Review of the Joker - Batman the Animated Series
Sixth Scale Action Figure

Introduction

I'm calling this a sixth scale action figure...you might not agree. That's because Mondo's work on lines like BTAS and MOTU are really true action figures, just 12" tall. Most people these days think a figure requires clothes to be a 'sixth scale action figure', but I don't. I grew up playing with the Marx Best of the West, solid plastic figures that were 12" tall, and definitely sixth scale.

So for me, these large, plastic figures are definitely sixth scale action figures. And Mondo continues to crush it with their releases of them. The latest in the BTAS series is the Joker, a figure I've been waiting for with great anticipation. This is the exclusive version which includes additional accessories, and was only available during SDCC. These just started shipping, with the regular release costing $225 and this exclusive running $235. This exclusive was also an limited edition of 1000.

Packaging - ***1/2
The box is extremely attractive, with a great shot of the clown prince on the front, and decent text and graphics elsewhere. It's sturdy, so you won't have too much trouble with wear or tear either in shipping or in storage, and the entire thing is collector friendly, with no damage necessary in freeing the figure or the accessories.

Sculpting - ****
The regular release includes a whopping four head sculpts - the standard smiling face, the 'smug' portrait, the sad portrait (which looks more scared to me), and the laughing portrait. This exclusive adds two - yes two! - more. There's the portrait wearing the Joker hat, similar to the cover art, and the "Be a Clown" portrait, from the episode of the same name.

All those heads give you a million options on the shelf. While I have a few issues with the paint - more on that in a minute - the sculpts are terrific, capturing the many moods of the Joker. Scale is good, and the sharp edges present in the animation style are reflected in the sculpt.

Those angular designs are also present in the body sculpt, a tricky design that they pulled off perfectly. The sculpted limbs and torso look just like the on screen version, and we've talked before about how hard it can be to translate a 2D animated design into a 3D figure. They've risen to the task, as they have regularly with the various animated figures they've produced.

He stands just about 12" tall, and I included a shot with him and the new Batman at the end of the review for comparison.

Paint - **1/2
My one disappointment is the paint work. We've seen the paint operations have issues before with Mondo figures, but they've also improved over time. Here, some of those issues are cropping back up again.

The edges are messy at times, and the eyes on several of the heads are wonky. I don't mind going with side eye for one, and a unique gaze for another, but the eyes still have to line up properly for the direction. It's really just two of the six heads that bug me, but one of them is the hatted portrait, which was one I was really looking forward to using.

Other edges are hit or miss, like the shading along the jacket, and the yellow of the shirt has some blips that look like dirt. There's even a weird discoloration on the top of the tie, and these issues add up for me.

Articulation - ***1/2
I've picked up a number of Mondo's figures, so the quality of the sculpts and accessories wasn't any surprise. But considering the design of this figure, with the sculpted suit and chunky limbs, I figured it would be pretty tough to pose.

I was completely wrong. Unlike Batman and Catwoman, he stands fantastic on his own, and you can use the joints to create some pretty dynamic looks. The ball jointed neck allows for lots of tilt and lean, adding great personalization to the pose, and the shoulders, elbows, and wrists can manage most standard arm poses. I was pretty shocked by the shoulders in particular, since the sculpt keeps the squared, sharp look of the comic, yet there's enough clearance to get good mobility.

The torso has a rolling joint, which turns, tilts, leans, and gives you a way to break up the straight lines a bit. It's still a little restricted by the coat, but not as much as I expected. The hips, knees, and ankles are particularly well done, and the edges of the pelvis around the hip joints are a softer material, reducing the chance of paint rubs or damage. The ankles can give you some rocker movement, using ball joints, and that means you can get the feet flat on the ground in short to medium stances.

Also important with this figure, the hands and heads swap easily, but stay in place in while posing and working with the figure.

One issue some folks might have is the gaping at the hips. In certain poses there will be some space, while in others there won't. I don't have an issue with it - remember, this is a big action figure - but some might find it visually distracting.

Accessories - ****
With five extra heads to go with the one he comes wearing, you knew what the score here would be. We already talked about the heads, but it's worth noting that their inclusion here puts this score through the roof.

Even the regular release has three extra heads, and I'd go with a full four stars for that one as well. There's twelve different hands in total, with various grips and poses, and even one wearing a hand buzzer.

There's more than just heads and hands though. There's a pair of Smiling Fish, a Joker Bomb, a Joker dynamite stack, a set of Joker cards, and an ice pick. These can be held by the various hands pretty well.

The exclusive includes one more extra, the single Joker dynamite stick.

Outfit - N/A
Just wanted to re-itereate - there's no soft goods here. Besides, I had another photo I wanted to include.

Fun Factor - ****
Even with the paint issues, I'm really loving this guy. He's far more posable than I expected, and the accessories - especially the heads and hands - really up the number of ways you can display him, and you'll be returning to this figure regularly to change things up.

Value - **
At #235, he's a bit more expensive than usual. That's due to the low production run and exclusivity, and there are two more heads and an additional unique accessory. What is interesting is the regular is $225, which means you're only paying ten bucks for those three exceptional extras, making the choice between the regular and exclusive easy.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing. Everything is well made, and I had no worries about breakage or damage when I was swapping heads, hands, or using the accessories.

Overall - ***1/2
I really, really wanted this to be a four star figure. I've been looking forward to it for a long time, and I'm very, very happy that I was able to get the exclusive. But the paint issues were just too much for me to go the full score. It was close, but I had to drop it a half star overall.

But it was just the paint issues for me. I'm really happy with every other aspect, and I suspect these paint problems will be hit or miss from figure to figure. I also am hopeful we'll see Mondo do more, and a Harley seems like a no brainer. Considering how quickly the exclusive sold out, I'm hoping there's enough demand to keep things going.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***1/2
Sculpting - ****
Paint - **1/2
Articulation - ***1/2
Accessories - ****
Outfit - N/A
Fun Factor - ****
Value - **
Overall - ***1/2

Where to Buy 
The exclusive was only available at SDCC, but the regular is still available at the Mondo store. Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has the regular for $225 with free shipping.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other Mondo BTAS figures include the new Batman, the first Batman, Catwoman, and Mr. Freeze.

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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