Joker and Poison Ivy

Joker and Poison Ivy

DC Multiverse Originals - Mattel

There’s a new Joker movie out, and while we’re waiting for another Halloween where the streets are flooded with insufferable Mister J. costumes, here’s a classic take.  Like the recent Killer Croc wave, Mattel is bringing us more Batman 80th anniversary treats as part of it’s farewell tour.  And look, Poison Ivy was apparently freed from her Mattycollector hostage deal to be able to join the party!

The Matty version was the all-green, shoe-less, modern take...I think popularized by Jim Lee’s run on the books?  Maybe the re-vamped look on Batman: The Animated Series?  Anyway, that figure was great, but part of the lame subscription service.  (Thank goodness for EBay sellers in China!)   This one has a more human look and all the same articulation of Multiverse’s improved female sculpt.  While some prefer a smaller, pixie-like Ivy, this one works and is definitely true to the “classics” moniker.  She features a crossbow (repainted from another Matty hostage, Huntress) and some flexible plastic vine to coils up her arm and leg.

Some weirdos don’t think the head sculpt is “attractive” enough for Ivy.  Ehhh...that’s a debate one shouldn’t be having about little plastic dolls.  One thing I will say about the head is watch out for sloppy paint apps.  I have seen eyes, eyebrows, and lips being hit and miss from picture to picture.  Quality control has always been here and there with Mattel...I didn’t notice that the one I picked up had a lower leg assembled backwards at the knee.  A quick fix with some hot water, an exacto knife, and a dab of glue.  

Joker uses the same body sculpt as the new Alfred figure.  It’s fantastic on both, though the tails on the jacket should be different on this one: longer and more separated.  They modified the front of the jacket to accommodate a removable lapel flower:  one standard, the other with a removable acid effect.  The acid is hollowed on one side, so will need to be rotated to maintain the illusion with different poses.  This effect, well, the whole figure in general, is a throwback to the Toy Biz 1989 figure.

He doesn’t come with a hat, but they must have spent the plastic on the addition to the cane.  The gold jester skull looks great, and is a welcome variant from the other Jokers over the years.  I honestly expected to see a reused accessory here.

"Where does he get those wonderful toys?"

"Wait til they get a load a me!"

New Jokercopter part of the cheaper Batman Missions line.

The head sculpt is definitely “classic”, though might not fit with most Mattel Batman displays.  Again, a nod to Toy Biz, maybe even the Kenner Super Powers takes.  It also kinda resembles a mix of Joker depictions from the 70s and 80s.  A decent middle-ground, Neil Adams/Jim Aparo look to go with the earlier Dick Sprang.  I dig it, though I may still experiment with head swaps...the near perfect body is too tempting not to do so.  I may also repaint his left eyebrow, which somehow missed the sculpted plastic by that much.  Oh, Mattel!

These are, so far, Target exclusives.  Did I mention how much I hate the Target in my town?  Target in general?  I paid $8 over retail to get Joker.  Worth it in wasted gas and frustration.  Of course, a week later, visiting a neighboring town’s far superior Target, I see him and the whole wave...smile, darn ya, smile....

WWE Slam Mobile

WWE Wrekkin' Slam Mobile

Mattel

While I do enjoy professional wresting, the appeal to buy this gimmicky accessory was to have another vehicle that scales well with my superhero figures.  It's a bonus that you can tear the thing apart!  And, hey, Braun Strowman is on top right now, so I am glad to now have a figure of him in my collection.  He sure beats boring, old Brock Lesnar, who this car was originally going to have been packaged with.

You get a basic figure ($10 retail value) and a red convertible that has opening/breakaway doors, opening/breakaway trunk with storage space, tear away seats and steering wheel column, tear away front bumper, 2-part breakaway windshield, and 2-part smash-in/break away hood in a $30 packaged deal.  Not too bad for a toy of this size.  Paint apps are minimal, with some pre-placed stickers in areas of detail (headlight, license plates.) 

Side note - While packaging is for the trash, I laughed at the posed demonstration of the tear-apart features on the back.  Seeing the members of the Shield get terrorized by other, more exciting wrestlers was highly satisfying.  Only one member left to go...watch out Seth Rollins!  Get these hands!

I immediately though of Joker and Harley Quinn pursued by the Batmobile when I first heard about this release, so they got first dibs.  In his review, Joker found the trunk storage very handy, but rated the overall durability/wear and tear very low.

These pictures also feature the Gamestop Exclusive Injustice 2 Armored Batman and an old "Dark Knight" Tumbler.  This Arkham Knight-esque Batman has cool die-cast metal parts!  This cuts down on some articulation, but he's so heavy and badass looking to turn away.  The Tumbler was modified to fit a six-inch figure by removing the firing Batpod gimmick.  It was pretty cheap on EBay and fits in well with my ever-growing Batmobile collection.

While it may not be as crazy as the old Crash Test Dummies break-apart car, you'll be hard pressed to find a fun vehicle in this scale for the price.  I got mine from Amazon, but also spotted it on the shelves at Walmart.

True-Moves Batman Figures

True-Moves Batman Figures

Batman and the Joker

Mattel 12-Inch Figures

Mattel has been putting out bargain, 12-inch figures of DC characters for a while now.  While previous offerings stuck to the awful cinematic universe and animated shows, we're finally getting some comic-likeness love!  They range $9-10 in most stores, but can find them a shade cheaper at Walmart.  I feel you get just enough articulation for that price.  Sure an ab crunch and at least one accessory per figure would be nice (throw me a frickin batarang, please), but the overall look here has me won over.  When the alternative for large-scale figures is Sideshow or Hot Toys at $250 per doll, I'm happy to have a cheap alternative for display, and most importantly, play.

Walmart Shopping Cart and Chattering Teeth

Walmart Shopping Cart and Chattering Teeth

Walmart Museum Curios from Bentonville, AR

Road trip!  The wife and I took a day's vacation down to Bentonville, AR recently to see the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (they've got a whole Frank Lloyd Wright house and a Buckminster Fuller dome), but we also stopped downtown to see the birthplace of Walmart and it's museum.  Lots of cool artifacts and history about the word's best mega-chain store.  Sam Walton's entire office as it looked the last time he was in, his pick-up truck, memorabilia out the wahzoo...they even had vintage WM ads plastered on the borders of the bathrooms!    The museum is free and definitely worth the time.  The best part is that the storefront entrance looks just like the old five-and-dime and features some era-appropriate souvenirs like these wind-up, chattering teeth.  And even though it is a little big for 6-inch figures, I had to have the mini-metal shopping cart!  "New and improved Joker products!"

 



Circus Baby

Circus Baby

Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location

Funko

I have never played Five Nights at Freddy's, but I'm sure that most kids that do have never seen the animatronic restaurant mascots they are based on in-person...so we're even.  I bought this figure because I collect Batman figures, and the Joker can always use another clown-related henchman or two.  Circus Baby could be some sort to slight to Harley Quinn to make her jealous or something.

She comes with a microphone and the torso/head of the build-a-figure for this wave.  I probably won't get the other figures, but the creepy clown torso is good enough as an accessory.

The articulation is lots of fun.  The many ball joints can be popped off easily, making for some robo-battle damage or complete destruction.  I would assume you can mix and match parts with other figures in the line.  All in all, this is a pretty solid, fun figure for $12.  So if you're a Freddy's fan, a Joker fan, or just a weirdo that likes clown, this is a pretty good deal.