As long as we have Batman, I think we're going to have Batman toys. There have been countless figures made over the years, from almost as many manufacturers, rendering Batman, Robin, their rogues and allies in plastic. Some are meant for play, others for display, but there's plenty out there for fans of any age.
Spin Master have been putting out lines of action figures based on DC Comics properties for the past few years, and their approach is definitely in line of the former type of fan: one who wants to have a nice action figure to play with, without breaking the bank. In addition to their long-running basic DC line that can be found on shelves at a number of retail stores, they have two new lines that have just become available: DC Metal Force, and the Batman Forever Retro Collection.
DC Metal Force Batman
One of the best things about Batman figures over the years are all of the crazy variations toy companies have come up with to make toys. Safe to say we would all love to have a pretty basic Batman figure, sure, whether he has a fully black suit, the blue and gray, black and gray, the yellow oval, a plain symbol, or some combination thereof. They'd all recognizably be Batman, and could be considered the "classic" or "definitive" take.
Once we have that, though, it's fun to look at all the weird costumes, paint applications, and accessories used to make some oftentimes hilarious, always memorable versions of Batman. Spin Master's new DC Metal Force line continues in that grand tradition, with classic characters given the "giant mech" treatment.
It's as amazing as it sounds.
Naturally, the line has to have a Dark Knight, and the Metal Force Batman figure is a pretty cool little toy. Measuring about 4 inches in height (and taller with the detachable Batarang cannon accessory), Batman is appropriately armored to go along with the theme of the line. While Batman himself can't be removed from his mech suit, it's still pretty posable, with a decent range of motion on the arms and head. The legs have more limitation, but they look really cool (there are gears and pistons molded into the plastic, giving it a steampunk-ish look) and hold the figure up nicely.
The "metal" styling comes from polished silver plastic on the mech's torso, which has a sharp yellow-outlined Batsymbol on the chest. As far as accessories go, there's the aforementioned Batarang cannon that can fire a missile when pushed, and a shield that can fit in either of the figure's hands. The shield was a bit tricky to get in the hands, as the handle piece wasn't perfectly round, so it took some working to get it to stay. There isn't much clearance between the handle and the back of the shield either, and given the small hand it was kind of a delicate operation to attach it to the figure. Once it's there it stays pretty well, though, and rounds out the look of the mech armor.
Also included is a card with a QR code that directs you to the DC Metal Force YouTube page, so you can watch the series the figures are based on, and a little stand that can hold the card. The figure and others in the line are available now on Amazon.
Batman Forever Retro Collection Batmobile
Somehow, Batman Forever turns 30 this year. Considering I saw this in the theater, which in turn kicked off my love for Batman, I am... not okay with that.
What I am okay with is all of the new merchandise based on the film, though, because isn't buying toys that remind you of the things you loved as a child what being a nerd and adult is all about?
Yes. Yes it is.
Honestly, Spin Master might have knocked it out of the park with their Batman Forever Retro Batmobile, in more ways than one. On the surface, it's screen accurate, looking like it drove right out of the movie and onto your toy shelf (or up your wall, thanks to plastic packing screw holes on the bottom that are perfect for mounting the vehicle vertically). It's also pretty big, thanks in no small part to those hilariously huge tail fins. It also comes packed with a Batman figure that looks pretty close to the "Sonar Suit" used at the end of the film, and while his kind of pinched-in head looked a little silly in promo photos, it's not too bad in person. He's to a good scale with the Batmobile, and fits nice and snug in the cockpit.
The construction and aesthetics and whatnot are all well and good, yeah, but the best part? It's twenty bucks.
I've seen toy Batmobiles going for two or three times that price at least that don't look this great, so that is an absolute steal.
That's just a small sampling of the figures available in each of these lines, though, so head to Amazon or your local Target to see everything else they have in store.
Disclaimer: Spin Master provided both the Metal Force figure and the Batmobile for the purpose of review.