When I used to buy DC Direct, I mean DC Collectibles, it usually meant saving up for an entire wave dropping on my local comic shop at once. That’s not the case anymore; the figures are still announced in waves, but the release schedule is staggered nowadays. Batman appeared three weeks ago, Catwoman two, and then after a one week drought, both Mr. Freeze & Two-Face hit shops this week.
I’ll review both of the last two this week and I guess I’ll go with… Mr. Freeze first? I usually play favorites, but on these two, I don’t really have a preference. Both are great characters and both are spiffy TNBA designs. I am probably a little more partial to Mr. Freeze just because I think the Animated Universe version is the best version. Harvey’s transition to Two-Face was handled well in the show, but Mr. Freeze really jumped from “ice thug” to a tragic character in the cartoons and that’s the really the only way I prefer to think of him. I loved all incarnations from the Timmverse – BTAS, TNBA, & his appearance in Batman Beyond. I’d take toys of all three. I’m still nursing a 15 year grudge that the Batman Beyond line never got him in there (at least not how’d you expect).
The figure here is that second, more streamlined and darker version. By that time in the show, Freeze’s body had been ravaged by his condition and only his head remained, now housed in a giant robotic body (with a special surprise). He was a much more sinister character at that point in the show and this look reflects that. It’s captured here pretty faithfully thanks to Gentle Giant.
Visually, Freeze is as striking in 3D as when he first appeared in 2D. The sculpt looks great, particularly the head sculpt. I also like his height; he appropriately towers over the other figures released so far. I think the only thing I’d like to see changed is the feet. They’re on model, but I find myself wishing that the feet had been enlarged a little for a little more stability. I can get him to stand (as seen in the pictures), but for long-term display, I feel like I need to use the included stand. This is true for the entire line really, but I just want to state it again. The only sculpt issue I had was the helmet. Mine just doesn’t stay on well and it’s popped off a couple times and found some scuff marks when it hits the floor.
The paintwork had been nice on my Animated figures, until now. Freeze isn’t bad, but he does have a lot more slop than my previous purchases. The blue/green paint is sloppy at the edges and the black lines follow suit. Nothing is too terrible, even at $25. I was much more annoyed by the blemishes in the finish on the black areas, particularly on the chest. It’s not an uncommon thing on action figures, but it would’ve been nice to see a glossy metal finish here, so the blemishes stand out to me more than they normally would.
Articulation has been the big selling point for the line prior to its release, but I think Batman has lived up to is the best out of this first group. Freeze is no slouch – ball-joints at the neck, shoulders, elbows, & wrists, hinges at the knee & ankle, the h-style hips, and swivels at the mid-chest & boot. But even with all that, I had a hard time posing him. Continue to Page 2…
This is another situation where I would prefer his original design in Batman: TAS, but this figure looks pretty sick regardless.
I’m really excited for this original design too. I’m hoping they’re still doing the cool accessories by that point. I’d love to get the… I guess you’d call it a music box.
Only because it’s a music box.
I bought the batman and I am the most careful of collectors. I rarely break a toy and when I do it’s a qc issue not from roughplay. My batman fell off the shelf and broke both ankles. I love the sculpt and would buy all the figures. I am not though because of the frail ankles. It’s horrible. The line is great overall but I can’t stomach $25 a figure when the ankles break and are made so thin. What a waste of what could have been an epic line. Epic Fail!
Wonderful review :). I’m stll trying to refuse to collect these figures because I don’t want to start collecting one more line but man, I feel like I will not be able to resist at some point. I so loved those Timm cartoons and the take on those characters and the figures and accessories look so terrific. Keep posting those cool reviews and I bet I will fall for them^^.
This line is so tempting.
Okay I gotta update my Christmas List. These have each looked great and the reviews add to the want level. I did enjoy this update and like this version of Freeze better as well throughout the series and into Beyond. Now the great debate with me as started up another pricey line (figuarts) is get one version or try and complete. A great review once again.
With the upcoming original series Batman an accessory idea came to mind. Think like with Dick going from Robin to Nightwing. The Costume display we see in Batman Beyond came to mind for an extra pack in.
So I’ve caved and decided to dip my toes into this line. I’m picking up Joker and that glorious BTAS Batman they just revealed. And maybe Harley. Maybe Scarecrow or Clayface if they do them as well. And… DAMMIT, NO, MY WALLET CAN’T HANDLE GETTING SUCKED I TO ANOTHER LINE!
However, if Freeze had been the BTAS version I would totes grab him as well. Alas they chose to do the crappy NBA version, so my wallet gets a pass. Honestly, the only NBA designs I liked were Scarecrow and Batman & Batgirl’s costumes (wasn’t keen on the art style of the characters themselves though). So fortunately there hasn’t been much temptation for this line thus far.
But I do have to just say, that color-changing Mr. Freeze! That figure holds a very special place in my heart. Not only was it my first ever Batman figure, it was that figure that got me interested in Batman in the first place. And is still my favorite Freeze figure that’s ever been done. Sadly it got lost along with the rest of my (original) Batman collection several years ago. I really need to try to find one again at some point.
I’d agree it’s tough to gauge exactly what the percentage of quality issues is on the whole line, but I can’t remember another line (or figure if you want to narrow it to just Batman) that had such widespread reports of problems. Maybe Arkham City Killer Croc? The quality might not be as bad as it looks, but it’s certainly not good. Between that and the peg holes in the hips it makes me wonder if DCC might revisit these the way they have so many figures in the Arkham series.
Great review, as per.
When I come to power, it will be legal to pimp-slap anyone who complains about “excessive” accessories in high-end toys.
I’ve picked up all four wave 1 figures, and I haven’t had a single issue with broken limbs or anything like that. I bought online, so I was a little worried about the paint jobs, but I got lucky as they’re all pretty flawless.
And the accessories are great! I keep switching out hands, capes and weapons every few days for a little variety.
I’m also really impressed with the recently revealed wave 4 figures. I look forward to seeing what they come with. I’m guessing Riddler might come with that puzzle toy he created when he supposedly went straight.
I really want to get into this line, but I’m not at a point where I can piss away $25 a figure and just cross my fingers that they don’t break. I’ve had horrible luck with DCD in the last year or so, and those were on figures that didn’t have anywhere near the high lemon rate that’s been reported on these animated figures.
That trio shot just sells the line, for me. I’ll have to keep an eye out for these, now. If only to replace DCUC.
as for the QC issues, I just saw on facebook that DC Collectibles is asking people to email them about their issues. I’m just wondering what has taken them so long to respond, or even take this minimal action? There have been a few DCC’s I’ve thought about buying, but when they switched over from DC Direct, QC went down and price has slowly crawled up, so I’ve balked at a fair few I wouldn’t have given a second thought to, before.
then again, how long did we b!tch about the J-Legs Unlimited line and only got empty promises Scott was “looking into it” as the line crawled on years after the show ended….
I bought the entire wave. So far, Batman’s ankle broke right out the box and I had all of Catwoman’s joints moving when they were warmer than room temperature. Starting reposing her the next morning and lost her left knee and left shoulder. The knee just snapped like brittle glass into 3 pieces and the arm was soooo tight that it just stopped moving forward and backward. When it got really loose, I had DCUCs flashbacks and knew the peg had sheared clean off.
Left DCD/DCC a long time ago. Perhaps it was a mistake to try them out again.
That’s awful. I had been tempted to get some of these but I think I will have to pass. Hopefully they can get the QC sorted by Wave 4 for TAS Batman. With poor QC I can’t afford to buy them as the only way to get them in the UK is online or comic shops….and there really isn’t much chance of getting a replacement or refund from either.
DCC has been very responsive to the breakage issue, so contact them as Lee and I did. Was worth the time and BBTS stood by the merchandise as well. I expect that will change if they get a DCUC epidemic number of defective figures, but so far that has not seemed the case.