DC Comics Toys
Justice League International Black Canary
By Hervé St-Louis March 1, 2009 - 09:59
Sculptor(s): Tim Bruckner
$21.99 US
Someone, in
the early 1980s, decided that Black Canary’s iconic leather and fishnet
stockings’ look had to go. This being the 1980s, she was given one of those
Flashdance type of costume that all super heroines wore at the time. They
covered her up so much that there was no point calling her the blonde bombshell
anymore. Then, she joined the Justice League International, as the only
founding female member where she was pitted constantly against the prying Guy
Gardner and developed a budding friendship with Blue Beetle. Artist Kevin
Maguire possibly made this iconic 1980s design work best.
I find it
amazing that an action figure of a version of a character’s costume many people
dislike was approved. Here, Tim Bruckner used one of his classic facial sculpt
instead of giving Black Canary a soft round face, like Maguire used to draw
her. It’s not that I don’t like her face. But this is not based on Maguire’s
work. However, the proportions of the costume’s details, like the buccaneer’s
boots and puffy sleeves are right.
Of course,
with high heels, it’s almost impossible to have Black Canary stand on her own
without her action figure stand. Other problems include the weak knee
articulation. I almost broke the joints while trying to bend the knees. That
means that there will be no posing of this action figure. The shoulder joints
are more flexible than the JLI Batman’s. Her wrists also rotate. Of course her
thick rubber hair come in the way of her neck articulation, but at least, being
in rubber, it offers more flexibility than hard plastics.
The paint
job on her face is great. The blush on her cheeks is barely noticeable. One
issue I have is that her collar and sleeves are not graced with the same
metallic blue paint that covers her torso and leggings.
This is not a bad action
figure at all and perhaps more than hardcore Justice League International
collectors may be interested in this. Fans of Black Canary, and they are many
won’t be disappointed to add yet another Black Canary action figure to their
collections. She’s worth it.