Go For Broke: DC Comics

9:36 AM on 07.14.2008   |   Pedro Cortes

Welcome to the article that gives (and takes) the most, Go For Broke!

This week I decided to do something a little different and not focus on an anime series.  Being a nerd of many different flavors, I decided to dip into the world of comic books, more specifically the DC Universe.  Just like any good franchise, they have plenty of products available to drain your wallet and pretty up any flat surface you may have.

You'll notice that the ladies in the gallery below don't look like they're from American comics.  You might even say that they look like they stepped out of the pages of a manga.  Well, you're only half right.  They are indeed some of Detective Comic's finest ladies, however they have been re-sculpted into a series of PVC statues with a Japanese flair to them.  This delightful new line of figures is called Ame-Comi, and let me tell you, they have done a fantastic job on these girls.

Follow me after the break to get a peak at a few of them. 

Note to any fellow comic geeks: due to the inconsistencies of the comic world and my inability to consistently keep up with it, I checked Wikipedia for some of these girls to make sure I was not totally off base.  If I'm wrong, toss me a line and I'll fix it up!

Ame-Comi: Donna Troy

Originally a member of the original Teen Titans, Donna Troy has gone on to become so much more than she was originally.  She's become Wonder Girl, a twin to Wonder Woman herself, a Darkstar, and a guardian to the Multiverse itself.  To say she's a vital part of the DC Universe is a bit of an understatement.  She appears in the Ame-Comi line in what looks to be a fusion of her Darkstar costume and what she wore when she was resurrected in 2005.

Release Date:  Donna comes out in October 2008.  Preorders are up at a couple of places.

Price Range:  $40-45

Available at:  Kid Nemo  Discount Anime DVD 

Ame-Comi: Hawkgirl

Perhaps best known for her stint on the excellent Justice League show on Cartoon Network, Hawk Girl's origin hovers between a reprogrammed scout from the planet of Thanagar to a girl who commits suicide and somehow fuses with the soul of the original Hawk Girl.  However, a confusing back story does not make this figure look any less awesome.  Designed by UDON (the studio behind the Street Fighter comic and the upcoming Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix), this fig is sure to impress both comic and anime nerds!

Release Date:  You'll be waiting awhile for this one, as it doesn't come out till January 2009.       

Price Range:  Either $48 or $54

Ame-Comi: Power Girl

Up next is the wonderfully cute and sexy Power Girl.  Also designed by UDON, Power Girl (also known as Kara-Zor-L, the cousin to Earth-2's Superman) acts as Earth-2's Supergirl and as such finds herself a member of both Justice Society of America and later the Justice League.  She's also known for the seemingly impractical gap in her suit right around the bosom area.  She has never really revealed her reasons for it, though I believe titillation for the comic reader is the correct answer.

Release Date:  April 2008

Still in Stock?  Amazon is running low, but Discount Anime DVD seems to be doing alright.

Price Range:  Either $39 or $41

Ame-Comi: Wonder Woman

What would a line of DC statues be without a Wonder Woman?  The Amazonian goddess graces the Ame-Comi line with yet another design from UDON Studios.  Wonder Woman depicted here has a sword and shield that I'm not familar with, though they look pretty bad ass next to her redesigned costume.

Release Date:  July 2008, out either next week or the following.     

Still in Stock?  So far none of the sights I've been to have met their allocations.

Price Range:  You're looking at a $45 purchase here.

Ame-Comi: Batgirl

Finally, I bring to you my personal favorite of the series: Bat Girl.  There's something about her costume that reminds me of the character designs from the anime Gatchaman with a little 60's flavor, and that is always great in my book.  She's posed well, the colors pop out, she looks absolutely sexy, all in all being the best PVC in this series.  Even if you aren't a huge fan of DC heroes, I'd absolutely suggest placing Bat Girl in your collection.

Release Date:  She came out in October 2007    

Still in Stock?  Only in Amazon that I can find.  Discount Anime DVD says that her arrival is delayed, and since she was originally made availabe in October, it's possible that there may have been another shipment, though I don't find any mention on other sites.

Price Range:  $60 at Amazon, $36 at Discount Anime DVD

That's all, ladies and gents.  See you all next week.  Have a broke one!