The Comic Book Bin
DCDirect (206) Articles


TopShelf Month

Darkhorse Month

Women's Month


Action Figures : DCDirect
Last Updated: Oct 20, 2009 - 7:25:21 AM



Black Hand
By Hervé St-Louis
Jul 1, 2005 - 10:19:00 AM

Email this Article
 Printer Friendly Page
 Mobile Friendly Page

Add to Del.icio.us     Add To Reddit
Add To Digg     Add To Stumbleupon
Add To Technorati Favorites     Add To Ask

blackhand.jpg
Black Hand is William Hand, a Silver Age Green Lantern villain that built a power rod that could absorb residual Green Lantern energy. A master of clichés, Black Hand’s powers were upgraded after Hal Jordan as the Spectre burned his hand. Now, he no longer needs his power rod to absorb Green Lantern energy.Black Hand started in Green Lantern Volume 2 # 29, published in June 1964.

Likeness

Ethan Van Sciver updated Black Hand’s look for the Green Lantern Rebirth comic book. Gone are the gaudy Silver Age looks. His face has even changed. The only remaining design icon is his face mask.

Sculpt

This is a great sculpt. Black Hand’s face has veins popping out. So do his arms. Although his suit is the usual modern leather clad semi-realistic type, it looks great with all the folds on each side. But most interesting, is Black Hand’s gaze. It’s direct and dangerous. The inside of his cape has a subtle leather texture. Black Hand resembles someone who is protecting his land, ready to shoot anyone who walks over it.

Paint

Black Hand has a great paint job. The main feature is the gradient effect on his right arm, going from black at the fist to grey at the biceps. The paint covers sufficiently the base colour underneath the figure. The stripes on Black Hand’s left glove have finish. The silver paint is thin and will fade quickly if the one rubs and handles the figure often. There were paint scratches and spots on the figure’s eyes and cheek.

Scale

Black Hand fits well with all of the new Green Lantern Wave with which he came. The scale of these figures is back to the Silver Age standard. Next to the modern JLA figures, Black Hand looks puny. However, he looks fine next to Guy Gardner and the first Kyle Rayner action figure. Next to the contemporary Teen Titans, Black Hand looks well too. Because of his scale, he also fits with the Silver Age Crime Syndicate.

Stability

Black Hand is very stable. His soles are flat and his weight well distributed on both legs. For added security, use the customized Green Lantern action figure stand he came with. Unlike the others, it’s painted with a black Green Lantern logo.

Articulation

Black Hand has eleven articulations at the neck, the shoulders, the elbows, the wrists, the hips and the knees. His head has a ball joint that’s quite flexible. It gives him weird looking gazes when posed. The shoulders’ ball joints are very mobile. In fact, all of Black Hand’s articulations are easy to play with and solid. I really wish that all action figures were as easy to handle.

Plastic

Black Hand’s plastic is solid and not the type that bends. His cape is made of rubber. The cape is glued on the collar. Bolts hold Black Hand’s elbows and knees in place. They stick the shoulders, the head and the legs inside the figure’s torso. The torso itself, is a single piece. The hands are plucked inside the forearms.

Packaging

All Green Lantern action figures in this wave came on a cardboard with a bubble pack. The card is styled with similarly to the Green Lantern Rebirth mini-series. Images of other figures in this wave with short bios are available on the card’s back.

blackhand2.jpg
Cost

Black Hand costs the same as other DC Direct action figures. However, DC Direct does not suggest any prices. Retailers ordering cases of figures get greater discounts from Diamond Comics, the exclusive distributor. Prices may range anywhere from $12 to $25 in the US and Canada.

Availability

DC Direct sells Black Hand and other DC Direct action figures through Diamond Comic. DC Direct bases its initial orders on pre-orders sent by retailers six months in advance. Unless a series of toys is popular, they rarely get re-offered again by DC Direct. Often Diamond Comics and DC Direct have more stock originally ordered by retailers on hand. Black Hand is probably the least popular of the entire Green Lantern wave. So many should be available for order.


Related Articles:
Green Lantern #46
Green Lantern Corps. # 40
Green Lantern Corps #39
Green Lantern Corps #39
Green Lantern #45
Green Lantern #44
Green Lantern: First Flight
Green Lantern Corps #38
Green Lantern Trailer
Green Lantern, green lit.


Comment Script Join the discussion:

Add a Comment

Comments



© Copyright 2002-2009, Coolstreak Cartoons Inc. - All rights Reserved. All other texts, images, characters and trademarks are copyright their respective owners. Use of material in this document(including reproduction, modification, distribution, electronic transmission or republication) without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.



Top of Page

Get Your Color Corps Rings
Fans of the Color Corps need to pre-order a selected set of books to ensure they get a full set of these limited edition rings.
G'nort
G'nort is finally rendered as an action figure
Justice League International Black Canary
It's amazing that an action figure of a version of a character’s costume many people dislike was approved
Justice League International Ice
There has been Mattel action figures of Ice, but this is the first one by DCDirect
JLI Batman
Artist Kevin Maguire help work on the designs of the Batman action figure based on the popular Justice League International
Watchmen's Ozymandias
In the comic books, Ozymandias always appeared a bit more plastic and perfect than other characters
Watchmen's Modern Nite Owl
The modern Nite Owl action figure is based on the movie version of the character appearing in the comic book series The Watchmen
Rorschach Action Figure Doesn't Please
I’m not happy about this new Rorschach action figure based on the movie version of the character
10 Years of Collecting DCDirect Action Figures: The Early Years
The first years from 1998 to 2000
JSA Series 1 – Larger Than Life Action Figures
DC Direct has announced that it will release the first series of a new line of JSA action figures related to the new Justice Society of America based on Alex Ross' work
Hawkgirl’s Wings – Don't Let Me Down
Kendra Saunders, the new Hawkgirl, is a reincarnation of the first Hawkgirl who teamed up with Hawkman and the Justice Society in the Golden Age. However, this Hawkgirl is nothing like her late aunt and nobody's sidekick.
Watchmen Action Figures – Controversies and Fulfilment
Although the first Watchmen action figures were cancelled, collectors get another chance at getting them, just in time for the upcoming film.
Jonah Hex DC Direct Review
A review of Jonah Hex action figure, DC Comics' Western maverick and time traveller, by DC Direct
Golden Age Hourman
Hourman, the man of the hour, only had to take a Miraclo pill to gain super powers for one hour. But if you're one of the lucky one who owns a copy of his only action figure, you'll have a treasure for eternity!
Bowen Batman On Gargoyle
Before props and action figures of super heroes were popular staples at comic book stores and other novelty retailers, the ancestor of what collectors know as DC Direct released a Batman statue of Batman sitting on top of a gargoyle that was sculpted by Randy Bowen in 1991