The Best Animated Superman Series Gets The Toys It Deserves

The DC Collectors folks have been giving a lot of love to Batman: The Animated Series lately, with a series of action figures celebrating artist Bruce Timm’s iconic designs. But what of its brighter, bolder follow-up, Superman: The Animated Series? It’s time has come.

Shipping next month, the Superman and Lois Lane two-pack ($59.95) kicks off DC’s ongoing plastic tribute to the Man of Steel. It’s a good place to start. Any Superman project needs these two to get off the ground.

The two-pack comes with both figures, a pair of stands and six sets of extra hands, three for each character.

Extra hands are par for the course for premium action figures, but the DC Collectibles folks are super into them. There are no accessories for Lois or Clark to hold in the package. Why so many gripping fists? I imagine a person sitting in a hand-sculpting room somewhere, surrounded by piles and piles of these things.

I think Superman works just fine with only his balled fists, but it’s nice to have options.

There’s just something about Superman in the animated style. Bruce Timm’s designs do an outstanding job of capturing the essence of characters with shape and color rather than fine detail. Superman is all shape and color. He’s basically Timm’s style personified.

Look at that strong chin. That powerful chest. He’s all about truth, justice and the America way. If his cape weren’t rubber, it would be flapping dramatically in the wind.

But he’s not important right now. What’s important is intrepid reporter Lois Lane, who is not impressed in the least. Look at that face. It looks like someone is giving her shit, and she is not having any of it.

It’s the heavy eyes. It’s the arched brow and pursed lips. She is a busy woman, and you’d better not be wasting her time.

Superman: The Animated Series’ Lois Lane is eight pairs of hands-down my favorite version of the character, and this figure captures her perfectly.

It’s a strong start to a line that will hopefully grow to include a whole host of brightly-colored plastic versions of Superman’s friends and enemies.