By Yik-Hai Chan
July 25, 2006 - 21:02
Batman –
DC Superheroes Wave 3
MATTEL
Sculptor – Four Horsemen
Arguably one of the most recognizable superheroes of
our time next to Superman and Spider-man, the Dark Knight first appeared in Detective
Comics #27 almost 70 years ago. As a
billionaire play-boy by day, a fighter of injustice by night, Bruce Wayne has kept his promise to
prevent crimes similar to those that robbed him of his parents one fateful
night. The character of Batman has been kept popular through TV
series, animated shows, a revitalized movie franchise, a vast amount of
merchandise and least of all, a long running, consistently selling comic book
series. This is not the first Batman figure from Mattel’s DC Superheroes line so was a new one necessary?
Packaging
Keeping to tradition, Wave 3 of DC Superheroes utilizes the same package style of past 2
waves. It is again a blister card
packaging, with an attractive card back and similar style inserts. It is clear that Wave 3 is a Batman wave with the inclusion of the
yellow-oval shaped Bat insignia printed on the inserts. The figure and all the accessories included
are positioned in the blister so that they are visible.
Likeness
Supposedly a generic Batman figure, fans should instantly recognize a Jim Lee
inspiration, especially in the size of the Bat-ears of the cowl, the use of
blue and grey rather then black as well as the stockier and solid
appearance. What makes this figure
different from other Batman figures
is the extra details in the costume included which I don’t believe is seen
before, even in the comics. This
includes seams and threads on the gloves, boots and utility belt, giving the
figure a more realistic feel.
Sculpt
With a 2-up prototype originally shown during Toyfair
200, I believe that the final product is every bit as well sculpted as it was
meant to be. The head sculpt is
incredible, almost matching some of the panel work as seen in Batman: HUSH. The sculpted musculature is decent enough
that it gives this new figure a much more solid feel compared to previous
figures while the amount of extra detail that makes the costume more realistic
is what really cannot go unnoticed.
Check out the soles of the boots and the fabric folds around his stomach! However, another noticeable feature which
does not get as much praise is the sculpt job on the right hand. This hand contains a small indenture for the
figure to hold the provided accessories but it is so small that it is hardly
possible for the figure to hold one of them properly. This is incredibly disappointing especially
when you are provided with such a fantastic sculpture and it’s puzzling how it
went unnoticed during production.
Paint
The paint job colour scheme is similar to that used on
the previous Batman from Mattel and works exceptionally well here as well. All of the blue parts of the costume are
provided with a dark wash which works well to give the costume some
texture. The utility belt is not given
the exact same treatment but the subtle use of at least two different browns
prevents it from looking flat and dull.
The only problem I have with paint quality is the blotches of light blue
paint on the inside of the sculpted cape.
I have no idea why they are there and they really shouldn’t be.
Scale
This figure fits perfectly to the 6” scale with the
previously released DC Superheroes. It is about the same height as Superman while it is shorter than Doomsday and Killer Croc. Batman is slightly out of smaller in
scale compared to the DC Direct
figures so don’t expect it to look correct in the JLA display you may be creating.
Stability
Although the cape is moulded and is expected to be top
heavy, the fact that the soles of the feet are large enough and the leg
articulation is tight enough, there should not be any problems when attempting
to stand or even pose the figure.
Articulation
Since this is DC’s
answer to Marvel Legends, the
articulation count is expected to be high.
At last count, Batman has 21
points, just like the Superman
figure from wave 2. All the points of
articulation are similar in position including the ball jointed neck and
shoulders, pivot elbows, knees and torso as well as the more attractive hip
joints with their wide range of motion.
The neck joint is still as restrictive as before,
making it impossible
to look directly up but still has some good motion. One point to add is the much tighter points
which are major improvements to the loose joints I found in most of the Superman wave.
Accessories
From first glance as soon as you see these in stores,
you’ll notice the abundance of different style batarang accessories
included. In total, you get seven styles
of Batman’s trusted arsenal. Each one is
a different shape and style with its own individual sculpts. However, as mentioned before, I had extreme
difficulty getting at least one of them to stay in the right hand for long
without it falling out. It really is a
shame because some of them are very nicely done. You can try to pose the figure with a
batarang but you may run the risk of losing it very easily. Also included is a generic diorama, included
with all of wave 3. It is made from a
fairly heavy stock cardboard and when constructed, encases the figure from
three sides. It is a nice piece to have
but I won’t be using it since its too big for one figure but too small for too
many.
Cost/Value
£9.99 was what I parted with to obtain this figure and
just for the fantastic sculpt and the time I had to utilise the strong
articulation makes it worth the price but only just. I would have been absolutely sure if the
figure had the ability to store or at least hold its accessories securely and
properly. It’d recommend it is you find
it at 8.99 pound sterling/dollars, while anything cheaper is definitely a
steal.
Availability
I’ve only just heard reports that DC Superheroes Wave 3 started hitting
Overall
As soon as I saw the 2-up prototype of this figure, I
knew that I would be buying it. The
sculpt has definitely lived up to my expectations, making it a major
improvement over the Four Horsemen’s previous attempts with the Zipline and Bat-Signal Batman figures.
This figure has already replaced the latter on my DC Superheroes display and not just because of how it looks. The articulation allows for more natural
poses while the tightened joints mean better stability. Although the slight paint problems on the
cape and the inability to hold its accessories for long prevents this from
scoring the top marks, it still deserves high appraisal for an excellent
attempt at being possibly the definitive 6” Batman figure.
Grade
8.5