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.
