Ahhh, the blank page the nemesis of every writer. It’s been over a months since I’ve properly written a column. Between traveling to Fan Expo in Toronto and well-timed podcast interviews I have not had to put digital pen to digital paper since late August.
I can feel it too. The level of workman-like mediocrity where I usually exist is something that has to be maintained and if it’s not, it atrophies. Nine times out of ten I come into these columns with a vague gesture of an idea and then I just improvise until it’s out on the page. Invariably, I’ll remember some delightful bon mot I wanted to include an hour or so after I’ve hit submit but can’t be bothered to rework what I’ve already done.
Earlier this week I was chatting with a writer friend who is operating on a whole other level than I am (comparison is the thief of joy, I know) and the subject of me doing something more long-form came up again. You should all know that I cannot take a compliment and that I do not hold my own work in high regard…and if you do I don’t believe you. Eventually, I had to say that I’m “an incredibly undisciplined in my writing and think I’m only ‘okay.’” (That “okay” is me being charitable).
But maybe they’re on to something, I just vamped for 230 words in a column that’s supposed to to be about toys. Time to make the donuts.
Off The Wagon
I had sworn off McFarlane’s DC Universe toys for well over a year up until recently. I had gone on the record at some point saying they make figures that are almost perfect but then have one fatal flaw that keeps perfection just out of reach.
Maybe it’s part of having a toyline that launched in 2020 and has spent the last four years churning out Batman after Batman but they’re only just now starting to find their footing or “brand identity” as it were.
In a true moment of corporate synergy I went out and picked up the Detective Comics #27 Batman figure after watching the first episode of Batman: Caped Crusader and it’s not an awful figure. It kind of hits the sweet spot between being 100% comic accurate and still somehow looking contemporary in its design.
The fix was in when they (shockingly) revealed yet another Batman, but THIS was the Dick Grayson Batman from Grant Morrison’s Batman and Robin comic. Aside from being one of my favourite takes on the character, I had to pick this one up because the prior Mattel release was…not good.
Lord help me, I ended up picking up the regular (black & grey) version AND the Platinum “chase” (blue & grey) version…but only because I found the Platinum first!
From there it was the Conner Kent Superbly figure and then the Tim Drake Robin figure. That last one I’m not particularly proud of because I had expressed my dissatisfaction with Robin’s head sculpt to Figure Friday co-writer Josh Wallen, telling him I’d only get the figure if I could find a good 3D printed replacement head. WELL GUESS WHAT.
I feel like I’ve been on a real figure buying bender the last month and I was probably compensating for walking away from Fax Expo having purchased almost nothing for myself. I had a moment of clarity last week as I was breaking down all the action figure boxes to cram into my recycling bin. It wasn’t so much a “what have I become?” but more of a, “Boy, I wonder what the recycling guys think of me?”
It feels good to get that out. To come clean. I’d like to say that it’s out of my system but there’s a Damian Wayne Robin figure hitting the pegs now and I wouldn’t want the corresponding Batman to get lonely.
Also, go see Transformers: One. It was lot of fun.