Review: DC Direct 13" Joker
Not too long ago, I looked at a DC Direct 13 inch Green Lantern I picked up for next to nothing at FAO Schwartz. Well, why buy one dirt cheap toy when you can get two?
The Joker, of course, is DC's most iconic villain. Based on an image from a silent film from the twenties, the Joker has undergone nearly as many changes and iterations as his nemesis, but originally he was a sociopathic madman. Despite spending a few decades as a harmless comic criminal, the Joker returned to his darker roots in the seventies, and he's been there ever since.
A character's comic book persona seldom matches the public's perception, of course: for years, most people didn't take the Joker seriously until he appeared in popular films and TV. While last summer's The Dark Knight certainly had the largest impact, Tim Burton's Batman and Batman: The Animated Series paved the way.
DC Direct's Joker appears to based primarily on the 70's version of the character, though there are some elements which make him a bit of an amalgamation.
The Joker, of course, is DC's most iconic villain. Based on an image from a silent film from the twenties, the Joker has undergone nearly as many changes and iterations as his nemesis, but originally he was a sociopathic madman. Despite spending a few decades as a harmless comic criminal, the Joker returned to his darker roots in the seventies, and he's been there ever since.
A character's comic book persona seldom matches the public's perception, of course: for years, most people didn't take the Joker seriously until he appeared in popular films and TV. While last summer's The Dark Knight certainly had the largest impact, Tim Burton's Batman and Batman: The Animated Series paved the way.
DC Direct's Joker appears to based primarily on the 70's version of the character, though there are some elements which make him a bit of an amalgamation.
Appearance: 8/10
Until I opened the box, I was sure this score was going to be lower. Honestly, I was expecting to give the Joker a six. There were a couple of reasons for this schism.
First, up close the Joker looks over-detailed. He's got a few too many lines, and the result is less than realistic. But that's only an issue when you're standing right next to the figure: step back a foot or two, and those lines blend together. To my way of thinking, toys this big are really meant to be seen from a few feet away, so I can't really complain about it.
The face is a bit grotesque, but then it probably should be. I like the grin, though perhaps a tad less tooth decay would have been better. I like that the Joker's gaze is cast to one side: it just suits the character. I was a little surprised by the lack of any red paint in his eyes, since the packaging draws attention to this as a feature. What's more, I looked at a dozen or so different figures in the store before choosing mine, and none had the bloodshot gaze pictured on the front. I'm not really complaining, mind you, since I think he looks better this way. It's just a little surprising.
I do wish his hair wasn't so thin in the front, though that's a minor issue at most. Personally, I prefer the Joker with a full head of hair, but there's certainly precedent for him to be balding.
First, up close the Joker looks over-detailed. He's got a few too many lines, and the result is less than realistic. But that's only an issue when you're standing right next to the figure: step back a foot or two, and those lines blend together. To my way of thinking, toys this big are really meant to be seen from a few feet away, so I can't really complain about it.
The face is a bit grotesque, but then it probably should be. I like the grin, though perhaps a tad less tooth decay would have been better. I like that the Joker's gaze is cast to one side: it just suits the character. I was a little surprised by the lack of any red paint in his eyes, since the packaging draws attention to this as a feature. What's more, I looked at a dozen or so different figures in the store before choosing mine, and none had the bloodshot gaze pictured on the front. I'm not really complaining, mind you, since I think he looks better this way. It's just a little surprising.
I do wish his hair wasn't so thin in the front, though that's a minor issue at most. Personally, I prefer the Joker with a full head of hair, but there's certainly precedent for him to be balding.
The other pleasant surprise came from his outfit. In the package, this was pressed against the window by the plastic tray, making it appear to be poorly designed and over sized.
Turns out, the costume is fantastic. When the Joker is out of the box, it fits almost perfectly. With few exceptions, it hangs on the figure like clothing on a body. There are a few spots where the stitching could be a touch better on the coat, but overall, the outfit is topnotch. I'm particularly impressed with the orange vest, which looks spot-on. I also love the shoes and gloves, which are part of the underlying figure (they don't come off). These are a bit shiny, but in a realistic way, and they help the figure stand out. Not that he needs much help: this guy commands attention. The only real complaint I have is with his flower, which is far less detailed or realistic than anything else. It's not awful, but it does look a little out of place on a figure this nice. Obviously, I liked this figure enough to buy it, but looking in the box I never expected to like it as much as Green Lantern. Turns out I like it better. |
Packaging and Extras: ----
This is going to be an awkward category, because this figure could easily have gotten a bonus point for accessories, but DC Direct dropped the ball. I'll explain further in a moment, but first lets take a look at the packaging:
Like the others in this line, the Joker has a opening front that lets you look at the figure in the box.
The art design on the front is very good, and I love the playing card design scheme. I do, however, have a few issues with the description. First, as I mentioned above, the back of the box claims "eerie blood-shot eyes", while the step seems to have been skipped in production. Sure, this isn't a big deal, because you can clearly see what the toy looks like before buying... but it's still a surprising oversight. |
The second issue is likewise a minor one, and I only bring it up because I'm a complete and total geek. Nevertheless, the box claims the Joker comes with a "fish gun." Now, I've read a LOT of Batman comics in my day, and I've seen the Joker pull out a wide variety of weapons and gags. But, so far as I know, he's never pulled a fish gun on anyone.
What's more, the so-called "fish gun" is far more fish than gun. And while I don't know of the Joker ever disguising his gun as a fish, I do recall him poisoning the fish off Gotham's coast in a convoluted attempt to claim copyright infringement on fish being sold. As bizarre as it sounds, "The Laughing Fish" is one of the more popular Batman stories from the seventies, and the image of the grinning fish is fairly popular. As such, the accessory is quite appreciated. You can't do wrong with including memorable moments from a character's history, particularly when they're this well made. But... why call it a gun? First of all, if any of you know of a comic I haven't read where the Joker hides a gun in a grinning fish, let me know and I'll consider retracting this complaint. In the meantime, I suspect it was because DC Direct knew that collectors would want a gun but didn't want to include one. Honestly, I could care less what's written on the box, but this brings up a far larger issue: the lack of a gun. I'll have some more words on that at the end of this section. |
First, lets discuss the other accessories. Beside the fish, you get a display stand, a cane, and four playing cards. The stand is similar to the one that came with Green Lantern, and once again it does its job well.
Along with the fish, the cane is a phenomenal addition. The sculpted Joker head at the top looks awesome, and the overall appearance is great. You also get four Joker cards scaled to the figure, and so far I've only lost one. While I appreciate the thought behind this accessory, in practice it's kind of... pathetic. First of all, these aren't that nice. I can think of several iconic Joker cards from the comics and movies, not one of which is represented here. What's worse, these weren't even printed right: the backs are off-center. I could whip up something about ten times better using Photoshop in ten, fifteen minutes. But the cards don't really matter: they were a good idea that didn't work out. What we're left with are two great accessories and a good stand. You can also consider some of his outfit as an accessory, since the figure looks fine with some of it removed. Just take care taking off the coat: you don't want damage the sleeves or his hands. Here's the tragedy of the thing: the fish and cane are good enough to deserve a bonus point. Both of these are exceptional additions that go above and beyond what's required. So why isn't there a bonus? Because, while they included some great bonus material, they forgot the include the bare essentials. |
Where's the gun? The dynamite? The knife? The laughing gas canister? If two out of the four of these were included, I could easily have seen giving him a bonus point. Throw in all four and a fedora and I might have been able to go up to two.
Play and Display: ----
The figure may have been robbed of a bonus point in the last category, but it narrowly gets saved from a penalty here.
While there's still a good amount of articulation, he's missing some key joints: compared to the Green Lantern Corps figure, this is practically a statue.
First, the head, while still ball jointed, is fairly constrained. But the real disappointment is in the ankles, which are missing pin joints. This greatly limits your options for posing the feet and legs.
Likewise, I'd have liked hinged joints on the wrists, particularly since DC Direct didn't include a set of alternate bendable hands this time around. The Joker was sculpted - wisely, I might add - with dramatic hand sculpts. The cut wrist joint gives you some options, but hinges here would really open up the possibilities.
On a six inch figure, these issues wouldn't make a dent. But I expect more from toys in this scale. If it weren't for a couple of factors, I'd need to slap a -1 on this section.
There are two saving graces here that prevent such action. The first is the base, which works wonderfully. It provides a great deal of support to the figure and opens up some wonderfully bizarre poses which suit the character.
The other factor is the tail of the Joker's tux coat. This contains bendable wire which allows you to pose it in various positions, simulating movement. Somewhat zany, somewhat brilliant: I think the Joker would approve.
Because of the stand and tail wires, I can't bring myself to deduct anything. But I am a bit disappointed there isn't more articulation here.
While there's still a good amount of articulation, he's missing some key joints: compared to the Green Lantern Corps figure, this is practically a statue.
First, the head, while still ball jointed, is fairly constrained. But the real disappointment is in the ankles, which are missing pin joints. This greatly limits your options for posing the feet and legs.
Likewise, I'd have liked hinged joints on the wrists, particularly since DC Direct didn't include a set of alternate bendable hands this time around. The Joker was sculpted - wisely, I might add - with dramatic hand sculpts. The cut wrist joint gives you some options, but hinges here would really open up the possibilities.
On a six inch figure, these issues wouldn't make a dent. But I expect more from toys in this scale. If it weren't for a couple of factors, I'd need to slap a -1 on this section.
There are two saving graces here that prevent such action. The first is the base, which works wonderfully. It provides a great deal of support to the figure and opens up some wonderfully bizarre poses which suit the character.
The other factor is the tail of the Joker's tux coat. This contains bendable wire which allows you to pose it in various positions, simulating movement. Somewhat zany, somewhat brilliant: I think the Joker would approve.
Because of the stand and tail wires, I can't bring myself to deduct anything. But I am a bit disappointed there isn't more articulation here.
Price Tag and Final Analysis: 8/10
While Green Lantern received a "technical" nine, that was really inflated by the impressive number of accessories he came with.
The Joker, on the other hand, loses out in the accessories category, but I actually like him better as a figure. Despite the limited articulation and limited extras, this figure has a great head sculpt and a fantastic outfit.
What's more, the accessories issue is somewhat exaggerated. I've got guns and knives he can have: heck, I've even got a Joker-gun, complete with "Bang!" flag I wasn't using. For the life of me, I can't figure out why DC Direct left these out, but most collectors have extra weapons lying around. The laughing fish and cane, on the other hand, are unique accessories that really improve the figure. I couldn't reward them on a matter of principle, but I far prefer having these to just getting yet another gun and knife.
At full retail, he's a bit pricey: expect to pay between seventy and eighty bucks; possibly even more. Considering the lack of extras, that's definitely pushing it. Fifty to sixty strikes me as a bit more reasonable.
Unfortunately, you're probably not going to have the same luck I did - I got him for about twenty-five bucks at FAO Schwartz - but you might find him marked down somewhere if you're lucky.
I was less than enthusiastic when I first saw him packaged, but now I'm very happy with the figure. This is a fantastic collectible.
The Joker, on the other hand, loses out in the accessories category, but I actually like him better as a figure. Despite the limited articulation and limited extras, this figure has a great head sculpt and a fantastic outfit.
What's more, the accessories issue is somewhat exaggerated. I've got guns and knives he can have: heck, I've even got a Joker-gun, complete with "Bang!" flag I wasn't using. For the life of me, I can't figure out why DC Direct left these out, but most collectors have extra weapons lying around. The laughing fish and cane, on the other hand, are unique accessories that really improve the figure. I couldn't reward them on a matter of principle, but I far prefer having these to just getting yet another gun and knife.
At full retail, he's a bit pricey: expect to pay between seventy and eighty bucks; possibly even more. Considering the lack of extras, that's definitely pushing it. Fifty to sixty strikes me as a bit more reasonable.
Unfortunately, you're probably not going to have the same luck I did - I got him for about twenty-five bucks at FAO Schwartz - but you might find him marked down somewhere if you're lucky.
I was less than enthusiastic when I first saw him packaged, but now I'm very happy with the figure. This is a fantastic collectible.
Disclaimer: the following accessories do NOT come with figure.
Don't forget to stop by The Middle Room, where I rant about various issues pertaining to geeks. But first, lets give the Joker a chance to blow you a kiss goodbye: