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.

Arkham City CATWOMAN - Unpacked

A little while back, I picked up the Arkham City Batman & Catwoman 2-Pack. Well, I've finally gotten around to opening the set, and I wanted to post a couple of pictures, and quick thoughts about the results. First off, Batman is just as lame as I thought he'd be. His face is goofy, his arms are short and stubby, with useless clenched fists. His rubber cape is too heavy for him to stand. In short, he's a hot mess and will remain binned and forgotten. Now, on to the star of the show: Catwoman...

First, the good. She looks amazing- even better out of the package. Loads of fine detailing on the costume. The proportions look good, her legs have some shape to them, and the face is terrific. Her goggles are sculpted so well that I thought for a moment that they were removable. I wasn't too thrilled with the way the hair was sculpted and painted peeking out from under the cowl, but out of the package it looks awesome. The paint is great, even on the buckles and there's some neat matte vs. gloss work on the costume. Really, really great; the pictures really don't even do her justice.

Then, there's the bad. Catwoman teeters on some pretty tall heels. As if that wasn't tough enough to deal with, mine has a warped left ankle as a result of how she was stuffed into her tray. I can get her to stand, but it isn't a pleasant process. Worse still, her head seems to be on a ball that only works as a cut. I can only get side-to-side swivel, and she's sculpted with her face tilted slightly down. QC issues or poor design, I don't know, but it's annoying. Oh, and there's a third one, as well: her right shoulder joint won't allow her to put her arm down fully. It moves all around, but won't come in towards the body completely (kind of like NECA's Duke Nukem figure, but not quite as badly). As a result of all this, Catwoman is really unpleasant to pose for me. She's got articulation aplenty, but it just doesn't work well enough for me to enjoy. That said, she looks great on the shelf as an integral part of my Arkham display...

This is as far down as her right arm goes...

Play Arts Kai ARKHAM ASYLUM BATMAN figure - Quick Shot

Here are some quick pictures of my new Arkham Asylum Batman figure from Play Arts Kai. It blows the Mattel offering out of the water, and has enough to set it apart from the DC Direct version to make it worth picking up. Batman runs about $60. I had him pre-ordered, and when he finally arrived I must admit that I wasn't too impressed. Out of the box, though, he looks terrific. The shading and detail is definitely up to par, and he sports tons of great articulation. The face (which is usually the deciding factor for me on Batman preferences) is great, as well. He comes with 2 fists, 2 "gripping" hands (that aren't really tight enough to grip very well, a batarang, a grapple gun, and an alternate "billowing" cape attachment. In case you are wondering, he's looks slightly smaller than the Street Fighter, Resident Evil and Assassin's Creed Play Arts figures that I have, though I'd expect him to be in scale to the other Arkham Asylum figures in the line...

UPDATE: Ok, it's been several months, and I wanted to re-visit this figure. I've decided that I LOVE this Batman. He's loads of fun to pose, and can achieve some really cool looks. On the down-side, the left shoulder ball pops out VERY easily, but it's simple enough to just pop back into place. The arm articulation is really limited by the shoulder portions of the cape, and the open left hand is useless for holding anything. Other than those small nits, Arkham Asylum Batman is awesome! I've already got Arkham City Batman on pre-order, and I'm in for all of these Play Arts Kai Batman figures. Square Enix, keep 'em coming!

CHUN LI - Street Fighter IV Play Arts Kai Action Figure

He's a quick peek at the new Play Arts Kai Street Fighter Chun-Li action figure...

The packaging is consistent with Ryu's, and everything is well-displayed and appropriately protected. The box art is attractive and shows off the figure well. Chun-Li comes with alternate open hands, an open-mouthed alternate head, a fireball and clear stand (for the fireball). The fists pop off pretty readily, but the posts are fairly dainty for my taste, so I plan to be very careful when changing out the hands.

Chun-Li is a good looking figure. The face is attractive on both faces, and match one another pretty well. The hair buns peg into each head, so they need to be switched out depending on which head Chun-Li's using at any given time. The paint work is all good, with a high-gloss metallic sheen on the blue parts, and a flat maroon for the leggings. There's a good amount of airbrush highlighting to bring out the sculpt. All of the gold filigree is sharp, the boots have some nice gray airbrushing, and her face sports a great "makeup" application. The one I got had a brown spot above the left eye- annoying, but not really a huge deal. Otherwise, the paint is impressive.

 

The articulation on Chun-Li is plentiful, and she can take some great poses, but the hip joints are visible and pretty ugly. Also, I can't find rockers in her ankles, so her feet have a hard time staying flat side-to-side. The knees are relatively hidden when her legs are extended, but bend them and the enormous knee joint gives the figure a pretty odd look.

 

So, there you have it. Chun-Li is a good figure- she's probably a stronger offering than Ryu. She looks good, poses well, and includes the necessary accessories. That said, I actually prefer the NECA offerings. I like the sculpt, paintwork and articulation more on those smaller figures than on the Play Arts versions, and with these (though I do like them), I just don't feel like I'm getting $50 plus worth of figure...