My review of the DC Direct 13" Batman Begins...

[Michael Crawford MWC]

Today is my review of the DC Direct "deluxe collector's" 13" Batman from Batman Begins. With the film finally hitting this week, and the initial reviews looking good, there's a lot of anticipation for this one. Unfortunately, the figure falls way short of the $80 price tag. At $40, this would have been a decent figure, even with an almost unarticulated neck, pin head, weak accessories, and other silly missteps. But at $80, there's simply no excuse.

You can check out the review at the usual:

www.mwctoys.com (http://www.mwctoys.com)

Thanks for reading!

Michael
MWC

[screamingmetal]

Great Review!
I'm so thankful I didn't put an order in on this one and decided to wait for a review. That figure looks disturbingly baaaad. I can't believe they made him 14" tall, He's even taller then Jaws! :x

And those bendy hands look like mittens from a cheap batman knockoff. There's just no real shape to the fingers. I would have much more preferred that they where preposed and smaller.
The costume looks good, but If it doesn't have enough give in the material to pose it's all for nothing. At least the gun looks cool.
Oh, and the white paint on the hands does not look like it should be there. It looks like it was transfered from a small puddle of white paint left on the table they used to paint the white on the phone.
I've got the Superman figure coming, Even for an alien, at 13 inches he will still look a little out of place with other true 1/6 scale figures.
Right now, I'm just waiting for pictures of that Takara Batman before I make a choice between that version and the Medicom version.

[dstephan]

Where'd you all hear about the Takara? Do they have any other figures in the same series like Medicom does so we can see what quality it's likely to be?

I'd argue that collectors like bendy hands, Dragon uses them quite a bit, or used to. But I agree that the hands should be smaller and better sculpted.

I guess we now know why we haven't seen a lot of pics of this figure and DCD continues to use a photoshopped photo from the movie to advertise it. I'm hoping this is just the first time failures and they rushed it to get it out in time for the movie. I'm just praying that Superman is much better.

[dstephan]

The pic they're using to advertise the Takara version does have a cape that looks like velvet. Hmmm....
www.mamegyorai.co.jp/net/main/item_detail/item_detail.aspx?item=50280 (http://www.mamegyorai.co.jp/net/main/item_detail/item_detail.aspx?item=50280)

[screamingmetal]

The only info I've seen of the Takara Batman was what MiskatonicNick posted in the "A look at the new DC Direct 13" base body" topic here in the general forum. I also recall Hobby Link Japan posting a preorder a month or so ago, but I can't seem to find it there. Takara is coming out with a Batman Begins Microman, so they do have the license.

[murderofcrows71]

Figure looks alright but scale is off I agree. Might make a great figure if replaced with a more in scale body such as sideshow or dragon for those fellow customizers out there?

[Michael Crawford MWC]

I'd think $80 is a tad steep for a figure you have to tear apart and rebuild...

Michael
MWC

[murderofcrows71]

depends on how good you can make the figure look when it's done, I've done it with most figures I've bought cause usually I'm never completely pleased with any. Most including Sideshow have either undergone repainting or body switches due to to many loose joints. If I can make it look just as good or better than the medicom for around $80.00, which by the way I got mine on ebay for $55.00 then it's worth it. But I do have to say that the review is spot on with the way it does arrive.

[MiskatonicNick]

Where'd you all hear about the Takara? Do they have any other figures in the same series like Medicom does so we can see what quality it's likely to be?

Just reporting in what I read over at the MWD board; should anymore info pop up there I'll report it back here. Bats is supposedly the first on the newly engineered body... though there are mutterings of male Panzer Cops to follow.

I'd argue that collectors like bendy hands,

I'd argue that collectors like the choice of bendy hands; they are great for posing... but not so hot for convincingly holding guns and such.

The DCD figuyres also have wrist articulation which, as several have pointed out, looks pretty stinky. Compare that horrible joint to the near perfection of Takara's Cool Girl 1.5+ and the latter BBI guys; hugely disappointing for a $80 figure.

Sometimes I wonder if companies ever bother looking at their competitors product?

Nick

[Michael Crawford MWC]

Somebody once asked Jesse Falcon at Toybiz about DC Direct product and what he thought. His response was he doesn't do DC properties, so what does he care what they're doing?

Many people in product management positions in the toy industry are not business people - they're artists. Unfortunately, few of them truly understand concepts of competitive advantage and the market they work in.

This is one of the reasons I remain so impressed with Sideshow. They not only have solid business sense, they apply it appropriately.

Michael
MWC

[screamingmetal]

Jesse Falcon is lying then. I mean, Where did his toy division get the idea for double jointed elbows and knees?
Dragon 12" figures thats where!
I don't know if Dragon invented this type of joint, they may have borrowed it from someone else, but Dragon figures where some of the first figures I've ever seen that had this type of joint. But considering how poorly thought out the Marvel Select 12" figures were, it wouldn't surprise me that Jesse doesn't think about how best to make his product by looking at what other companies have done and not done with the same type of product.

Good toy companies look at what other companies are doing all the time, it makes for much better more improved product. which in the end benefits us the consumers. I wish DCD did the same for their 1/6.5 scale figures. :rolleyes

[Michael Crawford MWC]

Well, he was being dismissive, but the point stands.

BTW, I updated the review tonight with some stills from the film, but while it answers some questions, it doesn't change the score...

Michael
MWC

[dstephan]

Well, got him today. :( This is obviously the same body they're going to use on Superman and it's perfect for him. But it's completely wrong for a non-comicbook interpretation of a character. Everything Michael said I'd agree with. Mine also had the white on the gloves, so perhaps this is intentional and he'll have some computer interface built in or something.

Note to customizers - the costume isn't really transferable even to a Sideshow or Soldiers of the World body. The armor is designed for this massive body so you'd have to basically cut it to pieces, and perhaps resculpt it, to get it to look even halfway decent on a smaller proportioned body.

I also don't understand why the belt is so huge. The one on the cheap 13" toy looks more like the one in the movie.

This is on par with the Marvel Studios figures (except for the gargantuan size) but costs twice as much.

Superman better be light years better or this line will die pretty quick.

[Michael Crawford MWC]

See? I knew I wasn't nuts. Well, not about this anway.

Michael
MWC