Superhero Times: a service of Action Online
The Batman, now playing on the WB, is a worthy successor to the animated Batman tradition. Featuring a young but technologically advanced Batman, the show has cool re-imagined enemies, plenty of action, and lots of cool gadgets.
The toy line for the Batman has hit an all time high with Mattel's ShadowTek line and its many different versions of the pointy-eared hero in the 5-6 inch scale. These figures are durable, well articulated (especially for Mattel figures), and full of fun features. Each Batman figure has a distinctive deco and accessories while retaining immediately identifiable Batman characteristics.
The figures of the Batman ShadowTek line share the same card back, a very tall and thin hexagonal affair complete with “bat ears.” At the top is an animated Batman and the show’s logo above the figure, prominently displayed in the center. Below the toy is the ShadowTek logo, then a photo of the figure emphasizing its action feature, and finally its name. Internally there is a great deal of empty space below the figure. Behind the figure on the card back is a glowing yellow ShadowTek bat-symbol.
The back of the card is individual to the figure, but all have the same layout. There is a bright yellow background, the Batman and ShadowTek logos at the top, and other available figures displayed at the bottom (along with lengthy warnings and copyright info). In the center section are three photos of the toy in question illustrating its features with the generic captions “Stealth,” “Reveal,” and “Attack!” On the right hand side is a standard description of the Batman’s ShadowTek above a beauty shot of the figure.
Final Assault Batman
Final Assault Batman (FAB) most closely of the ShadowTek line resembles the traditional Batman. Unencumbered by large gadgets, this is the quintessential Dark Knight.
FAB wears a gray suit with black boots, gloves, “underwear,” cape, and cowl. The batbelt is bright yellow, as is the background of the black bat symbol on his chest. The lower face is flesh colored and the eyes solid white. A black cloth soft goods cape hangs from the upper back.
FAB has the standard ten points of articulation, minus one. Most Batman ShadowTek figures are articulated at the neck, shoulders, elbows, waist, hips, and knees. This articulation scheme is excellent and wholly appropriate for a toy this size and designed for younger collectors. FAB lacks the right elbow joint due to the built-in accessory on that arm.
FAB has two accessories, one of which is built into his right arm. That hand is molded into a forearm batarang/bat-grapnel launcher. At the end of this gadget is a large batarang attached to a cord that retracts into the right arm. Pull it out to its farthest length and let go! The pull is strong enough to “fly” the figure to the ‘rang. The other accessory is a disk launcher that can mount on the left arm. It consists of a large forked launching mechanism and projectile disk emblazoned with the ShadowTek logo. The disk fits snugly into the launcher and can fly a decent distance when the button on the mechanism is pressed.
Final Assault Batman is an excellent figure. It looks awesome in the traditional Batman style, simple yet menacing and mysterious. The colors are classic and clean, the articulation is a perfect balance of functionality and subtlety, the cape looks perfect without getting in the way, and the sculpt matches the look of the character from the show. This version of the Batman is highly recommended.
Blade Whip Batman
Blade Whip Batman (BWB) is one of the more flamboyant and colorful Batman variants. Surely created for some specific mission, the Blade Whip suit features additional armor, weapons, and a complicated gadget, all the while retaining the spirit of the Batman.
BWB is ready for action. On top of his black bodysuit is a suit of sculpted blue armor and gray heavy-duty batbelt. A black cloth soft goods cape hangs from his back and has a hole through it for the backpack to connect to Batman’s back. Large upward pointing spurs decorate the heels, and the right forearm is adorned with three large red serrated spikes.
BWB has the ten points of articulation standard to this line: neck, shoulders, elbows, waist, hips, and knees. They are all functional and allow for good poseability.
BWB has two accessories. First is a handheld weapon that resembles a circular saw blade with a handgun trigger. This device is quite large and intimidating in red matching Batman’s spikes and a gray blade that spins freely. The weapon can be held in either hand. BWB’s other accessory is a backpack with retracting line holding three red blades that match the ones on the right forearm. These spines can attach to holes in the left forearm, or be stretched out on the string to attack foes. Part of the backpack is a disk that serves as a winch for reeling in the line.
Blade Whip Batman is a very good figure. His deco is bright and colorful, but not to the point of distraction or silliness. His armor is cool, and the spikes and saw blade look very menacing. His backpack/spikes-on-a-line accessory is a little complicated, but it can be made to do some interesting things.
Spin Blade Batman
If there’s one over the top figure in this wave, it’s Spin Blade Batman (SBB). Bordering on silly, Bruce Wayne’s large pastel blue and bright red suit of armor features a giant red spinning blade. However, this toy has some very cool features, and the ripcord is pure nostalgia for older collectors.
SBB continues the trend of Batman’s one-time use specialty suits, essentially differently armored variants on top of the standard batsuit. This one is large and imposing with its solid breastplate and armor-plated arms. The basic color of the armor is a light blue, with bright red pieces including the chest, belt, glove spikes, and shin guards (greaves). A small matching blue soft goods cloth cape hangs down from the figure’s lower back.
Like Final Assault Batman, SBB has nine points of articulation, sacrificing the right elbow for an action feature. All of the other joints work well, and the right shoulder has a ratcheting joint to prevent that arm from sagging under the weight of the Spin Blade.
This figure is not called Spin Blade Batman for nothing. The main accessory here is an enormous red spinning disk with a ring of blades, like a giant ninja star. The “front” of the Spin Blade is a lenticular panel with the regular and ShadowTek bat symbols. Spin that and the blades extend and retract. The Spin Blade can be housed on Batman’s back for storage, or mounted on his right hand for the gimmick. Once the Blade is in place, a ripcord can be pulled through Batman’s extended back section to spin and launch the Blade into the air. This feature works quite well, and should not be aimed at man or beast.
Spin Blade Batman wavers on that line between interesting and silly Batman incarnations. The basics are all there: good articulation, a solid sculpt, and excellent stability. The colors are a little hard on the eyes, but not every Batman figure can be black and gray. The Spin Blade, the whole point of this toy, can do some pretty cool things. And for those of us who had toys in the 80s, you simply can’t go wrong with a ripcord.
Samurai Slash Batman
Samurai Slash Batman (SSB) brings together two cool things: Batman and a samurai! Many “action” cartoons/heroes eventually include a melding of Eastern martial arts, some more blatantly than others. While Bruce Wayne may not be a true samurai, his Samurai Slash Batman is one of the best figures of the ShadowTek line.
Like a modern technologically-equipped samurai, SSB wears high-tech armor based loosely on Japanese traditions. A wide collar piece wraps around the figure’s upper body above Batman’s midsection. The arms feature removable upper arm armor consisting of overlapping plates, and attached lower arm armor and large claws extending over the back of his hands. From the belt hangs a “skirt” of armor, and the feet are reminiscent of two-toed Japanese sandals. The basic suit is black, with blue the color of the outside armor. Even the head is protected in this version, with an enlarged and menacing cowl. There is no cape on this figure.
SSB has the full ten points of articulation: neck, shoulders, elbows, waist, hips, and knees. The right shoulder is not fully functional, really only having “up” and “down” positions due to the built-in action feature.
SSB has several accessories. No samurai would be complete without a sword (okay, technically two), and SSB has a large blue bat-sword complete with the bat symbol for the hilt. The sword can be held in either hand, but the slashing action feature only operates the right one. Attached to the middle of SSB’s back is a two-pronged clear blue plastic piece that locks pointing down. Included matching plastic blade disks fit on the ends of the prongs, and when the button under Batman’s left arm is pressed, the whole piece flips up behind his head, launching the disks forward. The button also releases the right arm from the “up” position, creating a downward slashing attack. There’s a lot going on here, but it all works well and surprisingly nothing really gets in the way.
Samurai Slash Batman is a very cool figure. His armor is distinctive, the colors a nice mix of dark and translucent, and the features well thought out and implemented. He looks like a close-combat expert with his sword and claws, and the back-mounted blades provide long-range firepower. For appearance and features this Batman figure is highly recommended.
Gotham City Ghost Batman
Gotham City Ghost Batman (GCGB) appears to be the Dark Knight’s stealth glide suit, subtly different from his regular costume and complete with winged backpack and launching rooftop platform.
At first glance GCGB appears to be very similar to Final Assault Batman, the most “traditional” of the ShadowTek figures. They both have the basic gray and black batsuit with yellow batbelt, black on yellow chest bat-symbol, and cowl. Closer examination reveals significant differences. GCGB’s suit is no ordinary batsuit. Ridged and reinforced on the shoulders, arms, and legs, it looks more like something a parachutist/commando/extreme sports enthusiast would wear. It is armored, but lightly and aerodynamically with plates on the forearms and ridges along the legs.
GCGB has the standard ten points of articulation: neck, shoulders, elbows, waist, hips, and knees. This is one of only two figures in the line (the other being Blade Whip Batman) with absolutely no impaired or restricted joints due to accessories or action features, and hence the most poseable.
GCGB has two large accessories. The first is a backpack that plugs directly into Batman’s back. The stealth gliding rig has four translucent blue plastic wings, the top two of which are mounted on pointed extensions. The bottom of the backpack is a long post that attaches to the other accessory, a Gotham City rooftop. Once Batman is attached (and necessarily kneeling on the ledge) press the button at the back to send him flying. The release catch also springs the upper extensions upward and together for better gliding aerodynamics. This gimmick can send Batman flying a good foot or so.
Gotham City Ghost Batman may not be the standard gray and black suited vigilante hero, or a flashy neon spinning-twisting-claw-trap suit of the week, but he does make a very nice figure. It looks enough like the “regular” Batman to be a surprise up-close. His subtle armor makes him tough, and his whole stealth/ghost gliding mechanism is an interesting take on the overused batcape-turned-hang glider. Review and Images by Scott Rubin
