1/6 Addiction: June 2008

With the release of the sequel to Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, just over one month away I decided to dust off by beloved Batman Begins Kubrick figures for a quick review. I know the title of my blog is 1/6 addiction and it would make more sense to start off with a 1/6 review but I just wanted to start with something easier until I get a better feel for doing reviews. I'm going to do my reviews in the same format as Michael Crawford cause as the saying goes "if it ain't broke don't fix it." Hope you'll enjoy my first review and comments are welcome as always (please be gentle).

This set consists of 3 characters (Batman, Scarecrow, and the Ras'Al Ghul imposter) and was released way back in 2005. Batman and Scarecrow were pretty much a given for the set but inclusion of Ras'Al Ghul is quite puzzling. Not only did he have a very bland look but he only had a screen time of about 5min. Had Medicom gone with Alfred, Gordan, the real Ras, or even Carmine Falcone I would have been a happy camper. Luckily the quality of the other two figures more than makes up for the blandness of Ras.

Note: The full mark in each category is ****

Packaging *** 1/2

The packaging of the box is rather simple, consisting of a sturdy rectangular box with a clear window that allows you to see the contents of the set inside. The graphics on the box depicts the Gotham cityscape and reminds me of the posters that were used to promote the movie. On the back are closeups of the 3 figures inside. Some background info on the characters would've been nice but it isn't too big a deal. The figures inside are secured between two layers of plastic bubble so no twisties are needed thankfully. The figures
can be taken out and put back into the box easily so high marks from me in this area.

Sculpting - Batman ****, Scarecrow ***1/2, Ras **1/2

Batman is easily the best of the group as he features individually sculpted cowl, cape, chest, and utility belt. Medicom could have been lazy and simply painted on the belt and given us a one piece head but thankfully that is not the case here. The detail put into the mini cowl is simply amazing. Batman also has an additional chest piece that gives Batman his bulk and the bat symbol on the chest piece is nicely done as well.

The highlight of Scarecrow is without doubt his tattered mask. Again they could have done his head in one piece but by keeping the mask and

face separate it makes it seem more like a man with a bag over his head. The mask is nicely detailed with stitchings and holes you'd expect to see on a crudely constructed scarecrow mask. The Scarecrow's jacket is a separate piece that goes over his upper body.

Poor Ras gets the lowest marks because he seems so boring compared with the two other figures. His robe is a separate piece that covers his upper body and goes down to his legs. Keep in mind however that Ras is actually pretty detailed compared with other Kubrick figures. I own plenty of Kubricks that feature zero specially sculpted pieces and the entire figure is realized through its paint job.

Paint - ***1/2 Across the board

High marks from me regarding the paint. Batman's armor is nicely done with clean sharp lines and the expression of all three characters are captured perfectly (especially the eyes). It is amazing how these Kubricks manage to capture their big screen counterparts with such minimal use of paint.

Articulation - **1/2 Across the board

Kubricks aren't exactly known for their articulation so this area isn't as important to me. For most Kubrick you get to swing their arms and legs backwards and forwards, and rotate their head, hands, and torso. You get less articulation here because the masks prevent head rotation (for Batman and Scarecrow) and their outfit prevents torso rotation. This is no big deal however because the draw of Kubricks isn't their articulation and they look cool enough just standing there.

Accessories - 0 across the board

Kubricks are not really known for their accessories so a low score here is quite understandable. However it would have been nice to include a few Batarangs with Batman and maybe a sword for Ras. Some cool ideas for accessories would be perhaps an extra Bruce Wayne head.

Funfactor - ***1/2

Kids would really have fun with these figures swaping heads and costumes between the different characters. Grab a few of the Marvel ones and they could have a DC vs. Marvel Kubrick fight in no time! For adults, Kubricks look great in a collection cabinet (especially when you have an army) or on your office desk.

Value - *1/2

These babies retailed for about $40 when they first came out. Slap on $10-$15 more for import shipping and you are looking at close to $60 dollars on three mini plastic figures - that's almost $20 dollars per figure (I paid about $55 for mine). Unless you are an avid Kubrick collector or Batman die-hard I would not recommend purchasing. Sure they look really nice but for the casual collector this price is close to insane. The fact that they are now long sold out and rarely pop-up on ebay makes matters even worse (and don't forget about the release of The Dark Knight soon ).

Things to Watch Out For

There shouldn't be too much to watch out for when it comes to Kubricks. They are built solidly and should last forever - there is more of a chance that you'll lose them since they are so small. If you decide to let small children around them please pay extra attention - we all know how small children like to stick things inside their mouths, and we certainly don't want Batman's cowl stuck down someone's throat.

Overall - ＊＊1/2

Even though this set was hurt by its lack of accessories its price was the primary reason that I gave it **1/2. Kubricks were always expensive due to their import nature but this set takes it to another level. I must say however that Batman and Scarecrow are two of the best Kubrick figures I have in my collection (Batman is probably my favorite one) and I do not regret one bit in purchasing this set. In fact I pray that Medicom will bless us with a TDK Kubrick set!!! I need the Joker and Two Face in my Kubrick collection.

Where to Buy

Unfortunately ebay may be the only place to get these now. They rarely pop up though and I've only seen one for sale in the last 3-4 months (went for about $40). We may see more popping up as we near the premier of The Dark Knight.