Please share with your friends!
Introduction
Batman Black and White statues are still cranking along, mining a seemingly endless supply of varying artists and styles. I'm a long time Batman fan, and it's still amazing to me how many variations on this theme there really are.
One of the latest releases is based on the work of Gerard Way. Perhaps best known as the front man for the band My Chemical Romance, Way has also worked in writing original comics. And I know what you're saying - but he's never worked on a Batman comic! Technically, this is true. But he did do a concept for a series called Batman: Kingdom of the Mad that he pitched to DC 10 years ago, and was slated to be released through Vertigo, but alas, it never happened. DC Collectibles turned the designs for the never published tale into two Black and White statues - Batman, and the Joker. I'm covering Bats tonight, and I'll look at the Joker soon as well.
This guy is shipping now, and will run you around $70. He's a limited edition of 5000.
Packaging - ***
Nothing super surprising here - the interior hard shell trays hold the statue and base safely, and the simple graphics show off the statue. It's all
collector friendly too, as you'd expect. There's no Certificate of Authenticity, and no numbering on the box, but there is an edition number and
size on the bottom of the base.
Sculpting - ****
This is a really unique statue. Of course, it's unique because it never actually made it into print form. But the design, with some "the Crow
meets Marilyn Manson" influences is truly unusual and eye catching on a shelf full of Batman statues.
He's much more svelte and thin than 90% of the usual designs. He has sculpted detailing in the costume and cape that is unheard of in this series. And the pose is more graceful, less combative than most. And I'm really digging it.
The tiny details on the cape, which match with the paint designs, really add a ton to this particular statue. There are other tiny items we don't normally see, like the lock on his collar, and this level of detail combined with the unusual design really make him unique. He's fairly tall too, coming in at 7 inches.
Paint - ***1/2
Most Black and White statues are pretty basic when it comes to paint detail. That is NOT the case with this release. Tons of detail is included on
the cape, both back and front, and the paint highlights the sculpt. Some of the work, particularly on the face and cowl, reminds me of the cool
'comic art' style we saw with the original Mike Mignola release. Some of
the paint is even designed to look like dirt and mud, particularly along the bottom half of the cape.
That doesn't mean it's all perfect. There is some slop, some rub marks, and some places where things are a little gloppy. But this is one of the coolest paint jobs we've seen on this line in a long, long time.
Value - ***1/2
Coming in at $70, he's an excellent value. While other companies have increased their prices on statues and busts over the last couple years, DC
Collectibles has maintained on this series, even dropping price slightly with certain releases.
Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing. The metal post on his foot is obviously harder than the base, so take some care inserting it, but otherwise you should be good to go.
Overall - ****
While there were some minor issues and nits with the paint, this is one of the most interesting, unique, and eye catching releases in this series in
a long time. There's no doubt people will ask you questions on this when they see it on your shelf, and he will stand out even with non-fans. Rumor
has it we may see more of the characters from the ill fated comic, and I'm all for it.
Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ***1/2
Value - ***1/2
Overall - ****
Where to Buy
Online options include these site sponsors:
- Entertainment Earth has him for $70.
- or you can search
ebay
for a deal.
Related Links -
Other recent Black and White statues include the Cloonan, the Spy vs Spy release, John Romita Jr's artwork, the Breyfogle, the Jason
Fabok version, and the Sprang Joker and Batman. There's lots before
that as well - you should also hit the Search Reviews page to find them and in
case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.
Discussion:
Want to chat about this review? Try out one of these terrific forums where I'll be discussing it!
Enjoyed this review? Be sure to head back to the main page to find thousands more just like it!
Please share with your friends!
This product was purchased for the review by the reviewer. Photos and text by Michael Crawford.
