Tumbler Batmobile & Dark Knight Batman - Mezco Mez-Itz Review

In my last review, of Mezco's new Batmobile & Batman Mez-itz figure set, I mentioned how anxious I would be to get a Mez-Itz version of the Dark Knight's Tumbler Batmobile. Less than a week later, it's in my hands, and oh, how excited I am!

The Tumbler packaging matches that of the earlier Batmobile release in terms of size and product placement. The packaging is adequate for showing off the vehicle and figure, but it's not all that sturdy for product protection, or for those who want a mint box. The cardboard is fairly thin and it (along with the bubble itself) buckles and dents very easily. I was hard pressed to find a mint box - in fact, I couldn't. I gave up on that idea and just looked for the best car and figure I could find. The box back has more to offer this time, though, as it shows the other releases from the Mez-Itz Dark Knight Rises line.

We've got a couple more Batman figures, a Bane and a Catwoman to look forward to in 2" scale, along with a Batpod and some larger versions of Bane and Bats. The Batpod is the only one I'm really excited about, but I'll have to wait and see the asking price before I get too taken by it. The Batmobile is held in place by four twisty ties, fairly easily removed, and a rubber band which holds the canopy in place. Batman has a twisty around his waist.

The Batmobile itself has a really cool look. I like the stocky, deformed shape. There are just enough details to present all of the important and recognizable parts, despite a minimum of paint applications. Most of the other detailing is done with decals - the tire hubcaps and the rear exhaust look to be decals. As it turns out, the entire cockpit detailing on the previous Batmobile is done with one large sticker (which I hadn't even noticed during my previous review). They look good, but corners and edges are lifting already. Unfortunately, it may take a bit of model-building decal set to get them to stay.

The vehicle is otherwise very well done (though I'm not sure what those tiny gold wipers are supposed to accomplish way down in the front?). The tires (which DO NOT turn on this one either) are rubber, rather than the plastic they are on the other Batmobile. The canopy is held tightly in place with 4 long posts, which do an excellent job of keeping the lid in place. Once removed, a rather plain and disappointing interior is revealed, with room for two figures. One decal, no sculpted detail - I'll be keeping the top on. In fact, the interior (and the lack of rotating tires) are the only problems I have with the car. Mezco could have gone ahead and saved me a couple of bucks by not bothering with the interior at all and I'd have been fine with it...

 The Back End

Interior Cockpit

Batman himself is cute as a scowling button. He's got the same body as the other one, of course, but the paint is done more to match the movie look, though I don't think they were going for complete accuracy. He's got a cloth cape and the same basic articulation: ball jointed head, swivel shoulders and swivel legs. That's about it!

Personally, I think I like the eyeless look of the comic version better overall, but Mezco did a nice job of matching the movie look to their Mez-Itz style very well.

The Tumbler is a nifty little vehicle. I really like the earlier release Batmobile and its unique look and feel. The Tumbler matches well-enough to create a nice display. I do wish the Tumbler was a wee bit larger, but the rendition is really well executed. I'm not sure why, but the Tumbler will set you back 5 bucks more or so than the other Batmobile - $25 at Toys R Us. A 25% price hike, with less cockpit detail and not a whole lot more size? I'm not a big fan of the implications. In any event, I have my movie Tumbler Batmobile, and I am happy...

Batmobile & Batman - Mezco Mez-itz Review

I don't usually go in for super-deformed, miniature or bobble-headed versions of anything; I prefer either a very realistic rendition of my favorite characters or a clearly animated look to them. That said, I must have about 50 different Batman figures in my ever-growing collection, and the impending release of The Dark Knight Rises has prompted me to add several more very recently. Which brings us to the topic of this review. I noticed the new release of Mezco's Mez-its Batman and Batmobile at my local Toys R Us last week. Initially I passed on the set, but something about it caught my eye and my attention. So when a 20% off coupon showed up, I took the plunge. Was it worth it? Read on to find out...

The Batmobile & Batman set comes in a window box, which shows off the goods as well as it can. You've got a nice view of exactly what you are getting, so you can examine for paint applications with little to no surprise on opening. The package is a little delicate (you'll notice the sides poofing out), and the bubble is easy to dent and crease, so if you want to keep it MIP, I'd pick one up soon, without letting too many hands get to it before yours.

There's not much to the box back- you can see exactly what you're getting through the bubble, so the photo on the back is a bit redundant. No credits, no narrative, nothing. Oh, but the "Ages 15 and Up" appears both on the front and back, so Mezco seems pretty adamant about that, for whatever reason.

On to the contents: Batman is a cute little, big-headed Dark Knight. Everything is done through the paint apps, so check carefully in the package to make sure you find one you like. I saw several with a weird mold nipple on his left jawline, in case you are looking. The paint is clear and looks good, as you can see. He's got a ball-jointed head, swivel shoulders and hips. There's a cloth cape that feels really thin to me. I'm worried it's going to rip off with a little handling, so I'd recommend being very gentle with it.

You won't be getting any dynamic poses out of this guy, but then again, that's not why you'd want this set in the first place, is it?

Now on to the main attraction: the Batmobile. The car features some nice rolling curves, and the very high dome, along with the tail fins, adds to the retro-futuristic feel of it. She's very smooth- all of the detailing is done with paint that's applied very well. I'm a stickler for symmetry, and everything looks like it's been applied perfectly. I did pore through the ones available on the shelf, and out of 8 or 9 I did only find one I was willing to call "acceptable", though. Several had paint drips, or the details on the wheels were crinkled, and maybe 3 of them had finger prints on the windows where whoever added the top left quite an "impression" on the car...

She looks just as good going as she does coming, as you can see in the pictures.

Incidentally, the car feels like its make of vinyl or something, rather than the typical plastic you'd find on Mattel's Batman toys. I suppose this makes sense- this "toy" doesn't really seem like it's made for playing. Hence, the "15 and Up" command, the smooth contours, the not-very-poseable Batman, oh, and I almost forgot, the NON-ROLLING-WHEELS. That's right, this car has wheels attached to metal axles that seem like they should move, but are intended to NOT move. Should you doubt me, I finally noticed a small baggie taped to the inside bottom of the package with the following note inside:

See? I wasn't kidding, and yes this note probably saved me breaking the thing by forcing the wheels to turn, so don't do it. I'm not sure why the wheels don't turn, but keep that in mind when you are checking the packages in-store: the hubcap decals should be oriented correctly, since you won't be able to adjust them at all.

The top comes off pretty easily- it's held in by 4 pegs and fits nice and tightly. Revealed underneath is a really well-detailed cockpit. Lots of dials, gauges, Joker's face on a screen and foot-peg holes for Batman and a companion rider. It all looks great and is a highlight of the car (too bad it's covered up with the top on!).

Batman fits into ride very snugly, and the overall look in convertible mode is great. His cape even flows back behind him pretty naturally.

With the top on and Batman inside, he's barely visible. The windows are tinted, as they should be, but with some light he can be seen. So, we return to the initial question: is this a set worth adding to all of the other Batman figures and vehicles out there? For me, the Batmobile is, Batman not so much. The car has a great look and feel to it, and will do a great job on my desk. Honestly, I picked this set up for 2 reasons: 1) the 20% off coupon (at $16, I feel like I'm almost getting it for what it's worth; $20 is pushing it), and 2) the Mez-its Tumbler that's on the way. I personally love the Tumbler, and didn't want to regret not having this initial offering to go along with it. I certainly don't plan on getting any of the other Mez-itz 2" figures, unless they are priced reasonably (for me, that would top out at $7.99 for a 2-pack). All indications are that retailers will be asking at least twice that, so I'm nearly positive I'll be passing. $25 for the upcoming Tumbler will be pushing it as well, but I'm more likely to bite the bullet on that one time extravagance. All that said, the Batmobile and Batman Mez-itz set is a good one. I had once purchased the Halo Minimates Warthog, and was immediately disappointed enough to return it right away. I later tried the Minimates Pirates ship on clearance, and again was disappointed with the product. Not so much here. The car is sturdy, despite being (for all intents and purposes) a statue, and the look and feel were retro-cool enough for me to be pleased with the purchase. Now, bring on the Tumbler, please!

Batman Begins - Legacy Edition Prototype Suit Batman & Lt. Jim Gordon

Several years ago, the Dark Knight Movie Masters figures are what got me back into toy collecting after an extended hiatus. During it's initial run, I managed to pick up all of the figures I really wanted (including the Demon Batman and the unmasked Dark Knight), but never bothered with the later releases (Prototype Suit, Night Vision or Blue Suit Scarecrow), as my interest had moved on to other things. By the time this set, and the Police Disguise Joker/Dark Knight 2-pack were released, I was so disgusted by Mattel's pricing and lack of quality that I couldn't be bothered. Gordon, here, is an ok representation, and I particularly like the Prototype Suit Batman's sculpt and quality of plastic. So why was I so unwilling to pick the set up? Duh, the price. Mattel has firmly and steadily hiked their "collector figure" prices to the extent that I discontinued DC Universe after about Wave 5, and quit Masters of the Universe Classics early on, even though I was a cherry-picker to begin with. $32 for this 2-pack? Are you kidding me? 1 new figure with 1 accessory (a handgun) and a previous release I didn't care much about just weren't cost effective in my book. However, for the $10 clearance price tag I found the set for at Wal-mart, it's well worth the cash. Combine that with the impending Dark Knight Rises, and the recent release of Bane, Alfred and Catwoman, this was one set I couldn't pass up on...

Borderlands - NECA CLAPTRAP action figure

Along with Psycho Bandit, NECA has released this Borderlands Claptrap (AKA: CL4P-TP) figure. It's been advertised for what seems like forever, and is now appearing in stores. Claptrap is fairly large, and really nicely detailed.

It comes with a sandy-looking base, which will be needed for display through the use of an attachment rod. The figure's detailing is done mainly through the paint applications, which are excellent. Lots of neat weathering for the browns and yellows: Claptrap would be right at home on Tatooine. His spindly arms have an elbow pin, but I can't tell about the shoulder joints inside of the package. Neither can I tell about whether or not the wheel turns.

Claptrap looks interesting, and he's fairly unique for my collection, which is why I picked him up. By himself, he's probably not exciting enough for me to have wanted him, but alongside Psycho Bandit he's a good fit...

Borderlands - NECA Psycho Bandit action figure

I don't know much about Borderlands, and as a result, I had no intention of buying the Borderlands figures...until I saw them in person. NECA has done it again. A detailed sculpt with an excellent likeness, Psycho Bandit looks awesome. The face and mask are outstanding, as is his weapon axe-thingy.

Psycho Bandit comes in a standard NECA clamshell. The colors are vibrant, and he certainly did stand out on the pegs- I noticed him right away. He's the same size as the other Player Select gaming figures that NECA has produced. The sculpt, as mentioned earlier, is terrific, if not a bit smoother than the usual NECA fare. In this case, NECA has elected to go with the paint to highlight the figure's details. Lots of lines are penned in with what looks like a fine-tipped Sharpie marker. This accomplishes two things: it makes the details pop, while also adding an odd "cartoony" look to the figure. It took me a bit to adjust to that, but now that I have, I like the overall effect. There's a bit of airbrushing to add highlights to the flesh tones and pants, as well. Everything is mostly clear and crisp.

Bandit's articulation looks ok, but some things have been sacrificed to keep the joints hidden.

He's not super-articulated, but he doesn't seem to be a statue, either. Elbows remind me of Dante's, and there are no swivel biceps. Through the package, things look like this: neck (not sure if it's a ball or not), ball shoulders, single hinged elbows, swivel wrists, ab crunch, cut waist, NECA hips, swivel hinge right knee, cut-only left knee, cut ankles. I don't guess he'll be taking very deep poses. In fact, I'm afraid of being disappointed, so he's going to say sealed up for the time being.

Psycho Bandit is another great-looking NECA figure: a real work of art. Whether or not he plays as good as he looks is another question entirely, but you're certainly not likely to be disappointed with him sitting on your shelf...

Batman Power Attack - Twin Blades Batman

Twin Blades Batman is the blue version of Battle Gauntlet Batman. The sculpt, articulation and details are all otherwise identical: it's just a matter of color preference for most people (or accessories, I suppose). Twin Blades Bats here comes with two oversized swords that fit into his hands. They are giant, cast in light blue or gray, and just stupid looking. Into the box they go...

There seems to be a variant of the accessories that my six-year-old just pointed out. In the package cartoon and carded figure above, the swords have a knuckle protection piece. In the loose figure pictured below, his swords do not. Go figure!

If you'd like to read the details about articulation, etc., check out my Battle Gauntlet Batman review on this site. Twin Blades Bats shares all the same details, except for the blue, of course (and the swords). He's a good looking figure, and should fill any collector's preference for blue and gray just fine.

Batman Power Attack - Strike Shield Robin

Strike Shield Robin is a new release from Mattel's Power Attack Batman line. He's one of the four figures in the Lava Mission set. For more explanation, see my review of Battle Gauntlet Batman, or Swamp Attack Killer Croc.

Robin measures 6" tall, and features 8 points of articulation: cut neck, cut waist, cut shoulders, hinged hips and single peg elbows. He looks good standing up, especially next to Batman, but that's about all he can do.

Robin is cast in red and black, and he does look really cool. Same sharp angles and deep cuts that Batman has, though this is a completely unique sculpt. Robin's got pencil-thin legs, despite lots of muscle definition (one leg was warped from the package, but it's rubbery enough that eventually it straightened out). His hugely oversized feet feature boots with a plethora of buckles, more of which appear on his gauntlets. He's got some cool engraved shoulder pads, and the "R" on his chest is clear and sharp.

There's lots to like about the sculpt, if you're ok with the head. Robin sports a Dylan McKay hairdo: he's all forehead except for a diving board of hair jutting out into space.

And if the 'do itself wasn't enough to get noticed, it's got a strange bright red highlight to draw even more attention. I'll admit that I hated the look at first, but (much like the other figures that I have), it's grown on me.

Robin's got a plastic yellow belt and a huge, unwieldy shield to complete the ensemble. The shield has a neat design, but it's too big for Robin to hold well, and he looks pretty stupid doing so anyway. It's going right into the bin of useless accessories until I decide to paint it for an Uruk Hai or something.

The cape is cloth (in fact, I think it's identical to the one attached to Batman's back) and hangs well. Nuff said.

Strike Shield Robin retails for about $9, which is a great deal in today's toy world.

He doesn't pose well, he doesn't come with any worthwhile extras, he's not part of a marketed tie-in (no movie or cartoon with this version of the character), but I like him for what he does do well: he looks great, stands out on the shelf, and is relatively inexpensive to collect. Heck, Robin's not even a character I like. But the striking red, and all those odd angles on him really make for a great look, especially next to the Dark Knight.

So, I'll keep looking forward to these Power Attack Batman figures for as long as the line lasts. I've got my black and grey Batman, Robin, and Killer Croc (I may even pick up the blue and grey Batman), and I'm pretty pleased. In fact, strangest of all is that Croc is my LEAST favorite of the trio, which was the exact opposite of what I would have thought would happen. I'll keep my eyes out for Dual Destruction Two-Face and Ice Blast Mr. Freeze, as well...

Batman Power Attack - Battle Gauntlet Batman

Mattel has released a line of "kid friendly" Batman figures under the umbrella title "Power Attack", which comprises 3 sets of 4 figures each (so far), themed around various "missions". Battle Gauntlet Batman is part of the Arctic Mission series. He's the most "classic" version of Batman to me, wearing his black and grey outfit, with yellow belt and bat symbol outines, so I couldn't resist picking him up, along with Killer Croc and Robin. I'll be skipping most of the other "neon outfitted" Batmen from the line, but the villains (Mr. Freeze and Two Face are pictured on the card backs so far) are definitely on my wish list.

Batman comes in at an even 6" tall. His cape is cloth, attached pretty securely to his back, and he comes with a soft rubberized yellow batarang. The batarang is too big for the figure, and he topples over with it in his hand. It does fit my six-year-old son pretty well, however. I can imagine him chucking it around the house fairly gleefully in the not to distant future.

THE BEST PART of this figure, for me at least, is the sculpt. Despite having an "animated" feel to him, Batman has some great details and especially deep cut lines. The muscles are angular everything fits together well, in terms of the look, despite the odd proportions. What odd proportions? Well, Batman's feet and hands are enormous, which in and of itself isn't too unusual. The oddest part(s) for me, are his legs. The thighs are thin (but really muscular), while his calves are thicker around. His knees are tiny, while the boots are huge!

 How huge? Well, the distance from his knees to his feet is greater than that of his entire torso, from waist to bat ears tips, with some extra thrown in on top. Yes, it's meant to be an exaggerated look, and it sure is. Nevertheless, it took me a while to get used to it. Now, I can say I like it- this Batman looks great on the shelf.

Batman sports a very angular face, as well. His chin is sharp, and he looks like he's sucking in his cheeks (think "Zoolander" model pose), and he's got shorter ears than Arkham Asylum Batman.

THE WORST PART of Battle Gauntlet Batman would have to be the articulation: 8 points, nearly all useless. Cut joints at the shoulders and waist, T hips, single pin elbows and a head that wants to be a ball but mostly acts like a cut. There's a tiny bit of tilt you can get, just enough to stop him from staring at the ground, but that's about it.

It's a little less than we got from The Batman cartoon Batman (even that one had pin knees) a decade ago. I haven't bothered getting any of the Brave and the Bold figures, so I don't know how they compare. No wrists, no ankles, no knees. In other words, you'll need to like a vanilla pose to find this figure appealing. The heroes in this line are also sculpted to have their biceps tilted inward (both he and Robin have this trait), so bending their elbows brings their hands up in front of their chests.

Batman has got some other faults, as well, though the lack of articulation is the most glaring. His belt is way too thick. Not only that, but the way it's made has it tilted on most of the figures I checked out on the pegs. The paint can get sloppy in places: the boot tops run onto the calves, and the cowl bottom can be misaligned , so check carefully if you care.

I also noticed that this version of Batman is missing his scivvies: he's grey through and through.

This may sound redundant, but Battle Gauntlet Batman is a good figure if you like what you are getting. He's a mass market Batman who will look good on a shelf, and will stand up to some rough play by the kiddies. He won't do the job for dynamic posing, or for accessories, but at $9, I'm really happy with him. With this line, the figures I like, I tend to really really like, while the others I have no trouble leaving behind. Batman and Robin look awesome together, and beside Killer Croc. I can't wait to add Mr. Freeze and Two Face to their shelf. I've been debating the Batmobile, as well, but it hasn't completely won me over to its $20 price tag yet. Yet...