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Batman YTB - Fansite For Batman Comics, Toys, Figures, News and more! | KNIGHTS DOME | YTB's Reviews

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Review: Corgi 1/24 2005 Batmobile - Posted on 14-08-2006 21:37
User Avatar spencer1984
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2000 DC Comics Batmobile
Corgi Model #77511




Wave 3 of Corgi's Batmobile's saw their first totally unique Batmobile in 1/24 scale - this time, there are no offerings from Johnny Lightning or Danbury Mint to serve as comparison pieces. The car is based on the design featured in the Batman/Danger Girl crossover from 2005, which also makes it unique in having such a short presence in the comics (one full panel, two partial panels, and an interior shot).



Packaging



Once again, we get the standard blue & yellow Corgi window box, with a few minor updates. The Batman photo has been changed to be era-appropriate for the car, and the new DC logo replaces the traditional bullet. The name of the car is centered under the window, and the Corgi logo is on the bottom right corner under the DC logo. The end flap windows remain, but the clear plastic has been moved to the inner tray. The back of the box has a photo of the car with an inset of its action feature, another Batman drawing & name/logo set, and a tri-lingual blurb about the line. Still no cross-sells, strangely enough. Four twisties hold the Batmobile into a plastic tray mounted on the heavy-duty cardboard base.



Casting/Paint



A heavy metal body with a seperate metal upper fuselage and plastic detail pieces. As usual for Corgi, both metal and plastic components have been painted to assure a nice, uniform color. There are quite a few grilles scattered across the body - two in the front, two near the front of the hood, two as "gills", and then eight more around the rear engine assembly. All of them are perfectly cast, with delicate crosshatching and sharp contrast. The era-appropriate Batman is on the chassis as always - not really adding anything, but at least it's not obtrusive.

The paint isn't bad, but the multiple applications leave more room for error than usual: there is a little slop between the blue & silver areas, and the black doesn't always make it to the edge of the panels. I also have a weird mar between the hood vents, but it's not really obvious and may be unique to my car. The headlights are seperate pieces, but are painted yellow rather than being transparent like the windshield. The single seat pit is extremely cramped, but that didn't stop Corgi from doing a knockout job in there. Instruments, gauges, and buttons cover every visible surface (as they did in the comic), and there are several paint apps inside to make things stand out. Truly excellent work here.



Features/Accessories



Corgi threw in a totally useless but nonetheless extremely cool action feature here. By pressing down on the inboard fins (just a hair is needed, though they actually flex quite a way), the center section of the roof just behind the passenger bay pops up to reveal two rear-facing non-firing missiles. It doesn't detract from the car at all, and actually looks pretty cool both up and down. Be careful popping it out, though; there's a lot of force in the spring, and the pod itself is made from metal, making for a good knuckle cracker if you don't keep your hands clear while pushing down on the fins.



Accuracy



With only one appearance, Corgi didn't have a lot of room for interpretation. Fortunately, they didn't get wacky, but instead gave us a very well done, clean replica. The annoying safety-ized fins seen in previous Batmobiles aren't as obvious here, nor do they exhibit any of the uneveness of the 1960s Batmobile. Everything here looks pretty clean and straight, which is nice. If I wanted to get nit-picky, there area few details that don't match the comic car exactly like the hood vents, number of side gills, mirror size, or wheel style. Nothing is really "wrong," however, and it all comes together nicely. One particularly cool feature I wanted to point out is the design work that went into the rear fascia. It was never shown in the comic, so Corgi's design team had a little freedom here. They went with a quasi-Corvette style rear, with quad tail lights on either side of a jet exhaust (the exhaust sits just above a bat logo, the first use of a sticker in Corgi's 1/24 line).

One other thing I want to note is the size of the car: it's small. Batmobile's are typically larger-than-life megamachines, but this one bucks the trend by being a small, single-seat land rocket. It's accurate to the comic, but you might be surprised at the size of it when you first get it.



Overall
Buy it. Heck, buy several and give them to your friends. This is exactly the type of design work we want to encourage with good sales: unique design, well detailed casting, non-cheesy action feature, and an affordable price. It's no secret that I've been looking forward to this car since it was announced, and Corgi really delivered. I wouldn't mind if Corgi decides to ditch the Batman relief on the chassis, but that particular hallmark is unlikely to go anywhere. The few minor paint issues should in no way discourage you from snagging one of these.
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RE: Review: Corgi 1/24 2005 Batmobile - Posted on 15-08-2006 00:08
User Avatar Panzer
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oh Crap!

Diddnt even know this was out yet!!!!!embarrassed

Where did u find it buddy?????

Great review to bro!

please haller at me .


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RE: Review: Corgi 1/24 2005 Batmobile - Posted on 15-08-2006 07:05
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It looks like they're only hitting the west coast so far, so eBay is probably your best chance to find them at this point.
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RE: Review: Corgi 1/24 2005 Batmobile - Posted on 15-08-2006 13:01
User Avatar Darknight
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That's pretty cool. Do you have the Batman/Danger Girl Crossover? I have only recently started reading the Danger Girl stuff, and it is a lot of fun. Is that just as good?


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RE: Review: Corgi 1/24 2005 Batmobile - Posted on 15-08-2006 13:30
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I've seen some new 1/43rds but none of these. In fact, I don't I've seen any of this scale around here... Great photos and review.


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RE: Review: Corgi 1/24 2005 Batmobile - Posted on 15-08-2006 14:39
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Thanks. Yeah, Corgi's distribution is still a little wonky. I saw the first 1940s 1/24 in the area at a store about four weeks ago, even though it's been available other places for quite a while.

I do have the crossover, though I wasn't really impressed by it. There were some good lines, and the art was decent, but for some reason I never was able to really get into it. A worthy buy for the car scenes and a few of the more subtle jokes, but not exactly at the top of my "favorites" list. I can't really say how it compares to the rest of the DG series. Maybe I'd enjoy this story more if I read more of the series and got to know the characters better.
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RE: Review: Corgi 1/24 2005 Batmobile - Posted on 15-08-2006 22:15
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Looks cool to me! I have liked Corgi's work since the 1960s.



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RE: Review: Corgi 1/24 2005 Batmobile - Posted on 16-09-2006 17:31
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Oh man, you're torturing me with these pics! I really really love these but they keep coming up more & more new ones. How many are there now, like 40 of 'em?! I went to their Corgi Toys webpage awhile back & signed up for a FREE catalog. It has some great photos & makes a good checklist if yer collecting them. I only have a few but plan to get them all! They're really nice quality too.

Thanx for the pix, keep 'em comin'!
Tommmmy


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RE: Review: Corgi 1/24 2005 Batmobile - Posted on 16-09-2006 23:51
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Of the current line, there have been 23 seperate castings in 1/43, 1/24, and 1/18 scales. Of those, though, there have been a bunch of different repaints, box sets, etc. That's part of why I'm sticking with 1/24 scale as much as possible: it helps spread out the time between each new model. In the meantime, I have more than enough models to keep me occupied.
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RE: Review: Corgi 1/24 2005 Batmobile - Posted on 17-09-2006 05:05
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Cool, thanx for the info. Oklahoma ( where I live ) just got the lottery & I need to win it so I can afford this hobby! The 1st thing I would buy....a real 1966 Batmobile! Not a toy car but the real deal...hee he.

( This is my dream...)


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RE: Review: Corgi 1/24 2005 Batmobile - Posted on 17-09-2006 12:18
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those are some cool cars.


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RE: Corgi 2000 Batmobile - Posted on 17-09-2006 20:02
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Hey Spence, have you seen this in stores? I have quite a few of the Corgi items but not as many of them as I wish. I have the 60's Batmobile in blue and black and the Batcycle in blue and black in the same scale as the new Batmobile. I'd love to get it if you know where I can find it. Thanks for your help!!
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RE: Review: Corgi 1/24 2005 Batmobile - Posted on 17-09-2006 22:30
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No, still haven't seen this one in stores. Actually, I've only seen the 1940s Batmobile in stores once a few months back: the 1960 version is the only one that was easily available in stores that I've found. Every 1/24 I've gotten since then has been an online purchase.
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RE: Review: Corgi 1/24 2005 Batmobile - Posted on 22-09-2006 19:52
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Thanks for responding. FYI: I've gotten all of my Batman Corgi's at various Wal-Mart stores. I hate seeing all of the cool ones on Corgi's website and not being able to get them. Corgi doesn't sell direct, so it's frustrating not being able to buy them. Does anybody remember the ones that they had in the mid-70's? I was pretty small, but I remember a Matchbox-size Batmobile and Batcopter. There was also a slightly larger Batmobile with a Batboat that could attach to a trailer hitch on the Batmobile. I'd love to have those now! Anybody ever see pics on the net? I'd love to see 'em.
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RE: Review: Corgi 1/24 2005 Batmobile - Posted on 22-09-2006 21:58
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I?d love to have one of the original Corgi Batmobiles, especially the one with the Batboat, but these days those are often beat up and cheap or complete and expensive. I got most of my 1:43 Corgi?s from Wal-Mart but that is often hit or miss. I did pick up three today from my Comic Book Store, but not the Danger Girl version above. I see it on eBay so maybe I?ll have to get it there.


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RE: Review: Corgi 1/24 2005 Batmobile - Posted on 23-09-2006 12:21
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I googled "vintage corgi toys" and found these items. I found catalogues from 1969, 1973 and 1980-81 that all had these items in slight variations. Oh, the memories.
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RE: Review: Corgi 1/24 2005 Batmobile - Posted on 25-09-2006 17:09
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All the Corgi Batmobiles are really good. There isn't really a bad one among them. Some of the 1/43s are a bit samey, but most of them are fantastic. On this one (and other larger stuff) they've started doing windows on the box ends (and it's a subtle, nice touch). Corgi really present stuff well.

I'm in the UK and most of the Corgi stuff is still available here (although to my knowledge, some of them have been deleted - certainly Corgi's website doesn't carry all of them now - only about a third). Specialist shops over here still carry them all though.

I've got all the 1/43s and the only ones I struggled with were the 50s and 70s Batmobiles (77314 & 77315). I remember when I was looking for those particular ones they were none on Ebay (lots of others though!) They look FANTASTIC when they're spread out. The boxes in themselves are excellent.

If anyone in the States really wants something they can't get it, it's likely it's available here; drop me a line. I'll gladly help out. No problem (and I don't mean for profit).


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