Thursday, March 20, 2025

Action Figure Review: Batman (Batman Begins) (Gold Label) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

  Batman Begins is getting ready to turn 20 years old this year. I easily remember that because it came out less than a month after my wife and I got married and we're about to celebrate our 20th anniversary. Imagine that, right? McFarlane has really leaned heavily into the Christopher Nolan directed film series and there are a few new releases so far this year: The Scarecrow in a regular suit, the standard Batman from Batman Begins, and the Gold Label Batman I'm looking at today, which is actually the fear gas induced hallucination that the Scarecrow sees. Surprisingly, I actually found this figure (and Scarecrow) before I found the standard version of Batman. This is a pretty crazy looking Batman figure and while it's not a look Bruce sports for long in the film, it is a pretty memorable moment. Ready to check out this Gold Label Batman (he's exclusive to Target)? Then join me after the break...




The Facts:

Height: 7 1/8ths inches

Articulation: Hinged toes, double swivel hinged ankles, double hinged knees, swivel/hinge hips, balljointed waist, balljointed mid torso, swivel/hinge shoulders w/ ballsockets, bicep swivels, double hinged elbows, double swivel/ hinge wrists, and a barbell jointed head.
 
Accessories: Collector card, display stand, grapnel gun,  batarangs, and 4 swappable hands.
 
Non-Scalper Price: $23 dollars






Comparison:


* Here's a quick look at the Gold Label fear gas Batman (in the center), the standard Batman Begins Batman (left), and the Dark Knight Trilogy Batman. While both Batman Begins figures use the same body (different heads and different paintjobs), the Dark Knight figure looks to be completely different. The only reuse on the figure might be with the belt.




The Positives:



* This really is a cool looking figure and a great choice for a Gold Label figure. The suit is the same as the standard Batman Begins version of Batman but it's been given a really cool dry brushed effect that really highlights the details on the suit and makes the armor look more organic in places. Like it's alive. The fear gas version of Batman in the movie was actually a real suit and this looks quite a bit like what we saw, though it was a completely different suit and not just a repaint of Batman's standard suit. Of course, I'm not sure we really see that difference in the film (there are some behind the scenes shots of the suit) so I'm not very bothered by it.









* The portrait is quite good, though, and very creepy, making the Caped Crusader appear to Scarecrow as an actual bat demon or fear gas ghoul of some sort. The only paint here is with the drybrush or overspray that the rest of the figure has but, again, that does seem to be fairly accurate. It's a really creepy looking figure. Especially the eyes. They're just eerie. 





* I love that, the majority of the time, the blades on Batman's gauntlets are nice, sharp, and stiff on McFarlane's Batman figures. I was just so burnt out from years of Mattel's being rubbery and misshaped, so it's been a relief to rarely have to worry about these. The gauntlets on the Begins suit look really good, too. I love how they were inspired by gauntlets from the League of Shadows suit. Which makes me really want a Bruce Wayne and Henri Ducard/ Ra's al Ghul set.









* The suit looks excellent from the back, too. McFarlane is awesome with the amount of textures and such on their outfits in this line and you'll see a bunch of different ones on this one. 





* Not only does fear gas Batman come with a soft goods cape but it also is wired, allowing for some really cool poses. Fantastic, really. It has a nice texture, too. Not cloth; more like a sturdy... raincoat or the material umbrellas are made from.








* The articulation is pretty good, certainly better than almost any other Batman figures that I can think of from another company unless you start getting into Japanese imports and the like. The solid articulation works great and there's a great range of motion in most places. The shoulder pads are flexible, so the shoulders have a great range of motion. Make that pose work with the wired cape and you'll get some excellent displays.






* For basic hands, fear gas Batman only comes with a pistol grip right hand and a left hand fist. The alternate right hand is something really cool, though: It's holding three batarangs at once. They're smaller than the included batarang accessory and look quite cool, like he's about to toss a flurry of them at some mobsters.








* Batman's grapnel gun is included. It's the same as the one that came with the earlier version of Bats from The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight rises, but that's accurate so far as I remember. I mean, the fear gas Batman doesn't really use this or anything, but it's still nice to have.



* He also comes with a batarang. A wildly oversized batarang, I should think, but it is a batarang. At least with the swappable hand of batarangs, having this one a bit larger isn't so bad. It's like his... special attack batarang. Or maybe this is what a batarang looks like when you're all hopped up on fear gas!




* Of course, you're getting a collectible card with the Batman Begins poster (or one of them, anyways) on the front. I do wish it were more specific to the fear gas version of Batman we've got here, though.

* You're also getting a simple disc display stand. It works just fine and is always a nice extras.










* An alternate left hand is included which shows Batman gripping one of his mini-mine grenades. It's not painted but it's typically black, too, so it's not really an issue. 
The Negatives:


* I was very disappointed that while swapping hands around the left wrist peg on mine. I don't know how many McFarlane figures from this decade I own, but it's quite a few. Interestingly, this is only the second break I've had. I fixed, but it's still rally frustrating. I've looked around in some collector groups and it seems this might be a somewhat common issue.




   I like this figure quite a bit but that broken wrist joint definitely mars an otherwise stellar figure. My fix seems to have worked though I really won't be able to swap hands. Then again, going forward I doubt I'll be posing this version utilizing the weapons. Usually McFarlane's modern figures (like post 2018 or so) are incredibly sturdy, so I don't know why this one is flawed. Even factoring that issue in, this is a Good and a 1/2 figure with an excellent sculpt, cool accessories, and a rather nice paintjob for a figure that's mostly black and shades of very, very, very dark grey. 




I've reviewed so many figures of Bruce Wayne as Batman (or other heroes wearing the mantle of the Bat) that I've compiled them all in The Dark Knight Gallery. 


For more DC Multiverse reviews check out the following:
Harley Quinn (The Suicide Squad)
Hugo Strange (Batman: Transference)



Posted by at

7 comments:

  1. GIJigsawMarch 20, 2025 at 7:57 PM

    Love this figure. Totally forgot about this scene. Been awhile since I saw Batman Begins.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barbecue17April 6, 2025 at 8:07 PM

      We watched it with our daughter back in 2023 along with all of the other Nolan films and all of the Keaton films. She really liked the Nolan trilogy quite a bit and the movies absolutely hold up well.

      Delete
  2. CarniviusMarch 21, 2025 at 4:01 AM

    That's a cool variant. Some folk are disappointed with the BB figure in general for some inaccuracies with suit texture and the reused head. Also love that McFarlane use wired capes now. Just a shame the Dark Knight figure is so difficult to get with one. A reissue of the wired cape version would be much appreciated. The rigid rubber cape made me sell off my figure.

    Weird to think this excellent movie is 20 years old now. Eep.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barbecue17April 6, 2025 at 8:11 PM

      It looks like McFarlane may have just released (or is getting ready to release) the Platinum TDK Batman with a redo of the Batpod. Might be easier to acquire than the older figure at this point.

      And yes, this movie being 20 years old is insane. It's interesting because these films kind of spanned a whole era of my life. Batman Begins came out when my wife and I got married and The Dark Knight Rises came out just months before we learned that my wife was pregnant. It was like my whole adult life before I was a parent took place during that era.

      Delete
  3. Joe PantsMarch 21, 2025 at 4:40 PM

    I don't know why, but "Batman Begins is getting ready to turn 20" really hit me. I still feel like Batman Returns was only 20 years ago...

    Really hoping to find this guy. I had a similar wrist peg break on the Dr Fate figure from Black Adam, that really stinks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CarniviusMarch 22, 2025 at 8:26 AM

      we are old. :(

      Delete
    2. Barbecue17April 6, 2025 at 8:13 PM

      Right? I'm still over here calling the Keaton movies "the old Batman" movies and here's Bale's Batman being nearly 20 years old as well.

      Delete

What'chu talkin' 'bout?

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)