Mafex Batman - Batman Begins

Nolan's first film Batman Begins wasn't his best Batman film but it definitely set the tone, cinematography style and realism of his Batman vision. I still very much enjoy watching it to this day, and I thought it was clever how he ingrained Ras Al Ghul into Batman's origins. I also liked that he didn't jump from traumatized kid to full Batman. It was a gradual step into the cowl. He had to figure things out, realize he can't just walk into someplace wielding a gun on the big criminals of the city.

This figure does a lot of things well given it was one of the first Mafex Nolan Batman figures released in 2017. He's got a very wide range of movement, smooth joints and a lot of great accessories. AND if you got the Scarecrow you've almost got a second action figure! I'm not 100% sure that I would have gone with a floating belt and a massive torso gap. The head can turn and ankle slightly under the cowl edge but has nothing at the neck joint. This is fairly accurate both to the real costume and the general flexibility issue of wearing a fabric/armoured cowl connected to a cape. I love that they included an unmasked head but it definitely looks less like Christian Bale than the newer Mafex Bruce Wayne from the Nolan films.

Mafex Scarecrow - Batman Begins

Dr. Johnathan Crane is a psycho-pharmacologist who probably should have had a psych eval done on him before he became a professor or anyone who is allowed to come in contact with people in general! He is the secondary antagonist in the first film of the Christopher Nolan trilogy, Batman Begins. He is one of the few characters to appear in all three Nola films in one role or another with his biggest role in the first movie.

As per classic Scarecrow, he is using his fear toxin to experiment on people as a psychiatrist at Arkham. He is in cahoots with Ra's al Ghul to destroy Gotham. In exchange for conducting research and testing out his toxins, Scarecrow releases the inmates to cause chaos in the streets. Wouldn't be the first or last time inmates get out of Arkham. The terrible security at that place is like, 50% of Batman's work.

This figure is once again an amazing representation of Scarecrow and Dr. Crane. The likeness is incredible, the articulation is once again great and the accessories are everything you really need. To top it off (and yes, this is some of the reason I bought the figure), it includes an alternate cape, head and hands for the Mafex Batman Begins figure to replicate his fear toxin look when he doses Crane with his own gas (also a classic staple of having Scarecrow as a villain...eventually he gets a taste of his own medicine).

Mafex Two-Face - The Dark Knight

I've already talked a little about Two-Face in my previous post on the Arkham City version (if you haven't seen it, look here! Arkham Two-Face review. I find him to be a much more dramatic and powerful character in The Dark Knight than I have in other movies or shows. He also has a true purpose for his wrath, as opposed to just for the sake of being a small-time criminal. Aside from his character's motivation, I think Aaron Eckhart delivered a good performance, and I don't say that often about him!

This is one of the few figures I own that is in a suit and tie, and I have to say Mafex really pulls it off well. With a figure like this, you don't need a ton of articulation, but it is surprisingly good despite some limits, such as on the jacket bottom. He comes with every accessory possible for his role in the show with the options of changing him into pre-burnt Harvey Dent!  His sculpt and facial features are actually fairly close to the actor, though the eyes seem to be overly squinted for either head sculpt.

DC Collectibles Batgirl & Oracle - Arkham Knight

Appearing in Arkham Knight as Oracle, Barbara Gordon is once again Batman's eyes and ears in Gotham. She mostly operates from the clocktower in a secret room behind the clock itself, feeding Batman information and occasionally getting abducted! It's the first time you get to see Oracle up close and as a fantastic added bonus, the game designers actually made a DLC where you get to play Batgirl pre-shoot in the spine!

I loved loved loved playing the DLC as Batgirl because she wasn't simply another Batman character with the same moves and tactics. She had a much more sophisticated set of options for hacking any and all tech in her area as well as combat moves. I like the design they did for the character and it's definitely based on her New 52 look. I like the Rebirth look with the purple and yellow, but the black and yellow will always be my favourite. I also like Oracle's design with her clothes having bright, interesting colours. One odd thing though is Oracle's wheelchair. Not only is the wheelchair not super high tech, but it's not even a basic electric wheelchair. It's literally the oldest looking design for a wheelchair I've seen. It looks as if she got it from a haunted asylum and brushed off the cobwebs. Surely your dad as chief police commissioner can afford better. 

DC Collectibles Catwoman - Arkham Knight

This is another Gemr review so for the full text check out the link! Gemr Catwoman Review

Here's the rating breakdown!

Do you even Bootleg? Mafex Batman Justice League Edition

Before I got my hands on a legitimate copy of the Mafex Justice League Batman, I managed to buy a bootleg off eBay that I did not realize was a bootleg until past the date of return. It was well done enough that the smaller details had escaped my notice, and by the time I actually handled the figure a while longer, went to youtube to confirm my fears! A FAKE! No justice here.

Now it's time to play a game! 

Let's play: Do you even Bootleg? 

DC Collectibles The Electrocutioner - Arkham Origins

A few people have donned the name Electrocutioner, and in previous versions, he is an extreme vigilante who kills criminals. Just like the Arkham Origins version, he has a suit with wiring and gloves that release a charge upon contact to either kill or stun his enemies. This version is the alter-ego of Lester Buchinsky, who uses this one trick pony as a killer for hire. He's sought after by Black Mask in Origins as one of the 8 Assassins (My current count: 4. I'm still missing Bane, Firefly, Deadshot and Killer Croc...though I do have A version of them). He's easily defeated by Batman and then cast aside for his incompetence. Batman recovers his shock gloves though and uses them as a cheap combo trick AND a few cut scenes later on.

The figure is probably the best of the two pack. His articulation is still wildly all over the place, but the look is nice. I also thought it was ingenious of the sculptor to allow the yellow gauntlet wires to be detached so you can move the forearm swivel (or exchange the gloves) and then reattach them in a pose. He is bulky, heaving and imposing as he should be. They did a pretty good job of his scarred face as well and added some nice paint throughout the suit.

DC Collectibles Shiva - Arkham Origins

Sandra Wu-San AKA Lady Shiva is a master martial artist who was first introduced in comics in 1975 as an antagonist to Richard Dragon whom she believed murdered her sister. Lady Shiva's moral compass is fairly flexible though. She goes between assassin for hire (as she did in Arkham origins) to working with the League of Shadows to sometimes aiding or even training Batman and his allies. She is the one who taught Tim Drake the art of the Bo staff and gave him his collapsible staff.

She is often seen wearing a long black coat, red shirt and tan slacks with boots. The Origins game they give her a unique look that makes it different from other iterations of the character. The dominant colour is black, short hair and her shirt/vest have some interesting Chinese clothing inspired style. 

This figure matches the game really well, her sword accessory is quite well done PLUS it fit into the sheath. Once again though, for a martial arts character she's got some pretty bad articulation when compared with Copperhead (see HERE for that review) or Deathstroke. I really don't get it DC collectibles! Did you run out of money? There's no real excuse to not give this character good articulation. Anyways, here's the rundown! 

DC Collectibles Dr. Harleen Quinzel - Arkham Origins

Harley Quinn's story in Arkham Origins stays true to the source material. She begins as a psychiatrist in Arkham Asylum, having always had a morbid fascination with the mentally insane. She meets Joker and falls in love, beginning her transformation from Dr. Harleen Quinzel into the sidekick lover/villain who eventually turns into an anti-hero.

I think one of the greatest things about the character is how she became part of Batman comic book canon from Batman The Animated Series by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini. This particular look for Harley Quinn only turns up for a few scenes in the game.

To be honest, this is the MOST unappealing action figure out of any Arkham line of action figures I've seen. The paint and look is good, but the articulation is so very awful, it's not really a necessary figure...I mean, did anyone want this look for Harley from the game? The only reason I own it at this point is that it came super cheap in the three pack that consists of Harley, Shiva and Electrocutioner (reviews to follow!)

DC Collectibles Commissioner Gordon - Arkham Knight

Commissioner Gordon has always been a mainstay in the Batman universe as Batman's staunch ally within the GCPD. Tough, fair and incorruptible. I have enjoyed nearly every portrayal in comics, tv and film of Gordon with perhaps exception of the more doofus-like Gordon from the 1966 Batman show.

There aren't a ton of Jim Gordon action figures out there, and this one is kind of a mixed bag. He's got some decent articulation for a figure that doesn't necessarily need it, but also some really limiting articulation that shouldn't have passed muster. They did a pretty good job of the sculpting and paint and his accessories are pretty so-so. I find the figure a bit on the lean side, but on the other hand, I'm generally used to seeing him look bulkier with the help of his signature trenchcoat. I would've liked a removable trenchcoat, come to think of it! All in all, they matched him with the game just enough to make him presentable from afar!