{"id":24534,"date":"2013-08-19T03:38:01","date_gmt":"2013-08-19T08:38:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=24534"},"modified":"2013-08-19T03:42:02","modified_gmt":"2013-08-19T08:42:02","slug":"batman-classic-tv-series-riddler-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=24534","title":{"rendered":"Batman Classic TV Series
Riddler Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a> After my disappointing bout with the Classic TV Series Batman & Robin 2pk, I cancelled all my pre-orders for the line. It was partially because the figures really aren\u2019t what I want them to be, but also because it became apparent I was going to have to see the figures in person to check the paint. That 2pk was the definition of awful. <\/p>\n

Now that I\u2019m back to hunting the figures down instead of pre-ordering whole waves, I\u2019m also back to being open to the option of picking & choosing. I still feel some compulsion to get the set since Mattel has announced their own shortsightedness with no firm plans to go beyond Joker & Catwoman this fall, but I don\u2019t need them all. There was one that stands out above the rest though. Not because the figure is that amazing, but because he just happens to be my favorite villain: The Riddler! <\/p>\n

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Some of my fellow fans scoff at me for saying the Riddler is my favorite Batman villain, but it\u2019s really no contest for me. And no matter how much flak I get, it\u2019s undeniable that he is one of Batman\u2019s iconic villains. And a large part of that has to do with one man in particular, Frank Gorshin. <\/p>\n

See, admittedly, I\u2019m not that big of a fan of Riddler in the comics. There, he might be \u2018roided up on Venom. He might be used as the last character you\u2019d ever expect to be a \u201csurprise mastermind\u201d (y\u2019know, I\u2019d never suspect the genius<\/em> Batman villain would to be a mastermind!). A lot of writers just don\u2019t get the point of the character. And it\u2019s annoying because it was right there on television for decades. <\/p>\n

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Gorshin brought a great menace to the character. Yes, he hammed it up as did everything else on the show, but Gorshin would also let his Riddler go deadly serious in a heartbeat. He was threatening \u2013 and threatening in a very special way. A lot of Batman villains just need to be overpowered by brute force or defeated through sheer force of will. The Riddler has to be outsmarted. His job is to contrast and challenge Batman\u2019s intelligence. His reasoning skills. Joker may face off with the Dark Knight. Penguin fights the Caped Crusader. The Riddler? He\u2019s out to match wits with the World\u2019s Greatest Detective. The show was campy, but I think it used the Riddler effectively (Gorshin was nominated for an Emmy)! I only wish the comic writers could handle him as well.* <\/p>\n

* – One great use was his pre-52 turn as a private investigator. A reformed Riddler may seem like an odd idea, but the direct competition was actually fantastic. He could finally beat Batman by being a better crimefighter than Batman. Great stuff.<\/em> <\/p>\n

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Anyway, you can see my dilemma. The Batman line just isn\u2019t as good as it should be, but I can\u2019t imagine passing on a Gorshin Riddler. Any other Riddler I own stems from this version! So I had to get it \u2013 and I\u2019m glad I did. It\u2019s not a bad figure; it\u2019s just a Mattel figure. Continue to Page 2…<\/a><\/p>\n

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While the figure \u2013 and it\u2019s 100% unique sculpt \u2013 serves its purpose well, there are a few nitpicks I can\u2019t overlook. Some are minor like the lack of costume details like layering or buttons, but others are a little more of an issue like the head sculpt. It\u2019s\u2026 Gorshin-esque, but it inadvertently looks like Matthew Lilliard and I can\u2019t \u201cnot see\u201d him when I look at the figure (\u2026and now I bet you can\u2019t either!) The highlights though are the trademark lankiness and the important details like the belt, collar, and shoes being all sculpted additions instead of Mattel trying to make do with paint. I appreciate that.<\/p>\n

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The articulation is pretty much what we\u2019re used to from Mattel. Ball-joints at the head & shoulders, hinges at the elbows, knees, and ankles, swivels at the biceps, wrists, waist, and thighs, the ab crunch, and the standard Mattel hip design. Everything works really well though some of the cuts mess up the \u201crealistic nature\u201d of the sculpt. The only thing I\u2019d add is any kind of rocker ankle as those simple hinges Mattel use often squander the promise of an otherwise well-articulated leg. <\/p>\n

The paint QC is vastly improved over my Batman set! Thankfully. I wouldn\u2019t have him if it weren\u2019t, but neither of the two Riddlers I found at TRU were bad, though this one slightly edged out the other with its crisp \u201c?\u201d tampos and the sharp lines on the hair & mask. Once I got him out of the package, I was pleased with the extent of the questions marks in their odd places too: the inner ankle, around the wrists, etc. Those details really help sell the figure. There is one inconsistency on the figure though. The difference consistency between the plastic grades. It’s exaggerated in the photos (as is usually the case), but it’s still somewhat visible to the naked eye between the upper & lower thighs in particular. And since we’re talking colors, I’d also like the figure a little more if the colors were toned down a bit. He feels like he\u2019s more \u201ccomic colors\u201d than the subdued tones from the classic show. <\/p>\n

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Riddler included no accessories, but did have a \u201cKAPOW\u201d stand and a collectible card. The card is neat (even showcasing Riddler with two great accessories \u2013 Stupid Spray and a Riddle Book), but it\u2019s just too short to be a backdrop for the figure \u2013 plus, it\u2019s oriented incorrectly to be used that way anyway. The reverse looks to feature a Batcave scene (which again discourages its use as a backdrop). This kinda stuff is okay to get as cheap filler, but it\u2019s destined for a drawer in my house, if that. <\/p>\n

Overall, this is one of those reviews I can\u2019t stand \u2013 I like having the figure, I had fun with the pics, but the text is just a bunch of little complaints that seemingly don\u2019t add up. That\u2019s fine I suppose. The figure gets the point across and the articulation can contort into some of Gorshin\u2019s crazy poses. But, the very nature of this line seems like it should really live up to the \u201cAdult Collector\u201d label and it just doesn\u2019t. <\/p>\n

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There is something to be said for this version of the Riddler finally<\/em> getting a figure though \u2013 some nearly fifty years later. That\u2019s awesome. And I am happy to have it, but it doesn\u2019t quite scratch the itch. I need to be able to remove the mask and let it hang around his neck (I think Gorshin wore it that way more often). I need some different hands for proper posing. And, yeah, I need it to really look like Frank Gorshin too. So, yes this figure will do for now, but it really just whets the appetite as I cross my fingers that either Hot Toys or NECA\u2019s Quarter scale figures will get this \u201cdeep\u201d in the villains roster. <\/p>\n

Please note: the word \u201cjoygasm\u201d was not used in this review. That was on purpose. <\/p>\n

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More Batman Classic TV Series Reviews:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

Batman Classic TV Series
Collector’s Guide<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

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