KILLER CROC - DC Direct - Arkham Asylum Deluxe Action Figure Review

From the moment he stepped off that lift at the beginning of Arkham Asylum, Killer Croc blew me away. So, when I heard that he was being released by DC Direct as part of their Arkham line of action figures, I pre-ordered him right away. Well, Croc showed up this week. He's an expensive figure, no doubt about it- the question is, is he worth it?

Killer Croc comes packaged securely in a mostly-white partial-display window box. The figure is half-hidden, and there isn't much eye-catching about the box, but the cardboard is very sturdy, and Croc is twisty-tied in place, so it does it's primary job of protecting the figure, without being particularly attractive. The box size is also fairly appropriate- I saw a Deluxe Mr. Freeze at a comic shop and wondered about the need for the "deluxe" box for him (I'm guessing it's the accessories). Not so with Croc here.

He's definitely a large-sized figure. He stands 9 and 1/2 inches at the top of his domed head. I'm guessing he'd have another inch if he could straighten out his hunched back! Croc weighs in at 1 lb. 11 oz., so he's a solid figure with some weight behind him (just for comparison's sake, Build-A-Figure Pitt weighs 2 lb. 4 oz. at 10" tall). The sculpt captures the game look really well, and there's loads of sculpted detail in the form of cracks, scales, armor plates, etc. (check out his back!). That said, the sculpt lines do feel a little "soft" to me- the detail is there, but for some reason it just doesn't seem to "pop" like it does on say a NECA figure. Take, for instance, the rope belt around his waist. It's sculpted, I can tell it's supposed to be rope, but there's something very ho-hum about it. The whole figure is like that, in some ways, and I'm honestly not positive why. My other complaint (and yeah it's a weird one), is that he's too symmetrical side-to-side. What I mean is, that his plates, their shading, and even the location of the weird spikes are identically placed on his left side, and on his right side. I'm not sure why this bothers me as well, but it does.


Killer Croc's paint apps capture the look well enough. They aren't sloppy in application, and the chosen colors seem to work very well. Small things like metal buckles, pupils and toe-nails are all well done. The upper portion of the pants are very smooth and very orange, while the lower portions are filthy and much more wrinkled. It's a good job, overall, much as I'd expect from DC Direct (I'm rarely disappointed with their paint work). Croc sports thick broken chains from each ankle cuff, both forearm bands and the neck piece. They look great.

I try not to expect too much from the articulation of DC Direct's figures- for me, they are mostly there to view on a shelf in a vanilla pose. That said, Killer Croc has had some effort put into his articulation. His head is on a semi-ball (because he's hunched forward, it's limited in its range of motion), and his lower jaw is hinged to open and close (nice touch!). Shoulders are ball joints that can be raised laterally very well. He's got cut twist biceps (great), and single-pin elbow joints that are restricted by the forearm braces. The hands are on ball-joints at the wrists, with one clenched into a fist and the other open-clawed. The hips provide for movement forward, backwards and side to side, but mine has a pretty floppy left one, so I have to be gentle with it or I'm afraid he'll get to toppling around. Single pin knees (with some ratchet to them, I think) and ball-jointed ankles round out the articulation. It's not perfect, but it is more than I expected- I'd say it's about right given the constraints of Croc's size and sculpt.

So, where do things stand so far? Packaging- average, sculpt - good, paint - good, articulation - good, accessories - none. Lastly, we need to consider the price. Clearly, he's a good figure, a necessary figure to an Arkham line, but yeah, he's too expensive. I'd put him reasonable at $30-$35, with the standard figures at about $20 (which I also think is too expensive).

Overall, Killer Croc is a good figure. He looks exactly like the prototype pictures, and he's very well-constructed. But at the same time, he shouldn't be good, he should be great. He ought to be in the top ten of action figure that I own, but he's just not. There's something about him that's very "underwhelming", and I can't find a clear-cut reason why. This is a character design that I love, a figure that I want to love, solid execution (the face in particular is terrific). But I can already tell that he'll go on the shelf and won't get much of a second look after a couple of weeks. There's no way I'd pay what I did for Croc for Mr. Freeze or Titan Joker or any other figure from the line, and I probably do regret the money that went into getting the big guy, although he does look cool with Batman on the shelf.

Leonardo - Playmates Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2012

I recently picked up my first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action figure. It's a license I have no nostalgic connection to: never watched or read any of their many stories from the past 25 years, and (as I stated earlier) I've never had any of the toys. So what changed all that? Quite honestly, this figure is fantastic on so many levels that I just couldn't pass him up. Here's what Playmates got right:

We'll start with the packaging. It's terrific. Colorful, eye catching, personalized with a little background about the specific character, a shot of all the figures in the entire wave, screen shots of the team, and it's efficient. There isn't much wasted space, and things are kept in place nice and tightly, without the figure being damaged or warped by stupid in-action poses. The figure is shown off well- it's darn near perfect. My only (tiny) quibble here is that the two twisties used to keep Leo in place are made of a really stiff plastic. Don't even bother trying to untwist them, it was nearly impossible- just cut em and get on with it. The weapons of choice slide into the bubble itself, while an additional mini-arsenal is included on a sprue. Accessories? In this day and age? Yup, and plenty of them! Yay, Playmates!

Next bit of Playmates goodness? Leonardo's sculpt is what really got me. I love the overall look and proportions of the entire figure, as well as on the all-important-face. Strangely enough, the part with the most interesting detail to me is the bandana, right around the eyes. The ridges and crinkles done underneath the bandana really lend a ton of expression to the face. There are scads of nicks and scars all over the figure's pads and shell, and his skin and bandage textures are awesome. Each of the turtles in the line is a unique sculpt, so you aren't going to feel ripped off buying the same figure four times with different faces. Oh, and the weapons fit perfectly in his hands, as well as in the soft rubbery scabbards on his back.

Next! Articulation-wise, Leonardo has enough to get the job done. What I mean is that there isn't a ton - he's not super-articulated by any means, but there's enough to have some fun with.

The ball-jointed head tilts and swivels enough to add some expression to most poses. Additionally, there are ball joints at the shoulders, elbows, knees and hips, with swivels above the wrist bandages. The balls at the elbows and knees provide rotating motion, as well, though their range of motion in terms of bend isn't too great. He's fun to play around with, and I can get some cool looking poses, but I have the most trouble with his legs. The one accessory I wish they would have included is a display stand with a hearty foot-peg. I don't usually use stands, so that's odd for me to say, but I'd love to get some one-legged, jumping, or kicking poses out of this guy! In any event, great job again here by Playmates. They didn't go overboard and as a result there are no loose floppy joints. I've got some figures from other toy companies with upwards of 30 points, but the ankles are so loose the figures can't stand at all on their own even in a vanilla pose. Kind of defeats the purpose. Not so, here!

Paint is the one spot where Leonardo doesn't quite shine as much. It's not that it's bad or detrimental, there just isn't very much of it. The bandana, bandages, and pads on mine are all very clean and sharp. Even the buckles on the front strap have a gold application. It's all very nice, but he's still very plastic-toy-looking. Honestly, I'm totally fine with it, though I can't help but think how incredible he'd look with a decent wash or some airbrushed highlights. I may add some paint detail to the weapons at some point, which may help out as well.

Playmates Toys used to be a top-line contender in my book. I still have those Lara Croft Adventures dioramas in my display, and I used to really admire their Simpsons line. But over the past few years, I've begun to lump them in with the lower tier, along with JAKKS Pacific, Jazwares, Zizzle and whatever other "oh, I hope my favorite property doesn't get picked up by them" companies that happened to be around. The Star Trek and Terminator: Salvation debacles probably had a lot to do with that. 

But, now I can honestly say, "Wow". I'm blown away. These Ninja Turtles look great, come with lots of stuff, pose well, are well-made, and are packaged appropriately. What else did Playmates do right? Here's a short additional list:

• The entire wave of toys is readily available and is consistently being re-stocked (I've managed to find all 9 figures in the wave, along with the Shellraiser van, over the past week- contrast that with the Wal-Mart 6" Avengers, which I've seen 2 figures of once, or the Movie Masters Alfred and Catwoman, which I've seen never)
• All 9 figures were released at once, not in future "possible secret figure can't complete your Parallax" waves
• The PRICE: I've decided that $8.99 is the perfect price for an action figure. For that amount, I went ahead and bought 10 figures. For a line like the 6" Avengers, I won't buy a single figure at $16. Why? I got 10 different figures! I don't feel ripped off, and I'm enjoying myself as a toy-collector again, which I can't do when it takes me 3 months and $20 to find one figure with no accessories, warped ankles and the same sculpt as 20 other figures.
• No stupid action feature
• I like the scale: not too big, not too small at just under 5". I can display them all as a group, and they fit the vehicles appropriately

In short, this is my absolute hands-down favorite line right now, bumping Transformers Prime out of the running. I'm enjoying the figures I have, and I'm looking forward to the cartoon in the fall. I'm not sure I'll bother with the more expensive "retro classics collector (read: $15) figures" when they pop up. Like I said, I don't have any nostalgic connection to the characters, so I don't care much about the 2-toes vs. 3-toes quarrel, or the pupil-eyes vs. white-eyes look. If I like 'em, I'll pick them up, but for right now, I'm real happy with the guys I have. 

As a toy collector, all I ask of the toy companies out there is to give me the best figure you can. I don't want another 3 3/4" line, or an unarticulated (5 cut joints) statue. Gimme as much useful articulation as possible, with a unique and detailed sculpt and tons of appropriate accessories that the figure can store and work with. Keep the package reasonable- no need to go crazy here with all kinds of crazy shapes and cardboard overlays, and get the toys to the shelves! Do all of that, and do it for less than ten bucks, like Playmates Toys just did! I dare you...

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...