The partnership between McFarlane Toys and DC and Warner Bros. has been a fruitful one, as the DC Multiverse line has been a consistent deliverer of sales and that McFarlane quality since it launched. Now DC and Warner Bros Consumer Products (WBCP) are expanding that relationship. Today McFarlane Toys announced it has entered into a global licensing agreement with WBCP to deliver a new line of McFarlane Toys designed statues, busts, and figures under the DC Direct line of collectibles, though McFarlane will also manage DC Direct’s current inventory. Fans should start seeing McFarlane Toys DC Direct products in 2022.
While McFarlane Toys will have an increased role in DC Direct, fan-favorite lines like DC Designer Series, Batman Black & White, and Harley Quinn Red, White, & Black will continue to thrive alongside the new line of products with that McFarlane flair.
In fact, there’s even a Todd McFarlane-designed Batman Black & White statue hitting soon, so the synergy is already there. Other Notable DC Direct lines include the DC Bombshells, DC Cover Girls, DC Essentials, DC Gallery, and DC Artists Alley.
It remains to be seen what characters and runs McFarlane will run with in his first DC Collectibles offerings, but if the DC MUltiverse line is anything to go by, we could be seeing some Dark Nights: Metal and Death Metal designs in the first run. Those characters and concepts have been prevalent in the first waves of the DC Multiverse line, including Death Metal Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, and the Robin King. We’ve also seen designs pulled from Batman: Last Knight on Earth, Batman: White Knight, Batman Beyond, The Dark Knight Returns, Injustice 2, Red Son, and more.
The movie tie-in waves have delivered rosters from Zack Snyder’s Justice League and The Suicide Squad, and McFarlane has even sprinkled in some original designs with new concepts for Wonder Woman and Batman.
What we haven’t received as much of so far is standard designs from the current continuity, so hopefully, that increases a bit in upcoming waves. The good news is that the line isn’t ending anytime soon, and if you’re a fan of the DC Multiverse line like I am, you likely can’t wait to see what McFarlane can do with DC Direct’s statues and collectibles lines.
What have you enjoyed most about the DC Multiverse line and what statue do you want to see first from the new partnership? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things DC and action figures with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!