Thursday, January 14, 2016

Statue Review: Black Canary from DC Comics Bishoujo by Kotobukiya

     Kotobukiya previewed this Black Canary figure at least as far back as 2013 (maybe even earlier) but she just made it out to collectors at the end of 2015 after a number of delays. The newest member of Kotobukiya's DC Comics Bishoujo line, Black Canary depicts Dinah Lance in an amalgamation of a number of her different looks prior to the New 52. While Black Canary has had a bit of a boost in popularity thanks to her appearance in Arrow (my wife is the one who watches the show, though, and I think I'm confused by Canary from what she describes) she's been a major player in the DC Universe for quite sometime. Heck, if you consider that the character of Black Canary has been around since 1947 (as the mother of the current character) then she might be one of the oldest characters on your action figure shelf! I'm always a huge fa of Kotobukiya's work on this line and I'm happy to say that Dinah's another hit. ready for a closer look? Then join me after the break...



 The Facts:

Height: 9 inches (with base)

Articulation: None

Accessories: None

Medium: PVC and ABS Plastics

Non-Scalper Price: $65-$70 dollars

Designed by: Shunya Yamashita
The Positives:

* One problem that I never have with the Bishoujo series is the headsculpts. They're always gorgeous! Black Canary has a beautiful, sly glance that could equally be playful and that look she gives some punk when she's about to whip his or her behind (Dinah's a pro: She trains Batgirl from time to time). Kotobukiya really puts a lot of thought into their paintwork and the types of plastic they use in crafting these figures and it always shows in the quality work they produce.

 * I mentioned that Black Canary has been delayed for a couple of years and from what I've heard, it's because Kotobukiya wanted to make sure to nail her fishnet stockings perfectly. Well, they have. These look incredible and are made from an excellent material. Fishnets were a signature part of Black Canary's look for many years and it's nice to see that Kotobukiya spent so much time perfecting them.

* Black Canary's base is simple but clever: It's a translucent blue disk with sound waves painted on it. It's a nice way to suggest Dinah's Canary Cry ability. Black Canary is permanently attached to the base (which is much preferable to a loose figure like the Armored Wonder Woman). She's very stable and sturdy and looks great on the shelf.


* Here's a view of the statue from the back so you can see Black Canary's hair flowing. The detail in the sculpt is great and the color has a little bit of a shine to it. I love the quality plastic that Kotobukiya uses because you always get a sharp, dynamic sculpt without the brittleness that comes with more traditional statues.


* I just wanted to point out Black Canary's boots. I love the "pirate" styled boots that so many comic characters wear and it's cool to see them here. The folds in the material of her leather (or maybe pleather) boots look great, too.

 * One of the best parts about this statue is that it really has a layered, three dimensional appearance. The leather bustier doesn't look painted on; it looks like an actual piece of clothing with a properly scaled body underneath it. The jacket also looks like it could realistically fit over Dinah's body and the way it flares out from the body absolutely suggests some dynamic movement.



 
 The Negatives:

* Oh my gosh! A negative on a Kotobukiya Bishoujo statue? Well, yeah, but it's just a small one. I guess I'm not 100 percent sure what Black Canary's pose is supposed to represent: Is she stretching before or after delivering a beat-down? Is she just waking up? Is she reaching up to catch something going over her head? It's not bad, just a bit less of a defined pose than other figures in the series.
  Black Canary is another hit in my book. Honestly, the only thing I can fault this statue for is that the pose doesn't immediately convey the action or essence of the character. I'm kind of perplexed that Kotobukiya didn't attempt a play on Black Canary's Canary Cry ability but maybe they didn't want to go for an overly expressive headsculpt. Still, the rest of the figure is incredible and rounds out a great year for this line. Even though only Batwoman, Zatanna, and Black Canary were released, those were three strong releases. Black Canary gets a Great and a 1/2 rating from me. The next figure slated for release is Raven and she's already starting to hit. After a slow year or so, it was nice to have a 2015 filled with DC Comics Bishoujo figures again. Let's hope 2016 is another great one for this line!


I haven't reviewed any other figures or statues of Black Canary on the site yet; this is the first! I have reviewed a few other DC Comics Bishoujo statues from Kotobukiya, though:

Armored Wonder Woman
Batwoman
Zatanna 

By the way: I'm absolutely always looking for the Kotobukiya Bishoujo Catwoman and Supergirl. If you have either of these (or both) and are interesting in parting with them, please contact me!

2 comments:

  1. I am looking at her for my collection as I love all these Kotobuyiya girls.

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    Replies
    1. I snagged her from Big Bad Toy Store. They ship to the great white North, right?

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