Under the Giant Penny

Batman Basketball

2011-11-15T10:29:00.001-08:00

What says Batman more than a Batman basketball?
It is a perfect item for me since I live in the heart of basketball country, Indiana.

I had posted earlier about another unusual item, The Batman Hoosier Cabinet , so this fits me perfectly.

I got this sometime while The Batman series was running on television which was from 2004 -2008.
This Batman was a bit shocking to me at first because they had departed from the square chin Batman to a more pointy chin character.

I ended up liking the show really well and also liking the way they whole show was styled.

The series also made the news for its interactive toys.

When Batman would use Wayne Tech devices in the show the toys at home would interact with the television program. (Pretty cool and scary at the same time. I hope The Joker never gets a hold of this technology!)

I am pretty sure that if you were playing basketball while the show was on you would never miss a basket.

I have no idea what a FOTOBALL is.
Google has no idea either.

To my credit I never used the Wayne Technology to win a game I depended totally on my Hoosiers skills.

This ball was bought just to look at.

Batman, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter looking at the Bat-Basketball.

This Bat-item is not in my Bat-room but is instead in our game room. (Xbox mostly)

Brian B

Kenner Dark Knight Collection Catalog

2011-11-11T12:51:00.000-08:00

When Kenner took over the Batman movie toy license in 1990 from Toy Biz, it was a very welcome change. It's not that I hated the Toy Biz stuff. It's just that it was pretty clear that things could have been done better.... and Kenner delivered.

Kenner used to pack these cool little catalogs in with their larger toys like playsets and vehicles. This one is kind of an "all-purpose" catalog that shows several toy lines (as you can see by the cover of the catalog, above). I still can't believe that Kenner produced a childrens' Robocop toy line... those films were pretty hardcore and deserved the R ratings that they had. At any rate, I thought it would be fun to show these very first Batman movie toys from Kenner's catalog.

Here's the first wave of figures and couple of cycles. Kenner liked to reuse molds from older toy lines and retool them a little bit for new ones. Batman's cycle uses a mold from the Robocop line and I believe Joker's does, as well.

The figures were pretty much all-new. They were based on the Super Powers Batman body but were obviously retooled for this line. I have to give them credit for producing pretty decent masked and unmasked sculpts of Michael Keaton.

Here are some vehicles. The BatJet was originally seen in the Silverhawks line of toys... and I believe the Batcopter is a "repaint" from the Super Powers line. However, the Batmobile and Batwing are all-new sculpts and are fantastic toy-counterparts to the "real" vehicles from the film.

In this page, you can see that Kenner reused a portion of the Star Wars Laser Rifle for the Sonic Neutralizer weapon.

Lastly, I love this kids' costume on this page. That would be a neat set to have in a Batman collection.

Can anyone else hardly believe that this toy line was released over twenty years ago?!!

Justice League Batman Alarm Clock

2011-11-10T16:29:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, my 12 year-old son walked into my studio and plunked this down on my desk. "You want this?" he asked. "Uh... yeah, are you done with it?" I asked back. Apparently, my son is now too old to have a Batman clock in his room. How Serendipitous! ... because I happen to be the exact age to have one of these sitting on my drawing desk!! Amazing.

So, this cool little item is now in my possession... waiting for the day when my son might want it back. If he doesn't, that's fine, too.

At any rate, this is one of those items that sort of flies under the radar of most Batman toy collectors. At least, it did with me. I didn't even know these existed until my son got this for Christmas, a few years back. It's always fun to have this kind of stuff around to complement the mainstream stuff. This has a copyright date of 2005 but I can't find a manufacturer marked on the clock, anywhere. The middle of the screen says "Hero Tactics." Perhaps, that's a clue to the manufacturer.

Enough of all that, though ... this is one cool alarm clock. It's Justice League branded but is definitely a Batman clock, if I've ever seen one. I just love the look of this thing... from the cool, retro-looking base with the bat-speaker, to the plastic figure of Batman, to the cool view-screen behind him. I like how this kind of looks like Batman is standing in front of the Batcomputer down in the Cave.

Aside from being an alarm clock, this unit also lights up and has several spoken phrases. Just press button one, two, or three and the corresponding panel lights up and a narrator's voice comes booming from the Bat-speaker.

Button 1) "Batman, The Dark Knight, stands guard over Gotham City and when duty calls, the world's greatest detective joins forces with the heroes of the Justice League to protect the World."

Button 2) "Copperhead's venom can incapacitate even Superman, but rare is the time a snake can get so close to the Man of Steel."

Button 3) With Superman's strength, Batman's skill, and the Flash's speed, even a brute like Solomon Grundy can be defeated.

Can you believe I just dusted this thing before taking photos?

Now, that's a fun Bat-clock that's worthy of keeping track of Bat-time on my desk.

Kenner Super Powers Batmobile

2011-11-09T19:14:00.000-08:00

This is Kenner's first in a very long line of toy Batmobiles. In 1984, Kenner had begun to produce DC characters in their, now famous, Super Powers line of toys. Vehicles soon followed to complement the figures and add play value. For many subsequent years, Kenner would go on to produce many Batmobiles and vehicles for all four of the first Batman movies. They also produced several nice Batmobiles to accompany various animated television series based on our favorite Caped Crusader.

I recently picked this toy up to fill a long-time hole in my Batmobile collection. Although, I have many of Kenner's toy Batmobiles, this one has been on my "want list" for quite some time. I don't know why I waited for so long! This is a fantastic toy!

Sturdy and packed with features, this Batmobile exemplifies all that a Batmobile toy should be. Although, the styling and design of the car is very 1980's and right in line with the look of Batman's ride, at the time, this car still looks great and would still be a unwelcome sight to Gotham's underground.

There's just something so cool about the "comic book" colors on this car.... bright blue body, orange bubble windows, and bright yellow headlamps. With Batman and Robin seated inside, this car takes on an even more colorful, fun look. The Super Powers line was the last toy line to present Batman and his world in a classic, colorful way that would disappear for quite some time with the merchandising and release of the first Batman movie in 1989. Although I enjoy the dark, black, and brooding Batmobiles that have been released over the years, I also enjoy this more colorful take on the car.

It's interesting to me, also, that the 1966 TV Batmobile was still influencing the look of Batmobile design during the 80s, as evidenced by the split, bubble-top cockpit on the Super Powers Batmobile.

Aside from rolling and making a "whirring" noise as it rolls, this toy includes three main features. On the front, there is a spring-loaded battering ram that pops out with the press of a button in the cockpit.

Also, on the hood, is a set of retractable headlights that can be raised or lowered with a yellow sliding knob that juts from the dashboard.

Lastly, there is a pair of scissor-like graspers that pop from the rear of the car to capture criminals... as Robin is demonstrating in the photo.

I'm not sure why I held off so long on picking up one of these. I guess part of it is due to the Super Powers line being released between my childhood and the start of my collecting Batman stuff as an "adult" around 1989 (although, I did pick up a lone Super Powers Batman figure when this line was still on toy shelves). It fell into a historical gray area for me, so to speak. However, I couldn't be happier with this version of the Batmobile. It's just plain fun and very cool-looking on the shelf... a great counter to all the all-black Batmobiles I've got hanging around.

Mego Pocket Super Heroes 3 3/4" Batman

2011-11-03T20:21:00.000-07:00

It's almost difficult to imagine a world when only 4 or 5 Batman action figures had been released. However, this was the case when this figure was released in 1979. He's part of Mego's Pocket Super Heroes line. Mego had great success with their 8" Super Heroes. This success led to things like 12" figures, bendies, and even 3 3/4" action figures like this guy.

With 6 points of articulation, this Batman can't do much but he's still a very cool momento from Batman's action figure past. His head and cape were molded in one piece from a somewhat soft rubber material.

Other figures in the line included Robin, Superman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, Hulk, and Captain America. The paint applications on these were fairly minimal without small details like eyes or even the yellow portion of Batman's chest symbol. Mego even produced vehicles like the Batmobile for these figures to tool around in.

I picked this guy up on ebay earlier this year. I was surprised that he was in such good condition when he arrived. I'm always happy to add another minty, vintage Batman to the collection.

DC Busy Book

2011-11-02T11:10:00.000-07:00

While cutting through the book aisle at Walmart I found this little treasure.

It is a Busy Book featuring The DC Super Friends.

It is more than a children's book though.

Once you flip past the eleven pages you find the busy part of the book.
The back contains three partitions filled with fun.

The main reason I sprang for it was the twelve mini figures!
Batman, Robin, Aquaman, Flash, Superman, Green Lantern, Hawkman and Krypto the super dog.

It also came with four villains to fight!
Joker, Riddler, Penguin and Lex Luthor.

The top partition hold a plastic play mat that looks like a comic book page.

Pretty cool find.

Brian B

Collecton Figure

2011-11-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

Look what I stumbled across at Walmart!
A Batman Legacy Edition of the Golden age Batman.

There was only one and I grabbed it up.

I knew nothing about this figure it was pure happen stance that it landed in my possession.
There was only one at the store and there were no other figures like it on the shelf.

I did notice that the manufactures had left holes for fresh air to enter the package.
The containers creator must have been heavily influenced be the Toy Story movies.

Well I thought if this figure needs fresh air. Fresh air it will get.
So I took Batman outside and into the alleyways of downtown Indianapolis.

Batman quickly noticed that some punks had graffitied the walls.

He immediately started to patrol the area.

Okay, so I thought some shots in the dark alleys would be cool looking.
You know. Batman in his element and all.
Turns out the alleys have a lot more foot traffic than you think at lunch hour.

So I rushed every shot I took while trying not to look suspicious waiting for people to clear out.

The pictures turned out okay but I sure felt stupid trying to snap them.
I need to come up with a blogger type press pass lanyard to wear next time I venture out into the alleys.

Nice figure. Lots of articulation.
Stupid looking photographer.

Brian B

Comic Cover

2011-10-12T05:31:00.000-07:00

I bought this at a flea market just for the cover.
I could see it spiraling in my minds eye and new I had to make a .gif for the web out of it.
That was one dollar well spent.

New Family Portrait

2011-09-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

My family took a new family picture this weekend and I thought you guys might enjoy it.

My Son in law is the Marvel character in the bunch.
My sons are with their girl friends.

Super-family.

Brian B

Four Sided Card

2011-08-04T12:06:00.000-07:00

A paper toy I made featuring some of Brian A's art work from Batman: Absolution.

Batman On Board

2011-07-15T08:39:00.001-07:00

My son and I were cleaning out the garage this past week to make room for his Gold's Gym home version and I found some Bat-items that I had forgotten about.

I found two signs that were made in the "Baby' On Board" style that was a fad in the mid 1980's.
(Although I saw a Baby's on Board sign on a car this past week!)
These hung on your rear or side windows by a little suction cup.

Here are the two I found.

These are well worn because they hung on the rear window of my Nisan pickup truck until it died. (Over 250,000 miles)
After the truck had given up they ghost they went in a box of things that were in the truck and then moved around until this past week.

I am sure I got these around the release of Batman in 1989.

Look pretty good hanging in Gotham.

So now they get placed where they belong. With the rest of my Bat-collection.

BatBots

2011-07-07T07:37:00.001-07:00

This is from issue #6 of Batman Incorporated.
Art by Chris Burnham.

I really liked this issue and this panel in particular.
You could just feel the Batbots menacing presence so I thought I would give them some pacing movement. Like "Come on. Give us a reason to fight!".

1966 Bat-Sticker Set

2011-06-27T11:41:00.001-07:00

This is the newest "Bat" item that I have added to my collection.
An unopened set of Bat-Stickers from 1966.

The stickers are 3 7/8 x 3 5/8 in size and there are five different stickers.
At least that is what the packaging says. I haven't opened it and I don't plan on opening them to see how many there really are.

The colors are still crazy bright. Day-glow colors do not have a long bright life so to speak.
They normally dull after a couple of years. So I am curious to how they are printed.
Since they are still in plastic it is hard to tell if they are silk screened or offset printed.

I would like to know what other colors are included in the set but I don't want to open the package, so it remains a mystery to me.

I only paid $6 dollars for them and a quick web-search shows that I did pretty well for that price.
Which means that I am kicking myself for not buying the other set that the guy had for sale. Doh!

It is nice to know you can still find some vintage Bat-related items for under $10 dollars.

I think it looks pretty good on the Bat-shelf!

Michael Keaton

2011-06-08T12:05:00.000-07:00

Batman

2011-04-18T08:14:00.000-07:00

From Batman Detective comics August 1977.

1966 Batman Board Game

2011-03-14T07:58:00.000-07:00

Before Arkham Asylum video game there was the 1966 Milton Bradley Batman board game.
I didn't have this as a kid. I didn't even know it existed until the day I bought it a few months ago.

My family and I play it every night now.

Not really.
I tried to read the directions and after giving up I decided that this why it is in such good shape after existing for 44 years.

It is cool looking though and that is why I bought it.

I mean Robin finds the Jokers head in a safe!
Why is Robin cracking open a safe? Because it looks cool.

Batman fights a white version of the Hulk because it looks cool.

Sherlock Holmes stealing the Batmobile? Looks cool!

I mean look at this.

If I would have seen this back in the day I would thrown a fit for it and gotten a spanking just because I had seen the box lid.

Lets open it up.

The more you look at it the more it is clear that the artist knew very little about Batman and his world.

To the artist Gotham city must have been described as a cross between The Jetsons and Denver Colorado.

Bubble buildings, heliports and rocket ramps and nestled within a mountain range.
That's Gotham city? Not the one we know.

Maybe they compared Batman to Flash Gordon too. So the artist threw some rockets and planets on the lid too. Maybe the astronauts and the Moon race had something to do with?

Who cares it is cool looking and I love it.

We also find a red Riddler on the game board along with a Penguin without a top hat and cigarette. We also see Batman's nemesis The Blockbuster.

Blockbuster is in the Batman universe so I learned something here. I hadn't heard of him before I saw this.

I wasn't done learning new characters.

The Joker looks true to form.

Mr. Zero.
Here is a glimpse into how the 1960's Adam West series impacted Batman.
Mr. Zero was renamed Mr. Freeze after the character became popular on the television series.
The T.V. show wanted to use Two Face but the network thought he would be to scary so the used Mr. Freeze instead.

Good call networks. Ceasar Romero's Joker terrified me as a kid. I can't imagine what Two face would have done.

The Calender Man is another little known Batman villain but he has been seen recently in such things as "Batman The Long Halloween" graphic novel. (Which I am currently reading)
Though he doesn't wear a turban in it.

The box with the game board removed.

Lets look at the game pieces.

I was hoping for some Batman figures but these guys do look Bruce Wayne kinda 60's cool.

You do get a Batmobile.

Let me rephrase that. You get a Batmobile in three different colors!

There are control boards for each player. (Very computer sounding)

These keep track of the criminals you have caught and Batmobiles that are in use.

You place these pieces on the control board as you capture the criminals.

Pretty sweet.

I had to up the age limit a bit.

Wanna play? I call the blue guy.

Brian B

Corgi 2000 1/18 Scale Batmobile (2004)

2011-03-10T09:24:00.000-08:00

One of the great things about collecting Batman toys and collectibles is that the world of Batman is a big one. This provides quite a few characters and items to collect in addition to the main character, himself. He fights alongside many other "Bat characters" like Robin, Nightwing, and Batgirl and also employs a plethora of gadgets and vehicles in his crusade against crime. I can't think of another superhero that has so many different characters and vehicles in "their story" that are almost as much a part of the mythos as the main character.

Of course, with all that said, there is one object is "Batman's world" that is most associated with Batman, himself... the Batmobile. There have been so many different Batmobile designs produced since the character's creation that it is almost dizzying to think about. However, this multitude of designs has created a wealth of fodder for toy and collectible makers to delve into when bringing Batman's "rides" to a toy shelf near you. A Batman collector can have a lot of fun collecting different Batmobiles alongside representations of Batman, himself. In fact, I'm sure there are plenty of collectors out there that collect Batmobiles, exclusively.

This is Corgi's 2000 Batmobile in 1/18 scale. The car was produced in 2004 but is a representation of a Batmobile from 2000, I'm guessing ( I believe it's from Jim Lee's Hush storyline). When I reflect back on my favorite Batmobiles, they tend to be ones from non-comic Batman properties (ie. TV, movies, animated). For some reason, I've never had much of an affinity for any of the Batmobile designs exclusively from the comics... at least, none come to mind. So, when this car was released, I picked it up more as an addition to my Batmobile shelf collection rather than out of having any great love for the design of the car. To be honest, I've always thought this design looked a little boxy and disjointed.

With all that being said, after taking photos of the car, I do think that it can be fairly photogenic and sleek looking from certain angles.

One cool aspect of this diecast model is all the smoked plastic panels on the top that lift off to reveal the interior and rear engine turbine (that actually spins when the car is rolling).

I do have to say that despite my slight misgivings with the design of the car, this is an extremely well-built and painted model... as we've come to expect from pretty much all Batmobile diecast cars from Corgi. All in all, this car would make a great addition to any Batmobile collection.

Batman: Gotham Adventures

2011-03-03T13:18:00.000-08:00

From Batman Gotham Adventures, August, 1998.

Batman 3D

2011-03-02T10:08:00.001-08:00

Get your red and blue anaglyph 3D glasses out because I got a 3D app for my ITouch.

With this app on hand and my love for 3D this means random 3D pictures will show up here from time to time now.

Brian B

Danbury Mint Batmobile Advertisement

2011-02-24T09:28:00.000-08:00

No I don't own this very fine Batmobile.
I do own the advertisement for it though.

Years ago a friend of mine, Randy, got this in the mail and passed it on to me.
Thanks Randy E!

Check out how the shadow makes the Bat symbol.

It is from the Danbury mint and it featured this amazingly detailed Batmobile.

It think this is from the 90's.

Close ups of some crazy details.

Look! Batman has two cakes in the trunk compartment.

Sorry those are spare crime fighting uniforms not cakes. My bad.

I like the Bat symbol on the engine heads. Nice touch.

I found this the other day and wondered how many of these were bought for $149.00?

I looked it up and first thought you could still buy it but you can't. It is sold out.
HERE is where you could have bought it.

Has anyone ever seen one of these in person?

Brian B

Drawn Sword

2011-02-23T07:52:00.000-08:00

1967

Interactive Breakdance Competition

2011-02-23T07:36:00.000-08:00

Too fun not to post.

Mego 1979 Diecast Metal Batman

2011-02-18T08:49:00.001-08:00

This is Mego's 5 3/4 inch Diecast Metal Batman figure from 1979. Mego actually produced 4 characters in this series with the others being Superman, Hulk, and Spiderman.

I'm not sure where Mego was going with this series. The scale was odd for the time since the other Mego lines were being produced in 8", 12", and 3 3/4" sizes. I can't think of any other figures from this era being produced in this scale. In comparison with modern figure lines, this Batman fits somewhere in between the sizes of JLU and DCUC figures.

I can only guess that diecast metal was used on these figures as a way to increase the perceived value of them. Also, there were quite a few other toys at the time being produced with metal pieces... many of them being Japanese import type toys like the mini-Shogun Warrior figures and Mego's own Micronauts. However, your guess is as good as mine why Mego decided to go the "metal route" with these heroes.

The execution leaves a little bit to be desired as the only metal piece on the figure is Batman's torso. The rest of the figure (arms, legs, head, etc) are made of fairly traditional plastic. The joints on these figures (at least on this example) are very loose and I can only imagine that this has become worse over time as the figure has been played with more and more. So, with the heavy torso and loose joints, standing and posing this figure is a bit like trying to balance a hard-boiled egg on a couple of spaghetti noodles. The weight of the torso is just too much for his weak knees and ankles and causes this figure to topple unless everything is just right. I had to employ a bit of masking tape under his feet to help him hold many of these poses.

Stylistically, you can see that this Batman figure has the looks of his 8" older brother. The cape is the same, prone to fraying, nylon material that you would find on the 8" Megos and his head sculpt is also very close to that of the 8" Mego Batman.

Comparison pic with modern Mattel Batman Brave and the Bold figure

From what I can tell, these Mego diecast figures are fairly rare. I haven't seen them pop up for sale all that often. I like to seek out unusual Batman figures and this one doesn't disappoint, in that regard. I picked him up, at some point, last year and he makes a great addition to the collection.

Giant Violin

2011-02-17T10:18:00.000-08:00

Batman 1967

DC Direct 75th Anniversary Kubrick Set

2011-02-12T14:20:00.000-08:00

This is the new Medicom Kubrick set of DC characters to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of DC Comics. This was released late in 2010 by DC Direct and was only available through comic shops and other outlets that sell DC Direct products.

Although, this isn't billed as a Batman set, it is quite obvious that Batman characters are the predominant selling point here. A Superman from Superman Returns is the lone non-Bat figure. I guess he's here so that they could still call it a "DC Comics" Anniversary set. Supes is here to represent the non-Bat side of DC Comics.

Kubricks are similar to Lego figures but are about 3" tall. Medicom has produced many different Kubrick lines for different licenses including Star Wars and Planet of the Apes. They've been producing DC Kubricks for several years and many (if not all) of these figures are repacks and/or repaints from previous DC Kubrick releases.

The figures are packaged in a nice fold-out window box that even includes an invisible magnetic closure. Each figure is clearly labeled and displayed behind individual little windows within the box.

All Ten.

I think it's kind of a neat thing when a licensed property like Batman or Star Wars has been around for so long that companies can begin to take chances with more creative representations of the characters. After all, how many different realistic versions of Batman do we really need? Over time, collectors also begin to welcome more interesting interpretations of the characters that they enjoy. With these figures, I really enjoy the squat and distorted but somehow still accurate representations of these characters. These are TOYS through and through and they just beg to be played with and manipulated.

The Batmen (L to R: BTAS, Comic, TDK, and Batman 1989)

All Four Batman: The Animated Series figures

Batman 1989 and Catwoman from Batman Returns

Batman and Joker from The Dark Knight

Superman from Superman Returns

Just the Girls

These guys are pretty tiny. Under 3 inches tall.

Cheesecake... just for you, Bubba.

Like Lego figures, these Kubricks can be taken completely apart. So, for those inclined, the pieces can all be mixed and matched for some fun combinations.

All in all, I think this is a great set. For my money, though, I do wish that an animated-style Joker was part of this set instead of Superman. I love the "Big Blue Boy Scout," but it seems a bit pointless to include him in this set other than to claim it's not entirely a "Batman set." An animated Joker would have rounded-out the animated characters included very nicely.

Adam West

2011-02-09T05:55:00.000-08:00

Superhero Museum Collection Auction: Part 7

2011-02-04T08:12:00.001-08:00

This is what I bought from the collection.
It was all bundled into one bid.

I bought it for this but I never mind picking up some more View Master reels.

It worked different than I thought it did before I bought it.
I thought you could hold it up to the light and look through it. I didn't realize it needed another piece to function correctly.

Anyone have a Double-View I could borrow?
I will figure out some way to scan its contents I am sure.

Here are a few samples of the View Master Reels.

Glad I went but wish I could have lasted until the Batman goodies came up for bids. Oh well!

Brian B

Superhero Museum Collection Auction: Part 6

2011-02-03T05:58:00.001-08:00

This is one of the Batman tables.
There was some nice stuff on it but I was really hoping to find some vintage goodness at the auction. Especially a 1966 Fireking Robin mug to complete my set.

There were some boxes of stuff that contained some hidden gold goodness but I would have to leave long before they got to these items.

My son was home sick and my wife had some place she had to be. I had been there three hours already waiting for them to get to the stuff I could afford. I know by the time they got to the Batman stuff it would have gone really cheap or bundled and gotten a ton of stuff.
I think this is why my wife had some place she had to be.

I didn't make it to the Batman tables.

Is this a Mego Mister Mxyzptlk? I would have bid on this guy had I been there.

I probably would have bid on this hairbrush too.
I wouldn't have used it though.

The lunch box yet again. They grabbed it off the back table and auctioned it right after the costumes. If it would have stayed in the back I might have begged to stay until they got to it.

This would have been nice too.

They started in this corner and made their way around the room. The Batman stuff was on the opposite corner. Ugh!

So I bid on the only Batman item that was in this section and got it.

It was in the cabinet to the left. In the top left corner.

Finally the last big dollar item was auctioned off.
A tiny Superman charm that went for $600.

You can see all the costumes hanging to the left.
See Robins cape peeking out towards the back?

Brian B

Superhero Museum Collection Auction: Part 5

2011-02-02T10:17:00.000-08:00

A random collection of some of the catalog items.
Autographed pictures, resin statues and a prop ring of red kryptonite from Smallville.

Here are some model kits and Superman figures.

Some Batman items.

These items caught my eye.

Some Superman figures.

The crowd was gathering before the auction.

There were two tables full of Batman items.

The lunch box I wanted. :(

Brian B

Superhero Museum Collection Auction: Part 4

2011-01-27T05:34:00.001-08:00

The Batboat sold for $5,000 and was in better shape than the Batmobile.

It would be cool to have this on your lake wouldn't it?

A guy standing next to me said he knew boats and wasn't sure if this boat would even float.
He said it was missing some important seals.

I suppose if you shelled out the money for the Batboat it wouldn't be to ski behind it but you would most likely use it to make money by making appearances and things.

If it were me and I had the Batmoblie it would definitely be a daily driver.

Brian B

Superhero Museum Collection Auction: Part 3

2011-01-26T12:02:00.000-08:00

There in the distance is the 1989 Batmoblie and the 1966 Batboat.

I took these shots as I was leaving the auction.
The Batmobile sold for $12,000.00 to an online bidder.

I wonder if they would have given that much for it if they would have seen it in person?

Brian A is right. It looks like the Penguin and his goons got a hold of it.

This is how the front end looked when I saw it in the museum a few years ago.

You can see posts about my visit HERE

This is what it looked like on the auctions site.

They did have this one posted too which is a little more honest.

I wonder what happened to it?

Someone stripped off every detail.
Look at the detail by the big intake looking thing towards the back.

All gone now.

Looks like someone pried the launch doors open and bent them all up.

Windows are all gone and I couldn't even tell if there were any seats in it.

When it was in the museum the owner told me the cowling slid open like it did in the movie.
Now it has a cheesy hinge on top.

The back end of the Batmobile while in the museum.

What value is there in reflectors?
Why would you strip them off?

The only thing I could think of was to have it repainted.
That would explain all the details being removed and the sandblasted looking body.

The burner still looks cool and was supposed to work at one time.

I wonder what the guy that bought it thought when he got it?

Brian B

Superhero Museum Collection Auction: Part 2

2011-01-25T11:24:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the poor quality of the video but I was zoomed in from the back of the room.
Bloggers should get press passes.

Here are some of the prices.

It was light blue and brown so it would photograph better in black and white.

This was gray and brown for shooting in black and white as well.

George Reeves color suit.

Marlon Brando's "Jorel" tunic from 1978.

Christopher Reeve form Superman 3.

Christopher Reeve's Superman wig complete with the curl in the forehead.

Christopher Reeve cape worn in Superman 3. Called the dirty/evil cape.

Dean Cain's suit complete with boots.

Teri Hatcher's Superman nightgown.

From Superboy.

Supergirl suit complete with purse.
Just kidding.

Suit was even signed by Burt Ward.

These had seen better days. I will give more details about that later.

Brian B

Superhero Museum Collection Auction

2011-01-24T11:53:00.000-08:00

That's me touching the Robin costume at the Superhero Museum Collection Auction.
The green you see in the top right hand corner of the picture is Robin's gloves.

You can click on the picture for a closer view.

This is the cover of the auction catalog.
The catalog had 112 items listed.
Everything from Superman costumes to the Batmobile.

There were more than just the catalog items there. There were also thousands of other Superman and Batman related items that were to be auctioned off that day.

Here is the Robin suit. Item No. 78.

On the auction block.

I had hoped that it would start out low enough that I would feel comfortable to bid on it.
It didn't.
The first offer made was for $800.00.

That was out of my range.

It ended up selling for $2,200.00.

I moved on.

I did bid on a 35mm Batman begins movie reel, an old plastic Batman figure, a metal toy Batmobile and a Batboat, and a prop diploma used in the movie, Batman Begins.

I didn't win any of those bids either.

So I set my sights on a metal, 1966, Batman lunch box with a thermos.

I bid it up to $70.00.

It sold for $110.00.

Most of the items were Superman related but I did buy something from the collection before I had to leave.

I will post about it and other items sold at the auction later this week.

Brian B

Watching Batman in 1966

2010-12-21T12:16:00.000-08:00

Me watching Batman in 1966.

Brian B

Batman: Murder at Wayne Manor

2010-11-05T04:02:00.001-07:00

While remodeling my Batroom I decided to display some of my Bat-books on my bookshelf.
I thought I would tell you little about the third book from the left.

As with many things in my Bat-collection this book was a gift from a fellow Bat-fan named Lee.

Back then I used to see Lee about once a year at camp.

He brought me this book one year and told me excitedly that "You get to BE Batman not just read about him!"

Needless to say I couldn't wait until I could get some time to read this book.

The book is called Batman: Murder at Wayne Manor and is written by Duane Swierczynski.

Lee was right. This is no mere book where you read a story and hear about clues that the Worlds Greatest Detective finds. You are the detective and the clues are in your hands.

Here is the first clue.

Construction workers at Wayne Manor find a body buried on Wayne property and along with the body, Bruce Wayne finds an invitation to a masquerade party held at the manor years ago.
On the back of the invitation is a hand written message and blood stains.

Needless to say Batman is on the case and he begins to investigate whose body is buried on Wayne property and who murdered them.

Along the way Commissioner Gordon slips you a copy of an autopsy report.

Alfred passes you a photograph from that night as you rebuild the nights events.
The photo contains a picture of Bruce's parents and another couple.

You also better brush up on how to read DNA results because you will need this information if you want to solve the case.

Once you have all the clues for the case it is time for you to solve the mystery.

The last chapter of the book is sealed shut so you won't accidentally get a peak of the answer while you work through the book.

This is a fun book and I look forward to going through it again after I have forgotten who did it.
I would love to say I completely solved it but I didn't. I did get the majority of it right but I missed some the little details.

This book came out in 2008 so I am sure you can still find a copy of it somewhere.
I highly recommend that you do and don't peek!

Brian B

DC Direct Batman The Animated Series Batman Maquette

2010-10-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

Here's the Man of the Hour, himself, as a 9" maquette produced by DC Direct. Bruce Timm's design for the character in Batman The Animated Series was such a great combination of Batman's classic look and the new-at-the-time all black and gray look that Batman had taken on in comics. This was certainly a response to the all-black costumes in the first two Tim Burton movies that had been released, at that point. Timm designed a sleek and stylish Batman that would translate well to animation. Whether he knew it at the time or not, I think he created an iconic look for the character that will most likely still look great 50 years from now.

DC Direct produced this maquette in 2004 in an edition size of 2300 pieces.

DC Direct Batman The Animated Series Harley Quinn Maquette

2010-10-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

In honor of "Harley Qwursday" here on UTGP (just kidding, Bubbashelby), I present DC Direct's Harley Quinn maquette from 2004. This is another statue from the same series as the Joker from my previous post.

She stands about 9" tall and was produced in a limited edition size of 2000. I don't have much more to say about these statues than I did in my previous Joker maquette post.... so, I'll just let the pictures "do the talking."

DC Direct Batman The Animated Series Joker Maquette

2010-10-06T21:18:00.001-07:00

This is DC Direct's 9" Joker Maquette as he appeared in the late, great Batman The Animated Series that debuted in 1992. DC Direct produced a handful of characters from the series as maquette statues. These were produced in a breakable, porcelain type of material and need to be handled carefully.

A maquette is a sculpture for animators to use when drawing a character over and over. The animator refers to the sculpture often to make sure they are drawing a character correctly from the many different angles animation requires. Some still-frame artists (like comic book artists) may use something like this from time to time, too. Most often, the maquette is sculpted in a static, non-dramatic pose so the artist can more easily see body proportions and what-not on the character.

While not true animation maquettes (as in actually used by animators), these DC Direct statues do a good job of replicating the type of statues that animators of BTAS might have used day to day.

At any rate, here's Joker from Batman The Animated Series in all his glory. The statue was produced as a limited edition of 1400 pieces and was released in 2004. While only 4 or 5 characters were produced, rumor had it that many more of these BTAS maquettes were planned. Apparently, the demand wasn't there and the line disappeared prematurely. However, as often happens, since these weren't all that popular and low edition sizes were produced, they command a "collector's price," these days.

Joker Starlog Make up

2010-10-06T10:41:00.001-07:00

While I was looking in my box of stuff for my Batman tortilla chips I found an old Starlog magazine which had a Batman related story in it.

I figured since it is October I would scan it and post it for those who like to do special effects make up.

This is from January 1993

Brian B

Batman Tortilla Chips

2010-09-23T10:13:00.001-07:00

You read that right, Batman Tortilla chips!

These came out back in 1989 along with the release of the movie, Batman.

I was thinking about the the other day when my daughter came to work with me.
She was working upstairs where I had worked about 12 years ago and while I was checking in with her I started to look around for some of my old stuff that was stored up on the third floor.

When I had moved floors 12 years ago I had taken down most of my things and stored them in a box up there.
Well I couldn't find it.
So I began to think about what was in that box or boxes.
I had all kinds of things stuck on the wall back then. Family pictures, World news pictures with Presidents and aliens posing, sight gags I had built and of course Batman stuff.

That is when I remembered my Batman tortilla chips.
I began to get mad. "Who moved my stuff?" "Did they throw it away?"
So I went to the office to ask the Boss what they did with it.
He said "I don't know. Look around some more." So I did.

Two boxes of my stuff up on a shelf in an old bathroom.

I pulled it down and no doubt it was my stuff because it said right on top of it "Brian's Stuff".

I pulled of the top lid and saw that it truly was my stuff.

Here are a few items I found inside.

You can clearly see why I would be upset if this stuff had been thrown away.

There was also this treasure.

I remember buying two bags of these when I bought them. One to eat and one to save.

I should have bought one bag because these were awful!
I don't think I finished the bag I opened and it is a small bag.
For those that know me that is saying something. I eat the very last french fry because I paid good money for it and don't want to waste it.
I didn't eat all of these.

I mean these have been in storage for 21 years and mice didn't eat them.
The plastic on the bag had split open from age and still no mice. They were gross.

There is an ad for a night light on the back but I don't know what language is written on the Bat symbol.
Ingredients includes Bat-rat repellent.

Brian B

Batman Playing Wii with Batmite

2010-09-02T10:03:00.000-07:00

The Guardian website has a trailer for the new Batman: Brave and the Bold season.
Batman, Batmite and GreenArrow are all seen playing the upcoming Batman: Brave and the Bold game for Wii.
I thought you all might enjoy it so CLICK HERE to see it.

Gotta love the posters on Batmites walls too.

Animated Ad

2010-08-31T11:05:00.000-07:00

This ad comes for a 1993 magazine.

I have to say that while I am going through my collection and figuring out where to display what, I can clearly state that the toys based on The Animated Batman series are my favorites.

This might be due to the fact that my kids were the perfect age for these toys.
So I also have good memories of watching my kids play with these figures.
This probably also explains why I have just about every one of the toys that are in this ad.

It was easy to buy my kids the same hero I grew up with.
I even made sure they watched the same Batman I did growing up.

While we were expecting Megan, my oldest child, they were airing the 1966 series to ramp us all up for the release of Batman in 1989.
So I programed my VCR and recorded all that I could and saved them for them to watch when they got older.

It was fun to watch these shows with my kids. To see them enjoy them as I did.
They had it better though. They got to see them in color where I had grown up watching them in black and white.
The only bad thing was that they would want what was being advertised on the commercials but they were 6 or 7 years old by the time they were watching them.

Recently a certain Bat-friend gave me the Adam West series on DVD that he had recorded off T.V. Land.
So we got to watch them again recently.
My son even made his fiance watch the 1966 Batman movie last week.
It still holds up. She laughed through the whole thing.

Brian B

Fisher-Price HeroWorld DC Super Friends Toy Line!

2010-08-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

While I was stalking the toy aisles at Toys R Us yesterday, I came across a new line of Batman toys that I had NO IDEA were going to be released. In this internet age, we tend to know about everything that's coming down the pike months before things actually start showing up on shelves. So, it was quite a shock to find these guys next to the Batman Imaginext stuff!

They had Superman, Batman, Joker, Penguin, and Mr. Freeze. It looks like Fisher-Price is rebooting the Rescue Heroes line at a smaller size and these HeroWorld figures are meant to fit right in. There were also new Rescue Hero toys right next to these at the same scale. They even share the same packaging design. (Edit: As it turns out, "HeroWorld" is the name for the entire line. Both "DC Super Friends" and "Rescue Heroes" are sub-lines of the HeroWorld line. Like the Imaginext line, I think it's a pretty brilliant idea that Fisher-Price is including Super Heroes in a line that also includes "civilian" playsets and vehicles... what a HUGE world for kids to play in.)

Sorry about the poor-quality photos. I shot these photos in a hurry since I don't have time to set up lights and what-not. I haven't seen word of these anywhere on the net. So, the photos may be down-and-dirty but I wanted to get these up for fellow Bat-fans to see.

Size comparison with Mattel's older, large Super Friends Batman. These new figures are, roughly, double the size of the smaller Imaginext figures.

Toybiz Advertisement

2010-08-20T09:30:00.001-07:00

A ToyBiz advertisement from a 1989 magazine.

Brian B

Penguin-Mobile

2010-08-17T11:35:00.000-07:00

The Penguin Batmobile!
I had no idea that Hot Wheels were gonna make this Batmobile.
So when I saw this at the store I was totally surprised.

I have seen all of the 66 series as an adult but I remember a few episodes from my youth and this was one of them.

Always be careful when opening a Bat-item.

Here is a screen grab from those of you who don't remember this episode.
If you look for it it is the episode that aired March 23-24th 1966 and it is called "The Penguin Goes Straight".

I remember how nervous this episode made me as a kid. "Don't trust him Batman" I was thinking.
Oh and the blasphemy of the Penguin using the Batmobile as his own! Shocking stuff to a kid.

In my search for the episode I found this cool website titled "Batmobile Gadgets".
The website shows the special tools that only the Batmobile has and it even has some video clips of them in action. Batmobile Gadgets

Nice interior details.

It is the regular Batmobile with the extras the Penguin threw on to make the car his own.

He changed the symbol on the side to a penguin and added a umbrella on the drivers side and on the front hood.

I think the umbrella on the hood is a gun. ("The one I bought is NON-Firing)

I love the details on these cars and I am thrilled that Hot Wheels has put these out for us.

Nice quality and a reasonable price for the great toy you get.

Brian B

Mattel Retro-Action DC Super Heroes Two-Face

2010-08-13T11:36:00.001-07:00

This is Mattel's new Retro-Action Two-Face. Two-Face is part of Wave 2 that also includes Batman, Aquaman, and Black Manta.

Two-Face is another tribute to the Mego figures of a bygone era (the 1970s, to be specific). This time, however, the figure isn't a recreation of an existing Mego figure but a "Mego-ized" version of a character that hasn't been done in this format before. Mego produced several Batman villains like Joker, Penguin, and Riddler, but they didn't produce a Two-Face. So, now, we old guys have a Two-Face to go on the shelf with our original Mego Bat-Villains. I hope this is the beginning of a trend and we end up with a shelf full of Bat-Villains that were never produced by Mego.

Like Batman, Two-Face is packaged on a pink card back that is a huge nod to the original Mego packaging. In fact, the only thing that differentiates Two-Face's packaging from others in the series is his name above the figure's clear package bubble.

Mattel and Emce Toys (Mattel's Mego expert partners in the Retro Action line) really did an amazing job on Two-Face. Of the Retro-Action figures released, so far, this one feels the most "Mego-ey" to me. He really looks like a true Mego figure.

Two-Face's head sculpt and paint job really capture the look of a vintage Mego. He has just the right level of detail to look like a Mego and not like a modern sculpt slapped on an 8" figure. All the other Retro Action figures released, so far, have also done a good job of this.... but Two-Face really "nails it," as far as I'm concerned.

Two-Face's duo-toned suit is also very well-done. The tie is a bit over-sized but that can be expected when producing clothing in this scale. Overall, I would say that the suit is nicely tailored and fits the figure well. There's even a full, long-sleeved shirt under the jacket. I was surprised by this since layers of clothing at this scale usually lead to a figure that looks overly-bulky and "stuffed," for lack of a better term. I hope that Mattel, at some point, will use this suit pattern to produce Secret Identity versions of Bruce Wane and Clark Kent. That would actually make a nice Mattycollector exclusive two-pack... don't you think?

Two-Face has the same loose body issues I harped on in my Retro-Action Batman review. I won't harp on them again in this review.

As far as accessories go, Two-Face is lacking. Two-Face, as a character, just begs for accessories. We all know about Two-Face's trademark coin. That might have been a tough accessory to include, due to it's size. It's also an accessory that Mego probably would have left out of the package. What about a gun, though? A pair of pistols or a Tommy Gun would have been nice. Has our world become so completely PC that a "bad guy" figure can no longer include a gun? I think I've got an old Mego CHiPs pistol somewhere...

In closing, I would say that Mattel's Retro-Action Two-Face really hits the mark it was intended to hit. He screams "classic Mego" while still feeling new and up-to-date. I wasn't expecting it, but Two-Face has turned out to be my favorite Retro-Action figure produced, so far.

Mattel Retro-Action DC Super Heroes Batman

2010-08-11T16:46:00.000-07:00

This is Mattel's brand spankin' new 8" Retro-Action DC Super Heroes Batman. Batman is from wave 2 of the Retro Action figures line and is hitting Toys R Us and Comic Book store shelves as I type.

Mattel's Retro-Action line of figures are an homage to the highly-successful Mego figures of the 1970s that were produced in the same 8" scale. For those of you that "weren't there," you may not see these figures through the same rose-colored glasses that many of us old-timers do. To us, there's a certain charm in the slightly "clunky" look of these figures. These new Retro Action figures aren't so much replicas of the original figures as they are a re-imagining and tribute to the Megos we knew and loved as kids (well, some of us). Many Bat-fans, like myself have been anxious to see how the new Mattel Mego-style Batman would turn out. (I should mention Emce Toys, as well. Emce Toys is Mattel's partner in this endeavor and they are doing a great job with the design of these figures, including things like head sculpture and costuming. In a nutshell, they are the creators and driving force of this line.).

Original Mego Batman (left) with 2010 Retro-Action Batman (right)

Original Mego (left) and Retro-Action (right) card backs

As you can see, Mattel really tried to capture the look of the packaging of the original Mego action figures. While not a 100% copy, it's apparent that many of the same design cues were used in designing the new package. The new package even goes so far as to include a bit of "distressing" in the printwork to make the new package not look quite so new. Notice that both packages are pink, as well. While all four figures released in this wave (Batman, Aquaman, Two-Face, and Black Manta) are on pink card backs, I'm sure pink was chosen because Batman is the most popular character in this wave and the original 1970s Mego Batman's packaging was pink.

I really like the artwork that Mattel is using on the packaging. It's very cool to see Silver Age style artwork representing all the characters on the back of the package.

The figure itself is also a nice homage to the original Mego Batman. Both the current and vintage figures feature removable cowls (although, Mego would go on to release a molded, non-removable cowl version of Batman after the first year...see packaged photo). Both figures also have very similar jumpsuits, belts, and boots. The new Retro-Action Batman figure even features a similar nylon cape to the original. With all the similarities, there are also differences. The gloves are a major difference with the original Mego wearing "oven mitts" and the new version utilizing a different approach. The new figure uses molded blue hands and vinyl cuffs attached to the suit to give the illusion of gloves. While I'm an advocate of making these new figures as close to the originals as possible, I do like the new figure's solution for gloves. Even Mego started using this same solution on some of the characters they produced in later years.

All in all, I think this and other figures in Mattel's Retro-Action line are very well-done and are wonderful tributes to the original Megos. However, I feel I need to mention a problem or two that I have with this Batman and the Retro-Action line, in general.

Specifically, Batman's emblem wasn't heat-sealed properly (it's like a mini iron-on) and mine started coming loose from the costume almost as soon as I had the figure out of the package. I managed to use heat to re-seal the emblem back on the costume. However, the results ended up a bit uneven.

The other issue is with the body of the figure. Every Retro-Action figure utilizes the same body... and every Retro-Action figure I've purchased is extremely loose in the waist and hips. Also, I don't think there is enough friction in the waist and hip joints for the figure to hold any kind of pose below the waist. So, if you lift one of the figure's legs, it will "flop" back down into it's original position. If you bend the figure at the waist... or twist it, the figure will snap back the moment you let go. This issue wasn't a problem with original Mego figures, although they shared the same internal elastic band design for construction.

I sincerely hope that Mattel will address these issues with the articulation of the body at the waist and hips in further waves of these figures. I know it's a major point of concern for collectors and I would imagine children playing with these would take issue, as well. These are wonderful figures with just a few "kinks" that need addressed. I know that some collectors are currently avoiding this line because of the body issues present. I do have to say that with 45 or so years of action figure history behind us, a working base body should be a "given."

With all that said, I really do like this figure very much. The costume and head sculpt are a nice tribute to the original Mego Batman. I guess it's just frustrating that it would take so little (it seems) to make this figure (and other Retro-Action figures) a complete "homerun." Although original Megos had a certain "clunky charm," the problems with the new Mattel body do not fall under "clunky charm" territory, so to speak. Some of Mego's design choices may have been questionable (oven mitts), but their base bodies held pretty much any pose you put them in. We should expect no less from Mattel... and for the asking price, we deserve no less.

2010 Retro-Action Batman (left) with orginal removable cowl Mego Batman

Look Ma, no cowls! ... and one of us is baking cookies.

Retro-Action Batman sans cowl...WAIT, Bruce Wayne is Batman?!!

1996 Dark Knight Returns statue

2010-08-08T21:30:00.000-07:00

This is DC Direct's Dark Knight Returns Statue. This was released in 1996 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Frank Miller's "game changing" series of graphic novels about the latter years of our favorite Dark Knight Detective. This was one of DC Direct's first statues... in fact, I'm not even sure if DC Direct, as an entity, existed as it exists today. That is, I'm not even sure if they were using the name "DC Direct," at that point.

The Dark Knight Returns series of books were the catalyst for my own "Batmania." I had loved Batman as a kid but found a new love for the character when Miller's Dark Knight Returns series hit comic shop shelves in 1986. I've been a fairly die-hard Bat-fan, ever since. As a nineteen year-old, it was fun to read a story about Batman as an older man and all that he goes through to come out of retirement. Now, as I'm rapidly approaching the age Bruce is in DKR, I find a sort of comfort in knowing that Batman has already been down the road I'm going down (agewise), so to speak. Sure, I know it's kind of silly since he's a fictional character and all, but I appreciate the idea all the same. In fact, I really have to tip my hat to DC Comics for allowing stories that feature aged versions of their characters. In kind, I appreciate the Batman Beyond animated storyline for the same reasons. There's something odd about passing your heroes in age as you grow older. In my lifetime, I've gone from a child looking up to Batman (again, I realize he's fictional... just humor me)... to being a man 10 to 15 years older than the age that Batman is depicted as being in comics and movies (C'mon, Christian Bale is just a KID!). So, I appreciate that there are still stories out there where Batman is still older than I am... and that's also part of the reason I appreciate this statue so much.

The statue depicts Batman guiding a young Carrie Kelly as Robin. The moment depicted never actually appeared in the comic but is a nice realization of the mentoring relationship Batman had in the series with this new, female Robin. This statue was masterfully sculpted by William Paquet. There is a certain "roughness" left in the sculpting of the statue that lends itself very well to a bit of synergy with the rough look Frank Miller used for the illustrations in the series.

I've had this statue near my work desk for quite a few years now. My wife bought it for me as an anniversary present about 7 or 8 years ago. She's the best. The statue itself, stands about 8" tall and was produced as a 5500 piece limited edition.

Scarecrow!

2010-08-03T12:01:00.001-07:00

I just read recently that it was announced that Mattel would release some new Batman: The Brave and the Bold figures for the fall.

When I looked at the pictures that were with the post I saw a picture of the Scarecrow, bundled with Batman, that I had found in the spring!

I only saw one of these on the shelf and I haven't seen one since.

Now I don't normally buy something as soon as I see it but there was only one of these on the rack and the Scarcrow looked so cool. So I knew he wouldn't be there if I came back to Walmart the next day.

I don't really collect Batman's enemies but you just don't see Scarecrow figures very often and when you do they are really neat looking.

This one very well modeled and everyone I have shown it to smiles and says "That's cool".

I don't think they are humoring me either. (This time)

So I don't know if this got shipped out early by mistake or if there just aren't that many of them to be found.

But I have one!

I was surprised that both of his arms moved.

There just isn't that much movement with the mini figures.

Brian B

Batman Silly Bandz

2010-07-26T12:57:00.000-07:00

If you have a kid in school or have met any kid recently you know what Silly Bandz are.
If you have no idea what a silly band is I will give my in depth explanation of them.

Rubber bands in different shapes.

Oh I left out one important fact. You wear them on your wrist.

There are all kinds of them.
There are Fairytale, sports, Scooby Doo, instruments and Batman Silly Bandz just to name a few.

Kids wear them on the wrists and it is fun to ask what they have.
The kid then pulls one off their wrist and then tries to explain to you what the weird shaped piece of rubber is supposed to look like.

This set contains more than Batman but he is why I bought them.

You get Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, Flash and Aquaman.

Nice DC colors.

I could not believe that they didn't include the Bat-symbol as a band.

They come in four colors. Blue, red, yellow and green. (One of my kids already nabbed the red one of mine. MEGAN!)
You get four of each character in every color.

Be cool and add these to your collection.

Brian B

Batroom 2

2010-07-23T14:51:00.001-07:00

I haven't got a whole lot more done on my Batroom this week because it has been WAY to hot here.

I did get my giant Batman night light hung up.

I also got some more of my Bat-things in my other case.

I would like to say that I am impressed with these cases.
I have figures standing in these cases and after a week and a half none of them have fallen over due to foot traffic.
This is the first room that you enter when you come into the house. (Why wouldn't it be?)
So it sees a ton of foot traffic and figures that I had had trouble keeping upright on a shelf are standing firm in the Detolf cases.

Elaine also had the brilliant idea of mounting the Batman Brave and the Bold race track on the wall!

This looks awesome!.
This is something you want to keep out but takes up room and the longer it is up the bigger the chances are that something will break.
Not if it is on the wall. There it becomes part of the whole display if not modern art.

I had worried about attaching the cars to the track but that ended up being no big deal at all.

The cars internal magnets hold them in place perfectly.

No, I haven't tried to run them while attached to the wall....... yet.

More updates to come.
(No, I am not taking any modeling jobs at the moment.)

Brian B

Mattel Superfriends Batman

2010-07-20T16:09:00.001-07:00

Look at this guy! Doesn't he just make you want to smile? Just a few years ago, Mattel produced a somewhat short-lived line of of Rescue Hero-esgue figures and vehicles under the "Superfriends" label (Batman has a copyright date of 2007). Batman, naturally, is my favorite from the line. Several other characters like Superman, Aquaman, and even Hawkman were produced.

Even though this version of Batman is meant to be kid-friendly and stylized, he's one of my favorite Batman figures that has EVER been released. He stands proudly on my shelf and exudes classic "Bat-goodness" day after day.

I guess he's kind of a reminder of how fun Batman was to me as a kid and how fun he still can be today. Sure, I like Batman to be menacing and scary as much as the next guy, but you can't deny that there's something very cool and fun about Batman being depicted as he is with this toy.

Mattel also produced a very cool Batmobile to go with this figure, as well as a MattyCollector exclusive Robin. I'll probably do a post on each of them in the future.

New Batroom!!!

2010-07-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

For my birthday my wife said we would redo or do up my Batroom/office!

I thought I would document the progress here for other Batfans to enjoy.

First thing we did was gut the room.

She wanted me to paint the room in Batman colors.

I thought I would use the colors from the Batman Mini figures. I really like these little figures and the blue and gray Batman figures are my favorite, mini's or regular size.

We started with the ceiling and gave it a fresh coat of white.

Our house has a picture railing through out the house so we decided to paint this section of the wall Batman gray.

(There is one section of wall that will not be painted. It is where we marked the kids growth at the beginning and ending of each school year for the 12 years we have lived at the house. That section of drywall will come with me if we ever move.)

The biggest parts of the walls we did in Batman blue.

(We were going for speed too so the shelves to the right I am going to paint later.)

We pulled out all of my books and painted the wall behind them Batman gray.
Even my ladder goes with the room doesn't it?

Now we are ready for the new addition to the room and the reason we have been rushing to get the painting done.

Detolf cabinets from Ikea!!

Elaine bought me one and the kids bought me another one. Two Detolf's!!!
Elaine wanted me to get three total but I thought two would be enough. (We will see!)

These look great in low lighting! (But hard to take decent pictures of)
I thought they would be cool to have but they were so much cooler than I expected them to be.

You had to buy the lights in addition to the cabinets but they are well worth it.
As a matter of fact the lights are what make the cabinets awesome!

The shelves filled up way faster than I expected them to.

One shelf done but it is still not in its finished state. ( I am sure they will change as I get out more and more of my collection)

Stay tuned for future updates on the room as I get them done.

If you have any suggestions for the room please send them my way too.

Brian B

DC Direct 13" Classic Batman

2010-05-22T21:29:00.001-07:00

This is DC Direct's 13" Deluxe Classic Batman from 2007. DC Direct has produced quite a few characters in this format over the past 5 years or so. Some collectors love them, and some collectors aren't too happy about the line. The main problem most detractors have with this line is the scale of the figures. They are produced at 13" rather than the more traditional 12" sixth-scale size. This means they don't "fit in" too well with figures from other lines that are produced in the smaller 12" format. This point has become less and less valid as DC Direct continues to release more and more figures in this scale. They are their "own club." so to speak, and look great on the shelf together.

Classic Batman was produced as the 15th figure in the line and utilizes Batman's more classic blue and gray color scheme. Batman utilizes the standard hero body that DC Direct has used for most of these figures. This body has very good articulation but falls short in a couple of areas. It uses an odd cut joint at the mid-bicep point instead of hiding the articulation where the shoulder meets the bicep as most sixth-scale bodies do. So, turning the arm at the bicep usually leaves an odd looking "seam" around the bicep. The wrist articulation is limited, as well, as it is just a turning swivel joint rather than one that can also flex forward and back. However, I've been impressed with the general musculature and "super hero" physique that these bodies possess. Wrist articulation aside, this body has quite a bit of posing ability. For instance, there's even a well-hidden joint under the ribcage that allows the figure to hunch forward and arc backward in a very realistic fashion without the waist and ab details looking odd under the costume.

The costume on the figure is excellent. The bodysuit is fitted well enough that the musculature of the figure body underneath shows through to give Batman a very fit, heroic look. The boots and gloves are made of vinyl and look great. The boots even have small working zippers running up the calves. The classic looking capsule-style belt is nicely detailed. The cape is a nice material but I would have preferred it to be a bit longer. All in all, DC Direct did a great job of producing a high-quality costume for this figure.

Batman's head and face sculpt is very nice, as well. He has a somewhat neutral expression that expresses determination without giving him an odd grimace or a look of constipation.

Classic Batman comes with quite a few accessories. Included are a black plastic logo stand to help keep him upright on the shelf (although, you probably won't need it), a pair of "bat cuffs," an extra pare of "bendy" hands that can be posed in various positions, various batarangs (including a larger folding one), and a grapple gun, of sorts, with an enclosed rope. That's a pretty good assortment of extra "toys" that come with this figure.

With all that being said, this is one of my favorite figures in my collection. It captures Batman's blue and gray classic color scheme without looking silly or old fashioned. This is still a Batman you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley despite the bright blue duds. I understand why so many incarnations of Batman, in recent years, have gone all black or even black and gray. However, for my money, THIS is Batman's definitive look and the image that comes to mind when I hear the word "Batman." In a lot of ways, this 13" figure is what a lot of us had in our heads when we played with our old Mego 8" and Super Powers Batmans as kids.

Power Records: Batman, The Scarecrow's Mirage

2010-05-19T10:19:00.000-07:00

This is mine from when I was a kid.
Power Records" Batman: The Scarecrows Mirage".

We didn't have DVD or VHS players but we did have ears and imagination.

This one is a 45 size but played at 33 1/3.
It is labeled a little LP.

This is just a jacket and the record but I do have a couple of the Power Records that came with a comic book attached too. I will post on them in the future.

I know it is hard for the younger people out there to imagine but we only had four channels to watch on television back then.
Those channels shut down around 1 a.m. and didn't come back on until 6 a.m. or so.
We only got cartoons for a half hour at lunch and maybe an hour after school during the week.
Then the big day for kids was Saturday morning.
It was kids programing until noon every weekend.

So if we wanted to see our shows we had only a few options.

• View Master reels
• Records
• Fisher Price Movie Viewers
• Comic Books

Most of the time we opted to just act it out and play.

I did find this record on the web.
You can download to it HERE
You can find just about every Power Record HERE.

Brian B

The Adventures of Batman and Robin, C6

2010-05-10T07:30:00.000-07:00

The Batboat leaves freezing Oceana.

Be Like Bob

2010-04-20T09:54:00.000-07:00

It is 1989 and I remember sitting in my seat waiting for the movie, Batman, to start.
I was excited to see Batman on the big screen but waiting was made easier because I had something in my hand to look at. The brochure that Brian A. posted earlier.

"Look at all the Batman stuff!" Was going through my mind.
I felt like I was twelve again and we had just gotten the new Sears and J.C Penny catalogs on the same day.

We were expecting our first child and money was being pinched until it screamed but I had a brochure to look at and that was satisfying enough. I enjoyed the pictures in the catalogs too even if I didn't get many of the toys featured there either.

I did get a ball cap though. Not through the brochure but at the mall.

I was wearing a Adam West style Batman shirt to the movie because the black shirts didn't look right to a boy raised on the 1966 series. The crowd was buzzing waiting for the show to start.

I did like the jacket that Bob Kane was wearing brochure but who could spend $50.00 on a jacket?

The crowd let out a cheer as the camera pulled back to show the Batman emblem on the screen.

•••••••••••

Time passed.
Some 15 years later I spotted an item that I remembered being in that brochure that they had passed out back in 1989.
It was at a house in our addition. They were having a yard sale and hanging up high enough for me to spot from the road was the jacket that Bob Kane had worn in the brochure.

I pulled over and looked around at other stuff that they had for sale. I didn't want to give away that I had stopped for the jacket. I would loose all bargaining power if I went right to it and drooled all over it.

They had quite a few superhero things and I picked up a set of Captain America mugs for fifty cents.

I asked the lady standing on the porch if she was the collector.
She said no all of it was her husbands. Poor guy.

I finally moved over to the jacket and saw that it had a reasonable price on it!
It didn't really look worn either. It was in great shape.
The Bat-emblem on the back was awesome!

I tried to talk her down a little but I was pleased with the price on the jacket and felt sorry for the guy whose stuff was being sold while he was at work.

Man was I proud of myself. I had THE BATMAN jacket from 1989!

I couldn't wait to get home and model it for my wife.

My boys were with me and thought that their Dad had the find of the century. They were probably just gauging that from my reaction of owning the jacket.

I already had the hat so now my assemble was complete.
I think we were going to a cook out that afternoon and I couldn't wait to wear it and show my friends.

I decided to surprise my wife so I told the boys not to mention the jacket to their Mother.

I got ready to go and came upstairs with my jacket on.
I had never worn a silk jacket before, it was styled in the eighties and it fit a little funny but I didn't care.

The look on my wife's face was priceless. But not in the way I had imagined it.
She said she refused to be seen in public with me in the jacket and told me never to wear it out in public.
I thought she said she would divorce me if I wore it in public but she says she never said that.
Well that was the impression that I was left with.

I see it when I dig for a shirt in my closet every now and then.

I asked my daughter, now 20, to take my picture for the blog.

My wife reminded me that once it is on the web it will always be there to haunt you.
My daughter tried to talk me out of having my picture taken and laughed at me in my jacket and hat. My wife kept telling me not to do it.

I brought up the picture of Bob on the computer to try to strike a similar pose and my daughter said "Mom he is trying to match something else. That is why he looks that way."

I posed and my wife shook her head.

So I have worn the jacket in the house three times.

I think I will put it on Ebay. Maybe my neighbor will by it back.

Brian B
•••••••••••

Buy this baby. HERE You know you want it.

1989 WB Batman Catalog Brochure

2010-03-25T09:16:00.001-07:00

This is a small fold-out catalog from 1989. I believe these were handed out at some of the first showings of the 1989 Batman film but don't quote me on that. For the life of me, I can't remember where I got this one. This catalog advertises some interesting things from the merchandising blitz that accompanied the 1989 film. Enjoy it in all its late 80's cheesy glory.

I remember being fascinated that Toybiz was using repainted Super Powers figures to promote their forthcoming Batman toys. I was surprised when they finally showed up on store shelves and were all-new sculpts. Part of me wished they had just used the Super Powers molds. I still need to track down one of those Batcaves, someday.

Here's Bob Kane, the creator of Batman, modeling some Bat-duds. I've read that Bob was on "cloud nine" during this time when his creation became a world-wide phenomenon once again.

These two statues were produced in very limited numbers... only 50 pairs. These are insanely rare Batman collectibles. I remember thinking how odd it was to see Batman all dressed in black. Now, the black costume is an ingrained part of pop culture.

This kid is WAY too happy to be a part of this catalog. Just sayin.'

The Adventures of Batman and Robin, C5

2010-03-23T09:02:00.001-07:00

Mr. Freeze wants to stay with his wife.

Brian B

The Adventures of Batman and Robin, C4

2010-03-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

Batman tries to save Mr. Freeze but . . .

Brian B

Corgi 1/24 Scale 1940s Batmobile

2010-03-11T08:05:00.001-08:00

This is Corgi's 1940s Batmobile in 1/24 scale, I believe. The car, itself, is about 7 and a half inches long. For those of you keeping score, it was released in 2005.

Corgi is known for producing beautiful scale models of Batmobiles and this one is no exception. Heavy and well-built, this diecast model also comes pre-built and pre-painted.

I'm a huge fan of this iteration of the Batmobile. Since the look of Batman's world tends to be timeless, yet set in a pseudo 1940s timeframe (I'm thinking of things like Burton's first Batman film and Batman: The Animated Series), this car fits in very well with that general vibe.

I really like the black and red color scheme on this car. It really adds to the menacing look that the giant fin and battering ram mask give this vehicle.

I'd love to see a version of this car brought back for a film or animated Batman project. Am I crazy, or do I remember seeing a version of this car in the Brave and Bold series, at some point? Maybe just as a cameo appearance?

Looks like Alfred's been slacking. Look at all that dust. Shame.

2010-03-05T08:51:00.000-08:00

Did you get one of these in the nineties for your birthday?

I did and my son did too.
I don't know where mine went but I did find one of my sons that I kept.

Here is a side view of the card.

These were great.
They had amazing detail in the die cut and I count 12 levels of depth in the card.

They had all kinds of them but Batman was the best.

Seems like I remember two different Batman cards but I can't remember for sure.

You can see a bigger version HERE.

Brian B

The Adventures of Batman and Robin, C3

2010-03-04T07:32:00.000-08:00

"Flee from Oceana. It will be destroyed!"

•••••••••

It seems that most Batman collectors choose the Joker as their favorite Bat-villain to collect.
I have Jokers in my collection.
Caesar Romeo terrified me as a kid while watching the Adam West series on television but it was a good kind of terror.
His laugh is what did it. His laugh and the way his hair shook when he moved his head.
Creepy!

I have many villains in my collection.
Catwoman, Two Face and Scarecrow to name a few but my favorite villain to collect is Mr. Freeze.

I think it is the domed helmet and back pack that make his figures stand out to me.
I also like his story line.
The movie Subzero gives us a detailed insight behind his life of crime. Love for his wife and his desperate actions he takes to save her.

I like most every version of the how he is costumed.
Although the movie Batman and Robin tried to ruin everything Batman related, I think he still had a cool suit.

I am sure I will share my Mr. Freeze collection with you soon.

Brian B

The Adventures of Batman and Robin, C2

2010-03-02T07:26:00.000-08:00

Mr. Freeze zaps Walker.

Brian B

Batman on View Master

2010-02-25T12:34:00.000-08:00

"Batman joins in the fight."

Sadly I only have one disk of this set.
It is the third reel in a set of three but I thought I would post it any way.

This is "The Adventures of Batman and Robin", 1997.

More to come.

Brian B

DC Direct Batman Black and White Bruce Timm statue

2010-02-12T11:04:00.000-08:00

In the Fall of 1992, Batman the Animated Series debuted on Fox Television. Since then, Gotham has never been the same. This fantastic show has made its mark on the saga of the Dark Knight like almost no other Batman property since. Everything about the show including it's characters, voices, art design, and music are now iconic parts of the Batman mythos. Even today, after several other animated incarnations of Batman have aired, most Batman fans would point to Batman the Animated Series as being the all-time definitive animated version of Batman and his world.

As a now iconic look for the character, Bruce Timm's Batman design has recently been turned into three dimensional DC Direct Batman Black and White Statue. As you can see, sculptor James Shoop has done a remarkable job bringing Timm's design to life in this statue. My only nitpick would be that Batman is supported by a visible rod to keep him airborne above his base. I would have preferred that DC Direct found another solution to support his pose. However, I'm not privy to all that goes into the planning and development of these statues. It's still a beautiful piece of work, as you can see.

The sculpt may not be "spot-on" to how the character mostly looked in the series (and, subsequently, other 3D representations of the animated character like toys and what-not). However, it's a pretty close match for Bruce Timm's character studies and guide drawings for the overseas animators to use as reference. Bruce's drawings of the character tend to be a bit more "edgy" and have sharper angles than the way he was drawn for most the animation in the series. Most depictions of the character tend to be a bit "softer" looking than what is presented here.

Now, DC Direct, we just need a deluxe line of Batman the Animated Series action figures and all will be right with the world.... and some 1966 TV show figures. Those would work, too.

For more Batman Animated goodness, stop by the new blog, Batman the Animated Toys from veteran toy bloggers Chunky B and Bubbashelby.

Batman Begins Movie Sign

2010-01-26T12:33:00.000-08:00

This was an unexpected gift that I was given this past Christmas by a friend of mine named Mike.

You know when you go to the theater and buy your ticket, they have those signs that are lit from behind, up on the wall behind the counter?
You know the ones I mean, with show times under them?

This is one of those signs. I have no idea what they are called.
I wish I did because it would have made describing it a bit easier for me.

I always figured that these were plastic but they are not.
It is printed on a translucent paper.

I scanned this like I do slides with it lit from behind.

It is 6 inches wide by 13 inches long.

Pretty cool.
Thanks Mike!

Brian B.

Mini Batcycle

2010-01-04T11:17:00.001-08:00

I saw this on the shelf at Walmart after new years eve and I passed it up.
When I got home and I told my wife about it she said I should have bought it.
She didn't have to tell me twice so the next time I was at Walmart I bought it.

This is the "mini" line for Batman The Brave and The Bold : Action League.

I really love these mini figures.
They are kinda quirky and fun.

Batman comes with his helmet on, complete with ears, and is clad in all black except for his blue gloves.

His hands are made to grab on to the Batcycles handelbars and hold on to his one accessory, a battering ram, all at the same time.

The bike stands freely on its own and rolls.
It is well designed with one wheel wider than the other that allows it to look like a bike with no strange contraptions to hold it upright.

Like the Brave and the Bold Batmobile the Batcycle combines many styles in this one cool bike.

These toys are cool!

Brian B

Mattel Batman The Brave and the Bold Transforming Batmobile

2010-01-02T15:41:00.001-08:00

As I've gotten older (ouch), I've found that I have a deeper appreciation for toys that are meant to be toys. In other words, there's something special about a toy that was designed for children to love and play with verses something that has been created for adult collectors to admire and put on a shelf... never to be played with. Now, I'm just as guilty as everyone else for succumbing to things that companies like Hot Toys or DC Direct are producing. Usually, they are very nice, high-end items that look fantastic. However, due to their high price tags and limited availability, the vast majority of these "collector toys" never reach the eyes or hands of children. When the kids of today grow up, they probably won't have much interest in a lot of the stuff that we older Batfans are filling our shelves up with these days. They will be interested in the things that they ACTUALLY played with as children. Case in point, I think most of us nutty collectors agree that the most cherished pieces in our collections are the ones that we had when we were kids.

All this rambling brings me to the item in today's post, the Mattel Batman The Brave and the Bold Transforming Batmobile. This is a TOY...with a capital "T." This is exactly the type of thing that I would have loved to have played with as a child. Mattel's Batman Brave and the Bold line has been very "kid centered" from it's inception. Almost as if thumbing their noses at collectors and the collector's mentality, Mattel chose to make their Brave and the Bold toys very kid friendly with play features that are meant to make them TOYS. The figures themselves feature peg holes up and down their arms and legs for attaching accessories. Whether you like the holes or not, they are there for play value and nothing else... and I think this speaks volumes about who these toys were designed for...kids. I think that's pretty cool.

Back to the toy pictured, the Transforming Batmobile. Mattel could have just made a Batmobile that rolled, made sounds, lit up, and shot missiles... just like about every Batmobile toy that's been produced in the past 20 years or so. However, they went the extra mile and produced a toy that not only looks like a great deal like the Batmobile from the Brave and the Bold cartoon, but also TRANSFORMS into a Batplane. How cool is that?!

Also, the way that this toy transforms is pretty amazing and a sight to behold. You only have to pull or push the front and back (via a lever and "grab" point on the bottom) and the toy does all the work in an instant. No pouring over instructions to figure out which panel to twist where and in what order. Nope...just give it a pull and "BAM!" it's a plane. Give it a push and "Wham!" it's a car! This mechanism works extremely well and is very fluid. My hat is off to the person (or people) that designed this fantastic toy and it's "magic" mechanism. Great work!

Oh, and it does shoot missiles, also. There are four missiles included that plug into four "missile ports" and can each be shot with the press of a button (one button per missile).

My only "nitpick" is that the Batman figure (not included with the Batmobile) from this line has to almost lay completely horizontal to fit inside the cockpit. This is a pretty minor issue but was something that jumped out at me while shooting the pictures for this post.

I can't recommend this toy enough for kids OR the Batman collector that wants to feel like a kid. I was debating on whether to open this toy or not. Boy, am I glad I did. I have a feeling this toy is going to see some true kid playtime when my 6 year-old spots it on the shelf, though. He may need one of his own. Don't feel too bad for him, though. He just received a whole slew of Imaginext Batman stuff (including a really cool Batmobile) for Christmas. The Transforming Batmobile was a gift from my wife that realizes she needs to keep the ten year-old inside of me happy from time to time.

Batman Clip-art

2009-12-01T11:32:00.000-08:00

How many of you Bat-collectors out there can boast of this beauty?
Batman clip art by Konami.
This came out some time in the mid nineties and I bought it for my kids. (Wink, wink!)

This box is showing its age a little bit by yellowing but it is still in pretty good shape.

The box is about the size of a comic book and a good three quarters of an inch thick.

What kind of goodies could be packed in that much box?

Just a card folded in half.
All you old enough to remember buying any software in the nineties know about buying a giant box that only contained a floppy diskette and a single sheet of instructions inside.

That was always disappointing.
So this was actually a treat to have such nice packaging holding the diskettes.

Even if it looked exactly like the box it came in.

It did open up though to reveal . . .

a line up of characters and two diskettes.

Imagine how much must be stored on all that disk space.
It claims to have 80 images on it.
I didn't find that many.

Kids, this was back when you turned on your computer and the only thing you saw was a C prompt. C:_

This didn't run on Windows.
It was just an image library.
You could use the images in Printshop though.
Printshop ran all on its own too and didn't use Windows.
Strange time I know.

Needles to say it took a little bit to get the images that I have below off the disk.
Most of the images were black and white that you could print out for the kids to color.

The Bruce Timm artwork is great though.

Brian B

In the Studio

2009-11-12T15:01:00.001-08:00

A short discussion in the comments section of the last post compelled me to post these photos. These are shots of some Batman collectibles in my studio from 2 or 3 years ago. The majority of my collection is in storage but I always like to have some Bat-stuff around while I work. Some of this stuff has been put in storage and replaced with other items. However, these shots show a point when I probably had the most Batman stuff on display.

If you like seeing this kind of stuff...Enjoy. If not, move along. :)

Batmen

2009-11-10T10:50:00.000-08:00

I'm in the process of cleaning my studio today. I thought I'd pull out some of my loose Batman figures and throw them up in a grouping. Nothing vintage or even older than 5 or 6 years but fun to see in a set, all the same. So, I thought I'd post a quick shot.

More reviews of statues and individual items coming soon.

Batman View Master

2009-11-06T07:04:00.000-08:00

Looking for Batman View Master reels?

We've got you covered.

I have posted all of the Batman: The Purr-fect Crime reels at my other blog.
These are done in "Wobble" style to try to recreate the 3D effect of View Master reels.
I also include scans of the booklet that came with the reels.

There are also pictures of my families trip to the "Hero Museum" in Indianapolis that has since closed its doors.

I also have various other Batman related pictures there as well.

So if you want a trip down memory lane hop on over to
Click HERE

Brian B

DC Direct Batman Black and White Statue: David Mazzucchelli

2009-10-30T15:17:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite things to collect, over the past few years, has been DC Direct's line of Batman Black and White statues. Each statue is presented in an entirely black and white paint scheme and is based on a specific artist's interpretation of the character. They are not big statues. This one is about 7 or 8 inches tall. There have been quite a few released, and I've picked up a handful of them along the way.

This is Batman as he was characterized by Artist, David Mazzucchelli, from the fantastic 4-part series, Batman Year One (written by Frank Miller). This series was first released as standard comic book issues in early 1987 and has seen print as a collected volume since. The series tells the story of Batman as he is just beginning his crusade against crime. In fact, more than a few story elements from this comic story found their way into the 2005 film, Batman Begins.

Mazzucchelli's art style in Year One was definitely a departure from the norm. His deceptively simple drawing and line work, somehow, added realism and credibility to the story told.

The pose used for this statue is taken from a promotional drawing used to raise awareness of the, then, forthcoming Year One story in Batman comics. Sculptor, Jim McPherson, has done a great job of capturing the look of that now iconic image.

This is how I like to see Batman. He's not over-muscled with bulges, veins, and striations bursting out of every nook and cranny of his physique. A lot of artists depict Batman looking like he's practically naked with a cape and has been spray-painted gray. I prefer this simpler style that realistically shows what cloth looks like on a human body....you don't see every muscle and detail.

Ever since the Batman Black and White line of statues began, many (myself included) had hoped that DC Direct would eventually get to a Year One Mazzucchelli Batman. We finally got it and it doesn't disappoint.

Batman Costume

2009-10-13T06:08:00.000-07:00

This is an ad for an official Batman costume that is in a 1992 Starlog Magazine.

I never ordered anything from this ad but I did read it and imagine though.
There were several reasons why I never ordered any of this official Batman gear.

1. What Bat-collector cuts up a piece of their Bat-collection?
There was a form in the magazine that you had to fill out and send in with your order.
Oh? Wait.
They allowed for crazy Bat-collecting.

2. The cost.

The Cowl was really the only piece I wanted and it was $55.95!

Sure the cape came with unique dowel rods for full extension but $79.95?

Bat-spats for $29.95? In 1992 you could buy a really nice pair of real boots for that price.

3. In 1992 I was 27 and had two small kids at home. This is a really good reason not to spend money on a Bat-costume. Diapers and formula were needed at home.

4. When would I wear it?
Halloween? Parties? To watch T.V.?

5. I had a wife at home who would have made fun of me no matter when I would have found a reason to wear the suit.

6. Friends and family would have made fun of me if they found out I ever wore the suit.

7. If my wife ever found out what the suit would have cost she would have killed me.

8. I was afraid I would look as dorky as this guy.

So I am Cowless.

Brian B

••••••••••••••••••

UPDATE!
Bubba over at Toyriffic had the perfect post to accompany this post. See it HERE.

Batman Megos!

2009-10-08T08:27:00.001-07:00

In the early 1970s, a toy company named Mego produced the first-ever Batman action figures. I've covered many of these great toys on sister-site, Yesterville Toy Room. However, I thought that Batman Megos might be something that readers of this blog might be interested in, as well.

So, in the spirit of lazyness and sharing, I've added links to all the posts about Mego Batman figures on Yesterville. I'm sure some of you have already seen these. If you haven't, here are the links:

BATMAN

ROBIN

JOKER

RIDDLER

PENGUIN

BATMOBILE

More Batman Minis

2009-10-06T11:11:00.000-07:00

After seeing Brian B's smallest Batman item a few posts ago (Batman Crocs decoration), I knew I had to dig these guys out and share them, as well. These are tiny porcelain Batman statues that were a gift from a friend and fellow Bat-fan (Thanks again, Guenter!) last Christmas.

These little guys are about an inch and a quarter tall. I believe they were originally created to be placed in cake. There's a fun European tradition (French, I believe) that involves baking a small figurine into a cake. When the cake is cut and served, someone gets a small surprise in their piece. It would be fun to find one of these little guys in your cake.

I'm not sure what company produced these, but they sure did produce a wide range of Batman characters and items. They mostly center on the film, Batman Begins.

Batman with penny for size comparison.

Gray-cowled Batman.

Another gray-cowled Batman.

Batman in running pose.

Mini billboard style image.

Rhas Al Ghul.

... and even Ducard.

Batman Collection Stolen

2009-10-01T06:24:00.000-07:00

Send up the Bat-signal!!!

The second largest Bat-collection in the country has been stolen.

"FORT LAUDERDALE - Not the shark-repellant spray, nor the goo gun, nor even the Caped Crusader's Batarang could apparently protect the country's second-largest Batman collection from disappearing.

The Miami Herald has learned that much of the Batman memorabilia owned by slain Fontainebleau heir Ben Novack Jr. is missing from several warehouses in Broward County. Sources close to the case said the locks on the warehouses were cut."

Authorities say the theft might be linked to a murder case that stretches across the country.

They don't know who has stolen the items yet but the good news is the authorities have narrowed the writers of "Under the Giant Penny" out of their investigation.

"The [Batman] stuff is gone — disappeared," said Chief Gregory Austin of Rye Brook, N.Y., police, which is investigating the millionaire's unsolved murder. Novack was found dead in a Westchester, N.Y., hotel in July."

The police didn't say if they found any rhyming riddles or clues pointing them to the dastardly criminals next targeted crime.

We here at Under the Giant Penny are willing to help the police with any clues that have been found, as any good citizens would.

Full story HERE

Batman 3D!

2009-09-30T11:22:00.001-07:00

This post combines two things that I love, Batman and 3D.
This is a Starlog magazine that I have from 1992 which features a ton of things on Batman Returns. I will post some of those things later but for now I want to focus on the 3D pictures that were included.

Starlog included four pages of a comic book entitled "Batman 3-D".
Sadly I have not found a copy of this book yet to place into my collection.

The article says the book includes artists like Dave Gibbons (Watchmen), Barry Windsor Smith (Conan the Barbarian) and George Perez (Teen Titans).

The 3D is done by Ray Zone and he is the master of 3D anaglyphs.

A year earlier Mr. Zone did a 3D comic book for The Rocketeer, which I own, and it is awesome 3D. Not only does it have 3D pictures but dimensional sound too called binaural.
That is the Rocketeer this is BATMAN!

So dig out your "Sherk 3D" or "Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D" DVDs and pull out the red-blue glasses that came with them so you can view these amazing samples.

Caution! The newer 3D movies like Coraline and Monsters vs Aliens use a different color lens glasses for their 3D process.

Brian B

Batman Jibbitz

2009-09-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Batman: The Jibbitz!

I didn't even know the thing was called a Jibbitz until today.
A Jibbitz is a doodad that sticks in the holes of your Crocs kinda like a charm on a bracelet.
Crocs are the foamy bright color shoes that everyone wore last year.

I never owned a pair of Crocs but I did spent $3 on this guy anyway.

He might look big here but he is tiny.
As a matter of fact this guy is one of the smallest Bat items that I have in my collection.

As small as he is he still has amazing detail. How could I have passed him up?

He has a little button type thing on his back that would snap into my Crocs, if I owned any.

He maybe small but he is full of cool and Carl and Russel seem impressed by him.

Brian B

Batman Hoosier Cabinet

2009-09-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

My wife loves to redecorate.
I come home to a new house at least once a month. Well she doesn't redecorate the whole house every month but at least one room a month.

Yesterday it was my offices, a.k.a. The Batroom, turn.
I now have a Batman Hoosier Cabinet added to my shelves to display some of my collection.

A Hoosier cabinet is a must antique to have here in Indiana.
These were like a little kitchen when they were originally made.
It has a place that holds flour, rolling pins, a potato drawer and a pull out counter top to do your kitchen work.

I don't have anything in the flour bin yet. (You can see the flour dispenser on the left)
I do have a Batman brass knuckle bladed thingy that my son bought me hanging on the rolling pin holder.
It reminds me of a weapon that Batman used in the fan made film Dead End.

Not only is Hoosier Cabinet holding a portion of my Batman collection but my wife also is using it to display some of my View Master stuff and slides that I use at WMDS.

The top of my book shelf holds some Batman items as well.

Brian B

Just a few quick shots as I headed out the door to work this morning.

Johnny Lightning 1950's Diecast Batmobile Model

2009-09-09T09:49:00.000-07:00

Looks-wise, this is probably my favorite Batmobile in my collection. I love the lines, shape, and the great retro look of this particular version of the Batmobile. This is Johnny Lightning's 1950's Batmobile Diecast model. When built, this model looks and feels like a high-quality pre-built diecast metal car. I think this is in 1/18 scale. The car itself, is about 10 inches long. I believe this came out around 2004 or 2005 (Brian B, what does your boxed 60s car say for a year?).

The body of the car is made of metal and comes with a very nice pre-painted paint job. The rest of the car is up to you to build and then join with the pre-painted body.

The interior of the car is very detailed and requires the model builder to paint the various internal components (floor, seats, dials, etc.). One cool thing about this model is the inclusion of Batman's Crime Lab just behind the front seats.

The Crime Lab features various scientific instruments like a microscope and beakers. They all sit on a small wooden desk. There's even a stool for Batman to sit on and drawer units directly behind the front seats. This requires a lot of time to paint but the final product is worth the effort.

Looks like Batman is doing a little light reading while waiting for results from the built-in crime lab!

Love this car!!!