Last week, I’d planned to do a big write-up on Batman Legacy Wave 2, but the Golden Age Batman stole the spotlight during the photo session and he scored his own review. Now, it’s time to finish off the assortment with a quick look at the Silver Age Batgirl & Catman.
I mentioned in my Golden Age Batman review that the Batman Legacy line really hasn’t impressed me all that much and a lot of that has to do with figures like Batgirl here. This is Barbara Gordon in her earliest incarnation, a black bat-suit with yellow gear and a blue cowl & cape.
A few QC issues aside (we’ll get to that in a minute) this isn’t really a bad figure. The sculpt, one of the original “S-3” DC Superheroes sculpts from 2006, harkens back to an earlier time when fine details were a little more prevalent in the form of seams, stitches, and some textured surfaces. When I first picked up this Batgirl (in grey, 2nd from left below) back in 2006 (in a Target Exclusive 2pk with Batman), I was happy to add her to my collection despite the fact that I actually prefer her original black costume.
But that original costume I wanted isn’t exactly replicated here. I’m going to nitpick because the accuracy here really just comes down to the belt and a key part of her gear that’s missing. Yeah, it seems so wrong to complain that a female superhero didn’t get her purse, but that’s awkwardness is more about the state of comics. In the toy world, it’s really about the simple idea of replicating the figures from the comics instead of making inaccurate toys. And, this costume, in its most iconic form, includes a red, bat-embroidered purse and a unique belt buckle in the shape of a bat. It received neither.
If that one little piece had been tooled – a new, accurate belt with the purse attached, I would’ve been happier with the figure. Just looking at that Batgirl lineup and seeing how the Cassandra Cain Batgirl was given a new head sculpt and belt to achieve her look is enough to remind me how budget concerns are slowly strangling this line. And that’s a bummer I’d rather not think about when I look at this figure.
In addition to the belt, I had a heck of a time finding a well-painted Batgirl. I love the color choices – the bright, molded yellow and the glossy black, but it was hard to find a well painted face. And when I finally did find one, the belt buckle was pretty sloppy. I overlooked that because I was happy to for the face paint, but it’s still crappy. When I got the figure home, I was greeted by another QC issue, warped limbs. This Batgirl had a pretty out of whack right leg. I’ve straightened it out a couple times, but as you can see in the pics, it still bows back out given enough time.
Batgirl didn’t receive any accessories despite being a complete repaint. There was a poster included in the packaging, but that’s the kind of filler toy companies think add value when it really doesn’t (or did a majority of you out there pop those posters up on your lockers?). Also included with each figure is a Batman-logo stand. The shallow peg makes them not particularly useful, but some collectors do enjoy stands so that surely beats a poster. I do wish Mattel had carried the color scheme through and give the modern characters like Catman a different color from silver, but I’m not sure what color would’ve been appropriate. Continue to Page 2…
WE WANT RAGDOLL!!!! Maybe if enough of us chant Mattel will hear. They’ll make a subpar figure from existing parts and then tell us that he didn’t sell and it’s our fault, but we could have a Ragdoll.
By the way I envy you Noisy I’ve been looking for a Steph for forever but I hope that eye thing isn’t common.
I suppose I’m the only one who wants a Purple Batgirl… (DCUC 16 Robin, Blue and Gray Batman with Oval and Purple Batgirl would look great together…)
doesnt catman look like that catman from the fairly goddparents (i dont really know the name)…
that catman from fairly oddparents is voiced by the one and only adam west… and yes, it’s totally based on catman.
“I really fear for Bane – will DC go back to making him a worthless one-note character?”
Yeah. They totally will. That’ll be maybe the third time Bane’s had any development, only to be rolled right back to “BREAK YOU!” He keeps trying to be interesting, but DC seems to just want him as dumb muscle.
I think they could have done a lot more with this line as far as getting us some villains like Ras Al Ghul and maybe even Commissioner Gordon (retooled The Question with a new head). It sounds like this last series with 1st app batman and Catwoman might be the end of the line with the new Batman movie coming soon.
they DO have gordon in the legacy two pack!
coupla notes my joplin based brotha…
you have catman’s claws backwards in every pic. the curve of the claw should face away forward, like a slashing cat’s claws, not back towards the tops of his own hands… ouch! if you don’t get my directions, look at battle cat’s paws and then align catman’s hand next to the paw, then place the weapons in his hands.
was meltzer really any worse than johns? really? besides, i give meltzer a pass for a fun if completely stupid tv show and looking like a chemo patient.
that pose between the motuc cat’s really highlights the need for rocker ankles… you’d think they could get an engineer on that.
The claws aren’t being held backwards, that’s how he holds them. There’s a curve on both sides, one to be flush over his knuckles and one to be the actual claw. The problem is that Mattel put too much space between the handle and the claw so there’s a visible gap.
Over at OAFE, they recommended pushing the whole fist into the gap and tucking the handle behind the thumb. That’s what I did with mine. The handle part looks wrong back there, but then the blades sit flush with the hand like they’re supposed to.
yeah… after a google image search, i’ve found several photos of the claws… and noisy has them backwards. the curve should arc from the back of the hand, over the knuckles, exactly as i said.
Yeah… after a Google Image search, and I think I have them right. 😉 All the images on the first page of Google Images except the two from Plastic Graveyard have him holding the claws the same as mine.
PG has them flipped backwards in his hands (the only other way I see for them to go), but that leaves the entire claw behind the knuckles. If you rotate it forward, it only gets less and less cat-like.
Allreed has it right, the flaw is in the gap because the larger curved portion would fit perfectly over his knuckles if not for it. I found the link over to OAFE that shows that.
I’m not sure what you’re seeing, DR, but if I’ve placed them wrong then Yo, LJ McGee, VeeBee, and DiRT over at PCN have all erred similarly. Where are you finding pics of this alternate hold so that I can see if I’m just not visualizing what you’re saying.
You know I was actually thinking that your claws seemed to fit much better than mine did..and now I know it was becasue I had mine upside down the whole time ha ha
and hey I certainly appreciate the mention Noisy!!
I think DR is saying the longer part of the claw should be out, but those are solid pieces, with no moving parts. so yeah there is a slight flaw, but it’s in the sculpt for the pieces, not the way they’re positioned.
thank you brainlock… you guys are collectively telling me you can’t flip the claws over in his hands so that the longer portion of the curve faces forward, rather than back at his own wrist?
and no, the google image searches don’t show his claws the way you have them aligned noisy, the curve should arch forward, over his knuckles, forming a “cat’s paw” out of his hand, just as a cat’s claw arch over their toes. check out this link: http://www.littlebigcat.com/declawing/physical-consequences-of-declawing/ the claw is arched up and forward from the point of origin on the toe… his claws should replicate that curvature. like they do in this image: http://www.thefwoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/even-more-catman.jpg
so yes, everyone who’s apparently reviewed this fig is posing him incorrectly… or those damned engineers struck again. one or the other.
Gotcha. An image search of Catman art is what you were looking at. I was just researching the figure. The pieces are conceivably backwards, yes. I think they’d look great flush to the knuckles either way, but it does look like they got turned around on the handles somewhere.
Noisy has them on right. That picture you linked to dayraven isn’t the full page. The next panel right below it shows the claws like everyone who reviewed the figure has them in their pictures. The problem is that Mattel made the handle too far back from the piece that goes right in front of the knuckles. I’ve been thinking of cutting off the handle, and folding the sides to make a more snug fit around his hands. This figure also needed a pair of knives for him to have on the back of his belt. I really wish Mattel would do their figures right the first time, especially someone like Catman who will most likely not get a re-do.
So I cut off the handles on my Catman’s claws, and glued the ends (one on top of the other) to create a new handle with a smaller gap. Now they really look comic accurate, and it still boggles my mind why Mattel made them the way they did. Is it for safety reasons? Maybe with the bigger gap they can bypass some kind of choking hazard criteria?
Hey! I’m actually CURRENT! 🙂
I made a quick impulse trip to Toys R Us last night (oh god am I glad I don’t work retail anymore. I mean, as much as I want work, I don’t miss Christmas Retail whatsoever) looking to see if there was some Imaginext Space stuff on sale (shut up, I’ve almost completed my Robot Police collection!) when I had the urge to check on DCU figs and the Batman Legacy line. Nothing I wanted to pull the trigger on for DCU (If that GL vs. Sinestro 2-pack drops below $19.99, maybe) but hoy, lookie lookie! Batgirl!
Yeah, the lack of purse is pretty obvious if one has the memory of that incarnation, and her right leg…YOW that’s some warped plastic there! I did the hot water bend trick and it seems to be OK but it’s still off-looking. Whoops, spoke too soon. Domino Effect, she took down Superman, Batman and OMAC. Looks like I need a Plan B for her. 🙂
So why does Mattel…oh, never mind. It’s not a defect, it’s added value. 🙂
To be fair, she’s spent years on a wheelchair… she might be a little rusty at that Standing up stuff.
Now, now, you’re taking the ‘current timeline’ worldview..for me Batgirl will always be the ’70s, in particular the kinda strange ‘Batman Family’ tales where she did a serious flirt job on Robin.
And the Batman TV show of course. Rrrowl. 😉
That’s the same Batgirl I think of… but a Batgirl figure that cannot stand, it kinda makes her somewhat canon… and as close as we can get to an Oracle figure… also I’ve been dying to use an Oracle joke regarding the Batgirl figure…
Love this comment right here
Dude! Those last two pics…priceless good ****** show man!
Great review, noisy. Glad to see some more DC back into the mix. Hopefully, there’s a wave of reviews coming? Hint, hint…
I missed getting Catman when BBTS was getting in the singles for this wave, but it’s a moot point now that the Six and their story has been wiped clean off the slate. I also wanted Deadshot back with Digger in the Squad at some point but not like this. Still, at least Catman made it to plastic form just before the ax fell and he does not disappoint.
I’m actually glad she doesn’t have the purse on her belt. It means the costume looks more like her Batman: The Animated Series outfit, which is my favourite look for Barbara.
Actually, her “Batman: The Animated Series” outfit was gray and blue (even the boots and gloves were blue to match the cape). I think you’re thinking of “The New Batman Adventures” (sometimes labeled “Batman: Gotham Knights” internationally), which featured a black, blue, and yellow color scheme (though, to me, one of the distinguishing features of TNBA Batgirl’s outfit was the yellow inner lining on the cape, so this figure still isn’t quite accurate to that look).
Yes, I was referring to her second outfit. I think of B:TAS & TNBA as one show. That’s how the DVD’s are labelled anway.
CATMAN IS SO HOT AND SEXY!!