DC Collectibles are offering the second wave of their designer vinyl figures in their Artists Alley line by artist Hainanu “Noogligan” Saulque, and these figures feature unique contemporary designs.
Nooligan’s signature art style is inspired by the classic cartoons and movies, golden age comics and classic newspaper stripes. This fun mashup of influences can be seen in Nooligan’s exaggerated interpretations of Batman, The Joker and Harley Quinn, which are brought to life in 3-D form by sculptor Paul Harding. Nooligan shares his designs inspirations for each character below:
General Inspiration: Within each design I wanted to influence in a way that came across as enjoyable and unique, but most importantly, keeping the spirit of each character intact.
Batman: Working on Batman’s pose I wanted to play off the Joker’s expressions and give him a look of not being entertained but ready for what was coming. When posing the characters together, you can see the connection that makes them rivals.
Harley Quinn: I wanted Harley Quinn’s pose to stand out as much as she does.
Joker: The Clown Prince, impeccably inflicting chaos for amusement. Creating something suitable of royalty is as fun as it sounds. I did by best to bring all of The Joker’s iconic elements together to create something special fitting the clown.
Why Sneakers? The inclusion of sneakers is based on the idea that the style of shoe can go with anything, anyone, in any situation. I love that fact that the simple sneaker has been around since the early 1900s, has gone in and out of style nearly every decade and worn by every walk of life with little to no change in look. There is something special about connecting that history to the iconic characters of the DC Universe and, if I do say so myself, it just works.
Hainan “Nooligan” Saulique
HaiNaNu “Nooligan” Saulque is an artist, comic creator and graphic designer based in Sacramento, Ca. An old soul in a young body, HaiNaNu finds inspiration in times past. From the cartoons of his youth to films he missed by decades, from golden age comics to classic newspaper strips, you will find a creator who has immersed himself in the what he loves. His style is contemporary with a flare of nostalgia.
Thank you to DC Collectibles for providing their Artists Alley Designer Vinyl Figures By Hainanu “Noogligan” Saulque – Batman, The Joker & Harley Quinn figures for review.
Availability: September 2018
The packaging of DC Collectibles new Artist Alley figures is made up of a box with artwork on all sides, images of the figure, as well as a description on the back. The box opens up on the top, and inside is a plastic tray with the figure securely positioned for safe keeping. Also inside the box is a card showcasing the figure, along with a signature from the artist.
These Artists Alley figures by artist Hainanu “Noogligan” Saulque are inspired by multiple references as stated in the official letter as shown above, and each figure includes a base they are attached too, and underneath the base is a number given to each individual unit. These particular figures are part of the artist proof run, meaning they are not part of the 3,000 production run given to these variations. There are a total of three variations – Standard Edition (reviewed here), Black and White Variants (limited to 500 units), and Day of the Dead Variants (limited to 1,500 units).
Batman is offered in his fan-favorite grey, black and blue batsuit. Most of the outfit being grey, and the blue and black parts include the cape, mask, Batman logo on his chest, and shorts. Most of the black deco used is meant as a paint wash over the blue, with the exception of the logo on his chest. The utility belt and batarang look to be oversized compared to what fans normally see, and the utility belt is painted in yellow with a black wash over it. The batarang is being held in his left hand, and is painted in a light metallic blue, silver and black deco. One thing that sets these figures apart is that all of them are wearing sneakers as opposed to boots. This is certainly something different for each of these classic characters, and Batman is wearing black and white sneakers with long grey socks with blue trim on top. This particular figure is numbered as AP12.
Harley Quinn is given her iconic red and black jester outfit, with diamond shaped black deco on the red parts of the outfit, and she has the white jester piece around her neck. The headpiece keeps true to her most iconic appearance, and is split down the center with red and black deco, with white bells on the tips of it that has a grey wash over it. Her face is painted in white, and around her eyes have a black mask with blue eyes. Her lips are painted in red, and she has red cheeks and a black x on her chin. Harley Quinn is sculpted with her right arm pointing outward with a finger pointing at something, and her left hand is holding a baseball bat with the top of it including a batman logo painted in black, with additional painted detail above it. Her sneakers also stand out, as one is painted in red and white, and the other is black and white. The figure is attached to a base, and underneath the base this figure is numbered as AP04.
This particular design for The Joker keeps his classic appearance, but also adds some new elements to the character given his proportions of his chest, arms, legs and head (especially that pointy nose), but also the general appearance of him. The Joker is sculpted in his purple jacket with sculpted detail and patterns on it, a green-yellow tie with white circles, a white undershirt, a green-yellow handkerchief, a white pocket, checkered pockets on the lower portion of the suit, which is also used just around the hips, and a light purple button to keep the jacket closed on the bottom. The elbows of the jacket are painted in green with black stitches. His thighs have straps on either side, and his pants have a darker purple. The socks are painted in black and white checkers, and the sneakers are painted in black and white. His head sculpt is nicely done, and that nose is long and pointy. He is also given green hair and green eye brows, red lipstick, a face that is painted in white, and his mouth is sculpted in an open position as if he’s launching. His right hand is holding a flower wit ha green stem, leaves, and a red flower on top. This figure is numbered as AP41.
Overall, the Artists Alley figures by artist Hainanu “Noogligan” Saulque look amazing and are packed with plenty of detail and strong paint applications that fans will love. These figures are non-articulated, and are meant for display only.
Look for these in comic shops this month, and can also be ordered online below:
Purchase:
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