Review of 1966 TV Batman, Robin, Batmobile
Action Figures

Introduction

The 1966 Batman television show continues to inspire a wide variety of collectibles from a number of different companies. The latest to join the fray is Funko, a company that produces something (mostly their Pop! vinyl figures) for every property known to humankind. And that's not hyperbole. It should be no surprise that they included the older Batman, but it was a surprise to see them add the license to their 4" action figure style. Originally branded under the 'ReAction' logo, the smaller action figure series has been narrower in its focus, if only slightly.

I also hesitate to call these ReAction figures, since that branding seems to be gone, at least from the packaging. Still, using the term can help those familiar with it to get a better idea of scale, quality, and articulation.

The first release under this license includes Batman, Robin, and the Batmobile. I believe they have 5 other figures announced as single packs so far - Batgirl, King Tut, Bookworm, Mr. Freeze, and Catwoman. They also have Batman offered as a single pack, but I suspect this Batmobile set is the only way to get Robin, at least for now.

The set will run you around $40 - $50, depending on the retailer, and has just started to ship.

Packaging - **1/2
The box is attractive, using graphics that we've seen associated with the property. It shows off the contents well, thanks to the large front window, and it's sturdy and well made. It's not particularly collector friendly however, and you'll have to fight through a couple serious twist ties to free the Batmobile, and cut the tape holding the plastic tray of figures together. You don't have to actually damage anything though, and you could technically put it all back together again as it was with some effort, making it borderline in the collector friendly department.

Sculpting - Batman, Robin ***; Batmobile ***1/2
Remember, these are tiny figures. Batman stands about 4" tall, and Robin is just over 3 1/2". You aren't going to get a ton of detail at this scale, but we have seen some amazing work in the past from various companies.

These are pretty much what you'd expect. They're better than some of the early ReAction stuff, which barely resembled anything, and I'm actually quite pleased by the face sculpt on Batman. Robin is a bit more generic, and some weird paint on the eyes causes the underlying sculpt to look almost alien, but overall the work is pretty average for the style. There's not a ton of detail on the costumes, but there's a bit on the belts, and the proper wrinkles are present on the boots and outside undies.

The capes are made from a very soft, rubbery material, and hang nicely. The neck loop is very thin at the front though, so take some care with it.

The Batmobile is the winner here, with a terrific sculpt for the scale and price. There's not as much detail as you'll find in vehicles that cost 3 or 4 times as much, but it does have interior items like the phone and fire extinguisher. There's some texturing on the interior as well, but it's the super smooth, clean, sharp looking exterior that really wins you over. The clear windows look great, and overall the proportions seem about right.

Sadly, the figures don't fit very well in the seats.  It's not an articulation issue - the leg and arm articulation on both figures is good enough to allow them to recline comfortably inside. But the capes are all kinds of annoying, and there's really no good way to get them situated.  Robin's cape is a little shorter than Batman's, as you'd expect, and that's actually worse. With Batman, you can have him sit on the cape and push it down, at least a little.  But Robin's cape is too short to fit under his butt, but is long enough to push him upward in the seat. Arrgh.

The capes are removable, and that might be the best compromise. Pop off the heads and the capes will slip right off. I'm not sure I'm digging the look of the characters in the car without their capes, but you really couldn't see them that well when they were in the Batmobile on the show, either.  Of course, you're best option would be to buy another Batman and Robin and cut the capes off about mid-back. Unfortunately, I don't think they've offered Robin on a single card yet.

And before you ask, no, this Batmobile can not be used with any 1/12th scale figure.  It is most definitely 1/18th. I've included a photo at the end with the Mattel Batman to give you a better idea of the size of the car.

Paint - Robin **1/2; Batman ***; Batmobile ***1/2
Paint quality overall is pretty much in line with cost, with a couple exceptions, good and bad.

The work on both Batman and Robin's costumes is a little sloppy, with minor glitches around the cut lines and color transitions. There's nothing out of the ordinary though, considering the price point. Batman's face work is reasonable, and he garners a solid B.  Robin's face is a more of an issue, and one of the exceptions is with his wonky eyes. They are painted widely apart, giving him an almost alien appearance. He also has some clumpiness on his legs, not uncommon for the color but annoying nonetheless. 

On the opposite side is the Batmobile. Again, there's some wobbly edges, particularly around some of the silver pieces.  But it's not out of line considering the price, and there's some really amazing work on the high gloss black. It's extremely consistent and clean, and gives the plastic body a smooth, metallic appearance. While there's a few blips here and there, overall it gives a fantastic first impression.

Articulation - Batmobile **1/2; Batman, Robin ***
There's not much with the Batmobile, but the wheels do turn. No opening doors, hood, trunk, etc.

Both Batman and Robin have the improved style of articulation that some of the later ReAction figures sported, including a very good ball jointed neck, rotating hinge shoulders, pin elbows, T hips, and pin knees. Better hips and something for the ankles would go a long way to making these truly posable, but the arm articulation is decent and the neck is the highlight.

Accessories - Bupkis
Here's the thing - I'm not counting the vehicle or figures as accessories of each other, but independent items. And there's nothing else here to go with them, which means a big Bupkis in this category.

Fun Factor - ***1/2
While I doubt any kids will ever play with these, they are fun toys.  They remind me of the old Mego Comic Action Heroes, a line for kids in the late 70's.  I bet we see some ambitious fans build 1/18th scale Batcaves to go along with these, particularly if we get more than just the five villains.

Value - ***
The set of three runs $40 - $50, while the single figures are $10 each. That puts the Batmobile between $20 and $30, and if you snag it on the low end, you're getting a really solid value. The vehicle is easily worth this, and the figures are in that general ball park of standard 4" figure pricing.

Things to Watch Out For -
As I mentioned, the front edge of the cape loop that wraps around the neck is fairly thin. I could see accidentally tearing it if you don't take a little care. Other than that, you should be good to go.

Overall - Batman, Robin ***; Batmobile ***1/2
I'm not a huge fan of the ReAction style, but for certain licenses, it works. Perhaps the best example is the terrific Dark Crystal figures that Funko produced.  These Batman figures also seem a decent fit for the overall style and design.

The Batmobile is the real winner, however. It's a terrific looking rendition, even if it is a tad basic when it comes to the interior details. It's more toy than collectible, although it's only collectors that are buying it. Still, for those of us that love toys because they're toys, it's a perfect fit.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - Batman, Robin ***; Batmobile ***1/2
Paint - Robin **1/2; Batman ***; Batmobile ***1/2
Articulation - Batmobile **1/2; Batman, Robin ***
Accessories - Bupkis
Fun Factor - ***1/2
Value - ***
Overall - Batman, Robin ***; Batmobile ***1/2

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has it for $50, with single figures going for $10 - $11.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
The old show has had a lot of recent product, and I've covered quite a bit. Diamond Select is doing a series of busts - the most recent I reviewed was the Mad Hatter. Tweeterhead is doing a terrific series of statues, and the most recent was Egghead. DST is also doing statues, and you can see Batman here. NECA did a great 6" scale Batman from the show. And of course, Mattel did their series of figures (including a Batmobile), and you can check out the Batman with Batcomputer play set here.

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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