Imaginext Bat Tech "The Batman" Batmobile

I was on the fence about getting this Imaginext Batmobile for a few months. I saw it on Amazon and thought I'd make a commitment or not if/when I saw it at retail. Then I found out it's an Amazon exclusive, so I had to decide if I was willing to buy it sight unseen.

Well obviously I finally (bat)caved. And I'm happy I did!

This Imaginext Batmobile is obviously inspired by the new Batmobile appearing in the movie The Batman. It's not a straight riff, though, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. It's nice to see something with some originality, but I'd also like to see a cartoony yet more direct interpretation of The Batman Batmobile. 

There are some design choices that make this Batmobile a bit of a mash-up. The turbine barreled front end is an obvious '89 Batmobile component and doesn't really fit this overall design. It does light up and fire a bat signal shaped projectile though, so if you're into that kind of thing then this might be a 'plus' in your book.

In fact, the more I look at this Batmobile, the more I feel like it's as if the '89 and The Batman Batmobiles had a baby.

The rear flame element also lights up, and spins when the Batmobile rolls.

I'm usually anti-noise when it comes to toys, as they're generally loud and obnoxious, but I will say that this Batmobile sounds GOOD! The beefy roar of the engine is like music to my ears and was obviously something they paid attention to when they pulled their inspiration from the sound design in The Batman.

This Batmobile comes with a Bat Tech Batman, whos chest lights up via a lightbulb in the driver's seat. I don't like this Bat Tech stuff but it's their current go-to feature so if it keeps the line alive I guess we'll suffer through it. It doesn't come with Spider-Man but his Spider-Buggy ran out of gas so Batman is giving him a ride back to Queens.

This Batmobile is larger than most Batmobiles Imaginext has made, but it's also a two seater and that's always good. It's around $31 on Amazon right now (there was a four dollar coupon that brought the price down a bit) so it's also not "cheap", and the price is probably due to the noise and lights, which I could do without but whatyagonnado?

All in all, I'm glad I have it. I don't buy every Batmobile Imaginext makes, but I really like the movie inspired Imaginext Batmobiles, so my collection would have been incomplete without this one.

DC Superhero Girls Batgirl and Special Guest: The Batmobile!

My intern's birthday was a few weeks ago, and she ended up getting a handful of the DC Superhero Girls action figures.

I wanted to see how her new Batgirl matched up with my Power Attack Batmobile from 2012, and the pair look made for each other!

I found this Batmobile at the flea market last year, and the flimsy tailfins have some plastic stress discoloration (they're pretty cheap and thin, so this is probably a very common issue if you find one of these second-hand). It was also missing two of the three attachments/projectiles it originally came with, but it had the best one...the buzz-saw...so I can't complain.

Also, it only cost me a dollar. A dollar Batmobile is better than a dollar every day of the week!

The DC Superhero Girls action figures are great figures. They're well designed and engineered, and they are pretty fairly priced at around $9.99 each. They don't have accessories per se - Batgirl's hood is removable, and maybe her 'bat-pack' too, but I wouldn't consider those accessories in the general sense. Regardless, at least they don't all come with a stupid BAF piece and cost $20 each.

Although, a DC Superhero Girls Giganta BAF would be AWESOME!

The buzz-saw (and other projectiles that I don't own) launch when you push down on the middle...I don't know what those are...exhaust ports? Fuel injection units? And the Bat-Face becomes a battering ram (Bat-ering ram?) when you push the whole hood down.

Batgirl digs her new ride. If only she had her learner's permit.

Random Toy Pic :: Racing for Pinks

Batman v Robin: Dawn of Street-race.

Holy Constructive Play, Batman! LEGO Unveils Batman Classic TV Series Batcave Set!

To honor the anniversary of Batman's television debut (50 years ago today!) LEGO just announced the Batman Classic TV Series Batcave set #76052 - and WOW what a whopper it is!

Due to be released in March 2016, this set includes NINE classic Batman TV series minifigures, three classic vehicles (including the fan-demanded Barris Batmobile FINALLY) and...well...a price tag of around $270.00. Sigh, looks like it's a couple hundred and sixty dollars out of my price range. Perhaps I should go get me a Powerball ticket after all.

If it's any consolation, I'm sure the bootLEGOers will be releasing all these minifigures for pennies on the dollar. But what I really want is that Batmobile! So while I look up ways to earn a little extra cash before March (anyone looking for an...ahem...escort?) let's drool all over these wonderful toys , shall we?

Fans have wanted an Adam West Batman LEGO minifigure for years, and here it is! A thing of beauty all the way down to those (Bat)man boobs!

And speaking of man boo...I mean Adam West...

Adam West Bruce Wayne is also part of the set!

Riddle me this: What are Bruce and Dick without Alfred, other than a couple completely heterosexual men hanging around in the basement wearing tights?

Answer: Without Alfred they are a couple completely heterosexual men hanging around in the basement wearing tights WITHOUT ANYONE TO MAKE THEM THEIR LUNCH, that's what!

Ahh, and here she is, the most gorgeous vehicle to ever grace asphalt. The LEGO 1966 Barris Batmobile. I want it. I want it BAAAD!

Stately Wayne Manor etc etc.

And the whole LEGO Batcave shebang laid out across my living room floor (I wish!) As I mentioned earlier, you get THREE Batvehicles: The Batcopter, Batmobile and Batcycle! I also love all those cool Batcomputer components. I wonder if they will all be neatly labeled as Batman is wont to do.

The LEGO Batcave entrance. The Batpoles are labeled! I also love the LEGO Shakespeare bust and of course the red Batphone is there too. 'It's for you, sir.'

What a wonderful LEGO Batcopter! As you can see, Robin (and presumably Batman too) has a second expression as well. Groovy!

The Atomic whatchamadoohickey. In LEGO form.

Looks like the Batpoles have a little spinny action. To the Bat-dramamine!

LEGO Burgess Merideth Penguin. WAH WAH WAH! Too bad it isn't kosher these days for him to have his cigarette holder.

LEGO Burt Ward Dick Grayson minifigure and of course...

...a LEGO Burt Ward Robin too! He looks great!

LEGO Cesar Romero Joker (with mustache!) Gorgeous!

LEGO Frank Gorshin Riddler - I hope the other side of his face is unmasked!

And last but not least, LEGO Julie Newmar (or is it Lee Meriwether?) Catwoman!

WHAT?!?! No Batgirl? Or Eartha Kitt Catwoman?!?! Or False Face, or Shame, or Egghead, or King Tut?!?!?!

Well, maybe their absence bodes well for more sets...but I wouldn't hold my breath. Regardless, this LEGO Batman Classic TV Series Batcave is a true thing of beauty and I am going to go sell some blood or something so I can own it.

Hot Wheels Batman v Superman Batmobile

Thanks to Mario from A Year of Toys (which is a complete smokescreen as he has been blogging about toys for far more than a year!) I have my hands on the newest Batmobile - so new the movie it appears in hasn't even hit screens yet - the Batman v Superman Batmobile!

This Batmobile looks like Keaton and Bale's Batmobile got it on and made a baby. I can't say it really does anything for me, like the Arkham Knight Batmobile, but I suppose seeing in action may change my mind.

 Hot Wheels has released this Batmobile 'New for 2016' which means for once I'm ahead of the curve.

There's really not much more I can say about this Batmobile until we see some actual shots of it in the movie. Rumor has it that this Batmobile either converts into or somehow attaches to the Batwing; those odd rear spoiler looking wings imply that may be true. And of course Batman v Superman has to top Bale's Tumbler to Batcycle, and a flying Batmobile would do it.

There's also the 'propulsion-envy' to consider, and a flying Batmobile would be just the thing Batfleck might bust out of the Batcave to confront Superman. I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

There is a weird little tampo on the top, like a small hatch or something. The short scene in the trailer would imply this is too small an opening for Batman, so I don't think it's an entry point of any sort. Perhaps it's where the kryptonite launcher pops up from, or maybe it's the connection port for the Batwing, or it's where Bruce pours in the rubber bullets for the gratuitous gattling guns this Batmobile is sure to have in spades.

'Requisite gull wing doors'? Off the top of my head there has probably been one, maybe two batmobiles in the history of Batmobiles with gull wing doors. I also can't tell by looking at this thing how gull wing doors would work given the lines on the vehicle, but I suppose that's just one more exciting reveal waiting for me when Batman v Superman finally hits theatres March 25th, 2016!

Duplo Batman, Joker and Batmobile!

This blog has been getting a bit too girly lately, so let's bring it back to manliness with some toddler toys!

Duplo started releasing Batman and some of his pals about a year or two ago. It's taken me this long to get some because I like to rely on the flea market for gathering figures which come in expensive sets that contain a bunch of components I don't need around the house. Well, the flea market finally came through in spades the other weekend when I found not only Batman...

 ...but his Batmobile too!

I had seen the Duplo Batman/Batmobile set in stores but never really looked all that closely at the Batmobile itself. I hadn't really thought about it until I owned this thing, but it's amazing that the Batmobile they went with is the '89 Keaton/Burton movie Batmobile. I mean, think about it: 25 plus years later and Duplo goes straight to the '89 movie (this isn't 'inspired by', this IS the '89 Batmobile!) They even sculpted in the machine gun ports, fer-cryin-out-loud! This is literally a toy that SHOULD have existed 25 years ago, just now being slapped on toy store shelves. That's pretty awesome, and I'm delighted to have added this Batmobile to my collection.

Ironically the set did not come with an all black '89 Batman, but a blue-grey batman.

The Batmobile breaks down to two pieces (three if you count the flame.) A wheeled base and the chassis.

When I found Batman and the Batmobile I also found the Duplo Joker. My intern already has a Duplo circus so I experienced that awkward moment...

...when I realized the Duplo Circus contains the Joker in disguise!

Seriously, that's the go-to Duplo clown above, and below...

...is Duplo's Joker!

Sadly my flea market Joker has some scratches on his face - he may have pushed Catwoman too far in his previous toy life. Or some kid stepped on him and drove his face into the concrete. But he only cost a dollar, so I figured he'll do until I can find a cleaner specimen.

Duplo Joker also goes well with the Duplo clowns we already have lying around. He has a built-in gang!

"That disguise doesn't fool me, Joker!"

The Duplo Red Triangle Circus Gang.

Back to the Batcave!

Imaginext Arkham Asylum Batmobile

This Arkham Asylum inspired Imaginext Batmobile has been around for a couple years now, but I only recently added it to my collection. You can see how similar it is to the video game Batmobile (in Hot Wheel form) but they've also added a few elements to make the vehicle a little more unique.

Up front is the stereotypical bat-face, and the Batmobile also shoots a disk from under the grille with the flip of a switch on the car's side. It flies out with some decent force and will take the legs right out from under any villainous Imaginext figure sorry enough to fall in it's crosshairs.

When the Batmobile rolls, the motor rocks back and forth.

When you push the gas tank lid, the motor pops up Go-Go-Gadget style, and the flame rotates when the car rolls (but only when the engine is up). At first I thought this action feature was ridiculous, but the more I do it the more I like it. It's excessive and over the top but not too excessive and over the top, if that makes any sense.

This Batmobile comes with one of the modern style Batman figures in racing gear. I'm fine with him but he's not my favorite Imaginext Batman design. I think it's silly when Batman wears a helmet in his own car. For a Batcycle it makes sense, but he's in the car for heaven's sake! Oh well, maybe it's just a H.U.D. he slips over his cowl for sensory enhancement when he's hauling ass at jet-like speeds through the city streets.

And on rooftops.

I do still prefer the original Batman figure style, but all things must change.

Fortunately the old Batman fits just the same as the new.

Plus, he don't need no stinking helmet!