Review: Action League: Batman Vs. The Demon Etrigan

Posted by Lindsay

Batman: The Brave and The Bold is a pretty fun show.  I don't see much of it (we don't have cable), but what I've seen I've enjoyed.  As a fan of both serious Batman and Adam West Batman, I personally appreciate the careful blending of style and tone that the writers and animators of that show often pull off.

The six inch figures for this show are okay, but have a really ugly action feature that involves odd holes in their limbs. We really like the small Action League guys, though.

Previously reviewed from this line:
Sportsmaster Vs. Green Arrow
Batman

Appearance and Construction:  8/10

This pack is inspired by one particular episode, in which Merlin pulls Batman back in time to help him fight Etrigan, and gives him a medieval disguise for his stay.  It's a great episode, incidentally, and I'm probably not just saying that because I like Etrigan so much.

The super deformed minimalist style works well with the style of the animation.  The colors are bold and clear, and the sculpt is sharp.

Etrigan is fairly flawless, but Batman has more than a few paint errors.  There are obvious trouble spots on the hand with the sword and smudges on his face.  I like that the guard of the sword is a Batarang, though.

Overall these two are quite good, but not perfect.

Packaging and Accessories: ---

Packaging is nice, bright colors and a neat shape.

No accessories, though they aren't expected for figures this small.  Etrigan's hand is open as if he should hold something, but nothing is provided. 

Ironically, a base wouldn't have gone amiss here, since the big fists overbalance the little guys in some positions, but it's not really necessary.

Play and Display: +1

Both have a small amount of articulation, which is appreciated in this scale.  Each have cuts at neck, shoulders and waist.  It all works passably, except that Bats can't raise his arms much due to his shoulder cape-guard-thing.  Still, bonus point for small-scale articulation that functions.

Price Tag and Final Analysis: 9/10

Now, I don't think there's any way we would have passed up tiny adorable Etrigan, but as it happens, we got a decent deal here.  We paid 6.99 for the pack at Target.  That's about 3.50 per figure, which I think is a decent but not exceptional price for nice 2” guys.

The Action League line has a lot of potential, I think.  They are less detailed than most Superhero Squad, and MUCH less detailed than BPRD Buddies, but the simplicity works.

And come on, look!  Tiny adorable Etrigan!

For more from us, you could check out the review archive,
or try The Blue Fairy's Bookshelf, for more from me, or The Middle Room for more from Erin.