Review: 70903 The Riddler Riddle Racer
Posted by CapnRex101,The Riddler is among my favourite comic book characters and I have therefore been very excited to take a closer look at 70903 The Riddler Riddle Racer. The set costs £29.99 or $29.99 and contains just 254 pieces but includes an impressive selection of five minifigures, four of which are currently exclusive to this set!
I think the figures look splendid on the whole and I hope to be similarly impressed by the Riddle Racer as the majority of the other vehicles from The LEGO Batman Movie have been absolutely delightful.
Minifigures
Many DC characters received a considerable update for The LEGO Batman Movie but Batman himself remains fairly similar to previous versions, wearing a black suit which is emblazoned with the traditional Bat symbol. The new utility belt component marks the most significant innovation and is intricately detailed with individual pouches on the front and back as well as a central buckle.
Removing the cape and cowl reveals a double-sided head, featuring determined and bemused expressions, as well as some muscle definition which continues onto the front of the torso. I would have liked to see an area of printing on the legs but he looks alright without it, due in particular to the prominent yellow belt. As usual, Batman comes equipped with a pair of batarangs.
The Riddler has been depicted in a variety of different outfits since making his first appearance in 1948 but recent incarnations have consistently favoured a green suit and bowler hat. This minifigure follows that trend and includes a brand new element which combines a dark green hat with ginger hair. It looks tremendous and is decorated with a question mark so matches the jacket which is similarly adorned with rows of green question marks on both sides.
This figure combines three shades of green to great effect and I find the dark green jacket trim particularly pleasing. The Riddler wears a purple domino mask and the head is printed with an arrogant smirk on one side but a disappointed grimace on the other, both of which are delightfully expressive and suit this character very well.
A question mark cane consistently accompanies The Riddler across all forms of media but has only appeared in LEGO sets twice before. There it was represented by red and golden crowbars but a unique rubber element is used here and it looks excellent, fitting onto a pearl gold 4L bar and matching the colour of the question marks which cover the jacket. This minifigure represents the best aspects of The Riddler in my opinion and it might even be a contender for my favourite minifigure of all time!
Calendar Man has been portrayed as both a comically inept villain and a deadly serial killer depending on the nature of the story and I am very pleased to see him in minifigure form. This version is based on the classic design so he sports a red outfit with some calendar-themed decoration on the front and back of the torso as well as a swimming cap element which features a calendar motif. Unfortunately the head is only printed on one side and this grave expression is not suited to his ridiculous attire but it is appropriate for more recent imaginings of the character.
The enormous cape is very impressive, with numbers printed on the inner surface in the style of a calendar. These show through the fabric so can be seen on both sides and I like the segmented design very much as it clearly differentiates this villain from other rogues. Calendar Man comes unarmed which is sensible as he usually employs whatever weapons are most appropriate for the time of year. However, I would have liked to see a 2x2 tile printed with a calendar.
While Calendar Man has become a more intimidating opponent in recent years, Kite Man remains an example of a decidedly unthreatening villain whose plans are consistently foiled with relative ease. He employs a variety of different gliders during his criminal operations and this minifigure is therefore equipped with a large glider which attaches to a neck bracket and is secured using tauntaun reins to represent the control bar. The wings are hinged so can be angled for display but they do not fold up fully.
Kite Man wears a yellow helmet with a trans-red visor along with a lime and dark green flight suit. The torso and helmet are printed with kite symbols which look great in conjunction with the rest of his brightly coloured uniform and clearly demonstrate this character's love for kites. I also like the new head which features a joyful smile on one side and a grimace on the other as well as reddish brown eyebrows.
Magpie is a master thief drawn to crime by a love for shiny and valuable items. The character has rarely appeared in the comics but did oppose Batman in the recent Beware the Batman animated series and this minifigure seems to combine features of both incarnations. The white hair style is taken directly from the animated character model while her torso armour more closely resembles the design seen in the comics. This element originated in the Legends of Chima range but has been cleverly repurposed for the avian styling of Magpie.
Previous versions of Magpie have worn form-fitting leggings or tights so this long dress is unusual. I would have preferred something more akin to the traditional character design but the figure looks perfectly fine in its current state. The head is printed with some simple makeup and two expressions, with a smile on one side and gritted teeth on the other.
The Completed Model
The Riddler demands attention and this impressive sports car is therefore an appropriate vehicle for the Prince of Puzzles thanks to its ostentatious colour scheme and elegant design. I love the flowing bodywork and the narrow profile of the vehicle gives the impression of great speed which looks marvelous.
The front of the racer is decorated with a question mark between two enormous headlights. These are cleverly formed using angled window frames containing trans-yellow panes which yield a bright glow under certain light conditions. The green hinges are notable as they have not appeared in this colour since 2004 and the 2x3 panel in the centre is even rarer, being brand new in dark green.
This panel hinges open to reveal a pair of hidden machine guns, thereby making maximum use of the space available and presenting a deadly forward-facing threat. Additional trans-orange and trans-clear headlights are fitted to the front of the model and a pair of matching trans-orange plates are used to represent lights at the rear as well.
The cockpit is fairly luxurious, with a tan backrest and plenty of space, although only a single minifigure can sit behind the steering wheel. Dark bluish grey zipline handles are used to represent door mirrors just in front of the driver and these look great but might have been even better if cast in white or green to match the rest of the car.
The powerful engine is visible beneath the rear windscreen and this includes some attractive mechanical details, terminating with a pair of large exhausts at the back. I am wondering whether the vehicle would look a little more streamlined if this windscreen element had also been used in front of the cockpit but the 2x3 windscreen is adequate in my opinion.
This entire assembly can be raised to reveal a pair of spring-loaded shooters which fire trans-light green missiles. They are positioned to pass on either side of the driver but it is a tight squeeze and a minifigure with a large hat or cape would obstruct their path. Luckily The Riddler slots in perfectly and they can be launched beside him without incident.
The wheels are my least favourite aspect of the Riddle Racer. The tread is suitably plain but I would have liked to see some kind of decorative hubcap covering the light bluish grey area at the centre of each wheel, perhaps featuring the Riddler's question mark insignia. An additional splash of green or white would certainly have been welcome.
Overall
The LEGO Batman Movie is packed with absurdist comedy and this selection of dubious villains is a perfect representation of this. All five minifigures are excellent, with The Riddler and Calendar Man being among my favourites of the entire first wave which contains over seventy figures! 70903 The Riddler Riddle Racer is a worthy purchase based on their inclusion alone and the Riddle Racer is equally satisfying.
The Riddler's sports car is reasonably simple in relation to some of the other vehicles in The LEGO Batman Movie but it looks brilliant and is consistent with the character of its ostentatious driver. I think the price of £29.99 or $29.99 is reasonable given the number of figures included and I would therefore recommend this set quite highly, although the equally priced 70904 Clayface Splat Attack is also very impressive for entirely different reasons.
I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your thoughts on the set in the comments below.
This set was provided for review by The LEGO Group but the review is an expression of my own opinions.
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37 comments on this article
Good review. Nice model with a lot packed in there. Excellent Riddler minifig, the others a bit obscure.
However on the list it goes...
Great review as always! I feel like most sets from the LEGO Batman Movie have too few minifigures per price point, whereas this one set has a proportionately large amount of minifigs.
After purchasing several more expensive sets with less minifigs, this set was certainly a breathe of fresh air, especially considering the uniqueness of each minifig in this set (excluding batman).
Enjoyed your review as always.
The only thing different I would like to see standard in all reviews is a photo of the new parts/colors at the beginning.
The car reminds me of the Speed Racer LEGO sets from 2008. Thank you for the education on the characters as I know nothing on the 3 side villains of this set.
Gorgeous set!
The car looks heavily inspired by the Marcos Mantis XP from 1968:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BO7S4tKIB20/UVufeRsPRbI/AAAAAAAAOGg/ZzIiIVngUfk/s1600/Marcos-XP-5.jpg
http://www.topcarrating.com/marcos/1968-marcos-mantis-xp.jpg
I look at the Riddler minifig and see Alex from 'A Clockwork Orange'. Every time! Can't help it!
Having seen some of the outfits Magpie wears, I'm not sure they could get away with them....Although they might be able to do dual purpose Magpie/Zatanna legs
Terry...
I completely agree.
To me the Frank Gorshin Riddler was THE Riddler and yes I know they made one. This Riddler looks great but badly needs a haircut!
PS - I LOVE this Calendar Man!
Please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that the Riddler also had a "question mark cane" in the form of a red upside-down crowbar in set 6857, The Dynamic Duo Funhouse Escape. Other than my nitpickiness, great review!
@jmeninno - Right you are; thanks!
Might be the only batman movie set I get, mostly because I'm trying to collect a sports car (or equivalent for Star wars) from as many themes as possible and this would fit in perfectly
I rather like this Magpie- she feels much more elegant and deadly than previous incarnations, which were "completely ridiculous" and "sexy". Riddler looks too young for my tastes- the 2012 Riddler with the 2014 hat on this body should be a perfect combination. I'm glad he finally got a proper cane.
I'm not sold on the car. It feels bizarrely low to the ground, and the white racing stripes really don't strike me as a Riddler color. Purple would have been better, in my opinion.
Really want this! Great review!
Oh my. How I envy you DC fans this year.
Riddle me this, Is there a spare question mark? If so, Riddler Trophy.
@CapnRex101 Did you happen to notice how many Question Mark pieces were included in the set (The one used for Riddler's cane). Great review as always btw.
It reminds me of Frankenstein's car in "Death Race 2000". Could be worth getting for that reason alone!
I honestly believe that Kite-Man's face print is one of the greatest face prints around. It's just so perfect for any situation, especially if it's an inappropriate situation.
This is a very nice set, even though it's for the most part a glorified minifigure pack (the car itself is exceedingly well done though). Kite-Man of course is great, and the Riddler is simply amazing. Initially I disliked the bright green question mark--I felt gold would be more appropriate--but it has really grown on me. Calendar Man visually is good, although I find his cape rather uncomfortable and unwieldy making the figure difficult to hold or play with. Magpie is the weakest figure, arguably of all LBM figs in my mind. I don't think the mashup of styles translated well and frankly I would have preferred the Beware version (Lego already has the Shredder shoulder pads that would have been appropriate). The dress piece used is just boring and the figure is overly bulky.
That said, this is easily one of the best LBM sets.
@Brickulator93, War of the 11th:
Pretty sure there's just one ? staff topper. It's a fairly big piece and it's rubber, too- usually, it's only the tiny plastic pieces that have spares.
Gee, most of these sets look pretty good, might have to pick some of these up
This is actually the one LBMM set I own at the moment. The Riddler minifigure reminds me of the Greg Capullo Batman zero year Riddler, what with the red hair and bowler hat.
These minifigures are great, and that's coming from someone who's not even that big a fan of DC as a whole!
@Brickulator 93, War of the 11th
I have this set and can confirm that there is only 1 green question mark piece
Wow, didn't know Calendar Man and Kite Man were actually things. All the figs look great; Magpie is my fav.
Anyone else think Magpie is the start or Warhammer 40k sets/figures?
I mostly got this as a figure pack so that the Riddler can be counted among all my Batman Movie CMFs — but a truly geeky present for Lego to include the villain from Batman Vol.1: Kite Man (named after Charlie Brown of Peanuts fame)! :-)
It's not bad. I picked one up just today for a few parts and for me it's an odd build. Some neat stuff going on with the nose, but it's WAAAAYYYY too front-heavy and the back looks terrible. Calendar man is hilarious, but I've never been a real DC fan (selling the figs keeps my LEGO costs down). I would have passed if I couldn't have really used the parts I spotted.
The car looks awful to me. The hinged windows as headlights is a nice idea in theory but it just looks terrible as executed here.. Everything about the car just feels off, one of the worst official LEGO cars I've ever seen, honestly. Certainly in recent years.
Not a fan of the look they went for with the Riddler either, which makes the whole set a big bust. Sure, the minor/obscure villains look fun, but they don't justify a purchase.
Thanks for the informative and well written review, CapnRex!
I usually go for sets primarily for their minifigures, but on this occasion I actually like the vehicle more. Yes, it could be improved in the ways mentioned by CapnRex, but overall it's a swish sports car that perfectly suits the Riddler's ego and style.
I'm not a big fan of minifigures of obscure superheroes/villains however well done they are, so the inclusion of Magpie, Calendar Man and Kite Man is disappointing. Batman is well done and I commend LEGO for including him in lots of TLBM sets. It means you only have to buy one set to get the protagonist. I agree with the Capn that the Riddler is the best of the minifigures in this set though as a yellowist, I'll swap out his head.
Overall, I like this set for the Riddler and his car. Despite the obscure characters, it's among my favourites in TLBM line. I can't believe that Blocks magazine gave this set a dismal score.
Am I the only one who does not like any of the minifigures in this set?
This is the first Lego sports car that doesn't jump out at me as a particular car (apart from the city cars) and I don't care about the minifigures, although I still can't believe that all these characters are real but I still want to get it because I want to collect as many Lego sports cars as possible
It's great but the arctic roller and jokers low rider would be on my wanted list over the riddler racer, however 10/10 for the riddler minifig.
Best version of ed nigma ever produced.
Wow, I didn't expect to love this set so much! Very appealing...
hmm berlinetta boxer?
http://www.artvalue.com/photos/auction/0/49/49530/ferrari-vehicles-1974-ferrari-365-gt4-berlinett-2804186.jpg
I like the Riddler figure but the car might as well just be another Creator 3-in-1 re-hash. This set just doesn't offer the same value for the money as other sets at this price point. It's padded out with more peculiar bad-guy minifigures but apart from maybe Calendar Man's elaborate get-up I don't see the appeal.
@bricking
If Ferrari did a convertible...
Planning to buy this soon as my last LEGO Batman Movie set. A lot of the larger ones just feel like whimsical rehashes to me, but all of these minifigs are great and I have a huge soft spot for villain vehicles.