Super Powers Collection
The Super Powers Collection was a line of action figures based on DC Comics superheroes and supervillains that was created by Kenner Products in the 1980s.
History
In 1984, DC Comics awarded the master toy license of their characters to Kenner Products, hot on the heels of Mattel's "action feature" heavy He-Man toy line. The initial pitch seemed to be heavily influenced by Kenner's popular Star Wars toyline with multiple playsets with individual franchises for Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Teen Titans, Lois Lane, and the Super Jrs. Winning the license away from Mego Corporation and Mattel with their emphasis on action and art, Kenner devised hidden mechanisms within the figures that would trigger an action when the figure's legs or arms were squeezed. This emphasis on each figure's "super power" led to the naming of the line - The Super Powers Collection. Each figure in the first two series were also packaged with a mini-comic featuring that character's adventures.With his Apokolipsian New Gods characters like Darkseid judged ideal antagonists for the line, comic creator Jack Kirby received some of the only royalties of his long career for redesigning his characters for Kenner. Artist George Pérez also received royalties for his design of Cyborg and redesign of Lex Luthor. Ed Hannigan had already redesigned Brainiac in Action Comics the previous year. Most of the other designs were based on José Luis García-López' classic DC Style Guides.
In all, three series of figures and accessories were released, but after three years of production the line collapsed.
Tie-ins
Once the line was on the market, a vigorous merchandising campaign took place, with DC Comics and Kenner striving for the Super Powers logo to become ubiquitous. DC Comics produced three comic book mini-series featuring characters from the toyline, one during each year of the toyline's existence. The first series of comics in 1984 was plotted by Jack Kirby, who also provided covers, and went on to pencil the second series.. The third and final series was penciled by Carmine Infantino.The same year the first series was published, Federal Comics in Australia also published the original issues and the first issue of the second series but numbered it as the series' sixth issue. Beginning in 1985, French publisher Arédit reprinted the first mini-series to start off its DC Flash series. From 1986 to 1996, Brazilian publisher Editora Abril reprinted various DC Comics in a book called Super Powers for 37 issues, so far as using the Super Powers logo for the first ten issues. In 2017, the original Jack Kirby series was reprinted by Panini Brasil in Lendas do Universo DC: Super Powers. Tom Scioli produced a Super Powers back-up series in the pages of Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye in 2016. Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani created a Super Powers mini-series in 2017 as a follow-up to their Tiny Titans and Superman Family Adventures.
These comics were separate from the continuity of the regular comics featuring the characters. Hanna Barbera also produced two animated series, called and . Warner Home Video used the opportunity to issue episodes of Superman, Batman, Superboy, and Aquaman produced by Filmation in 1966 on VHS and Betamax video cassette in 1985 under the Super Powers label, reissuing them again on VHS in 1996. Other tie-in products were produced, including lunchboxes, 3-D puffy stickers, party supplies, paintable figurines, Underoos, coloring and activity books, The Super Powers Anti-Coloring Book by Susan Striker, Stain-A-Sticker, Justice League of America Skyscraper Caper game, sunglasses, playhouses, belt buckles, sneakers, signature stamp sets, coloring play mats, drinking glasses/tumblers, model kits, soap, stain painting sets, calendars, Play-Doh sets, cube game, jointed wall figures, wrist watches, jigsaw puzzles, Give-A-Show projectors, backpacks, gym bags, Valentine's Day paraphernalia, kites, pajamas, card games, sticker albums, sleeping bags, wall cling decorations, inflatable punching bop bags, bed sheets, clothes, windsocks, greeting cards, View-Master theatre sets, nut and fruit mix, sidewalk artist sets, temporary tattoos, SunShiners, galoshes, Nerf wrist flyers, duffel bags, lip balm, slippers, crayon sets, planners, school supplies, belts, baseball caps, flashlights, bumper stickers, pins, jewelry, embroidered patches, and posters. Kenner offered several mail-in promotions including a flexible vinyl record called The Darkseid Saga, child-size Superman plastic cape, and an 18" by 24 " color poster.
Burger King produced cup holders and meal packs as part of the promotion. I.J.E., Inc.'s Kid Vid Productions produced three See & Read books for Super Powers under their Kid Stuff line named Battle At the Earth's Core, Darkseid… of the Moon, and The Battle for Apokolips! available as a picture book with audio cassette, vinyl record, or VHS tape. I.J.E., Inc. also released a Listen 'N Look book for the line called The Adventures of Superman. Simon & Schuster produced a series of four Which Way books for the Super Powers line titled Superman: The Man of Steel, Supergirl: The Girl of Steel, Justice League of America, and Batman: The Doomsday Prophecy. DuPont Pharmaceuticals and the National Association of Retail Druggists commissioned Super Powers: Good Health Activity Book which promoted fitness and health education for children. This black & white book went through four printings up to 1989 though later editions were titled DC Comics Super Heroes: Good Health Activity Book. The "DC Comics Super Heroes" logo would replace the Super Powers logo on merchandise when the line died out. Only the toy line carried the "Collection" tag; all other merchandise would have a solo "Super Powers" logo.
would acquire the Super Powers logo in later releases.
The DC Heroes role-playing modules were advertised under the Super Powers banner and featured the logo on its printed materials.
Canada Fancy Superman French Fries featured a mail-in offer for the Clark Kent action figure and a sweepstakes to win a figure from the line.
Canadian Shell Gasoline Stations offered a promotion for a coupon for a specially carded action figure from the line for purchasing 25 liters.
According to the 1984 Consumer Promotions Catalogue, Sunnyland Refining Co. Superman brand Peanut Butter would offer coupons for action figures, Supermobile, Lex-Soar 7, and Batmobile. However, the jars never appeared to surface with the promotion.
Some aspects of the line persist even in recent history, such as in 1993 temporary tattoos and eight pins sold by the Warner Bros. Studio Store, a 2009 calendar in Australia, comic strip-like pajamas offered at Target in 2009, underwear briefs and boxers, and school supplies. In 2011, Sideshow Collectibles and Mondo Tees offered a 24" by 36" screen print drawn by Tom Whalen featuring the characters of the Super Powers toyline limited to 250 pieces. In 2015, Huckleberry announced a Super Powers line of Otaku Mini-Posters with sixteen character posters. In 2017, Cryptozoic Entertainment released a Super Powers set of six pennants using art from the line's cardbacks. In 2018, peppermints were released in a Super Powers collectors tin. For the ending credits of Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a poster drawn by Jack Kirby promoting the first Super Powers mini-series of comics is parodied featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Batman, Robin, and Batgirl vs the Joker, Penguin, Mr. Freeze, and Brainiac.
Unproduced figures
The Tower of Darkness playset featuring the likeness of Darkseid was far along in development yet never appeared on store shelves. Featured on action figure cards of the third wave, the set was previewed at the 1986 Toy Fair.After 10 years of chronicling the history of the Super Powers Collection, in 2003 toy historian Jason Geyer's ToyOtter website & collector James "Sallah" Sawyer revealed the never-before-seen designs for the unmade Series Four, Five, and Six, along with vehicles, playsets and a deluxe "Power Plus" figure line. Proposed action figures with supporting artwork revealed were Man-Bat*, El Dorado*, Quadrex/Insecta Six/Bio Bug*, Shockwave*, Silicon*, Blue Devil, Bizarro, Creeper, Metallo, Executioner, Supergirl, John Stewart, Kid Flash, Manhunter, Vigilante, Mister Mxyzptlk, Black Vulcan, the Reverse Flash, Deathstroke, Obsidian, the Black Racer, the Atomic Knight, Howitzer, and variants of Superman. The Power Plus Line featured Superman*, Batman*, Firestorm*, Cyborg*, Rocketman*, Darkseid*, Wonder Twins, Robin, and an unidentified hawk person. Vehicles include All-Terrain Trapper*, Brainiac Brain Ship, Cyborg Crawler, Fist Fighter, Jump Jet, Snooper Scout, Superman Glider, and Plasticman Car. Further, there was a golden assortment for Superman to represent his 50th anniversary with a golden repaint of Superman, the Supermobile, and collector's case. Much like how Steppenwolf was originally a mail-away figure that later formally joined the line, card art of Clark Kent surfaced indicating the figure would have joined the line in the fourth wave. While a Catwoman action figure was long believed to be in the works, no material discovered supports its existence beyond the initial pitch of Kenner to acquire the license.
Other figures were suggested to be in development but no tangible evidence has surfaced to support their existence. Amongst these were Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Batgirl, Solomon Grundy, Swamp Thing, Metron, Lightray, Power Girl, Dream Girl, and Dawnstar. It was suggested that the Snare Arm Swamp Thing from the Swamp Thing toyline was made from a figure slated for the Super Powers line but this was shown to be false.
The Toys That Time Forgot Volume 2 by Blake Wright featured a chapter on unproduced Super Powers toys.
Note: An asterisk denotes a prototype known to exist.
Influence
Prior to the Super Powers Collection, one manufacturer licensed both DC and Marvel characters for action figures. When the Secret Wars toyline by Mattel, came onto the retail toy scene, it was set up as direct competition for the Kenner line. These figures, similar in scale to the Super Powers Collection, introduced a competing marketing strategy between manufacturers of Marvel and DC action figures. This started the trend of Marvel and DC using competing toy manufacturers to produce their toys—a trend that continues to this day.In 1985, DC Comics named Kenner as one of the honorees in the company's 50th anniversary publication Fifty Who Made DC Great for its work on the Super Powers Collection.
Beginning in 1988, Hamilton Gifts produced a line of poseable dolls with stands using similar designs to the Super Powers line. Released under their Presents and, later, Applause banner, the figures ran from thirteen to fifteen inches in height and included Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Joker. With the release of Batman Returns, Penguin and Catwoman dolls were also manufactured. Similar to Mego, Hamilton also produced other popular fictional franchises such as Marvel and. Miniature PVC figurines were also produced based on those designs of Batman, Robin, Joker, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Penguin.
The Super Powers line, in many ways, inspired the 1989 Toy Biz DC Super Heroes toyline in design. This line, merging with the Batman toyline would borrow design elements from many of the Kenner figures, most notably Superman, Robin, and Penguin—who were near identical copies of the Kenner Super Powers figures. Coinciding with Toy Biz's line, Ertl produced the DC Comics Superheroes miniature die cast metal figurines line using the same branding and model design. Figurines included Batman, Superman, Robin, Joker, Penguin, Green Lantern, Shazam, and Supergirl. In a throwback to the Super Powers line, figurines came with a collector card reprinting a classic comic book cover reminiscent of Kenner's mini-comics.
The same year as Toy Biz's DC Super Heroes, Comics Spain began to produce a series of PVC figurines based on their appearance in the Super Powers and DC Super Heroes lines. Released from 1989 to 1992, figurines included Superman, Batman, Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Wonder Woman, Starfire, and Green Arrow. The line finished out with Batman, Catwoman, and Penguin figurines based on Batman Returns.
Kenner would use the Super Powers Joker's body with a new head sculpt and different color scheme for its Sky Escape Joker from its 1990 Dark Knight Collection. The line's Batcopter was also a repaint of the Super Powers one.
Kenner's 1991 toyline was largely made using parts from the molds of the Super Powers line, predominantly Green Arrow. Both Robin Hood figures used Green Arrow's body and figures like Little John, Dark Warrior, Azeem, Sheriff of Nottingham, and Will Scarlett were created by combining parts of figures including Green Arrow, Hawkman, Batman, Captain Marvel, Lex Luthor, Robin, and Desaad. Some other known molded parts came from Star Wars and.
Kenner's 1992 Batman Returns toyline featured a repainted Super Powers Penguin action figure to match a color scheme more in line with the film's themes.
Kenner's 1994 The Shadow toyline employed similar mechanisms and scale to the Super Powers figures. Some collectors consider the Lightning Draw Shadow figure to be something of a lost Super Powers addition.
Under its P&M brand, Gulliver released action figures for Superman and Superboy under the brand Super Powers in 1994.
In 2003, DC Direct produced a Super Friends line of action figures but they were based on the original Alex Toth designs rather than the José Luis García-López art that Super Powers was based upon. The DC Direct line included Superman and Lex Luthor, Batman and Scarecrow, Robin and the Riddler, Wonder Woman and Cheetah, Green Lantern and Sinestro, and Aquaman and Black Manta. By 2005, DC Direct began re-releasing figures as part of their Reactivated line with Super Friends making up its third wave. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman were re-released in 2007 singularly with the addition of the Flash.
Mattel's DC Universe Classics line also draws inspiration from the Super Powers figures. Several figures that were redesigned for the Super Powers line were produced for DC Universe Classics in both comic-accurate and Super Powers-accurate versions. In addition, figures for Cyclotron and Golden Pharaoh were released as part of DC Universe Classics, even though both characters only appeared as part of the Super Powers line. The Penguin released in the first wave is set to be re-released with a new head sculpt and repaint matching the Super Powers figure. In total, every figure produced for Super Powers has also been produced for DC Universe Classics and associate lines and much of the figures set to be produced for Super Powers prior to the line's cancellation has also been produced for DC Universe Classics.
In 2014, Mattel produced a special series of DC Universe Classics-style figures for their online store, MattyCollector.Com, on enlarged Super Powers packaging. The assortment consisted of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, now with color schemes matching their Super Powers incarnations, a gold-uniformed Superman, which was reportedly in the works for the original Super Powers line to commemorate Superman's then-50th anniversary, Green Lantern recolored as the Riddler as he was in the South American line, and an all-new figure of Mr. Mxyzptlk. There was also a "Collect-and-Connect" figure of Kalibak in his Super Powers color scheme. In 2017, Mattel as part of its DC Comics Multiverse line produced Wal-Mart exclusive Super Friends figures for Aquaman, Batman, Superman, and Green Lantern.
A light-up Bearbrick based on the Green Lantern's lantern battery sold exclusively at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con International to tie-in with the Green Lantern feature film features card art based on that of the Super Powers toyline. A Bearbrick in similar fashion was produced for SDCC in 2012 for Batman, Robin, Superman, and Plastic Man, 2013 for Cyborg and the Riddler, and 2014 for Joker and Green Lantern.
In a parody of the Super Friends, the sketch "That's What Super Friends Are For" on Mad features the heroes from the Super Powers toyline created by DC save Firestorm, Orion, and Mister Miracle.
The Robot Chicken DC Comics Special logo borrows heavily from the Super Powers logo. The Super Powers Hall of Justice is used but is painted white to be more in line with the Super Friends.
In 2013, Medicom released an advertisement for its Previews-exclusive DC Heroes Sofubi figures of Batman and the Joker using the Super Powers card art graphics as its background.
In 2014, Figures Toy Company announced production of a line based on Mego's World's Greatest Superheroes called World's Greatest Heroes but with Super Powers cardbacks including the brand's logo. The figures have a switch on their back that makes the arms fling up-and-down reminiscent of the original line. Two series were initially revealed with Superman, Aquaman, Green Arrow, and Shazam and Batman, Robin, Joker, and the Riddler. The line grew to include the Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Plastic Man, Hawkman, Red Tornado, Firestorm, and Dr. Fate. A carrying case for the figures was also produced for the line. Darkseid, Kalibak, and Desaad have been announced to be in development. By 2015, Figures began production of a separate Super Friends line with dozens of figures.
Kidrobot announced Super Powers mini-figures in 2014 of Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Arrow, Shazam, and Firestorm. Singapore Post announced the DC Comics Justice League & Batman 75th Anniversary MyStamp Collection in 2014 which featured a modified Super Powers logo with the Justice League of America shield logo wrapped in the shooting star Super Powers border. The cover also included images from the DC Comics Super Powers Style Guide.
In 2015, Kotobukiya announced an ArtFX+ collection of statues based on the Super Powers toyline that included Superman, Batman, Robin, Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkman, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman. That same year, Downtown Bookworks released the DC Super Hero Starter Kit. The logo for the box set used a variation of the Super Powers logo along with depictions of DC characters from the DC Comics Style Guide by José Luis García-López. The set collected four DC Super Heroes concept board books in ABC 123, Colors and Shapes, Opposites, and Busy Bodies by David Bar Katz. There were two variations of the box set art both featuring the variant Super Powers logo.
In 2016, Monogram produced a Super Powers line of 3D figural keychains featuring Superman, Batman, Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Darkseid, Shazam, Martian Manhunter, Hawkman, Plastic Man, Firestorm, and Dr. Fate. That same year, Huckleberry announced a Super Powers line for its Yubi's Fingerines brand. Announced figures included Batman, Robin, Joker, Penguin, Flash, Aquaman, Darkseid, Parademon, Firestorm, Plastic Man, Mister Miracle, and Samurai.
In 2018, Sideshow Collectibles announced the Super Powers Collection maquette series by Tweeterhead featuring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Joker, Supergirl, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Donna Troy, Starfire, Bud and Lou, Mr. Mxyzptlk, Shazam, Batgirl, Gleek, Steppenwolf, Cheetah, Black Adam, Darkseid, and variants of Batman and Cheetah. Also in 2018 at Designer Con, DKE Toys produced a limited run of twenty action figures by Bombermat Toys of BADMAL, a parody of Batman depicted on a Super Powers inspired cardback. Instead of Super Powers, the logo read "No Soy Tu Super Amigo."
The mini-series Sister Powers by Mario Wytch and Jeff McClelland from Keenspot uses a logo inspired by the Super Powers logo.
Lineup
Based on definitive style guide artwork, with moderate articulation and hidden action features, the Kenner Super Powers Collection eventually released 34 figures, eight vehicles, one playset, and one carrying case. In addition, Latin and South American toymakers introduced three characters not available in the US. In Argentina, toy company Pacipa produced El Acertijo, which was a Green Lantern figure in different paint. It was released in Argentina under the Coleccion Super Amigos brand. Brazilian toy company Gulliver Juguetes produced El Capitan Rayo, and his unique nemesis 'Hombre de las Nieves'. Though most of the nine Gulliver Super Powers characters were branded 'Super Powers Collection', the unique Captain Ray and Abominable Snowman were released under the 'Super Heroes Collection' brand to distinguish them. They were available in Colombia. El Capitan Rayo was composed from a repainted Aquaman head on a Superman body. 'Hombre de las Nieves' was a Mego Pocket Hero Hulk figure cast in white and gray plastic.Series one
Series two
Series three
Mail-away exclusive
Foreign, non-Kenner
| Figure | Accessories | Description | Power Action |
| Riddler | Classic | Super Punch | |
| Captain Ray | Created for Super Heroes Collection | ||
| Abominable Snowman | Created for Super Heroes Collection |
Vehicles
Playset
Foreign production
Kenner Products produced figures packaged for the US domestic market and, as with their Star Wars master toy license, also sub-licensed production of the Super Powers Collection brand, characters, and toys around the world. Just as Kenner/DC Comics created the characters Cyclotron and Golden Pharaoh to augment the Super Powers franchise, so too some sub-licensees took it upon themselves to produce characters/figures beyond those available in the domestic Kenner lineup. Interestingly enough, the Smithsonian Institution sold in its gift shop in 1988 as part of its "Superman, Many Lives, Many Worlds" exhibit celebrating Superman's 50th birthday bagged Estrela Superman figures with a unique design on his cape.| Company | Territory & Notes |
| Kenner Products Ltd. | Headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Beginning in 1984 they produced figures under the Super Powers Collection/Collection De Super Puissants brand on bi-lingual cards. These cards also saw distribution in . |
| Lili Ledy | Headquartered in Mexico. Beginning in 1985 they produced the first wave of figures and a toy under the "Super Poderes Coleccion" brand.These cards and the booklet are printed in Spanish languaje. |
| Parker, Palitoy, Clipper, General Mills Juguetes | This consortium of four Western European toy companies commissioned the manufacture of Super Powers Collection figures on tri-lingual cards for sale in their respective territories. For a time, GMJ had their own distinct cards for Spanish distribution. |
| Cuick: Pacipa/Play Ful | Beginning in 1989, Cuick S.A. of Argentina produced figures under the Coleccion Super Amigos brand for distribution by Pacipa and Play Ful. The line is most notable for the addition of Riddler, a character not available in Kenner's domestic lineup. |
| Estrela | Headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil, beginning in 1988 they produced figures under the Coleção Super Powers brand. Notable because although Kenner's domestic 'series three' figures did not come with mini-comics, at least some of their Estrela counterparts did. |
| Nibo | Headquartered in Uruguay. Beginning in 1987 they produced figures under the Coleccion Super Powers brand. |
| Gulliver Juguetes | Headquartered in Brazil, beginning in 1987 they produced figures for the Colombian market under the Super Powers Collection and Super Heroes Collection brands on bi-lingual cards. Most notable for their creation of two unique characters/figures: Captain Ray and Abominable Snowman. |