66 Batman BootLEGO Minifigs

Since the 66 Batman Batcave LEGO set is priced way out of my range (and I wouldn't know where to display the thing if I did buy and build it) I did the next best thing and bought a set of eight 66 Batman bootLEGO minifigs off eBay for about a buck each!

As great as the character selection is with this set (it lacks a Riddler, but otherwise has all the minifigs from LEGO set 76052) the quality of these bootLEGOs is relatively low. Not low enough to pass on them for around a buck each, but not the best quality bootLEGOs out there by any means. There's lots of plastic 'flashing' and many paint apps don't line up. A couple of the figures' feet' barely lock into the base (or other LEGO pieces) and there's been some plastic stress marks show up on pieces that fit tightly together. Also, as happens with many bootLEGOs, once I had Batman's cowl in place it's pretty permanent. So he does have two expressions, but it's going to be a task getting the cowl off to turn his head around. That's ok, as I picked the expression I liked best first. I've learned what to expect with bootLEGOs!

Robin has two expressions too, and fortunately his hair pops off easy enough to spin his head around. Unfortunately...

...the paint apps are not too clean and it looks like he may be missing a tooth or something.

'The umm, ahem, blue phone, sirs.'

Alfred is a welcome addition tot he set, the first minifig Alfred I've ever owned, LEGO, bootLEGO or otherwise.

Alfred also has two expressions and, inexplicably, a translucent blue phone. But who cares, he's awesome!

Adam West's Bruce Wayne. Keen!

Brucie also has an alternate expression.

Burt Ward's Dick Grayson.

And alternate expression.

Catwoman. She looks more like Lee Meriwether to me, but who can say.

Catwoman's alternate head is a masked face! 

Cesar Romero's Joker!

With mustache and yellow teeth!

This Joker's alt expression is classic Romero! I love it!

Burgess Merideth as Penguin! Penguin only has one expression, but he comes with a bootLEGO umbrella so I guess that makes up for his lack of a cigarette holder in his mouth.

The best part of having Bruce and Dick minifigs is being able to make maskless Batman...

...and maskless Robin minifigs!

Even Alfred got in on the fun...

Umm...err...ahem...nevermind, nothing to see here. Goodbye.

Pocket Super Heroes Catwoman and Robin

I have a handful (or perhaps I should say pocket full) of these DC Direct Pocket Superheroes figures lying around Toyriffic Central.

They are basic and silly but charming in their own way. And who can resist a Silver Age Catwoman?! This one is probably my favorite of the few I have. for all the costume designs Catwoman has had over the years, this one may be my favorite.

I picked these figures up from the flea market many years ago, and my oldest daughter played with them for a while. I had actually forgotten that I owned Catwoman and Robin ans they had been stored separately from the other few I have at hand (Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Dr. Fate and Spectre.)

I'm a fan of all things Robin, so this one will have to be added to my primary Robin display now that I have dug him up again after all these years.

LEGO Minifigures Series 15 Cat Burglar and Friends

What a bunch of pussies!

LEGO Series 15 minifigures are hitting retail now. There are a bunch of fun and clever additions to the blind bagged lineup this time out, but only one that I couldn't live without: The Cat Burglar!

I really wanted the Cat Burglar because she makes a great Catwoman goon as well as an alternate version of Catwoman herself.

Cat Burglar comes with a grapple hook and a diamond. I used the 'squeeze method' to find her (as usual), and I recommend if you employ this tactic that you feel for that diamond. It's pretty easy to shake it into a corner and feel for it's unique size and shape.

Cat Burglar's torso and legs are printed (front only) with plenty of neat detail, but it can be hard to see in certain light as it is dark blue printed on black plastic. She has only one face printed on her head, a missed opportunity for another expression for this cute domino-masked character, but the expression we do get does give her the look of a classic TV Catwoman...

...or a LEGO Tina Fey. Seriously, even the hair works for Tina - this minifigure is crying out to be made into a Tina Fey MOC!

Cat Burglar fits in well with LEGO Catwoman and her other minions I've amassed. I even have a LEGO Isis, snagged from the Series 14 Witch.

The Dark Knight Rises Catwoman is actually a bootLEGO...

...and the Tigress was recently released as part of the Series 14 Halloween themed wave.

Of course there's also Catwoman herself, which is actually LEGO's second Catwoman, released in 2012. I didn't collect LEGO when the slightly different first Catwoman came out in 2006. But at least I have this one!

While I doubt I will be able to afford/have space for the '66 Batman Wayne Manor/Batcave set, I will await the inevitable bootLEGO release of the '66 Catwoman, which seems pretty likely, and add her in with my four feline felons. And Isis.

Meow!

Imaginext Bat-Family Foil Packed Figures :: A Christmas Miracle!

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus...and he got my wishlist! Hot off the digital presses, Imaginext.com just released images of a new wave of foil packed single bagged (possibly blind bagged) Batman themed figures! No word yet on a release date, but the website gives these figures a suggested retail price point of $4.00 each. GOTTA HAVE THEM ALL!

 The most shocking addition to the Imaginext Gothamite collection is Red Hood. Hokey smokes!

Maskless Slade Wilson aka Deathstroke. This is a fun one although I do already own a masked Deathstroke. If I could pass on any of these, this would be the one.

New 52 Nightwing. I never liked the red Nightwing symbol, but this one will look cool next to my other Imaginext Nightwing. I suppose I could pass on this one too but it's always tough to pass up any version of the original sidekick Dick Grayson!

FORCED PERSPECTIVE! Purple Catwoman appears to be a straight repaint of the original Catwoman and also comes with the same cat her original version came with. Still, she's PURPLE so of course she's a must have.

Two-Face. Two-Face was one of the first Bat Villains Imaginext made, and he looks a little dated now that the series is so much slicker and more streamlined. So it's nice to see an updated version.

Batman unmasked! I love it!

Zero Year Batman. PURPLE GLOVES! This is a fun bat variant styled after Greg Capullo's Zero Year Batman. A definite must have.

Imaginext didn't have a single shot of Joker, but he appears to be a repaint of the modern Imaginext Joker with a giant wrench. Because reasons. I do like that they painted his saddle-shoes though. Classy!

Expect to hear more about these the second I or others start to find them at retail. Stay tuned!

Catwoman Purrrsday :: Custom LEGO Catmobile

The modern LEGO Catwoman minifigure originally came with a motorcycle. DULLSVILLE! Catwoman needs a car, so I made her one!

I wanted to make the Catmobile carry some Batmobile aesthetics, but with a Cat theme instead of a Bat theme (natch.) I gave it a tail, some claws/fangs, and...

...a cat face up front that rotates to a 90 degree angle or slides back for high speed pursuits (or more apt: escapes.)

'Ramming speed!'

The cockpit is a removable piece, with Catwoman fitting snugly inside.

I'm not sure if I'm completely satisfied with my custom Catmobile, as I tend to work on and update stuff like this over and over again for months on end. But at this juncture I think it's pretty neat.

Playmobil Catwoman 2.0

Until the official unofficial Playmobil Catwoman comes out in Fi?ures Series 9 I have to be content with my custom Playmobil Catwoman creations. But never content, I had to update my Catwoman from her previous version to this new version upon obtaining a few new pieces I borrowed from the Fi?ures Series 8 burgler.

I changed out her hair with a piece which (along with her legs) came from Aeon Flux. Her torso is from Lara Croft, and her head is the same as the one that came with the burgler (although this one came from a previous release - some sort of space superhero somesuch. I don't remember, but I try to nab domino masked Playmobil headed figures whenever I can for my Harley Quinn customs, which is why I nabbed this one) and I gave her the burgler's jacket and bag of stolen goods/robber tools. I also gave her the lasso from a recent Cowgirl to emulate her whip. Not sure which random figure the arms or gloves come from, but who can keep track anyways?

Although I still haven't solved the riddle of how to give her cat-ears, I haven't really given it much effort either. I'm sure construction paper or something like that would work just fine if I tried. As it stands, she's a solid kitbash custom, and with the addition of the official Catwoman mask when it's released along with Series 9 (painted black of course) she'll be phenomenal!

Playmobil 'Catwoman' Coming Soon!

Playmobil just released an official image of their upcoming blind bagged Fi?ures Series 9 Catwoman (and friend!)

Of course they don't officially call this gal Catwoman (Playmobil doesn't give official names to most of their figures anyways) but we're not blind and or stupid.

Even if her costume is mostly red.

Well, apparently Playmobil's lawyers had to draw the line somewhere.

Regardless, it's about time Playmobil started getting into the superhero game, even if it's not official. I'd love to see more masks from them in the future.

According to their Facebook page, Playmobil Fi?ures Series 9 is expected in stores this month. That must be for the non US overseas market however, because I don't think we've even seen series 8 in the US yet.

Catwoman :: DC Super Heroes by Mattel

Back in 2007, everyone who collected the DC Super Heroes toyline was after this Catwoman figure. The line was not only Batman/Superman-centric, but it was also a sausage-fest. Besides a couple paint variants of Barbara Gordon Batgirl, a couple paint variants of Supergirl, and Cassandra Cain Batgirl, this was it for female characters in the line.

So the very few female characters were quite popular with collectors, and they tended to be very hard to find. I was lucky to find Catwoman but certainly missed my fair share of figures from the line (Azreal, Clayface, Babs Batgirl) so I suppose my Karma is pretty even-steven with this toyline.

Catwoman came with a whip, a cat 'statue' and a necklace accessory so she had something to steal. She also has this silly backpack, which would be ridiculous if it didn't actually make sense for her to have somewhere to stow her ill-gotten goods. Still, it comes across as a little too 'Japanese Schoolgirl Fetish' to me.

Sculpt-wise, the few who could find her at retail were not disappointed. Sadly that joy was quickly quashed by one of the oddest face paint issues in action figure history. For no logical or illogical reason anyone can imagine, the skin around Catwoman's mouth is a lighter shade than her cheeks and chin. In an almost perfect circle.

Like...I can't even...I just...I don't...

Seriously, this figure would have been perfect and flawless at the time and could still hold herself up proud to this day except for that damn weird-ass paint issue that makes her look like...well...just...I don't know.

Catwoman is pretty much in scale with Hellcat, but they don't mesh together flawlessly due to their design differences. And the fact that they are separated by eight years and two toy companies and rival comic publishers.