Matchbox Sky Busters Batman v Superman Batwing (with special guest star The Bat)

With the 'gotta know it now' attitude of the internet, and all the world's toy knowledge contained therein at my fingertips, few toy releases sneak up on me anymore these days. So imagine my shock to discover the Matchbox Sky Busters Batman v Superman Batwing the other day just chillaxing on the pegs at Toys R Us.

The Sky Busters line are larger than your standard Matchbox/Hotwheels vehicle. Scale is of course all over the place as the vehicles are generally the same size regardless of vehicle type (a 747 is about the same size as a Cessna) but if you were to set this Batwing next to the Hotwheels version of the Batman v Superman Batmobile, you're probably in a pretty close ballpark for matching scale of the two vehicles.

Not only did I have no idea this thing existed or was set for release, but I didn't learn about it before actually seeing it in the wild, which is a refreshing change of pace as it means I did not spend any sleepless nights praying to the toy Gods that I'd find it on my next toy hunt. Nor did I have to put out the TAPB (Toy All Points Bulletin) to my fellow toy collectors to be on the lookout for me!

Not a bad looking Batwing, it looks like an actual bat as it hangs from a cave ceiling.

The Batwing is only die-cast on the top of the fuselage. The rest is plastic. It feels lighter than I expected it to be, but it still makes for a sturdy feeling toy vehicle. I think Toys R Us is charging $3.99 (or was it $4.99?) for these things, which is a fair price given the scale. The Batwing has landing gear which is permanently extended but the wheels do roll.

The Batman v Superman Batwing is undeniably recognizable as a Bat-vehicle and a fun addition to any collection or for any fan of The Batman, regardless of their thoughts on the movie itself.

The last time I was caught so unawares by Matchbox was when they released The Bat from The Dark Knight Rises. So I couldn't resist busting out The Bat for this photo shoot.

The Bat was and is an ugly thing that looks nothing like any proper Bat-vehicle, but I suppose it's become an icon in it's own right at this point.

As dumb as it looks, I am glad I found The Bat on the pegs back when it was released and am especially glad that the Matchbox Sky Busters line has actually continued with the Bat theme. Would it be too bold of me to hope for an '89 Batwing, or perhaps a Batman Animated Batwing in the Sky Busters line-up sometime in the future?

Back in Bat

I previously posted about the Hotwheels version of The Bat, the hideously ugly not-Batwing from The Dark Knight Rises. A surprise entry into the Hotwheels ranks I must admit, as it is neither Hot nor Wheeled.

Well hold on to your love of aesthetics, because Mattel continues to surprise by releasing a Matchbox version in their Sky Busters die-cast aircraft series!

As you can see, this Matchbox Sky Busters version is larger than it's Hotwheels counterpart, and probably closer to a true 1:64 scale. I found my Bat at Kohls and although it is listed at $3.99 it was on sale and I got it for around $1.50. (I don't think it's humanly possible to pay sticker price at Kohls. Their entire business model is jacking up prices so they can have a 'sale' every single flippin' day. Their price signs are digital, for heaven's sake!)

I've seen Sky Busters at Toys R Us and Target and they are probably available most anywhere Matchbox are sold.

Part of the 2012 Undercover Series, The Bat is just an odd inclusion into any sub-set that isn't Batman specific. But as ugly as it is, it is kind of fun to swoosh around the room and I know any kid (or adult) into aircraft and Batman would love to have it in their collection.

As you can see, the Matchbox Bat is quite a bit larger than the Hotwheels Bat. There are a few differences in sculpt as well, meaning this isn't just a larger scale of the same exact toy.

The positioning of the rear tailfins is the most obvious difference in physical design. Sky Buster Bat is also painted in a flat black while Hotwheels Bat is shiny. Matchbox wins for movie accuracy there.

The engine thingys up front are a little stubbier on Matchbox's Bat too.

It wasn't until I looked closely at Matchbox Bat underneath that I noticed both versions have the propellers sculpted into the undercarriage details. That's pretty neat!

If I could only have one, I'd say the Matchbox Sky Busters Bat is the better Bat. They're both Bat-Ugly but definitely fun, unique vehicles and a must have in any Bat vehicle collection!