REVIEW: DC Direct The Killing Joke Box Set

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It seems remarkable that there aren’t more action figures based on the works of Alan Moore. He’s one of the most consistently and justifiably popular writers in comics and has been ever since the part he played in the great comics renaissance of the 1980s. But yet, we have no comic-based Watchmen figures, no League of Extraordinary Gentlemen figures (as has been lamented here previously), no figures dedicated to his Swamp Thing run... virtually nothing.

Fans might make the argument that Moore’s work doesn’t get the action figure treatment because it transcends the limitations of action comics, becoming works of legitimate literature and such. And this may be true. But let us be honest with ourselves: For all of their trenchant insights into what it means to be human and so forth, these are still stories about strange-looking people who get into a lot of fistfights. Such stories need toys!

DC Direct has recently made a small, but welcome, move to rectify this situation, with its Batman: The Killing Joke Collector Set. The set is being released in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the first publication of Moore and Brian Bolland’s “The Killing Joke.” If you’re not familiar with this story, well, you should be; it is simply extraordinary on virtually every level. Go read it. It’s the story that gave the Joker a fleshed-out origin, and that crippled Barbara Gordon; and that’s just for starters. It certainly deserves plastic immortalization. So how has that immortalization worked out?

PACKAGING: The packaging is very nice for this set, it’s a purple box, with subtle, blocky lettering spelling out “HAHAHA” (etc.) over its entire cardboard surface. Appropriate, since this is Joker’s story. The figures can only be seen through a window in the front, but they’re quite plainly visible. And the sides and the back have images of the figures. On the whole, it’s a pretty good box, as boxes go. Box enthusiasts should be pleased.

Now, the Joker sits in the packaging just to Batman’s right, and a good deal higher than him. This makes the packaging bigger than it strictly needs to be. Place the Killing Joke box net to a common box of cereal and you see what I mean!

SCULPT: It is perhaps the greatest strength of DC Direct being they produce sculpts not merely of characters, but of characters as drawn by particular artists. This practice celebrates both the characters and their respective stories – which of course is the whole purpose of the boxed set we are discussing. An excellent job is done here. Bolland’s straightforward artistic style is captured beautifully. Though he is an artist relatively bereft of broad stylistic flourishes, what few he did put into this story are in full evidence – the little points on the shoulders of Batman’s cape, for example.

If there’s any flaw here, it’s they overdo Batman’s face; though Bolland does give Mr. Wayne some vertical lines on his cheeks, making him look strong and severe, this sculpt gives him too many, making him look geriatric instead.

Batman is depicted as he appears at the end of the story, after the Joker squirted acid on his left arm. It’s a good idea and a nice touch, and makes the figure something more than simply a Bolland-style Dark Knight.

The Joker appears in his "vacation" outfit; a remarkable choice, since he only appears this way in two pages of a 48-page comic mostly about him. But then, they are an awfully important two pages. And if you need a figure of the Joker in his purple suit, such things are available in abundance elsewhere.

PAINT: The paint applications on these figures are simple, but really quite good. They know when to use paint to highlight features – the lines around Batman’s eyes are an example – and when to allow the sculpt to speak for itself, as in the lines of the characters’ musculature. And there’s virtually no bleed to be seen, even in such fine details as the buttons on the Joker’s shirt.

ARTICULATION: Articulation is where things usually fall apart for DC Direct, and this set is no exception. The Caped Crusader has exactly nine joints. This is not one of those figures where articulation would ruin a particular sculpt. While not being able to be posed in a whole lot of different variations, this figure is more or less a companion piece to the real reason to pick this set up.

The Joker has almost twice Batman’s number, with 17 points of articulation. It’s tempting to suppose that he gets more because this is his story, but the real reason appears to be something else: Many of his joints occur at natural lines in the sculpt, such as when the Joker’s limbs enter or exit his sleeves, gloves, socks, and so on. So these figures clearly emphasize unbroken sculpt over articulation.

ACCESSORIES: The Joker comes with all of his various accessories from the vacation-outfit scene; a camera with neckstrap, an odd sort of revolver, and a shot glass to raise in toast to crime. All are good-looking, comic-accurate, and very welcome. Batman has to make do with just a batarang. He makes do with even less in the comic, which is in fact entirely batarang-free. So it’s strange that he has one here, but hey, why not? Batarangs are cool.

Each figure also has a display stand, identifying their origin story, though Batman could maybe attach to his a little more tightly. A copy of the original comic itself rounds out the package. This is mostly identical to previous editions of the story, save for a few minor details on the front cover. Regardless, if you didn’t already have a copy of this great read, now you do, and that’s good. And if you did, now you have an extra, in case the first one catches fire. Or you could give one to needy children, forced until now to live in a world without “The Killing Joke!” It’s... it’s too awful to contemplate.

COST & OVERALL IMPRESSION: This box retails for $35, a sizeable amount for two figures and a reprint comic. Chalk it up to marketing to collectors. These are, after all, sculpt-emphasized figures of a 20-year-old, mature-readers comic. Plus it says “collectors” right there on the box.

Overall, this set gets a cautious thumbs-up. A good, but flawed, sculpt, and horrible articulation, render the Batman figure only so-so. But the Joker figure is unique, good-looking, and nearly flawless. The Killing Joke is a wonderful comic, and figures celebrating it are long overdue.

CLICK HERE for more images of this set!

Review and pictures by Matthew Kessen