Review of Clayface - BTAS mini-bust

Introduction

I remain a faithful buyer of all things Batman: The Animated Series. It remains one of my all time favorite Batman renditions (and I remember the fanboy whining about the style when it first aired), and it's going to take a mighty great show to top it.

Diamond Select has been producing a nice, budget priced set of mini-busts based on the characters, and the latest release is Clayface. One of my favorite villain designs from the show (and the show had a ton of great villain designs), this was an easy must have for me. It's a limited edition of 3000, and will run you around $50 depending on the retailer.

Packaging - ***
Nothing too surprising here. The box has shots of the bust, and it includes the edition size and number on the bottom. The foam eggshell trays inside are a little soft, but won't fall apart in your hands, and it's all collector friendly of course. There's a Certificate of Authenticity too, and the edition size and number are printed in a third critical location, on the bottom of the bust itself.

Sculpting - ****
The sculpt was done by Varner Studios, always a top notch group. They've captured not just the look of the character, but the emotion and attitude to go with it. There's no sharp edges - he's flowing, transforming clay after all - and one section rolls into another with fluidity. The effects of gravity are apparent, and the altered right hand was a favorite weapon.

I will say that there's something a little weird about the folds where the arms and torso meet...but it's not a major problem for me, and part of it is more of a paint issue.

He's fairly big, coming in at 6 1/2" tall overall. The Gotham city base design looks great too, and it provides a very stable support.

Paint - **1/2
As I mentioned earlier, these busts are budget minded. The price point is really quite impressive on today's market, but reality can't be ignored. To hit a lower price point, something has to give, and it's usually a unit cost item like paint.

That's not to say the paint work is terrible - it's not. But it is the one area where you'll notice the affect of the lower price. The teeth are a bit sloppy, the eyes could be better, and there's some thick areas of paint, particularly around the folds of the neck and arms. This is the trade off for a ridiculously low price, and it's one I'm happy to make.

I suspect there will be some debate about the actual color. It's lighter than you see on the COA, closer to the color on the box. Of course, clay comes in lots of shades, and based on what's in my yard, I'm good with the lighter color. Your mileage may vary.

Value - ****
And here is where these busts really shine. Not everyone can afford $100 or more for every collectible, and when you're dealing with mini-busts, having a bunch creates a much more interesting display than one or two. A $50 price point on this guy is crazy cheap compared to other collectibles on the market right now, and it's a price point they've been able to maintain even with a character this large. This is solid resin, and the weight and feel is impressive.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing.

Overall - ***1/2
While the paint might not be at the level of a statue or bust costing two or three times as much, you shouldn't expect it to be. It's the one area where they can shave some cost and still produce a great looking collectible for the shelf. And it is great looking - the series has gotten better as it's gone along, and the last few villains have been really outstanding. If you're a big fan of the old show, I recommend checking these out while they are still easily available.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth is also at $50.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I've looked at a few of these animated busts, including Mr. Freeze, Man-Bat, and Harley Quinn.

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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