PART 4 of a daily feature on August’s Super Powers variant cover line-up…
Throughout August, DC Comics is publishing eight variant covers in honor of the 40th anniversary of Kenner’s Super Powers line of action figures, vehicles and playsets. Artists Jason “ToyOtter” Geyer and Alex Saviuk combined forces to create covers that homage the packaging, with the kicker being that none of the figures shown were actually made — though they should have been. (Geyer did the figures and the packaging; Saviuk, who was similarly involved in the original Super Powers line, did the “Style Guide” art.)
Our hope is that McFarlane Toys — which has revived Super Powers — will pick up this baton and actually make the figures. (And they’re not saying no. By coincidence, they’ve already made the Gold Superman that’s in the variant set.)
Since we can’t get enough of this whole project, we’re featuring Jason Geyer’s development art for each cover, every day for eight days, along with the final versions — backs and fronts. (His commentary is adapted from Facebook posts he’s done.) We’re be publishing them in the order they will be released by DC.
Next up? GREEN LANTERN (Green Lantern: War Journal #12, due Aug. 21):
“(This is) the actual first figure I sculpted for this series: Green Lantern John Stewart!” Jason said. “The second ‘back-up’ Lantern, introduced in the seminal 1970s Denny O’Neil/Neal Adams run, John went from an occasional guest star to secondary character, to a military-based star of his own books. And with the Justice League cartoon of the early 2000s he became the primary Green Lantern to a whole generation of fans.
“I played with using the Green Lantern: Mosaic outfit as an alternate, mainly because Cosmic Odyssey was a HUGE introduction to so much of the DCU and John had a big role to play there wearing it, but it was decided to go with his OG costume and have a secondary head with his masked look. And Kenner was thinking about this version in any case back in the ’80s.”
Thanks, Jason!
I would really love to see McFarlane do this one because I’m such a Denny O’Neil/Neal Adams fan. The ’70s look is part of comics history and fits the Super Powers sensibility. (Plus, dig the swappable head!) The look is on the company’s radar, too — it recently released a 7-inch version of OG John Stewart. (It’s a terrific figure; my son gave one to me for Father’s Day.) Thing is, there’s a John Stewart in the new line and it’s a peg warmer. That said, the heavy retro vibe would likely draw buyers. I could see this in a GL Corps three-pack.
NEXT: Superman. Click here.
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MORE
— The NIGHTWING SUPER POWERS Variant Cover Leaps Into Your Heart. Click here.
— This POISON IVY SUPER POWERS Variant Cover Scratches That Retro Itch. Click here.
