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...

Batman Power Attack - Swamp Raider KILLER CROC

There's a new line of Batman action figures out. They seem to be organized around "missions", with 4 figures per mission (I've come across Swamp Mission, Arctic Mission, and Lava Mission). Killer Croc here is the villain in the Swamp Mission set.

The figures all come on a pretty standard colorful blister card with an in-action Batman taking up the top third. The card backs and even the figure designs remind me a lot of the cartoon "The Batman", which ran for 5 seasons before "The Brave and the Bold". The card back is personalized to the individual figure, and features them in action in a comic-panel frame. Croc's has a narrative box about him using toxic waste to create an army, as Batman comes swinging in to stop him. It's large, it's colorful. The other mission-wave figures are shown, as well.

The bubble does a fine job of protecting and showing, with one exception. Croc's head juts forward too far for the bubble's depth, so he's packaged with his head spun up and to his right like 60 degrees. The result is that you really can't tell what he'll look like, while he's in-package...so, here's what he looks like:

So, let's get the facts out of the way first. Croc stands about 6" tall. His tail comes as a separate piece the plugs into his...lower back...and no accessories are included. He features the following 8 points of articulation: swivel head, cut shoulders, hinged elbows, T-hips, cut waist. He is mostly cast in green plastic, which orang(ish) pants, black belt, gunmetal shoulder armor, yellowed upper teeth and red eyes. That's about it.

Now for the opinions. My immediate reaction on opening the package was to the plastic itself. My 6 year old son said, "Dad, it's made of rubber!" The arms (and hands), tail and the lower jaw, especially, have a very rubbery feel to them. In fact, in-package I thought the lower steel-trap jaw was on a hinge that would allow it to open. It's not. In fact, the lower jaw is soft rubber, and though it does open, it won't stay open. Oh, and it's warped. What else? The elbow hinges feel really soft and wobbly, the left foot is cockeyed, and there are half a dozen places where the paint is slopped or smudged. The sculpt has some sharp angles around the arm muscles, but the overall detailing is minimal, as are the paint applications. All of that said, Killer Croc has a pretty unique look to him here. The sculpt is taking some getting used to: I honestly thought I'd like it more than I do. The face is ok, with lots of angles and a spiky feel. The hands are weirdly disproportionate: my daughter remarked about how his lower arm (elbow to fingertips) is longer than his entire top half. But,  I think he'll look great with other figures around him, and these figures seem similar stylistically to earlier Batman animated-style figures (I've got him with The Batman from the cartoon way back, and they look good together).

The Best Thing about this figure: the price. I picked him up at Wal-mart for $9. Find me another 6" action figure from ANY line nowadays for that price, and I'll stop to take a look.

The Worst Thing about this figure: The articulation. This guy just doesn't have that much poseability. Turn his head, and it cocks at an angle. Open his mouth and it closes. Bend his elbows and they feel like they're going to come apart. Move his leg and he's about to topple over. Is this fun to play with?

Overall: I hate to say it, but in many ways this guy was a big disappointment. The limited articulation and soft goods on Killer Croc are examples of reasons why I tend to leave a lot of my figures in-package. He's got an interesting sculpt and a unique enough color to make him stand out on a shelf, but I'm going to be very selective of what figures I buy from this new Batman line. I'm also planning to remind myself that these are mass-market kid-oriented product. I appreciate the effort- it's nice to have animated-style Batman figures back (I didn't care for the Brave and the Bold ones at all), and I plan to appreciate and enjoy the fact that they run $9 a pop. Now, that DC Direct Arkham Killer Croc had better be something else entirely!

BOULDER the Construction-Bot - Transformers Rescue Bots

After literally weeks and weeks of searching, my Transformers Rescue Bots team is finally complete! My six-year-old came back from Target this afternoon with huge news: Boulder was finally here! As so often happens, Boulder was the one Rescue Bot I was really looking forward to, and has been the most difficult to find (figures!), so to say I was excited would be a huge understatement.

I don't know why I like Boulder so much- maybe it's because he seems to be the Rescue Bots counterpart to Transformers Prime's Bulkhead, who is a character I really like. Maybe it's the green. Whatever it is, I like the way the toy came out. The head is appropriately robotic, and I just like the overall look of the figure. The colors are vibrant, and the black and yellow hgihlights  pop nicely against the green body. The hands are in curled "fists" of a sort. I'm predicting limited to no articulation, like with the rest of the line.

The packaging is consistent with the rest of the line: the toys is strapped onto a bubble-less card back, prominently displayed with an in-action pose, complete with the human counterpart as highlights. Boulder's transformation is a 1-step pull-apart a little like Chase's. I haven't opened the package yet to transform him, but I'm predicting the head will tuck in  when the legs are slid back- we'll have to wait and see.

Boulder is a great looking addition to the Transformers Rescue Bots line. He adds some color to the team, and looks like he'll be a pretty cool bulldozer. I don't think he's completely screen-accurate to the show, but then again, none of the Playskool versions seem to be. These are durable, easy to transform versions of the show characters. I'm not a huge fan of the show, and I'm less enamoured of the toys as time passes, but I'm glad to add Boulder to the collection. If there was only one Rescue Bot I'd want to have, it would be Boulder...

Batman Arkham City - Legacy Edition Harley Quinn In-Pack-Peek

Tonight's look is at Mattel's Arkham City version of their Legacy Edition Harley Quinn action figure. Harley has been released along with the Arkham City Nightwing figure in this latest wave (I'm not bothering with the first version Batman or Catwoman figures- neither has much appeal for me. Harley here, is top-notch, though...

The packaging is the same as with the previous Arkham video game releases. I think it looks great. It's intricate, attractive and eye-catching, and it does a super job of showing off the figure. It's probably larger than it needs to be, but I don't care at this point.



The card back has the Harley prototype in a couple of neat poses, along with some great personalized background info and a shot of posed prototype Nightwing. Prototype Harley actually looks really close to the final version (proto has painted fingernails, final does not; proto has no tatoos, final does, etc.).

Harley Quinn comes with a candy-striped baseball bat, a display stand, and a mini poster from the video game. Since I haven't opened the figure yet, I'm not sure of what the poster looks like, but I'm hoping it's the same shot as the one along the left side of the bubble, which shows Harley flashing the "L" in Batman's face...

As far as the figure itself goes, she really does look terrific. I don't often find myself gushing, but Mattel has really knocked this one out of the park.

The sculpt is terrific- full of details throughout the outfit. The paint is sharp and clean (for the most part- my figure has too much reddish tint seeping up from under the white face-paint, but it's not serious), and the tatoos are incredible! She's got one on her left hip ("Mr. J") and another that wraps completely around her left bicep. I'll need to get a magnifier out to see all of the details in those! Not having opened the figure yet, I can't promise too much about the articulation, but through the bubble it appears to be pretty standard DC Universe stuff. In any event, she's an awesome-looking figure. She's good enough to where I won't be picking up a DC Direct version. Speaking of which, I don't think she's QUITE as good-looking as the DC Direct Nurse Harley from Arkham Asylum, but I think she fullfils the requirements of the City version quite well...

Transformers Prime Cyberverse Commander Class BULKHEAD figure

The first wave of Transformers Prime Commander Class figures has been out for a little while now. They are a nifty looking set, comprised of Bulkhead, Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Starscream. It looks like the next couple to be released may include Dreadwing (which I'm looking forward to) and Ironhide (has he appeared in the cartoon yet?). The Commander class figures fall between the small Legion class figures and the Deluxe versions. I haven't seen Bulkhead in ANY form on store shelves aside from this one, and since he's one of my favorite characters from the show, I jumped at the opportunity when I found him on the pegs. So, let's take a look at how he turned out...

The card is a smaller version of the standard Deluxe card, in terms of shape. But the artwork is very different. There's a standard "Autobot" and "Decepticon" version, showing their legion of characters along the edge. The card back IS character-specific, with a little background info and a shot of the figure in each mode.

Bulkhead looks great in robot mode. He lives up to his name, as he's just as wide as he is tall (about 4" in either direction). The face is nicely done, even if it is quite tiny. There's a ton of detail, and he's very faithful to his look on the show, though his thighs aren't quite thick enough for my liking. He's got ball joints at the shoulders, elbows and hips, along with cut knees. As I said, he looks great from the front, not as much from the back or side. He's got a huge gaping hole for a back, and he's fairly "thin" from the side. Incidentally, Bulky's head as no articulation, nor does his waist. These two missing points make dynamic poses difficult to find.

Bulkhead is a nice shade of olive green, with translucent blue for the windows. Paint details are clear and sharp. Overall, Bulkead the robot is a strong offering. He looks like he should, overall, despite any small detail differences he might have when compared to the screen version. Oh, and the two wheels sticking up from his back are present in the cartoon, just not quite so high up. In case you don't like the look, they can be folded down behind his back to hide them a bid more.

Bulkhead comes with a translucent blue "mace", which plugs into either hand in robot mode, or onto the roof in vehicle mode. It looks good, and fills the role of Bulky's changing "fist mace" from the show, without being exactly accurate...

Bulkhead and his fellow Commanders are listed as Level 1 Easy transformation, and I must admit, he fits the bill. The transformation is straightforward and simple, with clear and easy to follow instructions. In vehicle mode, he looks terrific! I love the shape and heft of the thing, and the wheels have just enough clearance underneath to maintain their roll. That said, there is a good bit of robot visible in the undercarriage, but, hey, what are you going to do? It's got to go somewhere!

Commander Class Bulkhead is a fun figure, and he's easily my favorite from Wave 1. He looks great in both modes, transforms easily, and is durable and accurate enough to the show to make me happy in all respects. He should be available at places like Wal-Mart and Target for about $9, or at ToysRUs for $12.