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Introduction
If you were worried that the long running Batman: Black and White statue series from DC Collectibles might run out of ideas any day now, I don't think you need to worry. If there's any character who can sustain a line like this for another decade, it's Batman.
Of course, it helps that they've added secondary characters to the mix, including villains and other heroes. The latest release is Batgirl, and not just any Batgirl, but one based on the amazing Bruce Timm design from the animated series.
This is a limited edition of course, just like most of the line,
and they produced 5000. She'll run you around $70, and is currently
shipping worldwide.
Packaging - ***
Nothing unique, but the high density foam eggshell trays keep the
two piece statue safe and sound, and it's all collector friendly.
The number and edition size are printed on the base of the statue
itself, but not on the packaging. There's no Certificate of
Authenticity either.
Sculpting - **1/2
The design is pretty well known - we've seen this pose for Batgirl
in million times. It's a great pose, but it's certainly overplayed
at this point. The animated look also lends a few issues to a three
dimensional version, like creating a huge, round hunk of hair and
weird hands.
From a more basic quality perspective, the surface on this one is pretty pock marked, more so than usual. Mine also has a serious nose problem, with one side smashed upward. It clearly happened after casting but before painting, and manufacturing issues like this are a disappointment.
And while I love the overall pose, I'm not digging the super obvious steel post. She's not heavy, so I'm not sure why they didn't go with a clear plexiglass rod.
She stands about 8" tall including the base. Her jumping pose adds the height, and she's actually scaled pretty well to fit in with the general size of the line up.
Paint - **1/2
The paint work is a bit sloppy this time, and there's not much
excuse for it.
The eyes aren't quite tracking together, and there's slop along almost every edge, from the belt to the teeth and lips to the gloves to the boots. Where there's not slop, there's a wavy line, and this release is a drop in quality in this category from the last couple I've reviewed.
Value - ***
I have to give them props for keeping these statues in the $70 and
less range. That's no easy feat, and while I have my nits with this
particular release, I'm still very happy overall with the value.
Things to Watch Out For -
Not much. The post is designed to fit in the base one way only, so
pay some attention to the same of the end.
Overall - **1/2
I appreciate the price point on these statues. And I love the
on-going nature. It's a series that is so much better when you have
a bunch than when you just have one or two. I'm pretty much a
completist, something I don't do with a lot of lines these days.
But the paint work was sloppy this time around, and there were a couple sculpting issues (including her smashed nose) that hurt my appreciation this time around.
Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - **1/2
Paint - **1/2
Value - ***
Overall - **1/2
Where to Buy
Online options include these site sponsors:
- Entertainment Earth is also at $70.
- or you can search ebay for a deal.
Related Links -
The most recent release was the Sean
Murphy Batman. 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.
Discussion:
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This product was purchased for the review by the reviewer. Photos and
text by Michael Crawford.