Action Figures & Dolls - Action Figures - Comics - DC Direct - Mattel's Comics Style Batman - Series 3 - Zipline Batman & Battle Baord Robin Review
Zipline Batman
Batman, Wave 1: Mattel, 2005 SKU# B4979
Zipline Batman marked Mattel’s beginning of production on the Batman action figure franchise that Hasbro lost just the year before. Zipline Batman was originally released in the direct market (comic book stores) along with Battle Board Robin and Quick Fire The Joker prior to making their debut a couple of months later in the regular mass market line.
Zipline Batman is the base figure sculpted by The Four Horsemen and is the base figure for all of the many Batman variants that have followed. Zipline Batman has a “Retro Traditional” Gray and Black look to him and is very similar to the Jim Lee interpretation of Batman that appears in the HUSH story line in DC Comics.
SPECS:
The figure stands 6.5 inches tall (to the ear tips) and has 12 points of articulation (head, shoulders, gloves, waist, hips, and knees) and a cloth cape. It comes with a Zipline and a Batarang Launcher that fires a projectile that snaps on his arm.
PROS:
A dead on classic Comic Book look by The Four Horsemen. Ball Joints in the shoulders are a welcome addition over the previous Joker figures and add new range of motion and poseability over previous figures.
CONS:
My only gripes are that it could have had articulation at the elbows and a little bit larger wrap around cape as well. It looks as if this will be addressed in the next generation of figures as Mattel has shown a super articulated Batman figure at the 2004 San Diego Comic Con and Wizard World conventions.
OVERALL:
This is one of the best Batman figures ever released. Great playability and a really good value. In addition to being released as a single in the first three waves of figures, the figure is available as a part of two different Two Packs. The Direct Market Batman & Superman Two Pack (B8742) without any accessories and a Batman & Robin Two Pack (C7034) with Battle Board Robin with accessories.
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Battle Board Robin
Batman, Wave 1: Mattel, 2005 SKU# B4980
Battle Board Robin is Batman’s longtime sidekick. Battle Board Robin was originally released in the direct market (Comic Book stores) along with Zipline Batman and Quick Fire The Joker prior to making their debut a couple of months later in the regular mass market line.
Battle Board Robin is sculpted by Mattel and not The Four Horsemen as Batman and Joker were. Battle Board Robin was originally released in the traditional Red and Green (B4980) “Tim Drake” Robin costume. In Wave 2 he was repainted in an Olive Green and Gray costume (C3752).
SPECS:
This is one of the best Robin figures ever released. While it does not have the articulation of a DC Direct figure it seems to have a bit more detail. It captures the comic look of Robin perfectly and is the perfect figure to put next to Zipline Batman
PROS:
Yet another The Four Horsemen design. Overall a good, mostly smooth sculpt with no “ripped muscles”. The large feet and ankles give great support and the figure is easily posed.
CONS:
My gripes are that it could have had articulation at the elbows and that it could have had hands more like Zipline Batman to hold Bat Gadgets. His right hand is a closed fist (no hole) and his left is an open palm. Articulation at the waist would have been nice too.
OVERALL:
The figure has good playability and a really good value. Unfortunately, Robin was one of the harder figures to find at retail, as it was short packed the same way the villains are. The Green version was even harder to find than the Red one. eBay may be the only way to find the single figures at this point.
In addition to being released as a single in two different colors in the first three waves of figures, the figure is available as a part of Batman & Robin two pack (C7034) in the Red/Green costume with Zipline Batman sadly, the two pack is also short packed and hard to find at retail as well.
The traditional Red and Green Robin figure is a must have for any Batman or action figure collector and looks especially good next to Zipline Batman while the Green version may only interest “Completeist Collectors” or collectors who want a rare variant figure.
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