I wanted to point out that on Sunday, July, 5, 2009 ( 7/05/09 on the site ) , Captain Collector of the website Action Figure Times did a small Retrospective of Batman figures from 1984 to what's been out so far in 2009. Here's a link to Captain Collector's section of the AFT website:
At the time I type this, it should be the top/1st article you see on the website. As time passes and Captain Collector adds in more articles/entries, the Retrospective will go down on the page, and soon disappear from this webpage. If that's the case, you'll have to use the Search Feature on the AFT website in order to try and find the Retrospective Article. The title is " THE BATMAN, 1984-2009 The Batman Retrospective", with the date stamp of 7/05/09. Just thought I'd point this out.
RE: AFT's Look At Batman Figures: 1984-2009 -
Posted on 16-07-2009 11:21
I hate it when people cannot do simple research and post the facts. So I’m going to correct a few things Captain Collector got wrong.
“Batman the Movie, circa 1989-1990
A complete newcomer to the toy game, a little-known company called "Toy Biz" swooped in and got the most coveted license ever to make Batman movie toys. It was a cultural phenomenon, and it put this fledgling toy company on the map. The original prototype shown was a Super Powers Batman painted all black. Honest. The rest is history.”
Maybe the prototype was a Superpowers Batman (I doubt it), but the production Batman was a new sculpt and had a zipline that came out of the belt buckle. There were also three different head sculpts too.
“Shortly thereafter, toy juggernaut Kenner reacquired the rights, and put out a few of their own, which were superior in every way.”
The Dark Knight Collection was one of the best Batman lines ever. Nevermind that he fails to mention it by name, but he cannot seem to put out more than one sentence about it.
“There are two very separate and distinct paths the Dark Knight took, in the form of a few excellent animated series, and as a comic-based line.”
He glosses over Batman The Animated Series and the other two series of figures that followed, The Adventures of BATMAN and Robin and The New BATMAN Adventures. Combined they are the largest Batman series of figures ever made.
“The chrome version is the 300th edition Batman, and the two Bob Kane versions were originally attached to bases, and were to honor the 60th anniversary of batman. Neither were big hits with the kids.”
The chrome version was actually the 100th Edition Batman (it says so on the base it came with) and the other two were for collectors, not kids. The 100th Edition Batman was redone in gold for the 1997 Hong Kong Edition to celebrate Hong Kong’s independence.
“Kenner at this time was busy churning out their 5" line Legends of the Dark Knight.”
He also messed up the timeline and put Mattel and the JLU, The Batman and Brave and The Bold ahead of these Kenner figures.
“This line also spawned the infamous Batman: Total Justice line, which was a truly hollow successor to the Super Powers.”
Total Justice was not a successor to Super Powers it was and is the predecessor to JLA which was one of the last Batman/DC lines Kenner released before Hasbro took over.
“The larger line also really lacked any real direction, as it was torn between a far flung future version of the batman, and a few current ones. The line itself was unremarkable, with the exception of a truly fantastic Man Bat, and a Kelly Jones-inspired Batman, shown here.”
He is talking about the Legends of the Dark Knight line, but he does not mention the previous the Legends of Batman figures. Both of the series of figures were Elseworld inspired.
There is not one Batman Beyond picture or mention in his whole retrospective. Not to mention no Batman Knight Force Ninjas, Spectrum of the Bat, World of Batman, Mission Masters, D.U.O. Force or Warner Brothers store versions. For that matter he missed Batman Forever and Batman and Robin move figures too.
“Mattel's all-too-cute Superfriends Batman. Both very cool in their own right, and I'd be remiss if I didn't let everyone know that although I haven't buckled yet, there is a very cool playskool-inspired line with an amazing Batcave playset out at stores now.”
He could say DC Superfriends Imaginext, right? The line is by Fisher Price, not Playskool. Even if he disdains the figures he could have mentioned them.
“The ones that started it all. There is a cool 6" scale huge Batmobile, as well as several bat-villains. The first image shows the basic figure and a custom version. The second image shows the two Comic-Con exclusive versions.”
Zipline Batman is still one of the best Batman figures ever made and he cannot seem to remember the name. Nor did remember that the Batmobile was the only one ever recalled.
“DC Superheroes
This line incorporated more articulation, more villains, and Superman characters. This is the line which evolved into the DC Classics we know and love today. Shown here in order are the first version, the European exclusive Batsignal Batman and Armor Attack Batman (my personal favorite).”
Except that he is wrong yet again. Bat Signal Batman and Attack Armor Batman were in the last wave of Batman comic style figure that Mattel shipped overseas. They were NOT part of DC Superheroes at all. The Bat Signal Batman body was reused for the first DC Superheroes Batman albeit it was retooled slightly.
You can’t take 25 years of Batman figures and write them up in a two-minute review. I’ll update my original one a little later.
RE: AFT's Look At Batman Figures: 1984-2009 -
Posted on 16-07-2009 16:40
I knew someone here a few years ago wrote a more completed look at past Batman figures. Good that you updated it Flabat, and good job too. You probably didn't have to ( Unless you were going to do so anyways ) , but you did. Did you or Chris ever sended AFT a link to you're update Retrospective? Just curious is all.
I just posted AFT's article just because I thought it might interest some Bat fans here. That said, thought I read 1 or 2 inaccuraces ( Batman 100th figure being call 300th, and the Batman Microman figures under the 1990's section ) I hadn't realized the others until Flabat pointed them out. Unfortunally, that's what happens when you only do things qucikly and half heart, instead of taking you're time and doing it with care. And in Caption Collector's case, a too short of a retrospective.
RE: AFT's Look At Batman Figures: 1984-2009 -
Posted on 21-07-2009 09:48
Got a funny feeling that Caption Collector's retrospective was also a look at the Batman figures he owns as well. Can only guess he wanted to show that you could customize you're own perfect Batman with the right parts. Just guessing.
RE: AFT's Look At Batman Figures: 1984-2009 -
Posted on 21-07-2009 15:25
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