That’s not what I’m reading in what you’ve quoted. The answer feels like a misdirection, honestly, but that’s what happens when you have laypeople (potential influencers - assumption here, maybe a toy newsy made the inquiry) asking questions of industry types, and not journalists (or at least people who regularly read news). The posed question, if it wasn’t more layered than what’s represented here and there were no follow-up queries, provides ample room to spin this sort of non-answer.

What license doesn’t require final approval from the license owner before moving forward to manufacture? Does this mean McFar is submitting designs that he wants to produce and D.C. green/red lights the process? If so, then we’re back to square one and the question becomes why hasn’t McFar provided a classic WW (insert whomever) for approval by D.C.? What you are suggesting regarding D.C. dictating to McFar what he is to make doesn’t even seem like something McFar would accept according to his faithful acolytes that extol his being a maverick industry leader. I don’t do fanboy shit, but some of their gushing assessment of their hero has some foundation in reality.

I just don’t see dude acquiescing like that, and the question wasn't exacting enough (especially with no follow up) to extrapolate much from the answer IMO.

So they approve Death Metal and gold variants but not regular versions? Weird...

Also my condolences to Cassandra Cain fans. Sorry your first figure in the multiverse line has to be this Cavewoman from the mind of Todd Mcfarlane instead of comic accurate Cass.

As Jerry Macaluso once said. (Or something like it) He owes you nothing and he will do what he feels is best for his company.

Love it or leave it.

Hey, that's how some dudes roll with their biz, but people like'em some old timey looks and underwear! ;)

Underoos for the win!

They look cool, but… uhh…

… Bat-Conan

Who greenlit this? McFarlane can be wild with Batman sometimes.

Yeah. I cannot imagine a situation where DC said no you can’t make a normal Wonder Woman, but go crazy with all the nonsense variants you want. Particularly when other license holders have no trouble putting out more evergreen designs and Todd himself has done so with other characters in the line.

That barbarian batman is making me wish someone, somewhere was making Mightor and Herculoids figures.

Hahah...I'm starting to luv ya!

I would've preferred Batman & Robin movie designs.

Preferred it to what?

to Ice Age Bat-variants

What does the Batman and Robin movie have to do with a comic book.. other than the obvious?

The line is called Page Punchers. Not Movie Maniacs.

Are these based on a new comic storyline? I remember Batman went back in time during the Morrison run 10-15 years ago. But, I don't remember the rest of Bat family making that trip.

McFarlane is making it very easy to not buy his figures

Quoted for truth. The figures always have problems, Todd's an idiot about weapons, and the end product is always a disappointment. The last McFarlane figures I bought were the two versions of Batman Beyond. Before that, it was some of the old school Movie Maniacs from the early 2000's.

We’re on the same page - Who’s saying “no” to McFar? While he isn’t an artist that I liked (his Spawn stuff didn’t even move me) as a teenager, there’s no way I can ignore how many fans he enjoys and how popular he was both then and now. If he asked for the kidney of a D.C. employee, I tend to believe they might actually discuss the possibility of fulfilling the request. This quoted answer to a semi-softball question smacks of obfuscation, but, obviously, I wasn’t a fly on the wall during the discussion.

I couldn’t resist poking fun at my comic gen; we’re so easy to rile up! Lol

My era was the bronze age, give-or-take a few years (more accurately a ‘tweener as I consumed back issues of things that were mid to late 70’s while contemporaneously reading comics as they were published in the 80’s. But yeah, we seem to have a super-undies fetish and I won’t collect any Super-McFar (he’ll get my money when revisits Movie Maniacs/Monsters) until he dials up some grade-A super-briefs or he shifts the scale to 6”. I won’t be holding my breath. ;)

I’ll buy this Batgirl because… uh… reasons, but I am bummed to see them breaking the great strides they’d made with these Page Punchers—Flash, Black Adam, Aquaman, all 3 waves were like “high detail” versions of the classic designs, and aside from character choice head-scratchers (like not including Mera) they were great.

This is just so niche… I feel like if this was one of those Kenner Batman show lines from the 90’s, this might’ve been the kind of designs we’d see right before the line gets canned lol

I think someone in DC does need to approve figures, especially with the no gun rule, which also applies to anyone else making DC figures.

at this point i can see mcfarlane having variants of batman on a dart board and throwing it randomly then making that batman figure.

maybe mcfarlane is making a new body mould which will sell better on classic superheroes. I'm surprised they lasted this long, maybe it's due to the price point.

There is power in activism.

Imagine DC listening to them but not the consumers.

Consumerism should be free of terror...activists in my opinion. Make the toy and if bad people buy and enjoy it, so be it.

But DC has some nuts working there. Did away with men wearing tights, which look better artistically, no guns, I am sure knives are next.

The firearms ban is mandated by DC/WB not Todd. People bought the figures anyway. A little later, Todd wisely made weapons packs and sold them exclusively from his site. Not an idiot at all, in that instance.

Someone ALWAYS needs approval when working with ANY license; accessing a license is, essentially, leasing an IP’s rights (for use) for a period. The answer offered is not an EXCUSE as much as it is a simple statement of fact regarding ONE ELEMENT of the process. What was presented leaves open the idea that McFar is taking his OWN CHARACTER WANTS to DC for approval/release. If that’s the case, and he brings to them his ideas for sign-off, then the more incisive pin-down question revolves around whether McFar IS (or ISN’T) seeking approval for characters like classic Wonder Woman. This could’ve been achieved by simply asking them whether they’d submitted classic WW designs to the publisher.

DC requesting no guns and McFar only (mostly) bringing these batshit (pun absolutely intended) designs to DC for approval can both happen simultaneously. DC setting a mandate regarding guns doesn’t mean that they MUST also be telling McFar, “NO CLASSIC LOOKS.” Something they’d have no reason to do, especially as they are trying to build a ‘recognizable’ universe based on iconic nostalgia.

Especially when we just got a classic-style Flash announced for the Flashpoint wave. What makes it doubly odd is that they did an evergreen Rebirth Wonder Woman for the 3.75 inch line and then nothing but movie versions (which I at least understand) and weird variants of her in the core line.

Wonder if DC is too afraid to have a classic Wonder Woman because she's too sexy? Maybe same reason we won't get Ivy and Power Girl and Cheetah as well as ANY Starfire and classic or TT Raven when we most certainly should have by now. First Supergirl we get is in pants.

I mean, DC won't let guns happen so they clearly are terrified of offending anyone.