Review of Batman Black & White Action Figures
Jim Lee, Greg Capullo, Bob Kane

Introduction

As a long term fan of the Batman Black and White series of statues - I've been collecting them since the first release, although my first review was of the sixth - I was intrigued when they announced they'd be translating the style into their action figure line. Whether or not they can see the same sort of success will be a question, since the statue series has ran for more than 12 years and produced dozens of great collectibles. But they're off to a good start with three heavy hitters: designs by Greg Capullo, Bob Kane, and Jim Lee.

These will run you around $25 each at most retailers, and should start shipping very soon.

Packaging - ***
The boxes are very similar to the larger statue boxes. They have the same shape with one corner cut off, and much of the same artwork. However, they have a nice big window so you can see the actual figure nestled in the plastic tray. Unfortunately, it's not super collector friendly, with a twisty and rubber band holding him in place. Considering that Marvel Legends and Star Wars 6" Black figures, both mass market releases more prone to theft and tampering, come in collector friendly packages, I was a bit surprised.

Sculpting - Lee, Kane ***; Capullo ***1/2
You might assume they started with these three particular character designs because they are classics. I'm sure that's a big part of it. Lots of fans love the artwork of Kane, Lee, and Capullo. I'd hazard a guess that there's another good reason...actually, there's one, two, and three good reasons. Yep, all three of these already existed as non-gray scale versions, so creating the Black & White release meant just a repaint.

When the Jim Lee version hit 14 years ago, I was pretty pleased with it. This is a Hush Batman of course, and I was very happy with the overall appearance in 2004. However, we've gotten better over the years with mixing sculpt and articulation, creating figures that are a lot more posable and yet maintain a great aesthetic. I still love this sculpt, but he has a hard time standing on his own, and the legs tend to require a weird angle to make it work. He's about 6 3/4" tall without the ears.

Likewise, the First Appearance or Bob Kane Batman was pretty spiff for his time. I'm not digging the wide stance, which also makes it tough for him to stand on his own, and the legs tend to warp a bit at the knees. This one is actually different from the original release, thanks to a new, sculpted cape.  The first release had a cloth cape instead, and it's possible that DC Direct or DC Collectibles re-released him somewhere along the line over the last 14 years with this plastic version, but I don't recall it. I actually like this soft rubber version better than the cloth, even if it's less posable. He stands about 6 1/2" tall, again without the ears.

Of the three, the Capullo has the most detailed sculpt. He's also the most recent - you can still buy the Designer series figure at most retailers. There's some nice work in the cut detail on the costume, and the grim expression works for the artist's style. Some folks might have a general aesthetic issue with the original artwork itself, but that's not the figure's fault. They've captured the more military look of the costume nicely, and done it in a more modern style than the other two figures.  He's also about 6 3/4" tall without the tiny ears.

All three capes are a fairly soft material, making it easier to pose the body. I like the sculpt on all three capes, and they work well with the general artist's design.

Paint - ***
The gray scale paint scheme always works well with Batman, no matter who the artist is. There wasn't a ton of color in any of these three figures when they were first released though, so it's mostly the belts that have been given a radical color change. The Jim Lee version has been done multiple times already, with one version being completely paint free!

The paint quality is solid, with most of the edges clean and sharp. There's a blip here and there, and some of the lighter gray seems a little thick, but these are pretty minor issues. Perhaps my biggest problem that tends to hold them back from another half star here is the inconsistency in the finish on the various black areas. You'll see bright, shiny highlights on the heads and capes, and these marks are quite obvious even in hand.

Articulation - Lee **; Kane **1/2; Capullo ***
None of these figures is super articulated, but you can see the different a decade can make in what collectors expect.

I gave the Jim Lee a *** score in this category back in the day. He was actually pretty well articulated for a DC Direct release, but times have changed. The ball jointed neck isn't bad, but the rotating hinge shoulders, single pin elbows, and cut forearms just aren't enough for today's standards. The legs are really where the issues come in, with just the hinge hips and single pin knees to give him any support. The weird sculpted leg position can't be corrected with the articulation, and getting him to stay upright without the stand can be tricky.

The Bob Kane version got a **1/2 back then, and he gets to keep it. The ball jointed neck works well, and the legs are still stuck with just the hinge hips and pin knees. He has an extra joint in the arms though, adding a cut bicep to the cut wrists, single pin elbows, and rotating hinge shoulders. I was able to get more arm poses out of him than I expected, but he still has issues standing.

The more modern Capullo is easily the best articulated of the three. It's still not Marvel Legend level, but you can get some flowing, natural stances, and he can even sit down easily.  There's a ball jointed neck, rotating hinge shoulders, cut biceps, pin elbows, ab crunch, cut waist, hinge hips, cut thighs, double pin knees, and pin ankles. He stands pretty well on his own, even without the display stand.

Accessories - **
The only accessory with these three is the round display stand, painted in the same way as the stands you get with the statues. You'll be glad you have them too, particularly for the Kane and Lee versions.

Fun Factor - ***
These aren't exactly 'fun' figures, but they are better than you might expect. You aren't going to get a ton of poses out of Kane or Lee, but you'll have more options to personalize their look than you do with the statues.

Value - **1/2
Twenty five bucks for a 7" figure, particularly one on the secondary market, isn't out of the ordinary. There will be some trepidation though, since the Kane and Lee figures were more in the $15 range when they were first produced.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing.

Overall - Lee **1/2; Kane, Capullo ***
I'm going to be interested in seeing if this concept has legs.  There are a ton of possibilities of course - the statue line has proven that. But starting with three figures they already produced is a double edged sword. Obviously it's a cheaper way for DCC to get things rolling, but collectors may pass on them because they already have the earlier versions, waiting to see what others come down the line. If there are lower sales to start, DCC may interpret that to mean overall demand is low...but that might only be because of the characters they chose to go first. It's a catch 22.

I like these first three, although I'm less forgiving with the Lee version's articulation now than I was back in the day. It's the one feature that pulls him down a half star lower than the other two. I don't expect a ton of accessories with a concept like this, so it wasn't as much of a factor, and the sculpts and paint work were largely consistent with my expectations at this price point.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - Lee, Kane ***; Capullo ***1/2
Paint - ***
Articulation - Lee **; Kane **1/2; Capullo ***
Accessories - **
Fun Factor - **1/2
Value - **1/2
Overall - Lee **1/2; Kane, Capullo ***

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth is also at $25 each.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
The last Batman Black & White statue I reviewed was the Spy v Spy release, with ones based on John Romita Jr, Breyfogle, Jason Fabok, and the Sprang Joker and Batman earlier.

I've covered a TON of the earlier releases as well, and you should also hit the Search Reviews page to find them, or in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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