Review of the Mad Hatter mini-bust
Batman 1966 Television Show

Introduction

Diamond Select Toys is doing some nifty stuff with the license for the 1966 Batman television show, including statues and various other collectibles. One of their most successful ideas is the line of mini-busts, which has hit on some of the coolest villains, characters I thought we might never see.

The most recent is the Mad Hatter, played beautifully by the wonderful David Wayne. He was only in 4 of the 120 episodes of the show, but the villain is certainly a memorable character. I doubt we'll see Tweeterhead ever get this deep into the roster, so this might be your best bet at getting a terrific collectible based on the evil alter ego of Jervis Tetch.

This bust is now shipping, and will run you around $50 depending on the retailer. These are a limited edition, with an edition size of just 3000.

Packaging - ***
The boxes are pretty standard stuff, but the soft foam tray keeps the one piece bust safe and sound.  There's a large Certificate of Authenticity, and the edition size and number are printed on the COA, bust base, and box bottom.

Sculpting - ***1/2
If you handed this to someone that knew of the actor but not the character, they'd be able to pick out Wayne without much trouble. It's an excellent likeness, sculpted by the talented Jean St. Jean. The hat is open, showing off one of Tetch's inventions, and the slightly surprised yet confident expression matches up with the characters personality.

Detailing on the suit is quite well done, with some various textures used on the tie and flower. My only complaint is that the surface overall seems a bit rough, as though it was sculpted in clay but never quite finished off.

The base matches the rest of the line with a Gotham city-scape around the exterior, the bat signal lighting up the night.

The bust stands about 6 1/2" tall, fitting in nicely with the rest of the current line up.

Paint - ***
The paint work could be a little cleaner, but considering the price point, the quality isn't far off.

There's a little slop around the eyes and hairline, as well as the edge where the hat meets the head. Details on the suit are better, but there's still a sloppy line here and there, and the overall quality is very much B work.

Value - ***1/2
Here is where DST is really killing it - at $50, these busts are an excellent value.  Similarly scaled busts from other companies will cost $80 - $120, and the fact that DST is able to keep these so much more affordable is a huge selling point. The paint quality suffers slightly, but these are a much more reasonable option to something like the Tweeterhead statues, and they provide a very wide selection of characters. On top of all that, these are a limited edition, with only 3000 produced.

Things to Watch Out For -
You can't see the paint job before you buy the bust, so you'll be at the mercy of the paint Gods on that score, but overall there's nothing here to worry about. The quality of the materials is good, and there's little chance of damage or breakage under normal conditions.

Overall - ***1/2
If you're a fan of the old show, I think this series of mini-busts is your single best option for quality collectibles that cover a broad range of characters, but won't destroy your wallet.  The Mego style figures are fun but really require a nostalgia for the design, and the Tweeterhead statues exhibit the nicest overall quality, but lack the character selection and will cost you a pretty penny. The quality here is good, and the price point is even better.  They are hitting up a large number of the villains, making for a terrific display. What more could you want?

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ***1/2
Paint - ***
Value - ***1/2
Overall - ***1/2

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth is at just $50.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
DST is doing a number of collectibles based on the old show. There's been a ton of these mini-busts, but I've only reviewed Batman so far.

There is also the Premiere Collection series of statues, including Batman, Batgirl, and Catwoman.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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