Hot Toys DX09 - BATMAN - Batman (Michael Keaton) - Specs & Pics

[vodoun]

I think it has more to do with fans overhyping them more than what they are, that causes the adverse effect. I can't watch TDK without cringing over all the ____ing douchery it's caused, and nearly has me gagging when Joker says "Why so serious?" A ____ing, goddam shame, really.

I think Nolan had to get copyright permission from SSF for "Why so serious?"

Too much of the film has SSF printed on it.

 

[Spanbauer]

I think it has more to do with fans overhyping them more than what they are, that causes the adverse effect. I can't watch TDK without cringing over all the ____ing douchery it's caused, and nearly has me gagging when Joker says "Why so serious?" A ____ing, goddam shame, really.

You're taking your hatred of the Nolan lovers out on Nolan's films. Don't do that

 

[Avenger]

I think it has more to do with fans overhyping them more than what they are, that causes the adverse effect. I can't watch TDK without cringing over all the ____ing douchery it's caused, and nearly has me gagging when Joker says "Why so serious?" A ____ing, goddam shame, really.

I hear ya. I don't think anything is immune to that no matter what the subject is. I'm not a big comic book fan, so I guess I don't frequent this sort of thing enough. I just happened across tonight's debate and thought "I can add to this one".

 

[Frank]

I don't hate either. I think both films ('89 Batman and Begins/TDK) are appropriate films for their time and both are highly enjoyable. There's a certain "fun" to Burton's film. He nailed the characters (well for Wayne, at least the awkward recluse). Nolan's doesn't really feel like a comic move, but more like a contemporary "Black Mask" with the Batman suit on.

Comparing Jokers goes even deeper. While chubby and short, Nicholson personified what the comic Joker is. Joker was a mutated villain whose kills were just as sick, but for lack of a better word, crazy fun. Nolan's is a bit John Gacy, stripping him of his comic origin and making him the a-typical anarchist psychotic who paints his face and lacks the clowny humor of the Joker character.

Burton's films were made for a time when moviegoers could get lost in the fun of a movie without over-thinking every little ____ing aspect of things. Nolan's films were dumbed down to where just about every single aspect was spoonfed to the audience, stripping Batman of 99% of the "fantasy" aspect of what makes comic book characters comic book characters, painting over what is essentially a modern day action flick, with Batman window dressings.

Pretty much completely agree on this one. Also before 89, you had two on-film representations that left alot to be desired in the thrills department. A certain amount of camp is unavoidable with these types of characters and it's a real task to add the appropriate amount of menace without going too far the other way. Burton was also lucky (I mean really, really lucky) to have an artist like Anton Furst working with him on that first movie. His absence was immediately felt in the sequel.

In place of fantasy, I'd probably put in mystery. Burton does rely an awful lot on strange, quirky characters and increasingly does not challenge them or their motivations. We're just supposed to love them because they are different. That approach works if the actor working with him can convey likeability (Keaton, Depp). Otherwise, it just turns into cultural detritus only to be brought up in imdb listings. Sometimes even great actors aren't enough. His tendency to go over the top goofy was clearly evident in Returns. Penguins with rockets on their backs?

Nolan focuses more on plot and character development. When I first heard he was going to be directing the reboot, I thought his talents were kinda being wasted. The core of every superhero story is straight up wish fullfillment. It's not an examination of how things really are and it can't be an honest assessment of humanity, so it's got limited intellectual application. But wish fullfillment is fun to explore too. The only problem is, it doesn't give people a reason to watch it past the shorthand reality.

For every glimpse of real life problems like gang warfare, drug dealing, political corruption, you get a thoroughly ridiculous way of handling them. I think Memento is a better film than all of the Batman movies put together, but I also recognize that it is great to be entertained every once in awhile. Superheroes as simple and unrealistic as they are represent one thing very plainly and that is hope for something better. It's pretty basic, but as we've seen it can unite alot of people in a positive way.

 

[Avenger]

Wait, so the "why so serious" stuff is being used to troll people?

If so, that's a shame. I think it's funny stuff, and should remain so.

 

[EVILFACE]

I think it has more to do with fans overhyping them more than what they are, that causes the adverse effect. I can't watch TDK without cringing over all the ____ing douchery it's caused, and nearly has me gagging when Joker says "Why so serious?" A ____ing, goddam shame, really.

I've never let anyone else's douchery ruin something for me.

If I like it I like it.

 

[BrooklynWolf X]

I agree with you, and recognize Nam's Bay comparison as the worst type of hyperbole. But you don't have to treat the Nolan movies as more than they are on their surface--a good comic book yarn you could watch and enjoy, then move on with your life without becoming an obsessive Nolan acolyte.

so is it fair to call the ones that like and defend the burton films burton acolytes? or the ones that will ONLY accept chris reeve as the one and only superman reeve acolytes?

not starting s#(t, but like nam who has the right to defend his likes, 'nolan acolytes' should be no different. i'm just irked by nam's comment on how only people with low IQs can enjoy nolan's movies. i mean, i enjoyed the hell out of the nolan movies, but according to nam, i'm no smarter than someone who enjoyed twilight. or according to you, if i stick up for nolan...you get the point.

i'm all for debating and such, but damn man, is it so hard to keep things civilized? i know i'm on a forum that mainly discusses about toys, but we're all adults here.

in before someone says "looking for intelligent debates? and you're here??".

 

[Avenger]

I'm trying to think of something douchery has ruined for me. It's harder than I thought to come up with specifics. It seems to happen a lot with games. Video game FPS where if you screw up once, ****** elitists get all pissy like you just ruined the model they were working on for the past 10 months. Somehow games are no longer fun like that. Go figure.

 

[Maglor]

I've never let anyone else's douchery ruin something for me.

If I like it I like it.

I don't agree with everything This S.O.B. says, but this is a

 

[karamazov80]

so is it fair to call the ones that like and defend the burton films burton acolytes?

I think you misunderstand me. There are Nolan acolytes out there that have made guys like Nam hate the movie, because they got the avatar, the signature, the $3,000 custom figures, and treat the movie like it's the superior, revised version of the Bible that defines their lives. I'm not saying all Nolan fans are this. Hell, I'm not even saying that it's wrong that people get that way if that's what they want to do. But you don't have to look further into the Nolan movies than what is there on the very surface level. You can if you want to, and I personally see it as being richer than the Burton movies from a story-telling standpoint. But you don't have to do that to enjoy them IMO.

 

[Cocoboloboy]

Ankle articulation. Like Bales DX Bats. That's what this thing needs. I knew I could find a nit if I looked hard enough.

 

[Maglor]

Yeah, I said that too, but no one else seems to care.

I wonder if the final boots will be able to bend at the ankle.


Also, do these have the Nike symbol on them? (I hope not.)

Same thing with the Superman ankles.


Maybe everyone just assumes they will fix that because they did with Spiderman.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

Youre all nuts, talking as if the ultimate Batman figure has been made.

Burtons Batman... PAH!!
Nolans Batman... TSK!!!

THIS is what is needed...

/Arguments

 

[Cocoboloboy]

Yeah, I've been saying that, but no one else seems to care.










Same thing with the Superman ankles.


Maybe everyone just assumes they will fix that because they did with Spiderman.

I care, Mags. I care.

 

[BrooklynWolf X]

I think you misunderstand me. There are Nolan acolytes out there that have made guys like Nam hate the movie, because they got the avatar, the signature, the $3,000 custom figures, and treat the movie like it's the superior, revised version of the Bible that defines their lives. I'm not saying all Nolan fans are this. Hell, I'm not even saying that it's wrong that people get that way if that's what they want to do. But you don't have to look further into the Nolan movies than what is there on the very surface level. You can if you want to, and I personally see it as being richer than the Burton movies from a story-telling standpoint. But you don't have to do that to enjoy them IMO.

if you put it that way, i can see where you're coming from.

 

[karamazov80]

Ankle articulation. Like Bales DX Bats. That's what this thing needs. I knew I could find a nit if I looked hard enough.

I worry about the nature of the (presumably) rubber suit. HT's been so hit-or-miss with that, that it worries me a bit. I would prefer reasonably disguised joints as HT have done more and more with figures like Bruce Lee and T-800. With an "action figure," articulation is important, and I'm willing to make a trade-off in aesthetics if it means a figure can be posed and won't deteriorate as easily/quickly as the alternative.

 

[Maglor]

Yes, but what about those ankles.

 

[espino419]

Has anyone else been pulling up the hi-res shots of this figure, looking at it in amazement? I mean, what, three days now and it's still really exciting to me. I just can't get over it. Seemed like yesterday when the chance of this line was slim and it was all a pipe dream.

I know many people feel like this should come with more for the price tag but, to me, this feels like a complete, definitive package. I can't even think of things that it should come with. Yeah, yeah, Indy comes with an idol, Luke a weather vane, some have had cardboard dioramas but with this, the main attraction is the figure itself. I don't think there's one thing in this set where I think, "oh, that's staying in the box". It all has a purpose and there's no clunky, unnecessary extras.

It has this presence to it.There's just something about it, something that clicks. The accessories are top notch, the sculpts are top notch and I'm really impressed with that cape.

I can't even think of the last time I've felt this way about collecting. The Terminators were great and so were other things but this week has just done for me in terms of the hobby. It almost feels like the early TDK days in 2008 when all we had was the great OC TDK, original V1 Joker and Tumbler (the TDK Batman and Batpod came later). Now we have this great trio from a new era as well.

Needless to say, I'm pumped. The only unfortunate thing about these is the fact that that little kid that dreamed of things of this caliber never really got to appreciate or witness it.

im soo excited this is the batman and joker i grew up with

 

[karamazov80]

Ankles? Hell, I just hope his legs can bend enough so ankles would even need to be flexible.

 

[Maglor]

Without flexible ankles all other leg articulation is pointless. If the ankles don't flex I will only ever pose the legs straight up and down.

Like this:

I can't stand it when feet don't rest flat on the ground: