Review of Batman vs Killer Croc Statue
DC Classic Confrontations

Introduction

There are many, many, many new goodies shown at San Diego Comic Con very year. In fact, as the years have passed by, the number of new goodies debuted at this show has grown exponentially, while the number at Toy Fair has dropped.

That doesn't mean they're all great, however, or even all that interesting. I already buy way too many action figures, busts and statues, so for one to really grab my attention and hold it requires something out of the ordinary.

One that snagged me last summer was the next in a series called DC Classic Confrontations. This large statue depicts Batman and his nemesis Killer Croc in deadly battle, with no clear winner quite yet. You know Bats will eventually win, but we're still caught in the middle of the contest at this moment in time.

They have produced 1500 of these, and they run around $225 or so, depending on the retailer.

Packaging - ***
The graphics and text are good, and the Styrofoam inserts are the thicker, more solid type. But there's not a lot of padding for the statue, and I do fear that it could get damaged with rough handling.

Another plus is the cool Certificate of Authenticity, always a nice touch.

Sculpting - ****
Ray Villafane, one of the most talented sculptors working for DC Direct, is the man behind this terrific looking statue. As Killer Croc crashes up through the Gotham streets, Batman is right there to leap into the fray.

This is an extremely dynamic pose, with chunks of concrete held a lot by an ingenious design. Bats has wrapped a rope around his snout using a batarang, and by using a wire they are able to hold the batarang mid-air, as though it's still flying through its deadly arc. there are other batarangs stuck in Crocs body, as well as cuts on Batman. This battle hasn't just started, but has been going on for some time, and both warriors have gotten their share of pain.

The detailing on Croc's tough skin is amazing, and the teeth, eyes, and tongue are very realistic. Batman's cape spreads behind him as he leaps onto Croc, and the overall effect is simply fantastic.

This is a large statue too, standing just under 17 inchs tall. The base includes not just the busted concrete and asphalt, but a Gotham sewer cover and several human bones.

Paint - ****
To compliment the amazing work of Villafane, Eddie Wires created the original paint scheme. Wires has been working in the industry for many, many years, but you may best know him for his work with Palisades on the old Muppets line.

The production translation of his concept is extremely good, with very clean lines and realistic shading. There's a ton of paint operations here, giving nuance and shadow to every finely sculpted line and detail.

Value - **
As much as I love this statue, I gotta admit that two hundred bucks is a tad tough to swallow. It's got some decent size to it, and I love the detailing, but $150 - $175 would have pulled an average value.

Things to Watch Out For -
Some of the smaller details are very delicate, especially the skeletal arm. Because the statue has some real heft to it, holding any of these small details when you lift the statue could result in many tears.

Overall - ***1/2
There's no doubt about it - this is a beautiful statue. I'm hoping we'll see this series continue, and Batman's Rogue's Gallery certainly has enough great characters to choose from. The potential is there - let's see if DC Direct can bring it out.

If you don't mind the $200+ price tag, you're going to love this guy. My only quibble, and the only thing holding it back from a perfect score, is that it seems just a tad high to me. If that's not the case for you, I'm betting it pulls a full score.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has it at $210.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I've reviewed so many Batman relates collectibles that I couldn't list them all here, but if you're a fan of Killer Croc, check out the 12" version (one of my favs), the small version as well, the The Batman version, and very crocodile version.

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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