Power ring collecting, part 7 (Batjeepster edition)

(Don’t forget to check out parts one, two, three, four, five, and six of this series!)

First there was a First Flight ring and a Green Lantern movie ring, then two Indigo Tribe rings…and now I’ve acquired three more Lantern rings from Batjeepster.

First things first: while the movie and Indigo Tribe rings I’d received were provided free of charge for review purposes, I shelled out the money for this latest batch. In fact, I absolutely insisted upon paying, as I didn’t want to seem like a freeloader, and I have no qualms about supporting quality craftsmanship with my hard-earned cash.

Was it worth it? Let’s take a look.

We’ll start with this sterling silver Green Lantern ring. It sports the symbol seen prominently in the Superman: The Animated Series episode “In Brightest Day,” which became widely known when it was adopted by John Stewart in both the Justice League cartoons and the comics. Beyond that, plenty of artists have used this variant with other Green Lanterns.

Anyway, the resin on the face appears off-white, but glows a brilliant green in the dark. The downside is that the glow doesn’t last very long. The ring’s wide band makes for a nice fit on my mutant fingers, but it doesn’t seem too chunky. This same style of ring is offered in Batjeepster’s Shapeways store; all nine Corps are represented, and in a variety of materials. (The glow-in-the-dark resin is no longer available, though. Blame me for getting the last one.)

Next is a translucent resin fear-powered ring, as seen in the Green Lantern film. (Yes, wiseass, I know it looks just like a Sinestro Corps ring…but they didn’t have that organization in the movie, now did they?) While not as detailed as its Green Lantern counterpart, it still looks pretty cool. (In fact, the detail on the ring is hard to capture with a photograph; it’s got a lot more texture in real life.) The symbol is a separately cast enamel piece attached to the face, rather than being haphazardly drawn on. The translucent resin almost gives it an otherworldly glow under natural light…which is exactly the point, I’d wager. If a highly detailed replica is out of your price range, then this cheaper version is a good alternative.

Finally, we’ve got a stainless steel Green Lantern ring in the style popularized by Kyle Rayner in the 1990s. This one was produced using Shapeways’ 3D printers, and the green enamel was added by hand. For a steel ring, it’s surprisingly light! This one’s actually a bit smaller than Kyle’s ring (which was often drawn slightly larger than the previous Corps rings to make it stand out a bit more), but it looks more realistic on a real human being this way. It retains the rough texture from the 3D printing process, giving it a battle-worn look. I personally dig that, but your mileage may vary.

So that’s the latest trio of rings in my collection. What did you think of them? Got any Batjeepster rings of your own? If so, feel free to sound off in the comments!

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Batjeepster has been working on custom power rings since early 2010. He started by modifying a Green Lantern: Mosaic promotional ring, then worked his way up to resin casting, metal/resin hybrids, silver designs, and 3D printed rings. Be sure the check out his brand-new website, as well as his fan page on Facebook. You can see all of the various rings he’s created, plus tons of of fan and celebrity photos. If you want to get in touch with him and acquire a ring for yourself, that’s the best way to do it!

Alternatively, you can find Batjeepster’s work on eBay. Bids tend to get pretty high for his work, but you might just find some rare pieces there.

Power ring collecting, part 6

(Don’t forget to check out parts one, two, three, four, and five of this series!)

It’s that time again…power ring replica time! Today’s three offerings vary quite widely, so let’s dig right in.

First up is this clunker from McDonald’s. The fast food chain recently ran a Happy Meal promotion featuring Green Lantern: The Animated Series, and aside from offering figurines based on the show’s heroes, this toy power ring was also available.

It’s overly large and blocky with a size 5 band, as you’d expect from a kids’ toy. However, the light-up feature doesn’t work so well. The LED is bright enough, but as you can see in the following picture, part of the ring’s internal structure blocks part of the light, creating an ugly shadow.

I will say this, though; younger fans of GLTAS are sure to be thrilled when they get a power ring in their Happy Meals. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t be if you were their age! The ring is a piece of junk, but what do you want for a freebie along with your kids’ lunch? (If you don’t want the Happy Meal, you can get the toy ring for about two dollars separately.)

Our next ring, on the other hand, is considered somewhat of a Holy Grail for Green Lantern collectors.

This ring was given out to dealers at the FX 96 convention held in Florida sixteen years ago. Those lucky few would reach into a large bag, and pull out a small velvet pouch containing the ring. All were strictly limited and numbered; there were one hundred and fifty brass rings, one hundred and fifty silver rings, and only twelve gold rings. Mine is brass, of course. The precious metal versions really command a high price!

The ring is size 11 with a hollow back design and a glass “jewel” on the face. The characters “FX” and “96″ are carved into either side of the band, similar to a school ring.

According to the certificate of authenticity, my ring is #52. How convenient, given that we’re in the midst of the New 52…

Last but not least, let’s look at a ring made out of a most unexpected material.

Yep, that’s paper. This came in a book called Green Lantern Paper Models: Power of the Lantern, released alongside the slew of merchandise for last year’s Green Lantern film. The book is actually a collection of CubeeCraft models, but printed on high quality glossy cardstock. Considering that I got it for free (my girlfriend bought it for me from the local dollar store), who can complain?

Anyway, for a quickie model, this ring’s not too bad. It looks just like the movie ring, and even though the adjustable band is a single sheet thick, the face is comprised of a folded box, giving it a bit more stability. This isn’t a ring you’re going to want to wear, but it’s still a unique display piece.

That’s all for now. Hopefully I’ll acquire a new ring or two by the end of the year, and we can move on to part seven of this series.

Power ring collecting, part 5

(Don’t forget to check out parts one, two, three, and four of this series!)

It’s that time again, in which I detail a bunch of replica power rings. I’ve got three offerings for you today, and in keeping with the holiday, one of these rings comes from a Halloween costume. Let’s go!

Our first ring is one included with Comic Heroes magazine issue #7. It’s solid plastic with a split back band, and it’s about a size 7. It’s a bit small, but kids will love it…especially since it glows in the dark!

Yes. That greenish blob is a glowing power ring.

Not bad for a freebie, huh? It’s hard to tell from a picture, but it’s actually got a slimmer design than most other Green Lantern rings out there. I dig that, as it’s a welcome change of pace from the chunky, often oversized rings that we’re used to.

Next, we’ve got a ring packaged as part of a Wal-Mart exclusive edition of the Green Lantern movie DVD. To the best of my knowledge, this is the exact same ring that the Noble Collection will be shipping in December. In fact, that’s the reason I bought this. I was going to buy the ring this winter anyway, and since the price after shipping is about the same as the exclusive DVD pack…why not get it now? I just gave the DVD to a friend of mine, as I already bought the Green Lantern Blu-ray Disc combo pack on release day.

Anyway, it’s about a size 10 with a split back band. While the internal electronics are clearly visible through the central jewel, it’s still got a nice bright green light.

The ring is switched on inside the band, and you can even replace the battery by removing a soft plastic panel on the top.

For a plastic pack-in, this is quite a high-quality item. The detailing is nice for a plastic replica, and the ring has a good solid feel. I definitely recommend it.

Last — and definitely least — is a ring made by Rubie’s for Halloween. It’s about a size 7, and designed to go along with their child-sized Green Lantern movie costumes (even though most of the latter include rings anyway).

This is one of those rings that I knew would be crappy, yet I only bought it for my collection. What’s so bad about it? When lit, the LED is visible inside of the thin plastic shell, slightly offset to one side.

I darkened the room a bit so you might better view the crappiness.

There’s no detail other than basic sculpting on the face, and the paint job on the band is absolutely terrible. The entire ring was molded in green, which is fine, but silver and black paint was haphazardly applied to the band in order to make it look like a different material. It’s uneven, blotchy, and some of the paint even ended up on the face’s edges! Whatever machine painted this needs to be retired.

Put simply…this ring is a piece of shit. Its one saving grace is that it’s a basic costume ring for kids, and most of ‘em won’t care if it’s any good or not as long as it lights up. (It’s activated by a button inside the band, and of course, the battery is not replaceable.) I plan to modify mine by cleaning off the slapdash black and silver and repainting it from scratch.

That’s all for today; until I acquire at least three more, you can await the inevitable part six of my power ring collecting series.

Power ring collecting, part 4 (movie edition)

(Don’t forget to check out parts one, two, and three of this series!)

In celebration of the Green Lantern film now playing in theaters all over the place, we’re going to examine five movie-style rings. That’s a lot of jewelry, so buckle up!

First up is the ring included with the Mattel’s Toys R Us exclusive “early bird” Hal Jordan action figure. Only 2,814 of these figures were produced, and as such they commanded nearly a $30 price tag. Yes, I bought one just to get the ring. Stop snickering. (In case anyone was wondering, my figure is #1098.) The ring is about a size 12, which makes sense as it and the figure are marketed towards the adult collector. The band is steel with a plastic face, both with a nice finish, and you can even see the “radiant” effect beneath the outer ring of the face.

For fans unwilling to shell out the hefty amounts of cash necessary to acquire the limited edition figure and ring, I’ve got a solution for you. Toys R Us is also selling power ring keychains at a third of the price, which contain the exact same ring. (And yes, the chain is removable.) Either way you choose to get it, I highly recommend this ring. It really looks great, and the metal band gives it some nice heft.

Next, here’s the ring included with Mattel’s basic Green Lantern movie action figures. It’s much simpler in appearance than the previous one, and all plastic. The split band is also very thick, making the ring about a size 4. Before you complain, try to remember that this was clearly made for kids. If you want to wear it yourself, I suggest using a rotary tool and patience. Anyway, for a cheap ring included with an action figure, it’s decent. They’re certainly a step up from the rings included with the original DC Direct figures!

This ring is part of Mattel’s mask and ring costume set. (Mask photo not included, because it certainly does not fit on my massive head.) Since it’s another kids’ offering, the ring is a size 5, also with a split band. But, of course, this ring lights up!

Pressing the center of the face will cause the ring to glow and fade for a few seconds. Not bad; expect to see a lot of kids wearing the mask and ring this fall for Halloween. If you’re an adult, though, forget about wearing it; the light hardware is contained within the band, so trying to resize it with a rotary tool will destroy it.

One light-up ring is never enough, so here’s another one, this time made by NECA. Unlike the last ring, this one will fit on many adult fingers, as it’s a size 10. This ring has a bit of an odd color scheme; gray and green are the correct colors, but the shades are far too light.

I guess we can’t grumble about it it too much, though, as it’s the most inexpensive ring on the list. The tiny panel-mount LED inside is rather bright, too; you can see it as a little square right through the transparent face.

Time for another NECA ring, and you may wonder why this one looks absolutely ridiculous. Did the ring fall into a black hole? Is it the terrible offspring of a regular ring and Plastic Man? No, my friends. This ring has a built-in projector, which displays the Green Lantern symbol on surfaces “up to fifty feet” away. (NECA’s words, not mine.)

The ring actually does project a good distance, but is best used in a darkened room; even then, the farther away from the wall you are, the dimmer the symbol will appear. I tried taking some pictures, but the room was so dark that my camera just didn’t pick things up that well, even when shooting in “night mode.” Oh well.

The projection is also a bit off-kilter, but perhaps that’s specific to the ring I picked up. Mine’s offset by about forty-five degrees; if you get one with a more properly-aligned projection, let me know.

The ring’s a bit small at size 9, mainly due to the extra thick band; the button to activate the projector is on the very back. I suppose you could use this to trigger the ring while your hand is closed into a fist, but the button’s tiny.

What about the kids who’d love to play with this, but it’s too big for their fingers? NECA wisely included a soft plastic resizer with this ring, which brings it down to about a size 6.

Sure, the projection feature doesn’t work well in a properly-lit area, but it’s still pretty cool. If nothing else, the ring definitely has a very unique and weird look.

You might be wondering why the DC Direct Green Lantern movie power ring prop replica is not here among its brethren. It was originally solicited for release on June 1, then pushed back to June 15. Unfortunately, Diamond Comic Distributors forgot to ship them to my local comic book shop. Myself and a few others who ordered them were not pleased, but there was nothing we could do. The owner put in new orders for us, but they have not yet arrived, so I’ll do a separate post on that ring when it finally does show up. Sorry!

Whew! Five movie rings seems like an overload, but there’s even more out there, like the replicas given out to celebrities. There’s others coming in the future, too; a slightly different variation is included with DC Direct’s power battery prop replica, and I’m sure the Noble Collection will produce a nice expensive ring. Whether you want a toy version, an official replica, or a custom ring, you’ve got a wide variety of choices when adding a movie-style Green Lantern power ring to your collection.

Power ring collecting, part 3

(Don’t forget to check out part one and part two of this series!)

You’ve seen some cool power rings this week, and now it’s time for even more! No resin or plastic this time — this latest batch is metal! (Just like me.) Without further ado…

As usual, please pardon my shitty photography.

First up, a silver Green Lantern ring I bought off of eBay. The emblem is sculpted in relief, with either green paint or enamel coloring in the background. (I can’t tell, and I’m certainly not going to give it a scratch test.) You may notice that the face, especially the background, has a distinct “rough” quality to it. I don’t know if that was an aesthetic decision, or just cutting corners on the sculpt. Unlike my other rings, this one also has a hollow back:

This gives the ring a bit of a looser fit; I wear a mens’ size 10, but I had a jeweler check the ring after I received it, and it’s closer to a 10¼ or 10½. (A ring guard will easily solve that problem.)

And here’s another silver Green Lantern ring, also purchased on eBay. The area around the symbol is fully filled in with green enamel, and it’s considerably brighter in color. The face is also a bit larger than the previous ring, though it also has a hollow back.

I suspect that this ring and the one above it may be clones of Arroba Silver rings, as they’re very similar to some of their designs but considerably less expensive. As they’re still sterling silver, it’s a minor quirk. Since these two rings are a bit smaller and lower-profile than many others, I may wear one on a daily basis.

Last but not least, the official DC Direct Green Lantern Honor Guard Power Ring Prop Replica. (Say that five times fast.) This one was originally solicited for a June 2010 release, but then it kept getting pushed back week by week, until it was quietly cancelled. It was eventually resolicited a few months back, and after nearly a year of waiting, it has finally arrived.

Unlike the previous two rings, this one is not made of silver. Instead, it seems to be made of machined aluminum, as it’s incredibly light. When you pick up the box, it almost seems empty! The face and sides are highly polished, and despite the light weight, it’s a big ring. It’s only available in a mens’ size 11, though, and “not meant to be worn.” Well, yeah, because if it’s constructed out of aluminum as I suspect, that thing will get dented and scuffed rather easily.

Ribbed for her pleasure.

No clue what “s10″ means; it’s certainly not the ring size.

I hate to say it, but unless you’re a diehard collector, the Honor Guard ring’s really not worth the hefty $35 price tag. If you want to save some coin and still nab a large metal ring, go for the recently reissued Kyle Rayner ring from Hot Topic. At nearly half of the Honor Guard ring’s MSRP, that one is even available in various sizes so you’ll get a proper fit. I also think it’s made out of stainless steel rather than aluminum, as it’s definitely heavier and feels more solid.

That’s all for now, but don’t worry; I’ll be posting a fourth installment of my power ring collecting series sometime in June. That one will be dedicated to the Green Lantern film, as I hope to compare and contrast six — count ‘em, six — different versions of the movie ring. There’s even more than that slated for release, but it all depends on how many I can get my grubby hands on. Stay tuned!