Review: JLU Batman Beyond 3-Pack
Mattel takes a lot of heat for their shortcomings, but they don't get anywhere near the credit they deserve for the things they do right. Sure, their online store is almost unusable, they're charging collector prices for mass-market products, and they offer far too many exclusives to large retailers.
But, seriously now, look at the toys they're producing and try to tell me they're not paying some attention to the fans.
Not too long ago, Lindsay looked at the JLU three-pack featuring Amanda Waller, a character I never would have expected to see in stores. At about the same time, Mattel released another unlikely pack, this time made up of characters from Batman Beyond, a show that's been off the air for almost a decade now.
Thanks to a crossover with Justice League Unlimited, Mattel decided to make these available. Along with Terry McGinnis (the new Batman) and Warhawk (the son of Hawkgirl and Green Lantern), they made an aged Bruce Wayne. We've seen Terry McGinnis figures before, but I don't recall seeing his mentor until now, and Warhawk previously existed solely in the hands of customizers.
But, seriously now, look at the toys they're producing and try to tell me they're not paying some attention to the fans.
Not too long ago, Lindsay looked at the JLU three-pack featuring Amanda Waller, a character I never would have expected to see in stores. At about the same time, Mattel released another unlikely pack, this time made up of characters from Batman Beyond, a show that's been off the air for almost a decade now.
Thanks to a crossover with Justice League Unlimited, Mattel decided to make these available. Along with Terry McGinnis (the new Batman) and Warhawk (the son of Hawkgirl and Green Lantern), they made an aged Bruce Wayne. We've seen Terry McGinnis figures before, but I don't recall seeing his mentor until now, and Warhawk previously existed solely in the hands of customizers.
Appearance and Construction: 8/10
At a glance, Warhawk looks to be the best of the bunch, but on closer inspection, I'm giving that honor to Terry.
Warhawk is a great figure, particularly in the sculpt. I love the armor, too, which is a separate piece. He gets a little less impressive around the paint work, which is sloppy and a tad uneven. The hawk symbol doesn't wrap around the bottom of his armor, which hurts the appearance from some angles (granted, you can probably fix this with a sharpie and a steady hand, but it's still annoying).
The largest problem with Warhawk is scale: he's simply too short. But that's more an issue for Play and Display than this section, so we'll push on for the time being. For all the minor issues, this is still a very stylized and nicely made figure. On his own, I'd hand him an eight.
Like I said before, Terry is my favorite of the lot. He's made of a rubbery plastic that might not feel as solid as I'd like, but at least it provides a matte surface. The sculpt is excellent, capturing the look of the character almost perfectly. There's not a lot of paint, but what's there is clean and crisp.
Finally, we come to the star of the show, old Mr. Wayne. As happy as I was to get a Terry McGinnis in this line, this is the one that really excited me when I heard it was being produced.
Warhawk is a great figure, particularly in the sculpt. I love the armor, too, which is a separate piece. He gets a little less impressive around the paint work, which is sloppy and a tad uneven. The hawk symbol doesn't wrap around the bottom of his armor, which hurts the appearance from some angles (granted, you can probably fix this with a sharpie and a steady hand, but it's still annoying).
The largest problem with Warhawk is scale: he's simply too short. But that's more an issue for Play and Display than this section, so we'll push on for the time being. For all the minor issues, this is still a very stylized and nicely made figure. On his own, I'd hand him an eight.
Like I said before, Terry is my favorite of the lot. He's made of a rubbery plastic that might not feel as solid as I'd like, but at least it provides a matte surface. The sculpt is excellent, capturing the look of the character almost perfectly. There's not a lot of paint, but what's there is clean and crisp.
Finally, we come to the star of the show, old Mr. Wayne. As happy as I was to get a Terry McGinnis in this line, this is the one that really excited me when I heard it was being produced.
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That said, I'm a little disappointed in how the figure ended up. The issue with the scale appears once more: in the show, Bruce towered over McGinnis. I suppose you could make the case that Terry's actually too large and the other two are the right size.
Anyway, even setting this aside, this figure has problems. The head sculpt looks pretty good, but it's way too small for the body. And the sculpt work around the chest and shoulders is seriously flawed, leaving large, ugly gaps. This figure would receive a six or seven on his own, and the overall score for the pack averages out to an eight. |
Packaging and Extras: -2
The JLU three packs are similar in design to the DC Universe Classics packs. They get the figures from point A to point B in one piece, which is really all I ask for:
The back offers some pictures from "The Once and Future Thing, Part 2," the episode of JLU which featured these characters. The write-up is fine, but not particularly inspired, and it includes the obligatory snapshots of other figures from the line. Collect them all.
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Other than the figures and packaging, you get absolutely nothing. No miniature stands, weapons, props, or anything else. That's not okay. Setting aside bat-a-rangs and snap-on wings (two extras Terry could definitely benifit from), not to mention the possibility of including Bruce's dog, Ace, there's a major accessory that's not just important, it's required. Where. Is. Bruce's. Cane? Come on. This wouldn't have been expensive to produce, and it would have greatly increased the value of the pack. The cane, a base, and a bat-a-rang would have made this category a wash. If they'd tossed in snap-on wings or Ace, we'd be talking bonus points. As it is, I'm docking them two points. There's no excuse for toys this small to cost this much and come with nothing. |
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Play and Display: -1
The articulation on this line is fairly straight-forward. You've got T-style hips that don't bend backwards, pin-jointed shoulders, and a cut neck. There's a long list of joints I'd have liked to see - everything from pin joints on the elbows and knees to cut wrists and waists - but none of that's required. All I really need demand here is for the figures to stand and have minimal articulation, which they do.
Why the penalty, then? It's scale. I'm usually pretty forgiving on this issue when it's accross a line (or even a wave), but when figures packed together aren't in the same scale, I have to raise an objection.
I could have docked a point under Appearance and Construction for this, I could have done a Special Deduction, but ultimately I decided this is more a display issue.
Why the penalty, then? It's scale. I'm usually pretty forgiving on this issue when it's accross a line (or even a wave), but when figures packed together aren't in the same scale, I have to raise an objection.
I could have docked a point under Appearance and Construction for this, I could have done a Special Deduction, but ultimately I decided this is more a display issue.
Price Tag and Final Analysis: 5/10
There exists a schism between the goal of objective reviewing and subjective opinion. Sometimes this gap is small fairly small; other times it's a wide gulf. This isn't small.
Objectively, this is a decent, if unexceptional, pack of small figures with minimal articulation which are missing some essential accessories. I don't know what these are going for at retail, but they'll run you quite a bit online. My "objective" assessment is that these would be a fair deal at twelve or thirteen bucks.
I was ready to pay twice that if it came to it.
This is a line I'm invested in, one I've been collecting for a very long time. I'm no completist by a long shot, but I occasionally break down and pick a few of these up. Likewise, I love Batman Beyond. I've wanted a decent Terry in this scale for years, and, if I had ever thought it was possible, I'd have wanted an old Bruce for just as long.
I stumbled across this pack in a local toy store for sixteen bucks, and pulled it off the shelf without pause.
Sure, there are some minor problems with scale and we're getting ripped off on accessories... but who cares? These are solid figures of awesome characters I never expected to see made.
Now, if we could just get Mattel to produce an old man Wayne DC Universe Classics 6 inch figure....
Objectively, this is a decent, if unexceptional, pack of small figures with minimal articulation which are missing some essential accessories. I don't know what these are going for at retail, but they'll run you quite a bit online. My "objective" assessment is that these would be a fair deal at twelve or thirteen bucks.
I was ready to pay twice that if it came to it.
This is a line I'm invested in, one I've been collecting for a very long time. I'm no completist by a long shot, but I occasionally break down and pick a few of these up. Likewise, I love Batman Beyond. I've wanted a decent Terry in this scale for years, and, if I had ever thought it was possible, I'd have wanted an old Bruce for just as long.
I stumbled across this pack in a local toy store for sixteen bucks, and pulled it off the shelf without pause.
Sure, there are some minor problems with scale and we're getting ripped off on accessories... but who cares? These are solid figures of awesome characters I never expected to see made.
Now, if we could just get Mattel to produce an old man Wayne DC Universe Classics 6 inch figure....
Sure, you could leave the internet for a few minutes, but let's be honest here: where would you go? Outside? First, you'd have to check an online weather report to find out what to wear. And, if you're going through all that, you might as well just stick around. And, since you're already surfing the web, why not head on over to my blog, The Middle Room, where you're likely to find something of interest? Or, if you'd prefer, I've got a site full of short stories and the like.
See, there's no reason to ever leave the web. But, if you do get sick of all this, you could always buy a book.
See, there's no reason to ever leave the web. But, if you do get sick of all this, you could always buy a book.
