Batman & Robin Merchandise Review - Deluxe Aerial Defender Robin figure from Kenner

This figure and it's Batman counterpart might be some of the strangest figures of the Batman & Robin toyline. Rather than have a figure and a backpack, this one fuses the figure permanently into a mini plane. In fact, on closer inspection, you only get a head and torso.

As a kid I probably would have hated this and tried to pull the vehicle apart but as an adult I find it kind of novel. Kenner were trying to find new ways to make their action figures stand out and I can't blame them for that. Particularly when your toy line has over 40 figures!

One interesting note is that the figures are actually pretty accurate to the look and colours of the ice suits in that are used at the end of the movie (the Guardians of Gotham 2 pack are also pretty close).

Batman & Robin Merchandise Review - Microverse Observatory Playset from Kenner

I've got a lot of nostalgia for these kind of micro playsets. I had 5-6 Mighty Max playsets back in the day (some of which are still intact) and definitely a few of the Star Wars ones. I don't know how much I played with them but they were always fun to set up and have on a shelf. There's something intrinsically fun about having a movie set rendered in miniature form. 

Took me a while to find a complete version of this Observatory playset. People tend to lose all the little accessories easily which is understandable so it means wading through tons of half complete sets on eBay. Glad to finally have it in my collection but it doesn't feel quite as fun or packed with features as the three Batman Forever ones.

The scale of the figures is very small and the playset feels a little bit... empty. It could have really done with a trapdoor or missile or something extra to bring the whole thing to life. 

There's two more Batman & Robin microverse sets out there - a Batcave one and a slightly larger Arctic Gotham set. I'll keep my eye out for them. I'd really like the set of micro figures too (shown in the video) but I can't find these anywhere.

New audiobook: Robin Facing the Enemy read by Drew Griffin

In the run up to the release of the Batman & Robin movie, two short books aimed at kids were released alongside Michael Jan Friedman's novelisation - "Batgirl To Dare the Darkness" by Doug Moench and "Robin Facing the Enemy" by Alan Grant. Both of whom were noted comic book writers at the time. 

While the Batgirl story is set after the 1997 movie and sees her going up against Black Mask, the Robin novel is set in between the two Schumacher films and sees him finding his feet as Batman sidekick (by going off on his own... again).

It's a short, fun read and I'll do a little video with more of my feelings on it at some point in the future. There's some references to the events of Batman Forever but they aren't huge. It's maybe a stretch to call it a full fledged interquel. More of a solo spin-off.

While the Batgirl novel received a short 30 minute "audio drama" in 1997, the Robin novel didn't receive anything. 

Thankfully that has now been corrected by our resident audiobook reader - Drew Griffin (so all thanks to him, not me!) - who has done another great job and brought this story to life. I hope you all enjoy it.

Have a listen to it in the link below. It's two hours of your time and it breezes by:-

Batman & Robin Merchandise Review - Thermal Shield Batman figure from Kenner

I've done so many review videos I've sort of lost track what I've covered (hence the error in this video where I start comparing it to Rooftop Pursuit Batman figure which I bought ages age and assumed I already covered).

Anyway, Thermal Shield is a pretty fun figure. I like the big mask that flips down over his head and the sculpting on the figure itself is one of my favourites. 

I don't know if the hole on Batman's head really is for the missile but it does make for a hilariously goofy look when you put it there.

News: Hot Toys releases promo photos for Batman & Robin figures

Well, the title says it all. Hot Toys just released these promo shots of the forthcoming Batman & Robin figures. 

Got to say these look pretty perfect. Love that we're getting so many gadgets and interchangeable jaws for Batman. 

Robin feels a microscopic step down from the Forever version. The face just doesn't quite feel right.

Will definitely be getting both of these regardless.

Neon Knight Forever audiobook - read by Drew Griffin

Once again Drew Griffin has provided us with another audiobook. This it's time it's Tomasz Zaglewski's Neon Knight Forever book that charts the evolution of how Joel Schumacher's Batman duology has been perceived by fans and critics over the last 30 years. 

Check out my review here.

Also if you enjoy this recording, I'm excited to say Tomasz's book is coming out in paperback in June 2025 - just in time for the 30th anniversary of Batman Forever. 

Pre-order your copy here for UK or here for US.

Batman & Robin Merchandise Review - Jet Blade vehicle from Kenner

While the Batman's Bathammer and Batgirl's Ice Cycle were more or less faithfully translated to toy form by Kenner, Robin's Batskiff (as it's sometimes dubbed) was translated twice and neither are particularly close to the size or shape of the vehicle. 

First we had a small miniaturised red and black version that came with Deluxe Glacier Robin and now we have another larger version that comes with... no figure at all. In fact the box depicts Batman driving it, but clearly this is meant to be the Bat Skiff.

It's a much longer shape than it appeared on screen and the fan is much smaller but it's still a nice design. I wish they had picked a slightly shinier grey than the matt colour they went for.

Sadly, there are no light up features like it had on screen. Clearly all the money was put into making the Bathammer toy light up. It's not a complete loss though, the vehicle has a fun pull-out wings feature and best of all the missile is NOT another push button affair. We have a novel spinning blade wheel that fires out.

I think this feature was taken from an existing projectile feature that had been used a couple of years earlier in a Batman Forever role play toy called the AeroDisc Shooter.

Anyway, if you have the other vehicles, this one is a must. Otherwise what is Robin going to drive.