There are only so many ways you can draw and sculpt the likes of Superman and Batman in a realistic style, before, sooner or later, somebody’s going to want to shake things up. While other companies often let outside third-parties create designer vinyl-style caricature art of their characters (Kidrobot has practically made a business model out of this), DC Collectibles are actually doing their own. At the recent Five Points festival, celebrating designer toys and comics, they announced the new Artist Alley line of PVC statues.
As anybody who has attended a comics convention knows, Artist Alley is generally the part of the room reserved for artists selling their wares and offering custom sketches, and while you do see creative types showcasing their own characters, like, say, Rob Liefeld drawing multiple Deadpools, artists with lower profile names often attract business by showcasing their interpretations of famous characters.
Three artists DC describes as visionaries will kick of the new line, with three characters each (five of which are revealed so far):
Designs will include illustrator Chris Uminga’s offbeat interpretations of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, Barcelonian-bred artist, Sho Murase’s stylish designs for Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, and HaiNaNu “Nooligan” Saulque’s exaggerated designs on The Joker, Batman, and Harley Quinn. Each figure will also be accompanied by a print showcasing its original artwork.
In the images above, and our gallery below, you can see Saulque’s Harley and Joker, Uminga’s Batman and Superman, and Murase’s Catwoman. There’s something of a classic marionette style to Saulque’s pieces that feels very true to the archetypes those characters represent, while Uminga’s Supes and Bats look so cute, like they’re ready to hug it out for Martha’s Day.
Are these statues…dare we say it…up your alley? Litter the comments section with your thoughts!
Images: DC Collectibles
