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Introduction
The old animated Batman television shows are all the rage these days, getting plenty of love from various companies. I'm all for it, and Diamond
Select is hitting the license from multiple angles, including their Gallery series of low costs statues. The latest release is Batgirl (battling
Clayface!), and she just started shipping. Expect to pay around $40, depending on the retailer.
Packaging - ***
Nothing to get excited about, but it does have nice, big windows in the front and on the sides, showing off the statue inside quite well. It's
collector friendly, easy to work with, and keeps the contents safe and sound. While it might not be earth shattering in its innovation, it does the
job it needs to.
Sculpting - ****
This is a lower cost statue, much lower cost. DST is working to get these collectibles to every collector that might want something from their
favorite animated episode. With that lower cost, you're expectations are usually lower - as they should be. But this statue has a fantastic,
dynamic, fun sculpt, something many much higher cost alternatives are unable to achieve.,
This statue - standing about 11" high in total - shows Batgirl gleefully putting the hurt on Clayface. From the pose of her arms to the flowing cape to the pained expression on Clayface, this one is a winner.
As she flies down upon his shoulder, her foot becomes embedded in the squishy flesh of the big guy, splashing up clay as it sinks. She's smiling, ready to deliver another blow with her left fist. Her cape flows out behind, while Clayface's left hand flails hopelessly to one side. I'm digging the look, and it is a terrific representation of the character from the show.
This is a hollow, plastic statue. Don't expect polyresin or solid PVC - at this price, it's not going to happen. But if you can look past the light feel, you'll be very happy.
Paint - **1/2
At $40, something had to give of course. In hand and at first glance, I was pretty happy with the paint application, certainly more so than I have
been with some of the other low cost statues and busts. But alas, on closer examination, some of the issues made themselves clear.
Most of the lines and edges are good, including the tricky yellow belt, boots, and gloves. Batgirl's eyes are even and clean, but she has some weird bumps around her nose and lips, like dirt got into the paint, or perhaps something touch it before it was dry. She also has a small paint drip on the right side of her forehead, and even a trace of blue on her lower lip, where it looks like an errant paint brush touched her.
Clayface looks good on the macro level too, but the white around the teeth is a bit wild, and there are a few of the errant paint marks in the wide expanse of brown.
Overall, there's several edges that could be cleaner, especially on her costume, but considering the price point, the application quality was not surprising...or particularly disappointing.
Value - ****
Forty bucks for a large statue? Hey, I know they cut costs with the material, and I know they cut costs with the paint applications...but damn, it's
still and awfully good looking statue for this price.
Things to Watch Out For -
Not much. If you're buying off the shelf, the big windows in the box will give you the chance to inspect the paint work first, but if you're like me
and bought her online, luck is your only ally.
Overall - ***1/2
I wish the paint work were perfect...but then this wouldn't be a $40 statue. I really like that there's options this good for people that can't
afford to drop $120 for a statue, but still love the old animated shows.
There's also a very particular reason to love this specific release - the dynamic design is fantastic. I love the pose, and it's a much better design than 80% of the higher priced collectibles on the market. I may not pick up every Gallery release, but when they look this cool, I can't help myself.
Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ****
Paint - **1/2
Value - ****
Overall - ***1/2
Where to Buy
Online options include these site sponsors:
- Entertainment Earth also has her for $40.
Related Links -
Other animated Batman characters in the Gallery statue line that I've checked out include the Joker.
The Femme Fatale ladies can go with these as well, including Hawkgirl, Batgirl, Harley, Wonder Woman, 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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This product was purchased for the review by the reviewer. Photos and text by Michael Crawford.