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Packaging
- ***
Taking
a “substance over style” approach this time around, Enterbay went with
a simple but lightweight and elegant box, primarily designed to reduce
shipping costs while providing ample protection for the product. It’s
made of a type of Styrofoam that is a bit softer to the touch, crafted
to absorb blows and stand up to the rigors of overseas shipping. It has
an industrial design to it, sporting the Dark Knight logo and a jet
black color scheme. On the inside, the figure itself and the four (yes,
four!) heads are protected in form fitting black foam in the upper
tray, while the accessories reside in the lower tray covered by a clear
plastic cover which sits on top of the base, housed in the bottom of
the box. It’s a collector friendly box with nary a twist tie in sight,
and all the gadgets fit nicely in the vacuum-formed tray, protected by
a single sheet of clear plastic. It’s not fancy, and not really
designed for display, but it does the job and does it well.
Sculpting - ****+
Credited
as the main sculptor on the project is Scuderia and he’s done a
magnificent job. The three different face plates for the figure really
capture various expressions of Christian Bale, and the likeness is
unmistakable. Of particular note is the open-mouthed face plate, which
is almost scary in its’ lifelike appearance. The other options are a
neutral and an angry mouthpiece, and both are outstanding in their own
right. There are also three versions of the Batman cowl, one looking
straight ahead and the other two looking left and right.
Combined
with the three swappable face plates, this gives you nine different
display options to play with. I find this approach preferable to the
competitors “moveable eyes” scheme as it can sometimes be unconvincing
in appearance and result in unattractive hatches and seams to access
the eye control joystick. All three cowls are well proportioned and
perfectly scaled reproductions of the “Begins” cowl. One of Enterbay’s
strengths over the years has been their head sculpts, and with this
effort they have produced the finest mass produced Nolan-based Batman
cowl yet. There is also an unmasked Bruce Wayne/Christian Bale head as
well, and while the likeness is quite good at certain angles, it’s not
quite as convincing as the cowl/ face plate combinations. It’s there if
you want it, but because the cowls are so well done, the Bruce Wayne
head will reside in the box for most collectors display purposes.
Paint
- ****+
Paint apps
are another strength of Enterbay, and here they do not disappoint.
There’s not a whole lot of paint work overall but what is there is
outstanding. The flesh tones of the face plates are as real looking as
it gets. If you hold one of them in your hand you can see how well it
replicates natural flesh tones. They feature just a hint of a 5 o’clock
shadow and the cheeks have a bit of a rosy red hue to them at the edge
of the cowl, suggesting the tight fit of the mask. The eyes are subtle
and detailed with a glossy finish that compliments the overall
craftsmanship, and the makeup around the eyes is made to look like a
continuation of the cowl. There’s not a lot of other paint work to
speak of beyond some of the black lines on some of the utility belt
contraptions, but they are clean and free of slop for the most part.
This adds up to a very lifelike appearance at this scale. For those of
you who like to take pictures of your figures, you’ll appreciate the
photogenic quality of this piece.
Articulation
- ***
It’s hard to tell exactly
what is going on with the body under
the suit, but it feels very much like the model used for the T-800. The
body itself is very sturdy with a lot of weight to it and stands well
without the need of additional support. The neck joint has free range
of motion and has a “barbell” peg that the cowls connect to. Most of
the joints seem to be the “click/ratchet” style, which tends to hold
poses very well given its size. The biceps have a swivel joint, the
shoulders can move up, down, forward and back….but they don’t have the
“shrug” joint that most of the popular sixth scale bodies do these
days. The waist is articulated as well as it moves front to back, side
to side and will twist a bit as well. I suspect it has ball jointed
hips, double jointed knees and rotating peg ankles too. Given all these
points of movement you might wonder why I only give the articulation
three stars. This is because of the nature of the suit; it does
restrict the ability to do anything beyond some simple poses. You just
don’t want to stretch the legs or arms too much for fear of tearing the
suit. Fortunately, this Batman is an imposing figure just standing in a
basic museum style pose or holding a couple of his weapons, and most
collectors will find that to be very satisfying by itself. Couple that
with the different combinations of cowls and face plates and you can
get easily a lot of character out of the figure for your display.
Accessories
- ***
Enterbay
did an admirable job in giving us a nice selection of the Dark Knight’s
arsenal as options for display, so here is the complete list of
accessories included:
8 interchangeable hands with gloves
2 foldable Batarangs
3 small Batarangs
Batarang belt clip
6 grenades
4 Utility belt pouches and 3 capsules
Batman cell phone
Mangler
Sonic Heel attachment
Grapple gun and holder
Figure stand with The Dark Knight logo and nameplate
There
is a nice variety in the types of hands Enterbay provided, with a pair
of fists, a pair of relaxed hands, and two pairs of hands designed to
hold various weapons. All are cast in gold and/or black colored plastic
and are scaled correctly to the figure. The grapple gun is the standout
here; the detailing is superb and has a sliding mechanism on the top.
It has a holder which hangs from the side or the back of the belt. The
grapple gun looks great whether it’s mounted on the belt or held in his
hands. Also noteworthy are the different sized pouches and capsules
designed to attach to the Utility belt; Enterbay mixed it up enough to
give you plenty of display options. All of them attach to the belt with
the use of small, round magnets (the same type used for the cape clip
scheme) but they don’t stick to the belt with a strong enough grip and
have a tendency to fall off somewhat easily if you handle the figure.
Some of the magnets also fell off the pouches as well, and while a
small drop off super glue will cure that problem, it’s also emblematic
of some of Enterbay’s factory quality control issues that happen from
time to time. Large and small Batarangs are included and enhance the
posing possibilities of the figure. There also Batman’s cell phone and
the pneumonic Mangler for you to use if you wish. A nice touch is the
sonic heel device Batman used to summon the horde of bats in the first
movie, and there’s even a space for you to attach it to the heel of the
boot if you wish. Lastly, there is the base/stand for the figure…it’s a
simple square plastic base with a brushed aluminum plate on top, the
Dark Knight logo etched on it and a Batman name plate on the front.
There is also a round hole to insert the leg holder if you choose to
use it (I personally don’t like using stands as it detracts from the
presentation). In summary, the accessories set isn’t as impressive as
say, the one included for the T-800, but that is because of the nature
of the devices Batman uses in the movies as opposed to any issues or
exclusions by Enterbay.
Outfit
- ****
Previous
attempts by other companies resulted in a Batman Begins style suit that
was less than satisfying. The rubber felt somewhat cheap, tacky to the
touch, delicate and unforgiving. Some reports had the suit drying out
or tearing, and others stated that paint apps were flaking off.
Collectors who posed their figures in dynamic poses found that
permanent creases had developed at the joints. I’m happy to report that
Enterbay has used a higher quality of rubber material for the suit.
It’s much slicker to the touch, yet tougher and seemingly more durable.
I liken it to rubber I’ve seen used as covers for smart phones and
other handheld electronic devices. There is no paint involved with the
suit; it’s got a very flat black, matted appearance to it. It’s a two
piece suit as well; the shirt fits down around the crotch over the
separate pants. There is also some padding in the chest area to fill
out the suit for a more muscular look. The gauntlets fit nicely over
the forearms if positioned correctly (with the fins lined up at the
elbow) but they do have some burrs on them from the molds on the seam
lines. They should have a glossier finish to them for proper screen
accuracy but they are a little too matte. The fins are quite soft and
pliable compared to what we’ve seem in the past also; this reduces the
chances of them breaking off, but does increase the possibility of
warping. The boots are solid and well proportioned relative to the size
of the figure and keep the ankles nice and sturdy. The lines in the
suit are detailed, clean, sharp & extremely screen accurate…no
complaints here. It’s a marvel to sit back and admire. The belt has a
metallic look to it and the accessories use magnets to attach to it.
However, it does sit slightly high on the waist out of the box, but if
you open it at the connector in the back and spread it out a bit you
can get it to sit below the forth ab plate for a better presentation.
The cape is made of a smooth, satin-type material and is reminiscent of
an expensive polishing cloth…it drapes nicely over the shoulders but in
my opinion is not quite dark enough to be entirely screen accurate. I
have heard one report that the latest production runs have capes that
are darker in color. The cape itself attaches to the suit with a series
of magnets in the suit and on the cape clips, but for my tastes, the
magnets in the suit are not in the optimal position for screen
accuracy. Fortunately, it’s a relatively simple process to move them a
little for the best cape position. The clips are also a bit too big for
this scale and not quite detailed enough. Another issue worth noting is
the difference in finish between the suit and cowl; they should be
virtually identical for screen accuracy, but given the different
materials used for each, the cowl has a bit of a shinier look to it
relative to the suit. Also, some owners have reported some cowls are
shinier than others, even in the same set. Hopefully Enterbay sorts
this out in future production runs. Looking at the figure in totality
however, Enterbay has done an excellent job in recreating the Begins
suit at this scale given the price point of the piece. It’s easily the
best version of the Batman Begins suit on the market today.
Value
- ***1/2
Value
is a subjective term in the collection world, and even more debatable
in today’s economy. I paid $360 direct from Enterbay plus $60 for
Priority International shipping. Consider the size of the figure and
the associated quality of the packaging, sculpt, suit, and accessories,
and then compare it to the prices currently established for similar
products in the 1/4 scale market these days. For about the same price
or less you’re getting a better paint job, better outfit, a lot more
accessories and the ability to pose the figure as well. In the realm of
pop culture collectibles you’re getting a very good bang for your buck.
Fun
Factor - ***
Obviously,
this is no kids toy to be played with, given the size, weight and price
of the figure. It’s an adult collectible meant to be prominently
display in your collection room or home theater. But given how
impressive it is with its’ commanding presence, you will no doubt get
many hours of satisfaction just looking at it. Make no mistake, this is
no “action figure”…it is the centerpiece of any Batman-themed
collection and you, your family and your friends will no doubt be
amazed at its’ lifelike quality and sheer awesomeness.
Overall-
****
The first thing
you need to do when considering this piece is to forego all thoughts of
this as a large action figure. Think of it as a poseable premium format
figure. If you are currently collecting ¼ scale figures, you already
appreciate the detail and presence a larger scale figure brings to the
table. If you are a 1/6 scale collector, prepared to be amazed at what
the format has to offer. Enterbay has done an excellent job with their
first Batman figure, and their HD Masterpiece showcases the strengths
of that product line. They have delivered what I consider to be the
most movie accurate, Nolan-based Dark Knight figure to date at a
reasonable price (given the current status of the hobby). It’s not
perfect, and no collectible really is, but overall it’s a mighty
impressive piece of work. If you are a Batman collector, you should
strongly consider owning this piece if you don’t already. It can serve
as the centerpiece of your Bat-collection for years to come. I highly
recommend it and applaud Enterbay for their efforts.
Where to Buy -
As
I mentioned above, you can order this direct from Enterbay’s
website for $420.00 including shipping. BBTS has it
for pre order
on their site for $449 (they do mention the price could change),
shipping in 2013. Enterbay also announced a partnership with Diamond
Distributors to make products available thru their retailers in the US,
so keep an eye out for that as well. You can also purchase it through
various overseas sellers on eBay.
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