McFarlane DC Super Friends Retro Wave 4 Preorder
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The latest McFarlane Super Friends Wave 4 will be going up for preorder on Thursday, April 16 at your favorite retailers! Wave 4 features an updated version of Batman, Robin, Judge Lex Luthor, Universe of Evil Aquaman, and Black Manta! Even with multiple redecos in the mix, I have to admit I’m genuinely excited that we are getting at least one more wave in this line before the curtain closes. With the license winding down, every release feels a little more significant, and getting to hear directly from the McFarlane team during our meeting added context to how they are approaching these final offerings. Be sure to come back here on Thursday for the preorder links and official images!
Where to Buy
You can preorder the figures at the following retailers below
Batman
Batman is sporting the classic blue and gray color scheme here, with a bright yellow utility belt and the iconic black-and-yellow bat emblem on his chest. He’s holding a blue batarang, and his dark cape drapes down past the knees with a nice sense of weight to it.
The sculpt on Batman’s cowl shows clean lines, with the blue ears tapering to sharp points and the mask framing a squared-off jaw. His blue gloves have a flared cuff detail that fits the classic animated look well.
Finished in a matte gray, the bodysuit has subtle joint lines at the knees and elbows that keep the figure’s silhouette clean. His blue boots have a scalloped top edge that mirrors the cuff detail on the gloves, tying the whole costume together.
From the back, Batman’s soft goods cape covers nearly the full length of the figure, and the fabric has a satin-like finish in a rich blue that complements the molded plastic of the cowl and boots. His gray trunks peek out just below the cape’s jagged hem.
Armed with his blue batarang, Batman cuts a solid full-figure silhouette in the classic Super Friends design. I like the way the yellow utility belt pops against the gray and blue, with sculpted pouch details along the front giving it a little extra dimension.
A close-up reveals the communicator accessory held here, molded in gray with a small antenna extending from the top. The yellow belt’s buckle clasps are more defined at this range, with individual segments separated by thin recessed lines.
Batman comes with a blue batarang, a small gray communicator, and a collectible Super Friends art card featuring him in a classic action pose against a bold yellow and rainbow-burst design. The card really captures the look of the original show’s animation style, which is a nice inclusion for fans of the series.
The card back features a colorful rainbow-burst design with illustrated artwork of the full Super Friends roster, including Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Robin, and Aquaman alongside Batman. The figure sits in a clear plastic blister with his accessories packed around him, and the overall retro card layout has a fun vintage toy aisle feel to it.
The front of the blister card leans hard into the retro aesthetic, with radiating rainbow stripes fanning out behind illustrated artwork of the full Super Friends lineup charging forward. The speckled white texture across the card gives it a weathered, vintage feel that pairs nicely with the bold red and yellow title treatment.
The blister itself has a contoured shape that follows Batman’s outline closely, with a separate pocket molded to hold the batarang alongside the figure. It’s nice to see the card art peeking through the clear plastic, letting that rainbow-burst design serve as a built-in display backdrop for collectors who plan to keep this one sealed.
The back of the card features a large group illustration of the Super Friends team in a classic comic book style, with Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Robin, Shazam, Hawkman, Green Arrow, and others all rendered in bright, saturated colors against a light blue halftone dot pattern. It’s cool to see the roster laid out like this, with the bold red “Super Friends” banner sitting across the top in a style that feels pulled straight from the original show’s title card.
Robin
Robin is outfitted with his classic red tunic, green sleeves, shorts, and gloves, topped with a yellow collar and the signature “R” emblem on his chest. He’s holding a blue Batarang, and his black cape with a gold outter lining drapes nicely over his shoulders.
The sculpt on Robin’s face shows a confident smirk beneath his black domino mask, and the hair has a clean, simple shape that fits the animated style. His black belt with the round yellow buckle sits right at the waist, breaking up the red and green sections of the costume.
Robin’s soft goods cape hangs with real weight here, falling past his knees and framing the figure well from the front. His green pixie boots have a pointed curl at the toe, a fun detail that nails the classic comic book look.
From the back, the soft goods cape covers nearly the entire figure, and the golden yellow fabric has a nice even tone that matches the collar peeking out at the neckline. His green boots have a sculpted fold line around the ankle that adds a bit of dimension to an otherwise simple design.
Robin is holding a blue Batarang accessory, and the plastic on it has a nice sheen that catches the light well. I like how the green gloves have sculpted cuff lines at the wrist, giving them a layered look that pairs well with the matching gauntlet-style sleeves.
Sporting yellow lace-up detailing down the front of his red tunic, Robin’s costume has a charming retro quality that feels right at home with the Super Friends aesthetic. The yellow “R” emblem sits inside a black circle on his chest, and the tunic’s lower edge has a pointed, scalloped cut where it meets the green shorts.
Robin comes with a blue Batarang and a small gray communicator accessory with a yellow screen, while the included Super Friends collector card features a colorful illustration of the character in a kneeling pose. The card’s artwork uses a bold sunburst pattern with the show’s classic lettering, and the color palette on the illustrated Robin closely matches the figure’s red, green, and yellow deco.
The card art features the full Super Friends ensemble in a colorful starburst layout, with the classic show lettering front and center. A small accessory tray inside the blister holds what appears to be the communicator and Batarang alongside the figure, keeping everything neatly packed together.
The packaging’s starburst radiates in wide stripes of red, orange, yellow, green, and blue, with a speckled white texture along the edges that gives the whole card a vintage, almost weathered feel. The illustration at the top groups Green Arrow, Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman together in classic Hanna-Barbera poses, capturing that Saturday morning energy perfectly.
The blister shell wraps around the figure and accessories in a deep bubble that gives a good look at everything inside without opening the package. It’s cool to see how the card art’s rainbow gradient carries through from top to bottom, framing the blister window with those warm-to-cool color bands.
The back of the card features a large group illustration of the Super Friends roster, including Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Robin, Shazam, Hawkman, Green Lantern, Batgirl, The Flash, and several others in a classic comic book composition. The light blue halftone dot pattern across the card gives the whole thing a vintage print feel that pairs nicely with the bold, chunky “Super Friends” lettering at the top.
Judge Lex Luthor
Wrapped in a flowing magenta soft goods robe with a magenta collar, Judge Lex Luthor holds a brown gavel accessory with a sculpted wood grain texture. His green gloves and the peek of a green shirt beneath the robe nail that classic courtroom villain look from the source material.
A close-up reveals the sculpt on Luthor’s face has a sharp, angular quality, with a pronounced brow, narrowed eyes, and a thin smirk that fits the animated style well. The gavel has a textured, coiled grip section that adds a nice bit of visual interest to an otherwise simple accessory.
Clad in his purple and green jumpsuit, Lex Luthor has black cross-straps over his chest and a matching black belt with a square buckle at the waist. His purple boots and high collar give the figure a distinct Silver Age feel, and the green sections of the suit carry a consistent matte finish from the gloves down through the legs.
From the back, Luthor’s black cross-straps form a clean X shape across the purple torso, and the green pants have sculpted cargo-style pouches strapped to each thigh. His purple boots have small black spurs sculpted at the heel, a subtle detail that adds a bit of character to the design.
Armed with his brown gavel raised overhead, Judge Lex Luthor’s soft goods robe drapes all the way to the floor with a slightly frayed hem that gives the fabric a worn, textured quality. His purple boots just peek out beneath the robe’s bottom edge, matching the magenta tones of the garment itself.
The soft goods robe has a loose, open weave to the fabric that lets the green jumpsuit underneath show through slightly at the chest and midsection. That head sculpt is really solid, with the bald dome catching a smooth, even skin tone that contrasts nicely against those thick, angular black eyebrows.
Judge Lex Luthor comes with a full accessory spread here, including the soft goods magenta robe laid flat, the brown gavel, and a Super Friends collector card featuring an illustration of the character in his flowing magenta robes. The card artwork uses the same bold sunburst pattern seen with the rest of the line, and the illustrated Luthor’s color scheme is a close match to the figure’s purple and green deco.
The card art features the familiar Super Friends starburst design with the full hero lineup illustrated at the top, while the blister window gives a clear view of Luthor in his robed courtroom getup alongside the gavel accessory tucked below. I like how the robe’s magenta fabric reads even through the plastic, keeping that rich color consistent from package to shelf.
The packaging’s starburst pattern frames the blister from behind with those wide radiating color bands, and the speckled white texture along the card’s edges gives it that same vintage, weathered quality seen across the line. A collector card is partially tucked behind the figure inside the blister, its orange and yellow tones just barely peeking through.
The blister bubble on Luthor’s packaging has a tall, narrow profile that accommodates the full length of the soft goods robe, with the clear plastic curving tightly around the figure’s silhouette. The rainbow gradient on the card transitions from green to blue along the left edge of the blister, creating a nice contrast against the magenta fabric inside.
The back of Luthor’s card uses the same light blue halftone dot pattern and group illustration as the rest of the wave, with Superman front and center flanked by Wonder Woman, Batman, and the wider roster below. The composition clusters the heroes in a tight pyramid arrangement, with Hawkman and Green Lantern occupying the upper corners and smaller figures like Aquaman and Green Arrow filling out the base.
Black Manta
Clad in a deep navy blue suit from head to toe, Black Manta has a black utility belt with a pale blue rectangular buckle that breaks up the uniform’s solid color. His oversized helmet features those signature yellow oval eyes and two long, curved black hoses that sweep back over his shoulders.
The sculpt on Black Manta’s helmet has a smooth, rounded finish with a slight flare at the jaw line where it meets the neck of the suit. His hands are sculpted with individual fingers, one loosely curled into a fist and the other open, ready to hold an accessory.
Black Manta’s boots have a seamless, integrated look that flows right into the legs without any sculpted cuff or seam break, keeping the silhouette clean and uniform. The navy blue tone on the suit carries a subtle sheen to it, slightly darker than the muted periwinkle of the helmet.
From the back, Black Manta’s black backpack piece sits flush against his torso, secured by two thin black straps that loop up and over the shoulders before connecting at the top of the helmet. The belt wraps cleanly around the waist with a consistent black finish that matches the pack, and his fists are both slightly curled at his sides.
The yellow on his eyes has a flat, opaque finish that contrasts sharply against the cool periwinkle of the helmet surrounding them.
Black Manta is holding a small communicator device, with a gray tip and blue body that blends in with his gloves. The black outlines framing his yellow eyes have a thick, crisp border that gives the helmet a cartoon-accurate feel.
Black Manta comes with a small gray communicator accessory featuring a red button on its face, alongside a Super Friends collector card that shows an illustration of the character against a bold yellow and sunburst backdrop. The card artwork captures his teal and periwinkle color scheme in a classic Hanna-Barbera style, with the helmet’s single loop antenna differing slightly from the figure’s dual antennae design.
The packaging presents Black Manta alongside his carded counterpart, with the blister holding the figure and his communicator accessory snugly beneath that classic starburst card art. The navy blue of his suit reads consistently between the loose figure and the packaged version, and the pale blue belt buckle is a small but effective detail that ties the whole look together.
The card art frames Black Manta’s blister with the familiar rainbow gradient radiating outward in wide stripes, and the speckled white texture along the card’s edges gives it that same weathered, nostalgic quality seen across the rest of the wave. The hero group illustration at the top sits just above the “Super Friends!” lettering, with the starburst’s green and blue bands running right alongside the blister on the left side.
The back of Black Manta’s card carries the same light blue halftone dot pattern and hero roster group illustration used throughout the wave, maintaining a cohesive look across the line. The pyramid-style composition clusters the Super Friends characters tightly together, with the warm vintage print texture tying it all back to that Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic.
This is the same card back design seen across the wave, so there isn’t much new to note here beyond confirming the consistency of the halftone print texture and hero group art from card to card. The “Super Friends” lettering sits in a red banner shape that almost mimics a cape draped behind Superman’s central position in the illustration.
Universe of Evil Aquaman
If you remember the Universe of Evil episode, this version of Aquaman comes from that episode, complete with his darker colors and eye patch! Aquaman’s classic orange and dark green color split is on full display here, with sculpted scale texture across the chest and shoulders of his orange top. His yellow belt features a prominent “A” buckle, and he’s holding what appears to be a small gray and green accessory in his left hand.
The black eye patch sits snugly over his right eye, and the blonde hair is sculpted in a short, swept-back style with a flat, golden tone. His dark green gloves and forearms have a smooth, matte finish that contrasts with the warmer orange of the tunic above the belt line.
From the back, Aquaman’s orange tunic has a smooth, undetailed surface compared to the scaled front, with a subtle seam line running down the center of the spine. His dark green boots extend well above the knee, and the black trunks create a clean color break between the belt and the legs.
Aquaman comes with a small gray communicator accessory with a yellow screen, alongside a Super Friends collector card featuring an illustration of the character in his orange and green costume against the line’s signature sunburst backdrop. The card’s illustrated version shows him wearing a rounded black eye patch, closely matching the sculpted detail on the figure itself.
The packaging’s starburst card art radiates behind the blister in those familiar wide color bands, with Aquaman and his accessories held in the clear bubble alongside the carded figure standing to the left. I like the way the orange of his tunic reads, with the sculpted scale detailing on the chest catching just enough light to show its texture even through the plastic.
The card art features the full Super Friends hero lineup illustrated at the top of the starburst pattern, with the blister window giving a clear view of Aquaman’s figure and the small communicator accessory tucked inside to his left. The green and blue bands of the rainbow gradient run along the right side of the blister here, framing the figure’s dark green legs against a complementary backdrop.
The back of Aquaman’s card uses the same group illustration and halftone print texture carried across the entire wave, with the “Super Friends” lettering sitting in its red banner shape above the assembled roster. The pyramid composition places Superman at the apex with Wonder Woman and Shazam flanking him, while characters like Batgirl, The Flash, and Green Arrow fill out the lower section.
New York Toy Fair 2026 Booth Images
We had the chance to sit down with the team at McFarlane Toys for an official booth tour at New York Toy Fair 2026, and knowing that this is their final year holding the DC license, you can really feel that they are determined to make every remaining wave count. During our walkthrough, they showed us DC Super Friends Retro Wave 4 up close, and while I always get a rush seeing new Super Friends product in person, this assortment definitely leans heavily into repaints. The lineup includes Black Manta and Robin as the fresh additions, alongside Hall of Evil Aquaman, Lex Luthor V2 in his Legion of Doom outfit, and what appears to be a third version of Batman in the retro style. Seeing them displayed together in the booth, the bright classic color palettes and that nostalgic Super Friends aesthetic still hit me right in the childhood, especially as someone who grew up on those 80s takes of DC heroes and villains.
The first figure on display was Lex Luthor wearing his pink robe that he often wore when addressing the Legion of Doom at his podium. A repaint of the Wave 1 Lex Luthor, this was a simple new version of him with a new soft goods robe.
We now get a Hall of Evil Aquaman. Yet another repaint of the Wave 3 Aquaman, but with a new head sculpt. Aquaman has an evil look on his face and of course is wearing the signature eye patch.
Black Manta is done in a deep navy blue from head to toe with a clean black belt breaking up the torso, and I love how simple and bold that classic Super Friends look feels in hand. The oversized helmet features those bright yellow wraparound eyes and two thick black tubes arcing from the head down toward the back, giving him that unmistakable animated silhouette as he stands with clenched fists ready for action. The sculpt stays smooth and streamlined with minimal linework, leaning fully into that retro aesthetic that takes me right back to those Saturday morning vibes.
Next was Robin. I’m happy we are getting a Robin in this line as what the Dynamic Duo be without him? Batman has been waiting for his partner for 3 waves now. Robin looks great like he did in the cartoon and comes with a soft goods yellow and black two sided cape.
Finally there was Batman in the booth as well. It’s hard to tell from the photo if this is Bizarro Batman from Wave 3 or another version of Batman.
Where to Buy
Wave 4 isn’t yet available for preorder, but below are links to Waves 1 thru 3 for purchase.
Super Friends Wave 3
Super Friends Wave 2
Super Friends Wave 1
Looking for more Retro DC figures, be sure to check out our MacFarlane DC Super Powers – Toy Habits shop pages!
