{"id":28195,"date":"2014-06-09T21:50:49","date_gmt":"2014-06-10T02:50:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=28195"},"modified":"2014-06-30T23:46:48","modified_gmt":"2014-07-01T04:46:48","slug":"dc-comics-multiverse-4-1989-batman-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=28195","title":{"rendered":"DC Comics Multiverse
4″ 1989 Batman Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a> There are few things I love as unashamedly as the two Tim Burton Batman movies. I watch them at least once-a-year; I know their best parts by heart (& their worst). I love all sorts of eras and incarnations of Batman, but I can\u2019t ever imagine anything replacing that one as the center of my Batman universe. <\/p>\n

Naturally, that love has translated to action figures. From the fun, but funky early Toy Biz figures to the awesome \u201cDark Knight Collection\u201d*, I was happy to always have an 89 Batman or Keaton Batman figure in the display. Or several, I could\u2019ve dug deeper for all the various \u201cpromo\u201d, non-action figure Keatons in that group shot, but I was in a hurry!<\/p>\n

* – If I ever decided to go on a pure vintage kick again and spend some funds on oldies, I would hit up The Dark Knight Collection, I think. I wouldn\u2019t need it all, some choice rainbow Batman and all the sleek Bat-vehicles. It\u2019d pair nicely with my SP collection. <\/em><\/p>\n

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The last couple years, as the movie geared up to turn 25, Keaton Batman has had a resurgence. I picked up the fantastic Hot Toys figure back in 2012 along with an awesome Joker and the car<\/em> (and still haven\u2019t reviewed any of them!). Earlier this year I snagged the amazing quarter-scale Keaton. I wish it was a little more balanced or had a stand, but it\u2019s great. <\/p>\n

What has eluded me, though, is a proper 6\u201d scale figure in the vein of Star Wars Black or Mattel\u2019s Movie Masters line. Sure, I have the all-black DCUC and I do love it, but it\u2019s not quite the same. After Mattel had made a Movie Master Christian Bale and went way back and made their Adam West figure, I think the Keaton figure kinda became a foregone conclusion. They were gonna do it, I was sure! And it happened relatively quickly, but not before the folks at Mattel scaled things back to 4\u201d. Sigh. <\/p>\n

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That\u2019s not to say there\u2019s anything wrong with 1:18th scale. I love my Joes. The Four Horsemen are doing amazing things in that scale with OSM & Power Lords. The Marauder & Boss Fight Kickstarters blow me away. This scale can be awesome. <\/p>\n

This Batman isn\u2019t awesome. He\u2019s not bad. I guess I should point out that I\u2019ve got a lot of mixed emotions here. It\u2019s a Keaton Batman, +4. It\u2019s got funky articulation choices, -3. It looks nice across a room, +2. But maybe you shouldn\u2019t look too closely, -2. It\u2019s aggravating. I think I\u2019m over that it\u2019s not 6\u201d and that it can\u2019t be put with Bale & West for an awesome evolution display that won\u2019t break your wallet. I get it. I\u2019m off that soapbox. And I think I kinda love it after awhile, but I couldn\u2019t tell you if that\u2019s because Mattel did an okay job or just because I\u2019m sucker for this Batman. Maybe you guys should just look at the pictures on this one? <\/p>\n

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The sculpt itself is pretty nice. It\u2019s a little too armored or mechanical looking for the first movie suit, but the proper details can be found throughout on the belt, gauntlets, boots, that part was done well. The only thing I\u2019m not keen on is the head sculpt. It\u2019s almost too Bale \u2013 I think it\u2019s a result of the ears needing to be thick & safe and the unnecessary neck articulation squaring off what should be a fairly round cowl. The nose & brow are good; if you turn the figure sideways for a profile it gets much more Keaton, so I really do think the neck peg in there is just a shame. <\/p>\n

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Which is funny because Mattel could\u2019ve gotten away with no neck articulation, at least I think so. Some collectors might balk at the idea \u2013 all the old Toy Biz & Kenner figures could turn their heads, but the real deal can\u2019t. The cowl was so thick in the film that Keaton turning his head wasn\u2019t really an option. The NECA & Hot Toys figures have the cowl as one piece for that very reason. It\u2019s neat to get it, I guess, and I know collectors would complain if it wasn\u2019t there (Wouldn\u2019t we!?), but I\u2019m not sure it was the worth messing up the sculpt. <\/p>\n

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This particularly rings true when you open him and see that Mattel seated the head so far down on the neck peg that all ball-joint movement ceased to function. It\u2019s basically a swivel cut \u2013 and, hey, a swivel cut probably could\u2019ve preserved the look just fine, as it did on the \u201cless advanced\u201d toys from 25 years ago. Doh. Continue to Page 2…<\/a><\/p>\n

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From the neck down, Batman sports some good articulation spots. The ball shoulders are nice with the hinge elbows and wrist swivels. I do find myself missing bicep swivels, but the range is good on the shoulders. Similarly, the lack of ankle joints also interrupt otherwise great leg articulation \u2013 the Mattel hips, thigh swivels, and hinged knees all work great, but it\u2019s hard to make use of with the unarticulated boot anchoring everything down. <\/p>\n

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The one thing that really helps the shoulders is the cape. Now, I\u2019m not a fan of soft goods on figures. Even as I\u2019ve fallen for Hot Toys, I still have to get used to the clothing! But Mattel did great here with this black, pleathery cape. It looks sharp, it doesn\u2019t restrict the shoulders, and you can even fold it back out of the way a bit if you need too. Major props from this soft goods non-fan on that. <\/p>\n

One accessory was included, the grappling gun from the film. It\u2019s a little soft, but it\u2019s well sculpted and the figure holds it well. I was excited to get it. <\/p>\n

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I was holding off on the paint section because of the one big disappointment I\u2019ve had with the line so far. On my Batman, after looking through about two dozen, I found one with a symbol I could live with, and not so messed up chin paint. It wasn\u2019t easy. And I think the eyes on mine are a little off, but I liked the symbol & chin so I bought it. But, as has been pointed out, I love all things Keaton Batman. This means that I also want the unmasked Batman! I would rather get the head packed in, but I\u2019ll buy a second figure. I\u2019m game. <\/p>\n

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Except I can\u2019t yet. I\u2019ve only seen it twice (both pictured above) and while the sculpt looks solid, the eye tampos are awful. Awful. They\u2019re so big that even if I found one where they were stamped in the right spot, it still wouldn\u2019t be right. I need a friend with a steady hand that can paint eyes if I\u2019m going to get one of those. <\/p>\n

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Overall, I still can\u2019t tell you if I\u2019m giving this figure a free pass or being too hard on it. I think I can learn to just love it. I\u2019ve already come a lot closer to that in the week I\u2019ve owned him. He\u2019s a lot better than some of the 4\u201d figures at mass retail these days. I do love the basic sculpt; the pleather cape turned out great, and as long as you find good paint, the visual here should be in check even with the heard not quite being right. I would like a little more articulation, but a figure that looks this good, has an accessory, and was only $10? (Buy it at Target, not TRU!) I really ought not to complain. <\/p>\n

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For More Reviews, check out our Review Index<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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