Can you feel it, Matty? Feels to me… like it’s written all over my face…
The time has come, you know it in your soul. Mattel has finally brought The Dark Knight Returns to my collection. And it’s been a long time coming.
DKR Batman (as the kids call him) is a curious figure from a curious time in DC collecting. He is a hybrid of DCUC-feeling elements and Masters of the Universe parts. He combines the standard MOTU arms, legs, and lower torso with a new upper torso, gloves and boots that are somewhat more in keeping with DCUC; for example, he has the more flat plain fronted chest of a DCUC figure, rather than the MOTU’s puffy pecs. The head is an interesting combination of the two, and it’s almost Kirby-like in execution. He’s slightly shorter than He-man, as a result of the new chest and possibly the neck placement.
Articulation is the standard MOTU variety, including the flexible trunks used on some recent figures. They don’t allow for absolute movement, and they can restrict somewhat in the front, but it’s no worse than most belted DCUC figures, honestly. Add to that the rocker ankles and a hidden boot swivel, and that makes this senior citizen the most articulated Bruce Batman Mattel has ever done. Sigh.
The articulation works pretty well, other than the parts that the cape (which sucks) does it’s damn level best to mess with. Luckily, this is DKR Batman, not Neal Adams’ version, so the occasional restrictions are appropriate, even if done incidentally.
The style of this figure does somewhat make him a one-off as far as DCUC/Unlimited goes. He dwarfs the New 52 Batman to the point that you could never believe they were the same line. MOTU is a much better fit, for obvious reasons, and that does add a certain level of cool all its own. As I touched on above, the head is a bit anomalous, but not inappropriate, and there’s some great detail work done on the belt and boots — including tread. The paint work doesn’t seem to do them justice. A simple dark wash on the grays and belt and a little blue on the blacks would’ve made this a lot more lively. I’m one foot out the door when it comes to Mattel’s current DC offerings, and have been for some time, but I have to admit the idea of doing other superheroes in this style might be something I’d be interested in. Especially if those other superheroes also come from DKR.
For now, though, he’s kind of a free agent in the collection. I’ve found him somehow appropriate delivering curmudgeonly justice to my SOTA Street Fighter collection, for the time being.
All this makes him somewhat difficult to review, actually. I’ve been waiting for this figure essentially since Mattel started doing Batman figures. He comes just as I’ve all but left that collection behind, my good faith used up and my interest greatly dwindled. And it’s almost just as well, since he’s not really a DCUC figure, all told…
It can be difficult to divorce a figure like this from all the things that influence his place in my collection. Love of the source material, and it’s excellent adaptations, weighs heavy against feeling cold towards the line and the company it comes from. Where this will fall for you, I honestly can’t say. If you’re a Batman fan, especially of The Dark Knight Returns, you’ll be pleased for the most part. If you’re a MOTU fan, then this is probably one of the funnest departures that collection is likely to take. But, if you’re a DCUC collector, I don’t know it this is what you were hoping for. It is, for all points and purposes, a Batman from the MOTUC line.
Ultimately, for me, this is kind of a fond farewell. Batman came out of retirement one last time to give my DC collection a proper conclusion.
And I guess that’s not too bad. This has been a good collection. Good Enough.
