Batman: The Animated Collection was a revolutionary collection when it debuted, and it has greater than stood the check of time three many years on. Its followup, The New Batman Adventures, was a extra somber, critical affair, one which I completely adored after I was a child. As time has gone on, my appreciation for it has dampened, to the purpose that I contemplate the reveals utterly unrelated when it comes to continuity and characterization. It’s nonetheless present, with some nice episodes right here and there, but it surely’s not almost as good as the unique collection.
Even nonetheless, it’s a Batman present, and meaning it had loads of candy toys. As soon as once more I’m going by means of each determine, car, and playset I might discover to point out you the very best, worst, and weirdest of The New Batman Adventures toy line. Put together for some surprises.
Automobiles and Playsets
13. Radio Management Batmobile: This Batmobile design is ok. Not the very best, actually not the worst. I’m simply ambivalent towards distant management toys, and at all times have been for no matter cause.
12. Hoverbat: The design is alright, if a bit random. Virtually like they reused a mould from one other toy line totally and slapped Batman’s title on it. Coming packaged with a reasonably stable Batman determine is a particular plus.
11. B.A.T.V.: Identical because the Hoverbat, simply with a greater design.
10. Batcave: There have been a number of Batcave playsets throughout these posts, and that is actually certainly one of them. To not sound pithy or something, it’s only a completely acceptable Batcave.
9. The Joker Poisonous Lab: I’ve written so many of those posts that a few of these units are working collectively. Have I lined this one earlier than? I don’t know. Would I purchase it? Completely.
8. Gotham Metropolis Financial institution: That is one of some items that I had so as to add again into this publish, after discovering out it existed after the very fact. It’s silly costly on eBay, and has a very cool design. I simply want it was a bit greater.
7. Knight Striker Batmobile: So far as I can inform, that is the very same…
6. Batmobile: …as this, simply with barely completely different names. As with the distant management automobile, it’s a good Batmobile design, simply with out the necessity for batteries. That’s a win.
5. Batman’s Battle Headquarters: Oh man, there are a couple of of those micro playsets, and so they’re fairly wonderful. The perfect half is that they’ve what appear to be giant stone monuments of Batman’s head, which is completely unbelievable. Adore it.
4. Batplane: Nice design held over from the primary BTAS line. The goofy yellow coloring doesn’t make sense, however who cares?
3. Batplane Fighter Fortress: Just like the Battle Headquarters with the added bonus of a enjoyable little car.
2. The Joker’s Battle Headquarters: A Mount Rushmore-style Batman monument is humorous as a result of it’s so weird. A Mount Rushmore-style Joker monument is ideal as a result of it’s 100% one thing he’d do.
1. Crime Alley Micro Playset: One other set I didn’t discover out about till after the very fact, and it’s among the best one’s I’ve seen. Wonderful design work, tons of nice play options, all the pieces you’d need in a playset.
Figures 50-41
50. Catwoman: If all of those toys has taught me one factor, it’s that I completely hate stable crimson costumes on anybody however Daredevil. It simply seems to be unsuitable.
49. Gotham Metropolis: There are fairly a couple of of those four-packs, and so they all have the identical names. This has Batman, Robin, Nightwing, and Batgirl all bundled collectively, which must be a house run. The issue is that they’re all in shiny silver costumes, which look past foolish. Get used to that, too, as a result of there’s a number of this occurring on this line.
48. Batman: Whereas I’d completely love a Silver Age-inspired Batman story the place he has to decorate in a copper-colored costume to tackle the Penny Plunderer, that’s not what’s occurring right here. That is simply ugly.
47. Batgirl: The sculpt is ok. It’s the colours that don’t work. Like I mentioned, a number of this.
46. Road Strike Batman: Ugly colours, however at the least this has the good thing about coming bundled with a enjoyable little road racer accent. That may at the least be paired with a greater trying determine.
45. Tech Swimsuit Batman vs. Two-Face: This Batman jogs my memory of Flashpoint, which isn’t factor. Two-Face is sort of hilarious with that technical grid look, so there’s that.
44. Gotham Metropolis: This may virtually be nice, had been it not for that honey mustard Catwoman. So near excellence, with one tragic, deadly flaw.
43. Nightwing: Wonky pose, pointless silver, lovely mullet.
42. Gatekeepers of Gotham Metropolis: You realize, I virtually sort of like these figures individually? From a coloring perspective, this is among the finest Batman figures up to now, and the black and gold look fairly good on Nightwing. Batman is over-designed with all these straps and buckles, although, and the figures don’t actually appear to be they go collectively.
41. Silver Defender Batman: Once more, sort of virtually like the colours, with the silver and purple trying sort of sharp. It’s a bit cumbersome, although, and at the least a kind of missiles is getting misplaced below the sofa immediately.
Figures 40-31
40. Backyard of Evil: I just like the inexperienced fits, however why are Batman and Robin from The New Batman Adventures bundled with a Poison Ivy that’s from Batman: The Animated Collection?
39. Gatekeepers of Gotham: Batgirl rocks. Batman doesn’t.
38. Joker: I don’t know what’s occurring right here, and I don’t hate it.
37. Batman vs. Two-Face: Contemplating all the weird designs and colour schemes we’ve seen up to now, you’d suppose I’d be extra welcoming of a conventional two-pack. It’s fairly good, particularly Two-Face, simply Batman has some pointless paneling that holds it again.
36. Batman: Good swoopy cape. Cool for show, much less so for play.
35. Batman: Higher for play, and one of many higher trying silver figures.
34. Assault of the Penguin: Every determine is nice to nice, even the weirdly-colored Nightwing. Penguin particularly is superior, you possibly can simply discover him by himself additional up the checklist. A robust set, however you may get higher variations of every character independently.
33. Batman: This may be excellent had been it not for the battle broken look. Love that blue and the sharp shoulders.
32. Gatekeepers of Gotham Metropolis: Unsure why these two-packs preserve getting Batman so unsuitable and the opposite characters so proper. That Robin is incredible. Batman works as, like, Jetpack Batman, however not as simply Batman Batman.
31. Catwoman Assaults: Lastly, a set the place everybody seems to be proper. The one cause it didn’t crack the highest 30 is as a result of, once more, you may get simply pretty much as good if not higher figures independently.
Figures 30-21
30. Robin: For no matter cause, the silver go well with doesn’t look too unhealthy on Robin. I don’t know.
29. Power Protect Nightwing: This appears contradictory to rank this so excessive, however I’ve really had this determine for years, so I’ve a delicate spot for it. The grapple gun works nice, and that huge defend is unwieldy and all kinds of enjoyable.
28. Batman and Robin: Now that’s higher. Each nice figures, even when Batman is silver. We’re getting nearer.
27. Hydrojet Nightwing: Additionally a determine I’ve had for years. The hydrojet really floats, and Nightwing’s knees bend!
26. Knight Glider Batman: And a 3rd determine I’ve had for fairly a while. Love the jetpack, the blue go well with seems to be nice, and the little missiles are enjoyable. The one actual issues are Batman has jetpack controls molded into his palms, so he can’t maintain something, and his neck doesn’t bend again so he’s at all times trying down when “flying.”
25. Two-Face: Like I mentioned earlier than, the tech grid look sort of works for me? I’ve seen this determine within the wild earlier than, at a Huge Tons or one thing like that, however by no means purchased it.
24. Battle Scars Batman vs. Catwoman: Nice Catwoman, and a reasonably good Batman. Take away the battle harm and he’d be excellent.
23. Batman & Nightwing: Nice Batman and an incredible Nightwing. I simply want Nightwing’s pose was slightly higher.
22. Robin: Not gonna lie, that darkish blue tunic seems to be sharp. I wouldn’t hate proudly owning this.
21. The Adventures of Batman & Superman: I’m by no means going to show down Batman, nor am I going to show down Superman. Put these palms collectively and also you’ve received an incredible two-pack.
Figures 20-11
20. Batman vs. The Riddler: Just like the Poison Ivy set from earlier, it’s bizarre {that a} TNBA Batman is paired with a BTAS Riddler. I’m slightly extra forgiving right here as a result of that’s the superior Riddler design.
19. Deluxe Joker: We’re getting to some extent the place just about each determine is a winner, so a number of these are ranked based mostly on preliminary intestine emotions. This Joker seems to be nice, however he’s my least favourite of the Deluxe figures, and I like different customary sized toys extra.
18. Undercover Bruce Wayne: Dig that crimson coat. Not a complete lot I can say about it, simply that it’s completely different and sort of cool.
17. Wildcard Joker: Superior determine with nice, on-brand equipment. It even makes the lower than nice TNBA Joker design look fairly good.
16. Deluxe Batman: Cool Batman, good equipment. The one method it might be higher is that if it was the BTAS go well with.
15. Detective Batman: Stable throughout Batman, by means of and thru. Additionally a determine I’ve had for the reason that late ’90s, and certainly one of my favorites from again within the day.
14. Crime Solver Nightwing: Hey guess what? I’ve this man too. Actually, I by no means beloved the look of Nightwing within the cartoon (the chook brand was too on the nostril), however I used to be at all times excited to see him present up since Dick Grayson is my favourite.
13. Catwoman: Easy, modern, and ideal. May use accent or two, however higher too little than an excessive amount of.
12. Deluxe Batgirl: Whereas I preferred the characterization and vocal efficiency of Batgirl in BTAS extra, her go well with on this collection was incredible. It seems to be nice as a 12-inch determine, and I really like the Batarangs and grapple gun equipment.
11. Laughing Matter Batman vs. The Joker: Each of those characters and their equipment are recycled from elsewhere. I don’t care. Batman has nice colours, and I really like the trenchcoat and fedora look on Joker.
Figures 10-1
10. Batman and Superman: Blue and grey Batman at all times wins, and Superman is an added bonus.
9. The Mad Hatter: An ideal Mad Hatter, and a determine that might work properly with the BTAS line too.
8. Batman vs. The Joker: Batman with a yellow oval and the Joker with a taking part in card? 4 stars.
7. Crime Fighter Robin: A easy, nice determine. Love the bird-shaped glider factor. One more toy I nonetheless have all these years later.
6. Deluxe Harley Quinn: You possibly can’t go unsuitable with Harley’s finest look. Whereas I’d have preferred to see possibly an outsized gun or mallet, Bud and Lou are a profitable pair of “equipment.”
5. Batman vs. Two-Face: Improbable Harvey with good equipment, a silver Batman with sculpted cape that manages to make each work, and I’m virtually optimistic these Arkham Asylum gates are three-dimensional. Even when they aren’t, you would minimize them out to make a reasonably candy show piece.
4. Deluxe Robin: On the threat of sounding repetitive, this does all the pieces proper with this character design. The determine is ideal, there are many cool equipment, and it seems to be like you may get some wonderful poses out of it.
3. Deluxe Nightwing: Copy and paste. His chook shuriken rock, and escrima sticks are good to see.
2. The Penguin: Oh hey, it’s that Penguin I used to be speaking about earlier! Why he wasn’t launched as a part of the primary line, I have no idea. He seems to be completely spot-on to the cartoon, and I really like how his open palm can assist the umbrella.
1. The Creeper: Heck yeah the Creeper. Have a look at him! His bizarre, good design interprets completely as an motion determine, with the swirls of the crimson boa offering some nice dimension. Add in some newscaster-adjacent equipment and also you’ve received your self the unlikely finest determine in the entire line.
All pictures had been obtained from Determine-Archive.internet, except in any other case famous.
