Action League: Arkillo & Sinestro

In my opinion, Mattel's answer to Hasbro's Superhero Squad keeps getting better. The Action League line started back in 2009 with several waves based on Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Since then, it jumped to DC proper, and dramatically improved in the process.

Not too long ago, I looked at a two-pack containing Deadman and Martian Manhunter I received as a gift. It was part of wave which included two packs I didn't really need (I already have a Flash and Batman) and this:

While I actually do already own a Sinestro, he's the "White Lantern" version that came with Hal. While he's certainly cool, I far prefer having Sinestro slinging his yellow ring. The fact he came with Arkillo didn't hurt, either. For those of you who might be out of the loop, Arkillo's basically an anti-Kilowog. In fact, despite being a new character, he feels like he should be Kilowog's Silver-Age nemesis. For those of you who have no idea what any of that means, just smile and nod.

Like Kilowog, Arkillo's an extra large figure. Thanks to his posture, he stands a bit shorter than his foe, but he still towers over others in this scale. The sculpt and paint are both good, and the design is at once menacing and a little wacky, which feels right.

Sinestro's pretty great, too. I like the look and design of the figure, though I do have one quibble. With articulation already slim (cut head, waist, and shoulders), designing him with an arm outstretched reduces the your posing options even further. I'm still waiting for Mattel to wake up and realize they should be including cut joints on the wrists, given how large their hands are.

I ordered these from Toys R Us's website, where I paid something like $8 plus shipping. Four or five years ago, I'd have baulked at paying four bucks a figure for toys in this scale, but now it seems pretty reasonable, especially considering Arkillo's mass.

I still feel like the articulation is lacking, but the overall quality of these figures has really improved since the line started. I'm a bit underwhelmed on the upcoming Flashpoint wave, but I'm hoping Mattel keeps these coming.