Review of the Joker - Batman The Animated Series statue

Introduction

It's a great time to be a fan of the DC Animated Universe, thanks to the efforts of Diamond Select Toys and DC Collectibles. The latter is producing a terrific series of action figures, like the recent Etrigan and Klarion I recently covered, and the former is doing all sorts of statues and busts based on the cartoons.

What's even better - the product DST is doing is low cost, much lower than many other collectibles currently on the market.  Their animated female statues, called 'Femme Fatales', have done quite well, and they are following that up with a Gallery series of statues that is including the men in the DCAU. Earlier in the year they released Batman (and did a black and white exclusive for SDCC), and now his arch enemy, the Joker, is hitting shelves.

But how low cost, you say?  The Joker will run you $45 tops, and you may be able to find him for less than $40.  That's for a 1/8th scale (approximately 9") statue!

Packaging - ***1/2
The package is nice and sturdy, with reasonable graphics. It's not particularly BTAS themed, but the interior backer card sports an appropriate Joker color.  The plastic snap trays are very collector friendly, and it's easy to remove the statue and replace it for storage or sale at a later date.

Sculpting - ****
This statue is a terrific example of getting the pose right.  The stance is dynamic without being ridiculous, it's emotive without being overboard, and it captures the personality and attitude of the subject perfectly.

He stands about 9 1/2 inches tall including the base, and he comes attached. This is all one piece, no assembly required. The proportions are generally good and match the on screen look, although I will say that the hat brim seems a smidge wide.  There's not a ton of detail, but that matches the animated style appropriately.

There's a mold line here or there, and some areas - like the flower - aren't quite as sharp as I'd like. But considering the price point, I think the overall sculpt and design are top notch.

Paint - ***
The paint isn't quite as good, and as we often see, it's where they are clearly saving some money. There's some sloppy edges, particularly around the lips, and there are even some gloppy areas and dirt specks on the suit and shirt. Colors and finishes are consistent, but the definition between them is generally poor.

My biggest issue is with the eyes, or more specifically, the pupils. He's looking off to his right slightly, and as is almost always the case, the two pupils don't quite line up with each other and the direction of the gaze. Their left/right placement isn't bad, but one is slightly higher than the other...it looks fine from certain angles, not so good from others.

Still, overall it's a general improvement over the last Femme Fatale I checked out, and a good sign that DST is trying to address the issue as best they can and maintain the lower price point.

Value - ****
You can snag these for as little as $35 - that's amazing.  They aren't as heavy as the Kotobukiya statues, but the sculpt quality is certainly there.  The paint has been an on-going issue, but appears to be improving with every release. These are certainly an excellent alternative to a collector on a budget, and make for a terrific display all together.

Things to Watch Out For -
You'll want to watch for any paint issues if you're buying him in person, but otherwise you should be good to go. Nothing to assemble, nothing to break!

Overall - ***1/2
While the paint work still has plenty of room for improvement, the sculpting and size on these statues, combined with a terrific price point, make them a very viable low cost alternative.  Combine this Joker with Harley or with Batman - or better yet, both - and you'll have an excellent BTAS display.

DST is getting some character depth with their animated busts, with villains like Scarecrow and Mad Hatter getting produced. I'm hopeful - very hopeful - that we'll see the same situation here. I'd kill to get a Killer Croc or Manbat in this series!

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth is also at $45.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
The Femme Fatales animated ladies go with these, and I've looked at Hawkgirl, Wonder Woman, Batgirl, and Harley and Supergirl.

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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