Review of Batman - Batman V Superman
One:12 Collective Action Figure

Introduction

Batman V Superman is a bit of a paradox when it comes to movie fans who are also collectors. A lot of fans were disappointed in the movie itself (although like some other notable superhero movies, the extended cut is much better than the theatrical release), but many of those same fans love the collectibles being released based on the Batman and Superman designs from the film. Just look to the response to the Hot Toys Superman and Batman figures for evidence.

But high end sixth scale action figures and large statues require two things - lots of disposable income and lots of space. Not every collector has both. There's another option though from Mezco - their One:12 Collective.  These figures are designed to have high end quality, style, and looks, while coming in at much lower costs. And at 1/12 scale, they can be part of cool dioramas and work with vehicles, all the while taking up less space.

Mezco is covering a lot of lines with the series as well, including the Batman V Superman movie license. They've released an Armored Batman already, and their Superman is right around the corner.  While we haven't seen any announcement of a Wonder Woman yet, one can only hope.

This guy will run you around $75 at most retailers, and is currently shipping.

Packaging - ***1/2
I skipped the packaged photo this time, only because you've seen these a number of times now and I wanted to get in another photo of the figure itself. The square package mirrors what we saw with the Armored Batman, with a clear plastic slip cover with printed graphics, giving it a three dimensional effect. The box itself contains two plastic trays, one for the figure and accessories, and the lower tray for the complex display stand.  It's fairly collector friendly, but I'm not quite sold on the sticky clear tape they use to hold the smaller accessories in place.

Sculpting - ***1/2
There are two head sculpts here, giving you some nice display options.  Please remember, this figure is only 1/12th scale, and Batfleck comes in at about 6 3/8" including the ears. That's tiny, and the sculpt work is all the more impressive in this scale.

The detailing is excellent, from the work on the skin and cowl around the eyes to the Affleck match with the lower face and chin. While the head and neck are are separate pieces, the seam is a non-issue thanks to the design. The heads swap easily as well, making it more likely you'll change them up with some frequency.

The other sculpted areas - the belt, hands, boots, cuffs - all have sculpted minutiae that gives the overall look a realism often lacking in this scale. The hands are designed to work with the various accessories, and there's one set that has the batarangs already sculpted in place. I used that set in the LifeSizer photo.

I have one nit that holds him back from a perfect score. The lower face is slightly squished to the left on the standard portrait. In other words, the nose and chin don't line up.  I'm not sure if it was a mold release issue, or just a weird one off situation for me, but even in hand you notice it.

Paint - ****
While I love the sculpt, the paint is even more impressive.  At this scale, it's difficult to get perfect production paint operations, and yet they seem to be pulling it off.

The eyes are clean and straight, and the lips are just dark enough to set them apart without making them look like he's wearing lipstick. The second portrait is showing his teeth, and they aren't just white and clean - you can make out individual teeth! There's some nice weathering on the various brass colored areas, like the belt and boot tips,

Articulation - ***1/2
The underlying body works well, particularly in the neck and shoulders.  I expected more restriction due to the suit and cowl, but you can get a pretty wide range of movement in the upper body.

The legs are a little more restricted by the tight suit, but you can get some deep stances, and the knees and hips work well together. The ankles could use a little more rocker movement, but it's a minor quibble with an otherwise solid design for their base body.

It's also worth noting here that both the hands and head swap cleanly, with no worries about breakage or damage.

Accessories - ****
There's a ton of goodies here, all very interesting and useful.

As I mentioned earlier, there's the second portrait with the open mouth.  It looks great, swapping is easy, and it comes in handy with some specific poses.

There's plenty of hands as well, with four full sets including the fists he comes wearing. There's also the set holding the batarangs, a set of tight grips, and a set of looser grips. These sculpts are designed to work with the various other extras.

There are three extra batarangs, and he can hold these as well.  I'm glad, since I'm not a huge fan of the pose they used with the permanently sculpted set.

The grappling gun looks fantastic, with a tremendous amount of detail in both the sculpt and paint. There are three tips for it included: one is a 'folded' hook; one is an extended hook; and the third is an extended hook with a 'rope' attached. One end of this rope attaches to the gun, and you can hook the other end on whatever you'd like for the perfect swinging set up.

That's possible because of the very cool display base they also provide.  I didn't use it in this shoot, but I have used it before with their first DKR Batman. I included a photo of the stand itself then for reference. The stand includes the clear base and clear rods, as well as a large black wire arrangement that allows you to stretch out the cape in various poses.

There's also the long, cylindrical grenade, and the 'bat brand', which he can hold in one of the specific hands.  That's a lot of extras, making the price point a bit easier to take.

Outfit - ***1/2
Creating high quality outfits at just 6" tall is no easy feat, and Mezco is overcoming some unique hurdles.

This outfit includes the thin, leather-like cape, which is cut long but hangs beautifully. You can bring it forward over the shoulders, or fold it under and flip it back. It can be adjusted under the neck of the cowl, and drapes neatly in just about any pose with a little effort.

The stretchy body suit has a heavy texture, with the sculpted rubber symbol attached to the chest.  It looks great, and while it can bag around the shoulders or crotch in some poses, it's not a lot different than what it would look like in reality on a full scale man.

My only real complaint is with the belt.  Scale and fit are great, but it has trouble riding low enough on the hips all the way around. It's not a big problem in front - you can adjust it to get it low enough across the stomach - but from the side, it's clear that it rides high in back. It doesn't fit down over the butt, and it's tight enough around the waist that it's difficult to bring it down further.

Fun Factor - ****
Thanks to the posability and excellent accessories, you'll have plenty of options when displaying this guy. Just using the display base will give you a ton of jumping and flying choices.  That means posing and re-posing is going to be a regular activity, and once Superman shows up, you'll have even more fun.

Value - **1/2
This guy is back down a bit from the recent $80 price point, around $75 at most retailers. Sure, I'd like a return to $70, but at least things are going in the right direction. With the number of accessories and the overall quality, I'm good at this price point.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing. It's all high quality, and with normal handling you should be fine.

Overall - ***1/2
I almost went the full four stars here - this really is that good of a figure. It was a handful of minor issues that held me back, including the slightly crooked face and the belt riding high in the back, but overall it's the high end figure it claims to be. I can't wait to get Superman, a figure whose quality will hinge almost entirely on the sculpt. If they can nail the Cavill likeness, I'll be a very happy camper. Now where's Wonder Woman!

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth continues the streak at $75.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other One:12 Collective figures I've covered include the Armored Batman, also from Batman V Superman.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published. And don't miss out on their Captain America, Frankenstein Monster, Star Trek Kirk, the Mirror, Mirror and Cage variants of Spock, Sulu, the Toy Fair exclusive Spock, and the regular release Spock as well. Other One:12 Collective figures released so far include Dredd and his Lawmaster, the NYCC exclusive Judge Dredd, the DKR Batman and Mutant two pack, the Batman exclusives, and the initial DKR Batman.

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!