DC Universe: Justice League Unlimited Fan Collection is an action figure line based on the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited animated series. Though it was based on the shows, the line continued well beyond it, and was re-branded in 2008, as a Target exclusive (in the US). Mattel announced in February 2011 that the line would come to an end later in the year with the final figures being released on the Mattel website including the final two three-packs, a seven-pack as well as the three exclusive Con three-packs being made available to the public.
History The line itself has gone through many name changes.
Justice League/Justice League Mission Vision The idea for the figures began as DC Direct sculpts by sculptor Karen Palinko, which were later handed over to Mattel. They were then released under the Justice League line. They all sported nearly the same look as the original sculpts. Later on newer sculpts were made for all the heroes (except Hawkgirl) to add articulation and accommodate large accessories. Aquaman was later added, making the total number of heroes eight. Three villains were also produced, Lex Luthor, Ultra-Humanite, and Darkseid.
Justice League Unlimited As the show moved onto newer territory, so did the figures. The basic concept was to sell smaller packaged collectible single figures (with repaints) and then a sort of quick-builder's 3-pack featuring three original characters with one or two of the original seven members included. The single figures were packed in with an accessory and a collectible card. The number of villains in the line were still few however, as only Sinestro, Amazo, Bizarro, and Brainiac were released. Justice League Unlimited, released in blue cards, as it is, lasted for two series (as Series 1 and 2). The rarest figure in the line is that of Green Lantern Hal Jordan. 100 copies of the figure were made and then the molds were destroyed. The figures were packaged on a special green and red card and autographed by Bruce Timm. The figures were given as a Christmas gift in 2005 to employees of the animation studio who worked on the show. Mattel has definitively stated, in multiple published reports, that there will be no Green Lantern Hal Jordan figures made available to the general public.
DC Superheroes Re-branding the 2003 Batman toy line and creating a new Superman line in DC Superheroes, Mattel decided to take Justice League Unlimited into the new brand as well, effectively creating three sub-brands within one umbrella brand. The new packaging mirrored both Batman and Superman in design. The collectible cards in singles were removed and variants of figures that are not accurate to the show were dropped. This line basically offered original Batman, Superman and Flash for new collectors in original suits with various accessories and certain themed 3-packs such as three collectible Justice Lords packs, two Green Lantern Corps packs and a Martian Manhunter 3-pack with faithful character representations. The number of villains also began to increase to include characters such as Mirror Master, Copperhead, Lex Luthor, Star Sapphire, Volcana, Deadshot, and Joker; however, many of the villain figures (most notably Deadshot, Star Sapphire, and Volcana) suffered shoddy distribution by Mattel, making them among the rarest of the mass-marketed figures.
The yellow carded figures also lasted for two series, before DC Superheroes lines revamped their packaging into new purple cards with DC Comics inspired stars and dashes visible on the packaging. However the sixth series marked the return to non show-accurate repaints in single figure packs. The sixth series also marked the expansion of the Justice League Unlimited line slightly beyond its previous limits within the show, by introducing a more comic-accurate repaint of Bizarro, a Black Canary in fishnet stockings, and a Joker figure with a removable Red Hood mask accessory.
DC Universe Fan Collection With the re-branding of DC Superheroes into DC Universe, the JLU line followed suit beginning with series 7. The future of the line was finally announced around the 2008 International Toy Fair in New York City. After most brick and mortar retail outlets abandoned JLU, Mattel and Target partnered up to bring the line out as an in-store exclusive. Outside the US, JLU has had only the one wave of 2009 singles surface at Toys r Us in Canada. These same single pack figures have also been showing up at discount in Big Lots stores throughout the USA.
The line continued with their comic-inspired repaints (such as Black-suit Superman, Classic Batman and Elongated Man), paint corrections (Red Tornado, Booster Gold, Doctor Fate and Zatanna), a continuation of Batman villains (from The New Batman Adventures, such as Bane, Scarecrow, Harley Quinn etc.) and brings to the table new lead characters (such as the Question and Captain Atom) and more background characters (from the Justice League and the Secret Society). By mid-2011, all of the expanded Justice League were made into figures except: Creeper, Crimson Avenger, Doctor Mid-Nite, Gypsy, Johnny Thunder, S.T.R.I.P.E., and Speedy.
Packaging The line, in its various incarnations, has explored several types of packaging - single, 2-packs, 3-packs, 4-packs (as Justice League Toys "R" Us exclusives), 6-packs (as Target exclusives), and 7-pack (featuring the original members as Toys "R" Us exclusives both in the 3" and 4.5" scales.)
Once it was integrated into the DC Superheroes line, JLU sported redesigned orange packing, and followed suit when its 'sister' brand was redesigned with purple packaging in 2006. Since it was part of the DC Universe re-brand, the packaging was in a form of the DC Universe Classics packaging (including character bios) with animated touches placed on it. Beginning in March 2010, the packing changes to the DC Comics' 75th Anniversary brand.
4-packs have been available at the Mattel Collector site. These are not actual 4-packs per se, but singles that are bundled in four. These were discontinued in 2010 after the Justice Guild release, due to insufficient sales. Mattel continued selling exclusives on their site (though in a different format) starting with Lobo in April 2010.
Figures - 4.5" The line features three sets of collectible figures, the most popular and voluminous being the 4.5" figures which now has over 70 unique characters, not including repaints. The other two lines are the 3" die-cast line and the 10" rotocast line.
Justice League
Series 1 - 2003 Batman Flash Green Lantern Superman
Series 2 - 2003 Batman Batman (Black Variant) Flash Green Lantern Martian Manhunter Superman Superman (Dark Uniform) Wonder Woman
Series 3 ("Attack Armor") - 2003 Attack Armor Batman Attack Armor Green Lantern Attack Armor Martian Manhunter Attack Armor Superman
2-Pack Action Figures - 2003 Night Flight Batman & Superman Superman vs. Assault Armor Lex Luthor
Deluxe Action Figures - 2003 Crime Bust Batman Power Escape Superman Superman Twin Talon - Released in Latin America Only Wilson dog - Released in America Only
Vehicles - 2003 Batplane Javelin-7 with Superman
Series 4 ("Mega Armor") - 2003 Mega Armor Batman Mega Armor Flash Mega Armor Superman Hawkgirl
Playsets - 2003 Justice League Watchtower
Series 5 ("Mission Vision") - 2004 Batman Darkseid (Dark Gray Face) Darkseid (Light Gray Face) Flash Green Lantern Superman Wonder Woman
Series 6 ("Mission Vision") - 2004 Batman Flash Superman
Series 6 ("Mission Vision") Deluxe Action Figures - 2004 Aqua Sled Batman Solar Cannon Superman
Series 6 ("Mission Vision") Vehicles - 2004 Batcycle Flashcycle Green Lantern Cycle Javelin-7 With Flash Javelin-7 With Superman
Series 7 ("Morph Gear") - 2004 Batman Flash Green Lantern Superman Ultra-Humanite
Series 8 ("Cyber Trakkers") - 2004 Flash Green Lantern Martian Manhunter Superman
Series 9 ("Silver Storm") - 2004 Hawkgirl Superman
Exclusives - 2004 NASCAR - Batman NASCAR - Flash NASCAR - Green Lantern NASCAR - Martian Manhunter NASCAR - Superman NASCAR - Wonder Woman
Four Packs - 2004 Journey to Atlantis - Superman with Scuba Gear, Green Lantern with Scuba Gear, Flash with Scuba Gear, Aquaman The Rise of Apokolips - Superman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Darkseid
Justice League Unlimited
Series 1 - 2004
Singles Batman (tech suit w/gas mask) Flash (tech suit) Martian Manhunter (translucent) Superman (tech suit w/kryptonite) Wonder Woman (yellow choker/bracelets w/plastic lasso)
3-Packs Batman, Elongated Man, Hawkgirl Superman, Martian Manhunter (translucent), Brainiac Flash, Doctor Fate, Green Arrow
Series 2 - 2004
Singles Atom Flash (damaged uniform) Green Lantern (circuit uniform) Superman (damaged uniform)
3-Packs Amazo, Starman, Superman Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Batman Flash, Green Lantern, Red Tornado
Series 3 - Spring 2005
Singles Batman (damaged uniform) Brainiac Doctor Fate Green Arrow Hawkgirl (black damaged uniform)
3-Packs Atom Smasher, Flash, Green Lantern Booster Gold, Superman, Martian Manhunter Hawk and Dove, Wonder Woman
Series 4 - 2005
Singles Amazo (gold) Anti-Amazo Flash Anti-Amazo Superman Starman
3-Packs Aztek, Superman, Sinestro Metamorpho, Batman, Wildcat Flash, Hawkgirl, Waverider
Series 5 - 2005
Singles Aquaman Booster Gold Cyber Defenders: Superman Cyber Defenders: Batman Red Tornado
Series 6 - 2005
Singles Atom Smasher Dove Hawk Planet Patrol: Martian Manhunter Planet Patrol: Wonder Woman
Target Exclusives - 2005 Batman, Bizarro, Wonder Woman Black Canary, Green Arrow, Superman Wonder Woman (Planet Patrol), Superman (silver highlights), Brainiac Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Orion
Exclusives - 2005 Green Lantern: Hal Jordan
Vehicles - 2005 Batcycle Flash Cycle Green Arrow Cycle
DC Superheroes: Justice League Unlimited
Series 1 - 2006 (Orange Package)
Singles Superman (w/Black Mercy) Steel Aztek Flash (w/rotor) Supergirl
3-Packs Green Lantern, Tomar-Re, Kilowog Lex Luthor (Injustice Gang jumpsuit), Copperhead, Mirror Master Martian Manhunter, J'onn Jonnz, Martian Manhunter (clear)
Series 2 - 2006 (Orange Package)
Singles Batman (w/ wings) Waverider Wildcat Wonder Woman (w/blue cape)
3-Packs Justice Lord Superman, Justice Lord Wonder Woman, Justice Lord Batman Superman, Doctor Light, Aquaman (w/ cape) Doctor Fate, Vixen, Hawkgirl
Series 3 - 2006 (Orange Package)
Singles Batman Superman (w/ super breath) Rocket Red Metamorpho Copperhead
3-Packs Katma Tui ("The Return" costume), Kyle Rayner, Arkkis Chummuck Justice Lord Martian Manhunter, Justice Lord Green Lantern, Justice Lord Flash Zatanna, Batman, Shining Knight
Series 4 - 2006 (Orange Package)
Singles Orion Elongated Man Flash Vigilante
3-Packs Superman, Wonder Woman, Etrigan K-Mart Exclusive 3 Pack: Superman (silver highlights), Supergirl (silver shirt), Steel Toys-R-Us Exclusive 3 Pack: Justice Lords Batman, Superman, and Hawkgirl Huntress, Atom, Batman
6-Pack Target Exclusive 6 Pack: Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Bizarro, Doomsday, Amazo (clear)
San Diego Comic-Con Exclusives SDCC 2006: Solomon Grundy SDCC 2006: Solomon Grundy (Slimed Variant) SDCC 2007: Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, The Ray
Series 5 - 2007 (Purple Package)
Singles Superman Huntress Flash Shade Doctor Light
Re-Released Singles Batman Elongated Man Orion Steel Supergirl Vigilante
3-Packs Lightray, Amazo, Nemesis Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman Huntress, Atom, Batman
Series 6 - 2007 (Purple Package)
Singles Wonder Woman (red sleeves) Green Lantern (fluorescent green) Shining Knight (w/sword) Superman (red stripes) Lex Luthor (bright green)
3-Packs Superman, Doctor Light, Aquaman (with cape) Superman, Wonder Woman, Etrigan Parasite, Stargirl, Aquaman (w/ two hands) Green Arrow, Volcana, Hawk
Series 7 - 2007 (Purple Package)
3-Packs Sand, Star Sapphire, Superman Deadshot, Big Barda, Martian Manhunter Obsidian, Vigilante, Brainiac
Series 8 - 2007 (Purple Package)
Singles Batman Kyle Rayner Vixen Sinestro
Re-Released Singles