit

3720-597: Is a twelve-issue comic book limited series created by Alan Moore , Dave Gibbons , and John Higgins , published by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987. Watchmen focuses on six main characters: the Comedian , Doctor Manhattan , Nite Owl II , Ozymandias , Rorschach , and the Silk Spectre II . These characters were originally based on the Mighty Crusaders and then reworked in an unsolicited proposal to fit superhero properties DC had acquired from Charlton Comics in

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3840-477: Is among those killed by Ozymandias' giant monster. Before Watchmen: Night Owl #1 showed that Dan Dreiberg's obsession with the original Nite Owl led him to plant a remote microphone device on Hollis' vehicle in order to track him down. At the funeral of Dreiberg's father, Hollis discovered Dan's abusive childhood via police reports. He confronted Dan and agrees to take him on as his sidekick. After training Dan, Hollis instead announced his retirement and granted Dan

3960-418: Is common as of the 2000s decade is PVC packaging. With this type of packaging, the cardboard card is replaced by a clear PVC plastic backing. The front of the package is a different piece of PVC plastic that is molded to include a bubble that will house the action figure and all of its accessories. Any colorful artwork designed to help draw attention to the package will be printed on a thin piece of paper that

4080-458: Is completed, the entire figure is baked to harden the clay. The sculpted prototype is then sent for approval to the manufacturer. Once all design details have been finalized, the prototype is used to make the molds that will form the plastic pieces for the mass-produced figure. The entire sculpting process may take about two weeks, depending on the skill and speed of the sculptor. This process may be repeated several times if revisions must be made to

4200-404: Is killed by another of his attacks. At the end of the series, Manhattan is implied to have transferred his powers to Angela. In Watchmen Chapter I , Doctor Manhattan is voiced by Michael Cerveris . Nite Owl II ( Daniel "Dan" Dreiberg ) is a superhero who uses owl -themed gadgets, in a manner which led Dave Gibbons to consider him "an obsessive hobbyist... a comics fan, a fanboy." Nite Owl

4320-433: Is placed between these two pieces of PVC , or will be affixed in sticker form to the front piece of PVC . This type of packaging is popular today and can be seen being used by McFarlane Toys for their Movie Maniacs line of action figures beginning with Series V. Other companies that utilize this type of packaging are NECA/Reel Toys ( National Entertainment Collectibles Association ) with their Cult Classics and Pirates of

4440-430: Is placed on the card and a bubble of clear plastic is then laid over the top of the action figure and attached to the card. The figure is then clearly visible to consumers. Often the bubble will have several small, fitted compartments to hold the figure and its accessories in place. Kenner and Hasbro 's packaging of Star Wars action figures since 1977 are an example. PVC packaging A more recent type of packaging that

4560-469: Is reported to have died with his company acquired by Lady Trieu, revealed to be his daughter through artificial insemination. However, Veidt instead had spent much of the time since 1985 in Karnak, using the same teleportation device used for the squid to send storms of smaller squids randomly across the earth as to hold up the pretense of an alien invasion and ward off further international conflict. To his dismay,

4680-469: Is voiced by Matthew Rhys . Rorschach (real name Walter Joseph Kovacs ) is a noir private detective -themed vigilante who wears a white mask with constantly shifting ink blots . Rorschach continues to fight crime in spite of his outlaw status, eventually making the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List . Born to an abusive prostitute and a man whose last name she never bothered to learn, he spent much of his childhood in

4800-562: Is voiced by Rick D. Wasserman . Dr. Jonathan " Jon " Osterman is a vigilante and the only character with superpowers . His character was based on the Charlton Comics character Captain Atom . He was originally a physicist who was transformed into a blue, irradiated powerful being after he was disintegrated in an Intrinsic Field Subtractor in 1959. He had returned to the chamber to retrieve his girlfriend's watch (which he had repaired), and

4920-885: The Masters of the Universe revival and Justice League Unlimited , however, still evoke adult collector followings as well. Comic book firms are also able to get figures of their characters produced, regardless of whether or not they appeared in movies or animated cartoons. Examples of companies that produce comic figures and merchandise almost exclusively include Toy Biz and DC Direct . Adult-oriented figure lines are often exclusive to specific chain stores rather than mass retail. Popular lines often have figures available exclusively through mail-in offers and comic conventions , which raises their value significantly. Ploys such as packaging "errors" and "short-packed" figures have also been used by toy companies to increase collector interest. Modelling clay and various sculpting tools are used to create

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5040-746: The Vertigo and WildStorm imprints. Many of these action figures are in the 6- to 7-inch scale. For the first several years, the most recognizable DC characters were not released. DC Direct focused on lesser-known characters and comic series designed for mature readers such as The Sandman , Preacher , and Transmetropolitan . Later, DC Direct increased its production of recognizable characters such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Supergirl, Batgirl, Starfire, Aquaman and Robin. Figures were first grouped randomly, then thematically and now in official "lines" that may be released over several years. The first three series in 1999 had variants for each figure, through

5160-521: The Watchmen film, Doctor Manhattan is a CGI character whose body is modeled after fitness model Greg Plitt , with voice, motion capture , and facial performance provided by Billy Crudup (who also portrays Osterman prior to his transformation). In Watchmen: The End is Nigh , Doctor Manhattan is voiced by Crispin Freeman . In the Watchmen TV series, he is portrayed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II . For much of

5280-505: The Watchmen film, Veidt is portrayed by Matthew Goode . His costume was designed to parody the rubber suits featuring nipples in the film Batman & Robin . This incarnation of Veidt uses a German accent when speaking with friends and an American accent when speaking publicly. Instead of breeding a giant monster and placing it in New York to massacre half the city as in the comics, Veidt destroys New York, along with many major cities across

5400-485: The Watchmen film, she is portrayed by Malin Åkerman . In a 2003 draft script by David Hayter , which was reviewed by IGN , Laurie uses the name Jupiter, and the alter ego name "Slingshot". The former detail seems to have been retained in the final version of the film (though the Nite Owl's goggles gave her last name as her mother's maiden name, Juspeczyk). The film gives her date of birth as December 2, 1949. Silk Spectre

5520-608: The cyborg action figure concept to the concept of the living robot. This led to the Micro Change line of toys: objects that could "transform" into robots. In 1984, Hasbro licensed Micro Change and another Takara line, the Diaclone transforming cars, and combined them in the US as the Transformers , spawning a still-continuing family of animated cartoons. As the '80s were ending, more and more collectors started to surface, buying up

5640-413: The season finale " See How They Fly ", Trey Butler is mistakenly credited as portraying Rorschach. In the animated film Watchmen Chapter I , Rorschach is voiced by Titus Welliver . Laurel Jane " Laurie " Juspeczyk ( Silk Spectre ) is the daughter of Sally Jupiter, the first Silk Spectre. Laurie's mother apparently wanted her to follow in her footsteps and so she fought crime for ten years before

5760-532: The "clown" look had already been appropriated by the DC Comics supervillain the Joker . His costume itself was noted by Gibbons as being particularly problematic; he was initially designed with a more militaristic costume which was later dropped for a black leather outfit with a "rapist mask". He believes that humans are savage in nature, and that civilization can never be more than an idea. He, therefore, chooses to become

5880-498: The 'main' stars. Moore stated in 1988 that, in Watchmen , "we spend a good deal of time with the people on the street. We wanted to spend as much time detailing these characters and making them believable as we did the main characters." Moore and Gibbons deliberately wanted all their characters "to have a place in this vast organic mechanism that we call the world." The fleshing-out of the world was, in Moore's words, to demonstrate that "all

6000-473: The 1890s and polyethylene figures becoming common by the 1950s. The toy soldier market, ubiquitous thanks to its history and mass-production methods, would therefore become a natural home for the military-themed action figure. One of the earliest toys to bear resemblance to modern action figures is Albert Schoenhut 's "Humpy Dumpty Circus", released in 1904, which featured articulated wooden figures interacting with various devices. The term "action figure"

6120-462: The Caribbean line of figures, and Toy Biz with its Marvel Legends action figures, which included a comic book placed between the two PVC segments. Tube packaging Another recent type of PVC packaging is a tube-shaped piece of PVC plastic surrounding the action figure. The tube may be cylindrical or oval in shape. Artwork on the package is often in the form of a sticker affixed to the outside of

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6240-670: The Designer Series, and Harley Quinn: Red, White, & Black. DC Collectibles also makes statues based on characters appearing in DC Comics TV productions. DC Direct usually makes statues using cold-cast porcelain or polyresin, though the company has some history with PVC figures, such as the Ame-Comi line. PVC statue lines include DC Artists Alley and DC Core figures. Over the years, DC Direct has released several "mini" busts which were typically less than 6-inches tall. Between 2008 and 2011,

6360-410: The Keene Act banned vigilantes. Unlike the other protagonists, Silk Spectre was not based on a particular Charlton character, although her relationship with Dr. Manhattan is similar to that between Captain Atom and the heroine Nightshade . Moore felt he needed a female hero in the cast and drew inspiration from comic book heroines such as Black Canary and Phantom Lady . Laurie is kept on retainer by

6480-497: The PVC tube. This type of packaging has been used by Hasbro for their Star Wars Galactic Heroes line of figures. Figures of the original Masters of the Universe line included many unique "action features": Battle Armor He-Man and Skeletor had rotating chest plates to represent varying degrees of damage; Leech featured suction cup limbs; Mantenna 's eyes would pop out using a lever on his back; and Thunder Punch He-Man would thrust

6600-657: The UK) issued a sublicense to Tsukuda , a company in Japan, to manufacture and sell Palitoy's Action Man accessories in the Japanese market. Takara also issued a sublicense to Medicom for the manufacture of action figures. Takara, still under license by Hasbro to make and sell G.I. Joe toys in Japan, also manufactured an action figure incorporating the licensed GI Joe torso for Henshin Cyborg-1, using transparent plastic revealing cyborg innards, and

6720-466: The articulated doll, another important precursor to the action figure is the toy soldier . Military figures have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs, and have appeared in many cultures and eras. Tin soldiers were produced in Germany as early as the 1730s, by molding the metal between two pieces of slate. As industry and demand advanced, so did production methods, with hollow casting first being utilized in

6840-402: The assumption it will be bought solely for display as a collectible and not played with like a child's toy. Articulated dolls go back to at least 200 BCE, with articulated clay and wooden dolls of ancient Greece and Rome . Many types of articulated figures date to the early modern period , including the artists' mannequin and the Japanese ichimatsu doll. The modern ball-jointed doll

6960-418: The bulk of many action figure lines and often make use of the old figure and accessory molds. Glow-in-the-dark figures and accessories also became popular in the early '90s with lines like Toxic Crusaders and Swamp Thing . A 1999 study found that "the figures have grown much more muscular over time, with many contemporary figures far exceeding the muscularity of even the largest human bodybuilders " and that

7080-601: The bulkier latter remained minimal. Both, however, used methods involving rubber cords at the hips that are little used today. In the 2000s, Toy Biz 's popular Marvel Legends line became known for its high rate of articulation, even boasting points at the abdomen, toes, and fingers. While not all action figures include accessories, the additional items often prove essential to characters and their effectiveness as interactive toys. Typical 3 + 3 ⁄ 4 -inch (95 mm) scale G.I. Joe figures include several intricately sculpted guns or hand weapons that can be fastened inside

7200-655: The changing cultural expectations reflected by those changes may contribute to body image disorders in both sexes. The adult collector market for action figures expanded with companies such as McFarlane Toys , Palisades , and NECA . These companies have given numerous movie characters, musicians, and athletes their very first highly detailed figures. The Cinema of Fear action figures were sold together with plush dolls, "screen grab" dioramas, and limited edition toys based on New Line Cinema 's horror franchise. These kinds of action figure are mainly intended as statuesque display pieces rather than toys. Child-oriented lines such as

7320-414: The character has been selected, the actual design process begins with sketches of the proposed figure. The next step is the creation of a clay prototype, but other materials such as wax can also be used for the prototype. This model is made by bending aluminum wires to form the backbone of the figure, known as an armature. The wire form includes the outline of the arms and legs posed in the general stance that

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7440-415: The company changed its name back to DC Direct on its Facebook page. On Thursday, February 20, 2020, the company officially announced the name change. DC Direct produces statues, busts, action figures , props replicas, and art prints for the direct market , a distribution and retail network primarily serving comic book specialty stores . On August 10, 2020, The Hollywood Reporter reported that DC Direct

7560-658: The company released eight 1/2-scale busts. DC Collectibles released a life-size Joker bust designed by make-up artist Rick Baker in 2018. DC Direct releases props based on objects that characters use in comics. Some of these props are life-size, such as Batman's utility belt, Joker's cane, Two-Face's coin, and Wonder Woman's tiara, bracelets, & lasso. The DC Gallery line also includes high-end products that can be used practically, such as poker sets, chess sets, and bookends. Beginning in 1998 with three figures from Mad Magazine , DC has released several hundred figures based on characters published by DC Comics, including those under

7680-618: The defeat of North Vietnam and the Vietcong , preventing the collapse of the Saigon government . Since he works for the U.S. government, he is exempt from the provisions of the Keene Act , but spends much of his time doing advanced technology research and development, and physics research. He is single-handedly responsible for the shift to electric-powered vehicles (by synthesizing the needed elements and chemicals himself) and Veidt credits him with causing

7800-536: The early 1980s. Moore later based the team’s predecessors, the Minutemen, on the Mighty Crusaders. Since the publisher planned to integrate Charlton's superheroes into the main DC Universe and the script would have made many of them unusable for future stories, series writer Alan Moore eventually agreed to create original characters. Moore wished the main characters to present six "radically opposing ways" to perceive

7920-414: The episode " This Extraordinary Being ", was portrayed by Jake McDorman . In this episode, Nelson Gardner finds the identity of Hooded Justice and recruits him to the Minutemen as well as developing a secret affair with him. However, their alliance is superficial as Nelson is more preoccupied with the Minutemen's publicity than earnest crimefighting. When Will Reeves / Hooded Justice discovers the location of

8040-652: The event that Robert Redford became President of the United States. Over the next eight years, Veidt was able to briefly escape the ecosystem to leave a message to Lady Trieu for rescue, which comes in the form of an automated craft. For the trip back to Earth, Trieu turned him into a gold statue, having him revert to his human state years later so that he could witness her destruction of Manhattan and attempted harnessing of his powers. Transported back to his lair in Antarctica by Manhattan, Veidt uses his squid teleportation device to attack Tulsa so that he can stop Trieu from becoming

8160-515: The events of the graphic novel, is a former superhero who draws inspiration from his hero Alexander the Great and the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II , for whom he takes his superhero alias. A child prodigy, he graduated from high school and college before he was 18 and learned the art of lying as he hid the full scope of his brilliance for most of his childhood after being accused of cheating. When he inherited his family's fortune upon his parents' death in

8280-443: The figure will assume. The sculptor then adds clay to the armature to give the basic weight and shape that is desired. The clay may be baked slightly during the prototyping process to harden it. Then, the sculptor uses various tools, such as a wire loop, to carve the clay and shape details on the figure. After creating the basic form, the sculptor may choose to remove the arms and work on them separately for later attachment. This gives

8400-453: The figure. Several months are typically allowed for this design phase. Action Figures come in fixed scales to allow compatibility within (and sometimes between) toy ranges. A common feature among action figures is body articulation, often referred to as points of articulation (POA) or joints. The most basic forms of articulation include one neck joint, two shoulder joints, and two hip joints. Beyond these, rotating wrists, bending knees, and

8520-460: The figures' hands. Missile launchers are also commonplace in military and comic book figure lines and usually involve a spring-loaded mechanism. However, possibly due to safety concerns, this method saw a decline in the mid-1990s. Some figures, particularly of the Joker , have incorporated water-squirting weapons. More recently, Marvel Legends has popularized the "build-a-figure" concept. Each figure of

8640-402: The finer details, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth that give the figure its lifelike expression. The designer may attach a rough lump of clay on the main figure as a temporary head while the real head is sculpted on a separate armature. This allows the sculptor to finish the figure's facial expressions independently of the body. At this point, the finished head can be attached to

8760-565: The form of the Seventh Kavalry , a white supremacist ring that was formed after Rorschach's journal was published by right-wing paper the New Frontiersman . The Kavalry all wear Rorschach masks and are shown recording threatening videos in which they quote directly from Rorschach's journal. They know that Veidt orchestrated the squid attack and they plot to destroy Doctor Manhattan so that their leader Joe Keene Jr. can harness his powers. In

8880-420: The funeral, Hollis, having since discovered Dan's abusive childhood via police reports, confronts Dan and agrees to take him on as his sidekick. However, after training him, Hollis announces his retirement and informs Dan that he is giving him the Nite Owl identity rather than creating a sidekick persona for him. It is also revealed that Rorschach met Nite Owl on Dan's very first patrol and offered his assistance as

9000-502: The gaining popularity of the Internet, websites such as Toy News International would soon offer information on upcoming collectible figures and merchandise . It was during this time that popular characters were increasingly getting specialized costume and variant figures. Batman quickly became most notorious for this (i.e. Arctic Batman, Piranha Blade Batman, Neon Armor Batman). Rather than individual characters, these variants would make up

9120-417: The globe, with energy blasts designed to look as though Doctor Manhattan had caused it, bringing world peace. In the television series, Veidt is portrayed by Jeremy Irons . In the years since 1985, he continued to run his companies and helped to advance technology beyond those of Doctor Manhattan, which the world feared due to its ties with cancer. However, Veidt became recluse, and sometime before 2019, Veidt

9240-452: The government because of her relationship with Doctor Manhattan and lives on a government base at the beginning of the comic. When Doctor Manhattan leaves Earth, the government has her removed from the base and suspends her expense account, forcing her to move in with Dan, with whom she starts a romantic relationship. At the end of the eighth issue, Doctor Manhattan appears and takes her to Mars because he knows she wants to convince him to save

9360-584: The graphic novel, he does not appear in the HBO sequel series Watchmen , but he is mentioned and his legacy lives on through his daughter Laurie. The Comedian is seen briefly in a flashback episode in which he is portrayed by an uncredited actor. According to a Peteypedia article, Lady Trieu's mother Bian My had encountered Blake during the Vietnam War in 1971 in which he and his battalion of Blazin’ Commandos’ burned down her village. In Watchmen Chapter I , Comedian

9480-521: The idea of stopping the inevitable nuclear holocaust into Veidt's head), led to him engaging in the vast conspiracy at the heart of the Watchmen series. Ozymandias was directly based on Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt , whom Moore had admired for using his full brain capacity as well as possessing full physical and mental control. Veidt is believed to be the smartest man on the planet, even capable of outsmarting Dr Manhattan. His combination of intelligence and highly advanced fighting skills makes him perhaps

9600-404: The ink blot tests of his namesake ". Rorschach sees existence as random and, according to Wright, this viewpoint leaves the character "free to 'scrawl [his] own design' on a 'morally blank world'". Moore said he did not foresee the death of Rorschach until the fourth issue when he realized that his refusal to compromise would result in him not surviving the story. Rorschach is close friends with

9720-509: The largest marketing tools for toy companies. Some of the most successful to come about were Masters of the Universe , G.I. Joe , Thundercats , The Real Ghostbusters and Super Powers Collection , to name just a few. Early in the decade, the burgeoning popularity of Japanese robot anime such as Gundam also encouraged Takara to reinvent the Microman line as the Micro Robots, moving from

9840-499: The main DC Universe . The television series Watchmen is set in the same canon as the limited series, taking place in 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma . The Crimebusters are a superhero group that succeeds the Minutemen and are the main characters of Watchmen . The group was short-lived when the Keene Act that forbade non-government sanctioned superheroes was passed. Among its notable members are: The Comedian (Edward Morgan "Eddie" Blake)

9960-492: The main armature and joined to the body with additional clay. Once the head is attached, the neck and hair are sculpted to properly fit to the figure. Then, depending on the design of the figure, the costume may be sculpted directly onto the body. However, if a cloth costume or uniform will be added later, the prototype is sculpted without any costume details. During this process, parts of the clay may be covered with aluminum foil to keep it from prematurely drying out. Once everything

10080-470: The most feared and dangerous of the mortal vigilantes. He was even able to catch a bullet fired at him (Chapter XII, page 15). He is often accompanied by his genetically engineered lynx , Bubastis. Richard Reynolds noted that by taking initiative to "help the world", Veidt displays a trait normally attributed to villains in superhero stories, and in a sense he is the "villain" of the series; however, he purposely acts for an objective greater good, thus avoiding

10200-571: The name Doctor Manhattan , after the Manhattan Project . Though he dabbles briefly in crime-fighting, his greatest influence is to grant the U.S. a strategic advantage over the Soviet Union during the Cold War , with his most significant action taking place after he is personally asked by President Richard Nixon to intervene in the Vietnam War , leading to an unqualified victory for the U.S. with

10320-561: The newer, smaller size figure with molded-on clothing the industry standard. Instead of a single character with outfits that changed for different applications, toy lines included teams of characters with special functions. Led by Star Wars-themed sales, collectible action figures quickly became a multimillion-dollar secondary business for movie studios. From 1972 to 1986 there was a famous line of Big Jim action figures produced by Mattel . The 1980s spawned all sorts of popular action figure lines, many based on cartoon series, which were one of

10440-461: The novel. "Before Watchmen: Nite Owl #1" establishes that Dan Dreiberg's mother was physically abused by his father. Dreiberg's obsession with the original Nite Owl led him to plant a remote microphone device on Hollis' vehicle in order to track him down. It also establishes the events of how he was taken in as his apprentice: His father dies of an apparent heart attack while beating Dan's mother (Dan and his mother hold off calling for an ambulance) At

10560-530: The others into the role of the costumed hero". Nicholas Michael Grant said the Comedian is "the only character in the Watchmen universe who is almost totally unlikeable." In the Watchmen film, he is portrayed by Jeffrey Dean Morgan . The film also places him as John F. Kennedy's assassin, as shown in the opening montage. In Watchmen: The End Is Nigh , the Comedian is voiced by Mark Silverman. Due to his death in

10680-471: The practice was quickly discontinued. DC Collectibles shares the licenses for many DC characters with other toy manufacturers, such as Mattel (which has the master toy license for all DC Comics properties), but Vertigo figures are released only by DC Collectibles. While most figures have been released on blister cards, some have been available in boxes and a very few in clamshell packaging. There have also been several boxed sets featuring multiple characters or

10800-521: The process since the machine didn't have a component that can filter the atomic energy), Lady Trieu intervenes, kills the rest of the Kavalry, and continues the demonstration in attempt to take his powers for herself so that she can do improvements to the world which Doctor Manhattan never got around to doing. Trieu is successful in killing Manhattan and he shares a final moment with Angela before he dies, though Trieu's plans are ultimately upended by Veidt and she

10920-409: The prototype. The actual figure is molded from a harder plastic resin such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Softer plastics and nylon may be used for costume components including body suits, capes, and face masks. Acrylic paints of various colors may be used to decorate the figure. More elaborate toys may contain miniature electronic components that provide light and sound effects. Once

11040-412: The sculptor more control and allows him to produce finer details on the prototype. Working with blunt tools, the sculptor shapes the body with as much detail as is desired. During this process, photo and sketch references are used to ensure the figure is as realistic as possible. Some sculptors may even use human models to guide their design work. After the general body shape is complete, the sculptor adds

11160-401: The second Nite Owl. He is the first hero Rorschach meets with when Comedian is killed and Nite Owl organizes a rescue mission to free Rorschach from jail when he is arrested. Before Watchmen: Nite Owl reveals that Rorschach was active as a hero before Nite Owl made his debut and on the latter's first night out as a hero, Rorschach sneaks into his owl ship and offers his services to Nite Owl as

11280-602: The second generation of superheroes into a new group called the Crimebusters. He was killed in a car accident in 1974 that left him decapitated. He was portrayed in the film by Darryl Scheelar. Two versions of the character appeared in the HBO series . One was portrayed by Chris Whitley as a fictionalized character in the series' show-within-the-show " American Hero Story: Minutemen ", which details his relationship and affair with Hooded Justice. The real Captain Metropolis, seen in

11400-430: The series, he is solely known by the name Cal Abar , the husband of series protagonist Angela Abar and the survivor of an unnamed accident in 2009 which wiped all his memory. Instead, Manhattan had in fact installed a device into his forehead that suppressed his superpowers and his omniscient sense of time, allowing him to pursue a comfortable relationship with Angela, though this did remove his memory prior to 2009. Late in

11520-497: The series, in 2019, Angela discovers a plot by the white supremacist ring the Seventh Kavalry to destroy Manhattan and harness his powers; Angela subsequently forcibly removed the device from his forehead, causing him to regain his abilities and appearance, though immediately afterward he is captured by the Kavalry and transported into a synthetic lithium cage. As Senator Joe Keene, the Kavalry's leader, prepares to destroy Manhattan while harnessing his powers (ultimately killing Keene in

11640-582: The series. In February 2018, DC Collectibles announced that they would finally release figures based on Watchmen characters in print, specifically the Doomsday Clock story arc. Action figure An action figure is a poseable character model figure made most commonly of plastic , and often based upon characters from a film , comic book , military , video game or television program ; fictional or historical . These figures are usually marketed toward boys and adult collectors. The term

11760-468: The squeezing together of their legs. In a more technically advanced method, the Ninja Turtles' Wacky Action series involved a wind-up gear that caused the motorized performance of certain actions like swimming legs or a rotating wrist. Two years prior also saw the release of Tyco 's Dino-Riders , which featured battery powered, motorized dinosaurs. Characters of Watchmen#Nite Owl Watchmen

11880-482: The street corner, it's their story. They're the people we're concerned about. The Minutemen are a superhero group that came before the Crimebusters. The group was founded in 1939 during the Golden Age. The group later disbanded in 1949 following some public controversies. Moore loosely based the Minutemen on the Mighty Crusaders . Among its notable members are: Captain Metropolis (real name Nelson Forrest Gardner )

12000-617: The television series Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future . The line boasted an interactive game where children could shoot at the TV screen. However, while an ambitious concept, it was not a long-term success. Glow-in-the-dark paint and plastic have been utilized in various figure collections, particularly those of the early '90s including Ninja Turtles, Swamp Thing , and Toxic Crusaders . Similarly,

12120-435: The time of his retelling of them, this also leads to him acting in accordance with a personal philosophy which most closely resembles determinism . While he can change reality to his will, he believes himself and all of his actions to be pre-determined. He therefore both does and does not possess free will and is, in a way, controlled by forces well within his control. He refuses to change the pre-ordained course of events. In

12240-405: The toys to keep in their original packaging for display purposes and for future collectability. This led to flooding of the action figure toy market. One of the most popular action figure lines of the late 1980s and early 1990s, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures were produced in such high quantities that the value for most figures would never be higher than a few dollars. In the mid-1990s,

12360-501: The traditional "villain" classification, which is typically self-serving, delusional or evil. Gibbons noted "One of the worst of his sins [is] kind of looking down on the rest of humanity, scorning the rest of humanity." In 2008, he was ranked number 10 on the Forbes Fictional 15 . Wizard magazine also ranked Ozymandias as 25th-greatest villain of all time and IGN ranked him as 21st-greatest comic book villain of all time. In

12480-665: The transformation and combination of the characters. In 1971, Mego began licensing and making American Marvel and DC comic book superhero figures, which had highly successful sales and are considered highly collectible by many adults today. They eventually brought the Microman toy line to the United States as the Micronauts , but Mego eventually lost control of the market after losing the license to produce Star Wars toys to Kenner in 1976. The widespread success of Kenner 's Star Wars 3 + 3 ⁄ 4 -inch (95 mm) toy line made

12600-506: The ultra-right-wing Comedian, voting to let him stay after the attempted rape of Sally Jupiter. He dies during a bank robbery at National Bank Inc. in 1947 when his cape is caught in the bank's revolving doors, allowing the robbers to shoot him at point-blank range. This was a problem he warned his employers at National Bank Inc. about, but they insisted the cape had to be part of the costume as Mason laments in his book. Even Rorschach, who dislikes Ozymandias for making his superhero alter-ego into

12720-438: The way through the entire series human life is going on with all of its petty entanglements and minor difficulties and all the rest of it." Moore adds that it is possible to see the story as being as much about the supporting as the main characters: What Nixon does and what Dr. Manhattan does and what Veidt does—it affects the people on the street corner but only peripherally, indirectly... And yet, in some ways, those people on

12840-488: The white supremacist group Cyclops, Nelson declines to rally the support of the Minutemen, telling Will "black unrest" is his issue to deal with. Gardner's last will and testament, published on the tie-in website Peteypedia, reveals that he died in regret and bequeathed his estate and property to Will, where he is still living in 2009. Gardener appears in the animated film Watchmen Chapter I , voiced by Corey Burton . Dollar Bill (real name William Benjamin "Bill" Brady )

12960-503: The world did not become the utopia he hoped to oversee, and in 2009, he took Doctor Manhattan's offer to be transported to a closed ecosystem Manhattan had created on Europa to be adored by clones of two servants, Phillips and Crookshanks. Initially pleasing, Veidt soon became bored and instructed the first Phillips to become an adversary to him, the Game Warden. The Seventh Kavalry had somehow obtained pre-recorded footage that Veidt made in

13080-438: The world, and to give readers of the story the privilege of determining which one was most morally comprehensible. The protagonists of Watchmen were reused in the prequel series Before Watchmen , which also gave backstories to several minor characters from the original graphic novel, and introduced new characters. Later on, several Watchmen characters reappeared in the limited series Doomsday Clock , bringing them into

13200-406: The world. On Mars, she realizes that the Comedian was her biological father. After the final encounter with Veidt at the end of the series, she assumes the identity of Sandra Hollis and continues her relationship with Dan. An offhand comment to Dan, in which she claims to want a better costume, with leather and a sidearm, implies that she is thinking of taking up her father's role as the Comedian. In

13320-509: Was accidentally locked inside when the Subtractor started automatically. Osterman was blown into atoms, with nothing left of his body. Within a few months, his disembodied consciousness managed to reconstruct a physical body for itself, after several hideous partial reconstructions. Following his reanimation, he is immediately pressed into service by the United States government , which gives him

13440-475: Was also novel in its use of interchangeable parts. This laid the foundation for both the smaller action figure size and the transforming robot toy. Takara began producing characters in the Microman line with increasingly robotic features, including Robotman, a 12-inch (300 mm) robot with room for a Microman pilot, and Mini-Robotman, a 3 + 3 ⁄ 4 -inch (95 mm) version of Robotman. These toys also featured interchangeable parts, with emphasis placed on

13560-694: Was being shuttered as part of a company-wide re-structuring. On July 27, 2021, McFarlane Toys announced that it would take over management of any remaining DC Direct inventory and that it would continue to make statues, busts, and other collectibles (such as action figures) in DC Direct's previous merchandise lines. The company released new products starting in 2022. DC Direct has produced numerous statues, busts, and plastic (PVC) figures based on their characters. Previously, merchandise tended to be stand-alone releases, but over time, DC Collectibles has favored branded lines. Current statue lines include Batman: Black & White, Bombshells , Cover Girls, Battle Statues,

13680-481: Was coined by Hasbro in 1964 to market G.I. Joe to boys (while competitors called similar offerings boy's dolls ). According to a 2005 study in Sweden , action figures which display traditional masculine traits primarily target boys. While most commonly marketed as a child's toy , the action figure has gained widespread acceptance as collector item for adults. In such a case, the item may be produced and designed on

13800-548: Was coined by Hasbro in 1964, to market their G.I. Joe figure to boys who refused to play with "dolls" , a term primarily associated as a girl's toy. (A similar toy named Johnny Hero was introduced by Rosko Industries for Sears in 1965, but was known as a "Boy's Doll" since the term action figure had not gained widespread usage at that point.) G.I. Joe was initially a military-themed 11.5-inch figure proposed by marketing and toy idea-man Stan Weston. It featured changeable clothes with various uniforms to suit different purposes. In

13920-474: Was first created in Western Europe in the late 19th century. From the late 19th century through the early 20th century French and German manufacturers made bisque dolls with strung bodies articulated with ball-joints made of composition : a mix of pulp, sawdust, glue and similar materials. These dolls could measure between 15 and 100 cm (6 and 39.5 in) and are now collectible antiques. Besides

14040-454: Was partly based on the Ted Kord version of the DC Comics superhero Blue Beetle . Just as Ted Kord had a predecessor, Moore also incorporated an earlier adventurer who used the name "Nite Owl" (the retired crime fighter Hollis Mason) into Watchmen . While Moore devised character notes for Gibbons to work from, the artist provided a name and a costume design for Hollis Mason he had created when he

14160-573: Was ranked 24th in Comics Buyer's Guide 's "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list. In the television series, Laurie (portrayed by Jean Smart ) has given up vigilantism and joined the FBI, becoming an agent in the Anti-Vigilante Task Force. On one mission, she and her co-workers posed as bank robbers at National Bank Inc. to draw out Mister Shadow. Though hinted to think of Dan where she owns

14280-477: Was twelve. Richard Reynolds noted in Super Heroes: A Modern Mythology that despite the character's Charlton roots, Nite Owl's modus operandi has more in common with the DC Comics character Batman . According to Geoff Klock, his civilian form "visually suggests an impotent , middle-aged Clark Kent ." The second Nite Owl is another vigilante who has not revealed his identity in the post-Keene Act era throughout

14400-520: Was used by companies such as Mego Corporation in the early 1970s until they switched to the Carded Bubble style of packaging in the mid to late 1970s. Window Box packaging is still used today, often for figures that measure 10" or taller in height. Carded Bubble packaging This type of packaging consists of a sturdy piece of thin cardboard backing known as a "Card." The card is decorated with colorful artwork to draw consumer attention. The action figure

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