North American and International Cardback Matrices

The Kenner Super Powers Variant Archive Matrix provides vintage toy collectors with a detailed blueprint mapping distribution footprints of the collection.

AI Collage of Kenner Super Powers Cardbacks — Photo: Stock Image

By cataloging 34 core North American configurations alongside 19 distinct international variant profiles, this comprehensive reference grid tracks fine-print promotional offer cardbacks, rare regional releases like the Canadian Shell Gas station "Slim Cards," and precise factory Country of Origin (COO) tooling lineage spanning Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and the official Kenner Mexico imported "Short-Leg" anomalies.

This foundational research matrix would not be possible without the years of meticulous documentation, preservation, and exhaustive cataloging championed by the vintage action figure community. Special acknowledgment and sincere thanks go to Michael Mensinger of kennersuperpowers.com, whose pioneering archival work, passionate verification of factory tooling scripts, and dedication to tracking the historical lineage of the Super Powers line remain the gold standard and backbone of modern variant collecting.

North American Retail & Promotional Release Matrix

		US 12 Back Offers			US 23 Back Offers				US 33 Back	Canada Blisters			Shell	Poly-Bags
Character	Wave	Fan Club	Poster	Steppen-Wolf	Fan Club	Cape	Clark Fan Club	Clark Cape	None	12 Back	23 Back	33 Back	Slim	Mail	Promo
Superman	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Taiwan factory stamps, Hong Kong factory stamps, Mexico factory stamps (Unbranded Leg). Short-leg variance on Mexico tools. Packaged with a red cloth cape and mini-comic.
Batman	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Taiwan factory stamps, Hong Kong factory stamps, Mexico factory stamps (Unbranded Leg). Short-leg variance on Mexico tools. Packaged with a blue cloth cape and mini-comic.
Robin	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Taiwan factory stamps, Hong Kong factory stamps, Mexico factory stamps (Unbranded Leg). Short-leg variance on Mexico tools. Packaged with a yellow cloth cape and mini-comic.
Wonder Woman	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
Taiwan factory stamps, Hong Kong factory stamps. Packaged with a golden lasso accessory and mini-comic.
Flash	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
Taiwan factory stamps. Built-in leg running action mechanism. Packaged with mini-comic.
Green Lantern	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
Taiwan factory stamps, Hong Kong factory stamps. Packaged with a green lantern accessory and mini-comic.
Hawkman	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
Taiwan factory stamps, Hong Kong factory stamps. Packaged with removable plastic wings, gray plastic mace and mini-comic.
Joker	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
Taiwan factory stamps, Macau factory stamps. Packaged with a green plastic mallet and mini-comic.
Lex Luthor	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
Taiwan factory stamps, Hong Kong factory stamps. Packaged with snap-on green chest armor and mini-comic.
Penguin	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
Taiwan factory stamps, Macau factory stamps. Packaged with a plastic umbrella accessory and mini-comic.
Aquaman	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Taiwan factory stamps, Hong Kong factory stamps. Packaged with a gold trident accessory and mini-comic.
Brainiac	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Taiwan factory stamps, Macau factory stamps. Vacuum-metalized ("vac-metal") blue chrome body plating. Packaged with mini-comic.
Firestorm	2	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Hong Kong factory stamps. Packaged with mini-comic.
Red Tornado	2	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Hong Kong factory stamps. Packaged with a blue cloth cape trimmed in red and mini-comic.
Martian Manhunter	2	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Hong Kong factory stamps. Packaged with a blue cloth cape and mini-comic.
Green Arrow	2	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Hong Kong factory stamps. Packaged with a green plastic bow accessory, 3 arrows and mini-comic.
Dr. Fate	2	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Hong Kong factory stamps. Packaged with a yellow cloth cape and mini-comic.
Darkseid	2	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Hong Kong factory stamps. Oversized sculpt. Packaged with a blue cloth cape and plastic medallion cape clasp and mini-comic.
Desaad	2	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Hong Kong factory stamps. Packaged with a silver and black chest shock weapon, rubber skirt and mini-comic.
Kalibak	2	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Hong Kong factory stamps. Packaged with a grey plastic spiked club accessory.
Mantis	2	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Hong Kong factory stamps.
Parademon	2	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Hong Kong factory stamps. Packaged with a plastic yellow gun accessory.
Steppenwolf	2	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Hong Kong factory stamps. Packaged with a black backpack and corded silver and black electro-axe accessory.
Cyborg	3	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Macau factory stamps. Omitted from Canadian retail card releases. Vacuum-metalized ("vac-metal") silver chrome body plating. Packaged with 3 arm attachments.
Cyclotron	3	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
Macau factory stamps. Packaged with a removable face plate.
Golden Pharaoh	3	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
Macau factory stamps. Packaged with a yellow plastic mystical pyramid staff.
Mr. Freeze	3	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Macau factory stamps. Packaged with a removable plastic translucent purple helmet dome accessory.
Mister Miracle	3	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Macau factory stamps. Packaged with plastic gray shackles, and green cloth cape.
Orion	3	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Macau factory stamps.
Plastic Man	3	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Macau factory stamps.
Samurai	3	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Macau factory stamps. Packaged with green and orange cloth tunic and plastic yellow lightning katana.
Shazam!	3	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Macau factory stamps. Packaged with a white cloth cape with yellow trim, and plastic yellow cape clasp.
Tyr	3	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Macau factory stamps. Packaged with a plastic yellow missile arm attachment.
Clark Kent	--	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Hong Kong factory stamps.

International Licensees & Foreign Tooling Matrix

Character Name	Lili Ledy (MX)	Top Toys (ARG)	Estrela (BR)	Play Ful / Pacipa (ARG)	PBP / Pac-Man (EUR)	Distinct Regional Variations & Manufacturing Anomalies
Superman	Yes	Yes	Yes (1/17)	No	Yes	Lili Ledy features filled factory stampings. Estrela features translated backings. Cloth capes.
Batman (Blue)	Yes	Yes	Yes (2/17)	No	Yes	Top Toys editions lack internal recoil action coil springs inside shoulder joints entirely. Cloth capes.
Robin	Yes	No	Yes (3/17)	No	Yes	Estrela card designs utilize translated localized Portuguese typography blocks. Cloth capes.
Wonder Woman	Yes	No	Yes (4/17)	No	Yes	Foreign licensee color shifts present across chest emblems and boot paint mask applications.
Flash	Yes	Yes	Yes (5/17)	No	Yes	Top Toys variant features thin, hollow low-weight plastic structural thigh and leg moldings.
Green Lantern	Yes	No	Yes (6/17)	No	Yes	Base export tool molds bootlegged in Argentina by Pacipa to create and output The Riddler.
Hawkman	Yes	No	Yes (7/17)	No	Yes	Variable plastic compound coloring and tint density across licensee back wing sets.
Aquaman	Yes	No	Yes (8/17)	No	Yes	Solid molded fixed hinge pins utilized on leg joints instead of Kenner's split brass rivets.
Joker	Yes	No	Yes (9/17)	No	Yes	Lili Ledy Joker features distinctive opaque waxy plastic chest formulations. Packaged with mallet.
Penguin	Yes	No	Yes (10/17)	No	Yes	Walking stick and umbrella accessories show minor material shape differences across plants.
Lex Luthor	Yes	No	Yes (11/17)	No	Yes	Green chest panel armor shading drifts dynamically across regional chemical paint batches.
Brainiac	Yes	No	Yes (12/17)	No	Yes	Vacuum chrome plating properties differ significantly from standard US mirror finishes.
Darkseid	No	No	Yes (13/17)	No	Yes	Series 2 figure officially distributed under localized cardbacks by Estrela. No accessories.
Green Arrow	No	Yes	Yes (14/17)	No	Yes	Top Toys utilizes thick, coarse non-standard felt sheets for localized tunics and hats. Cloth cape.
Cyborg	No	Yes	Yes (15/17)	No	Yes	Estrela Brazilian Release. Packaged with localized translated Portuguese language mini-comic books.
Plastic Man	No	No	Yes (16/17)	No	Yes	Estrela Brazilian Release. Packaged with localized translated Portuguese language mini-comic books.
Shazam!	No	No	Yes (17/17)	No	Yes	Estrela Brazilian Release. Packaged with localized translated Portuguese language mini-comic books. Cloth cape.
The Riddler	No	No	No	Yes	No	Argentina Play Ful Release Only. Custom green suit body modification leveraging Green Lantern molds.

Sources

www.kennersuperpowers.com/spfeatures/kenner-kc-matrix.html