"No, it's spaghetti, Robin. A variety of alimentary paste, larger then bernachelli but not as tubular as macaroni." - Batman, Batman (1966 TV show)
Since I grew up seeing reruns on TV, Adam West will always be Batman to me. When I saw the leaked picture and then the prototypes, I was pretty excited - I'm glad to say that the figure turned out swimmingly, despite not including any bells or whistles.
Measuring about 6 1/8-inches tall, Batman is the one figure in this line you must buy - and you've got options. There's a Comic-Con exclusive Batusi version. There's a Surf's Up version. A Radioactive version (pink cowl) was announced but seemingly may not be making it out. There's a 2-pack version with Robin that comes with both a Batarang and a wired, poseable cape. This version has no accessories beyond the card and display stand, making it an ideal driver for the Toys R Us exclusive Batmobile.
Featuring 21 points of articulation, Batman delivers an experience superior to most action figures you could buy. Obviously Hot Toys' release is fancier, but this one is cheaper and that means a lot. I would have liked some Bat Shark Repellent - seriously, why the Hell isn't that in here? - so the figure has to be its own reward. It simulates Adam West's not-so-muscular physique, with ill-fitting gloves, a hint of a belly, and skinny legs. Compared to the DC Universe Batman figure, the difference is shocking - Adam West has more or less human proportions while the comic version, well, take a look.
The figure is well-jointed and the sculpt is good, but not perfect. The flesh paint is a little thick, btu the costume is right. I like the belt, I like the outfit, and I love the mask with its light blue highlights. I had no problem fitting the figure in the Batmobile, minus the seatbelts, and the cape looks goofy like it did on the TV show. As such, some fans may not care for it - Adam West as Batman is a classic piece of TV history, but is one of the elements of Batman's history that many fans would soon forget. If you can appreciate the show for what it is, you're going to like this figure.
I got this figure around the same time Ben Affleck got announced as Batman, and I didn't much care about the announcement. Sure, Affleck may be Batman, but to me Adam West will always be Batman. And I finally have his action figure - nothing can change that, and now that I have this figure line I may never need to buy another Batman toy again. (Prove me wrong, Mattel.) It could be better, but Mattel seems to be dragging their feet about doing more - a shame, I'd be first in line to buy Bruce Wayne.
--Adam Pawlus
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