When DC went looking for another great superhero to follow in Superman’s steps, Bob Kane and Bill Finger stepped up with Batman. As the original creator and artist for the character, it’s no suprise that DC Direct has produced a Batman Black and White statue based on his artwork and style. In fact, I’d say the only surprise is that it’s taken this long.

DC Direct has been extremely successful with the Batman Black and White series of statues. They are each done in a 6″ scale (1/12th), sculpted to mirror the artistic style of a particular Batman artist. They’ve represented artists from Jim Lee to Kelley Jones, and the latest release is based on the artwork of the creator, Bob Kane.

Coming up next for the line is a Neal Adams version, along with a Derek Miller and George Perez. DCD has raised the price on these to $70 a pop (that’s SRP, which translates to around $60 – $65 at most stores), an increase of around 20% in a very short period. Whether the popularity of the line can withstand the price hike is yet to be seen.

If you have any questions or comments, drop me a line at mwc@mwctoys.com or swing by my website at Michael’s Review of the Week. On to the review!

Batman Black and White – Bob Kane

Packaging – **1/2
It’s the usual box. It has some decent artwork of course, but the lack of a window and any sort of COA is a big negative. The box should get the bust to you safely, but it won’t sell a lot of product on its own.

Sculpting -***
The sculpt is by Jonathan Mathews, who has done a number of the statues as well as other work for DCD. If you’re familiar with Jonathan’s work, than you won’t be surprised by the quality here. It’s not his best, but it’s certainly solid.

The proportions are all done very much in the Kane style. Keep in mind that his Batman was less chilsed and ripped than our current versions, with not only a slimmer appearance, but a sleecker style. Kane’s Batman was no wimp, but steriod abusing atheletes had not yet set the standard for male perfection.

This isn’t the very first Kane style Batman, however. The long ears aren’t here, and the head isn’t nearly as stubby. He also has full length gloves, whereas in his earliest appearances he wore shorter regular gloves. Check out the DCD First Appearance Batman for a better idea of what I’m refering to.

While I don’t claim to be an expert, this looks more like a mid to late 40’s Kane Batman to me, with the small symbol, sharp claw-like hands, and square buckle on the bat belt. Small details are here, like the stitching line in the fold of each section of cape, which were usually drawn in by Kane.

While he is the right height for the overall line, the extreme departure in style from the more modern Bats might put some folks off. For me, I prefer the extremes, as it gives the entire group when viewed together a bit more visual interest.

Paint – **1/2
The paint work has gotten sloppier with the last few releases, and I’m getting less patient with it. This time, the mask trails down on to the face below the nose, and even the skin tone is uneven and sloppy. They still went with the nice glossy boots and gloves, which sets them apart nicely from the rest of the figure, but at this price point on a statue this small, I don’t expect obvious slop.

Design – ***
The design is good, with a nice dynamic feel to the cape flowing up and out from his body. One glance and you get the impression he’s just jumped down from a great height, and you’re seeing him just as he hits the ground and just before he springs forward to kick some ass. The cape is flowing up and out from his body evenly on both sides, much like wings. That’s fitting, since it was Kane’s original intent that it be more like wings than a cape.

However, there are many more iconic looks from that period, especially from the early covers of Batman. I think that had they picked something more iconic, the style and design would have been a bit more recognizable to the Bat lay person.

My biggest design issue is actually a mechanical one. The stance is just a little too wide to allow you to fit the metal pegs (which are attached to the feet, not the base) into the holes. This is a bigger issue when removing the figure than when putting him on, because as you *gently* pull him off the base, a lot of pressure will be put on the pegs and feet. I ended up breaking one at mid-foot, even being extremely careful.

Value – **
At the end of 2007, you could get one of these statues for $45, $50 tops. Now, that has increased to almost $60 at most retailers, due to the price increases from DCD. And while I love these little guys, the amount of materials, along with the general quality level, does not justify that high of a price point. It looks like DCD may up the price even further this year, and I fear that will very well be stake in the heart for this line.

The reason for that is the completists. This is a series that has been very attractive to the completist mentality, because the black and white coloration and Batman theme makes a complete display more attractive than if you only buy one or two. While the individual statues may not always be great, as a set they look fantastic. That has driven many collectors to pick up versions they might not otherwise have bought.

But at $60 or $70 a pop, that desire is likely to dry up like a worm on a hot day. With buyers being much choosier about which ones they get, one or two weak releases could doom the line with retailers.

Things to Watch Out For –
Be very careful attaching him to and removing him from the base! The metal pegs don’t quite line up on mine, and even though I was very gentle putting him on, when I went to pull him off I broke the foot at the metal peg. It reglued well enough, but be careful!

Overall – **1/2
While Jonathan’s sculpt and the general design are solid, it’s the new higher price point that’s hurting my overall. It’s nice, but it’s not a $60 statue, and with DCD raising the SRP from $60 to as much as $75 on upcoming releases, it doesn’t look good for the longevity of the series.

Where to Buy –
Online options are the best, particularly if you don’t have a reliable LCS:

– Alter Ego Comics has him for $59.49.

– Urban Collector has him at $60.

– CornerStoreComics has him at $55.

– Things from Another Planet has him at $63.

Related Links –
I’ve looked at a number of these, including Frank Miller, Jim Lee, Matt Wagner, Mike Mignola, and Kelley Jones.

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