Review of the Joker - Gerard Way
Batman Black and White statue

Introduction

I recently reviewed the new Batman in the Batman Black and White statue series based on the artwork of Gerard Way. Yes, the front man for My Chemical Romance. His Batman - along with his Joker design on which tonight's review is based - never actually made it into comic book form.  They were supposed to, but sometimes things get in the way. However, DC Collectibles have tapped into those designs for a couple statues in the series, and they are certainly unique.

Tonight I'm looking at the Joker, as envisioned by Way.  This statue is limited to 5000, and will run you around $70 depending on the retailer.

Packaging - ***
Nothing new or different here, but it keeps the two piece statue safe and sound, and is completely collector friendly. No Certificate of Authenticity is included, but the edition size and number are printed on the base itself.

Sculpting - ***1/2
Sculpted by the talented Jonathan Mathews, this statue captures the Way artwork beautifully. The sharp lines, jagged hair, and flowing coat look terrific, and the craggy face mimics the harsh lines of the artwork.

This isn't a traditional Joker. But then, what is?  There have been so many designs, so many styles, so many different approaches over the years. This is a fresh take, yet it remains true to the character in many ways.

My one nit - I don't love the way the gun is pointing back slightly, as if the person he is aiming at is slightly behind him. It's a personal thing, and I doubt you'll feel the same, but it was slightly jarring to my eye.

He stands about 7 tall with the base, fitting in nicely with the rest of the series.

Paint - ***1/2
One of the less consistent areas for this series, the paint work on this release is very clean and neat. Smaller details, like the fingernails or shirt stripes, are well defined, and the dirt and wear - of which there is a fair amount - isn't gratuitous or heavy. The face is particularly nice, with sharp eyes and gray highlighting that accentuates the comic book feel.

Value - ***1/2
Somehow they've managed to keep these statues at around $70, a pretty cheap price for something in this scale and quality range. It allows those of us who are completists to be so without taking out a second mortgage.

Things to Watch Out For -
The square post on his foot is made of metal, and being much harder than the polystone base, requires care when inserting.

Overall - ***1/2
For those that like their Batmen and Jokers on the more traditional side, this is probably not going to appeal. Some may be put off by the lack of an actual comic book with this artwork as well. But I love the design, and I think this Joker matches up beautifully with the earlier Gerard Way Batman.

I'm hoping we see them add a few more of his designs, increasing the diversity of villains on the shelf.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ***1/2
Paint - ***1/2
Value - ***1/2
Overall - ***1/2

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has him for $70, but only had one left when I checked!

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I just checked out the companion Batman for this Joker, and 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:
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