Review of Batman Black and White Statue
Sean Murphy

Introduction

The Batman Black and White series has covered a lot of ground - a lot. One of their more recent strategies to keep things fresh and interesting is to do more than just a Batman from a particular artist, but to pair it up with another character from the same artist and release them fairly close in time.

That's the case with this latest Batman, based on the artwork of Sean Murphy from the White Knight story line. He has just started shipping, and the Joker to go with him should be here shortly as well. He's a limited edition of 5000, and will run you around $70 or so depending on the retailer.

Packaging - ***
Nothing new, but very serviceable. The exterior shows off the statue, and lays claim to the 'limited edition' nature, but does not list the size or individual number. There's no Certificate of Authenticity either, but the size and edition number are printed on the underside of the statue's base.

The foam interior trays are the dense, high quality stuff, and will keep the two pieces - statue and base - safe and sound as they make their way to your doorstep.

Sculpting - ****
I just checked out another Black and White statue that has a lot in common with this one - the Klaus Johnson. With the torso bent forward, arms out wide, and a rough texture to the sculpt, there's a lot of similarities.

They are also both very dynamic. What sets this one apart is the leaping pose, something we don't have a lot of in the series.  Not only is he attacking and leaping, but they managed to create the look without an obvious support rod. Using the cape, and a metal rod hidden within, they've created a great looking action pose that is really unique in the line.

The cut lines are sharp, well defined, and harsh. This is also fairly unique, and I love the final result. They also created an interesting asymmetrical look at the top of the cape, with one side flowing down his back while the other flips up and out, adding more motion to the static statue.

The belt is very detailed, and on the right has a batarang attached to a thin metal wire. This wire is curled up and attached to his belt, but the batarang itself sticks out freely. You can tuck it away or not, depending on your tastes.

On the other side is a baton-like gun. I haven't read White Knight, so I can't say exactly what it is...perhaps a dart gun?  It looks great though, and further sets him apart on the shelf.

He stands just under 8 1/2" tall including the base, appropriate when compared to the rest of the series.

Paint - ***1/2
The paint quality is very high, but I have to ding them slightly for a few rough edges.

I really like the use of various shades, and the light and dark sections contrast beautifully. Most of the details are well done, but there are edges - on the boots, on the belt, on the 'gun' - where there's some slop. It's all fairly minor though, and considering the price point, not outside expectations.

Value - ***
They've managed to keep these around the same price for years now, quite the feat. The quality was up a bit on this one - particularly the paint quality - making it a better than average value for me.

Things to Watch Out For -
When inserting the metal post on the bottom of the cape edge into the base, always take care. This time, also make sure the base is facing in the correct forward direction so the bat symbol is properly oriented.

Overall - ***1/2
From the waist up, there are a lot of similarities between this release and the previous Klaus statue. From the waist down, not so much, but both are really dynamic, exciting designs.

The big plus here is the leaping pose. Using the cape as the support rod gives it a much cleaner look, and the harsh, sharp lines of the sculpt look terrific. I've said it before, but it's worth repeating - the last few releases in this series have been really interesting and unique, adding a lot to the display.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth also has him in stock at $70.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other recent Batman Black and White statues include the Klaus Johnson, Jiro Kuwata, Gerard Way Joker, the Gerard Way Batman, the Cloonan, the Spy vs Spy release, John Romita Jr's artwork, the Breyfogle, the Jason Fabok version, and the Sprang Joker and Batman. There's lots before that as well - you should also hit the Search Reviews page to find them and in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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