DC swag

[Panther_Gunn]

Among some of the other cool things I got this Christmas was this shirt, which looks pretty awesome.

http://www.target.com/p/men-s-dc-comics-characters-t-shirt-black/-/A-17144511

When I looked at it closer, I realized there were characters that I didn't know!   

This situation obviously could not be allowed to continue, and I knew that with the community's help we could get it figured out.  However, it looks like a reddit user has already done the work for me.

http://i.imgur.com/mX7x9Ie.jpg

• Aquaman
• Batman
• Superman
• The Flash
• Green Lantern
• El Dorado
• Firestorm
• Cyborg
• Beast Boy/Changeling
• Darkseid
• Doctor Fate
• Cyclotron
• (Cyclotron's fake face/torso)
• DeSaad
• Green Arrow
• Mister Freeze
• The Joker
• Hawkman
• The Elongated Man
• Doctor Sivana
• Robotman
• Lex Luthor
• Kalibak
• Kid Flash
• Golden Pharaoh
• Brainiac
• Captain Marvel/Shazam
• The Riddler
• Parademon
• The Penguin
• Nightwing
• Mantis
• Tyr
• Mister Mxyzptlk
• Mister Miracle
• J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter
• Steppenwolf
• Captain Marvel, Jr.
• The Red Tornado
• Robin
• General Zod
• Orion
• Samurai

The ones that were giving me trouble were Cyclotron, Golden Pharaoh, the Parademon (but knew it looked Kirby-esque), Steppenwolf (don't think I've ever seen him in that look), Orion (I don't think I've ever seen that helmet get-up before), and to a lesser degree, Desaad (recognized the face, but not the outfit).

Upon further reflection, I think there are a couple things that keeps it from being a perfectly awesome shirt (in order of perceived importance).

1.  There are no female characters.
2.  Why the inclusion of characters that were made exclusively for the SuperPowers figure line (the first two I didn't recognize), and to a lesser degree, the Super Friends creations?  Or, even Tyr, who's a pretty obscure LSH villain.
3.  Dick Grayson shows up twice.  I like him, but they probably should have chosen a different Robin if Nightwing was going to be there.
4.  I wish they would have chosen different renderings of Aquaman & Green Arrow, since their linework is much heavier and doesn't match the rest.
5.  Why that particular look for Orion?  Isn't his more round helmet look more universal, while still in the same era?

I don't think I'll get any arguments on #1, but I'd like to hear thoughts/discussion on the rest of the points.

[detourne_me]

It is a pretty cool design, a pretty great era for the Legion of Doom. You're right, it's not quite perfect for a few reasons, but at least the inclusion of the really obscure characters can be some conversation starters.

[AfghanAnt]

I'm surprised Rima and Wonder Woman aren't on this t-shirt. :/

[abenavides]

Just noticed this thread.
I got the same shirt from my bro for Christmas!

It's mainly the characters from the Kenner Super Powers figures.
The parademon is one that Kirby designed specifically for the toy line.

There are a couple that I think are not in the line - Zod, Robotman.

[BentonGrey]

I got that same shirt!  It's awesome! 

I think the lack of female characters is intentional, as it is sort of a 'here are the boys' kind of thing. 

[Glitch Girl]

Tell me about it.  (sigh)

I t seems that as superhero fandom is on an upswing, the "boys only" aspect of it gets more pronounced.  The Black Widow debacles after Age of Ultron are a great example of this.  I'm just glad Wonder Woman is getting some merchandise off of SvB.

And I have to admit a certain affection for the DC Superhero Girls line. 

Bit of a semi-off-topic rant here, feel free to skip but I needed to vent...

Spoiler

Okay, so every season, I tune into the opening episode of the latest Ultimate Spider-Man series to see if it's improving or not.  (short answer: no it's not).  Though this season I'm actually watching it, not for entertainment purposes, but to see just bad the gender representation can get.

The opening two-parter had no female speaking parts, and the only female characters to appear were part of the rabble that needed rescuing.  Since then, there has been only one female role, and that's Miles' mother in one episode (fortunately, she actually has lines).  Other than that, women do not exist in this universe.  All the team characters this season are male, all the villains are male, SHIELD is full of male staffers, and we've barely had any crowd scenes, so you don't even have female bystanders!  During a bit of research, I leanred Jemma Simmons is supposed to show up this season, along with Fitz, but I'm almost afraid of how underused she's going to be.

Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends was better than this and it was in the early 80's!

Supposedly Paul Dini is still producer on this fiasco (though not writer), and I would have thought better of him than this trash.

End rant.

[BentonGrey]

That's crazy GG!

Spoiler

For heaven's sakes, Avengers:EMH was a good deal better than that with its use of the Wasp, Widow, and the rest, even if it was a male dominated team.  How sad that Marvel's animation is so terrible in so many ways.

[JeyNyce]

Guys, guys, guys.....The old men who put out these shows are still living in the 50's so........

Girls don't watch these show, only boys, so we have to cater to them...AND boys don't like girls so no girls on the show and no girl action figures!

Mind you, one of the reasons why I watch the Hulk was because of She-Hulk

[daglob]

The illustration may, as has already been hinted at, have been a promotional poster for the Super Powers line. Other characters were shoehorned in wherever they could. How many female characters were included in the Super Powers action figures?

[Tomato]

One. Wonder Woman.

[Panther_Gunn]

The illustration may, as has already been hinted at, have been a promotional poster for the Super Powers line.

I could buy that theory if there weren't also characters that didn't have a figure, nor even a prototype or rumors of one.  Elongated Man, Robotman, Nightwing, Dr. Sivana, Capt. Marvel Jr., Changeling, and General Zod were never produced, teased, or planned.  It's still an awesome shirt, just a little confusing on how they chose who to be on there.

And just out of curiosity, did the Tyr character/figure get added to the Super Powers line before or after he showed up in the new LSH title on the higher quality paper (being a long-time LSH fan/reader I was confused why I'd never heard of him before)?

[WyldFyre]

Tyr actually showed up in the last couple of issues of Superboy as the Legion was being added to the book title. As I recall the Legion easily beat him, and then had to fight his gun arm. It was capable of functioning on its own.

edit: Actually that may be the first couple of issues of Superboy Featuring the Legion of Super-Heroes.  Memory is a little hazy.