Review of the Batman Who Laughs - Capullo
Batman Black and White Statue

Introduction

When you have a series of statues that lasts years, and covers dozens of releases, eventually you get some unusual selections.  Tonight I'm checking out another unique addition to the Batman Black and White line up.

The Batman Who Laughs is one of the darkest, most brutal of all Batman Elseworld style stories. The Dark Multiverse portrayed various versions of Batman, and in this one the Joker manages to infuse Batman with a toxin that slowly turns him into a warped version of them both.  I won't ruin the story for you, but suffice to say that it's some of the grimmest stuff you'll read.

The Batman's transformed look is quite unique and unusual, and it's captured here by Greg Capullo. It's now shipping, will run you around $70, and is a limited edition of 5000.

Packaging - ***
The box remains the same.  The interior hard foam eggshell trays keep the two pieces safe and sound. Assembly is easy, but remember the metal peg on the foot is much harder than the base and can damage it if you force it or twist it.

While this is a limited edition, there's no Certificate of Authenticity.  The number and edition size is only included on the bottom of the base itself.

Sculpting - ****
I love the dynamic pose, with the whipping chain and maniacal grin. If you think this guy looks evil, you'd be understating it. There are plenty of details, and various textures on the costume to give him some visual flair.  He's reaching out with one hand while bringing his chain around with the other, and the base has a unique feature - the torn, damaged cape.  I believe this is the first statue in the very long line with sculpted extras on the base itself.

He stands about 7 1/2 inches tall including the base, fitting in nicely with the rest of the series.

Paint - **
I love the sculpt and design, but man, this is one sloppy paint job.  They used some interesting highlighting on the ears and spikes, but it's a mess, and the teeth lack any real definition. The edges are uneven just about everywhere, and the gray buckles and stripes on the costume are terrible. The only saving grace with the overall paint work is the dirt splattered on the bottom edge of the coat.

Value - ***
They are keeping these statues at $70, which is becoming more and more of a steal.  But I'd be happy to pay another $5 or $10 to get a better paint application.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing

Overall - ***
I really do love this design, and the sculpting is great.  He's an excellent addition, and I'll welcome any more of the Dark Nights Metal versions they'd like to produce.

But the paint work is pretty atrocious this time around, pulling down what otherwise would have been a terrific score.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth comes in at $70 too.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other recent Black and White statues include Gerard Way, 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:
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