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.
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.
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.
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.
The 85th anniversary of Batman has been great for fans like me. Lots of companies have taken the opportunity to make figures of characters from the previous movies.
I'm very surprised that Funko have made another figure from the Batman & Robin movie. Sadly it's not a Bane or Batgirl or Robin but instead a cloaked version of Poison Ivy.
Of course Uma Thurman's version had lots of alternate outfits and hairstyles used throughout the film so it makes sense to go back and do another one.
This is the most seen version - with the ivy clad bodice. I like that it includes the Little Shop of Horrors-esque mutant plant but the plastic isn't quite clear enough to see the monster clearly.
If you like Funkos, I recommend it.
Back to the Kenner reviews with Attack Wing Robin. There some heavy Marvel influences on this one.
His helmet looks like Ant-Man. His wings looks like Archangel. And his suit looks like Spider-man. Who knows if that's intentional or not?
I actually really like the sculpt on this. I vener really noticed until now that although the paint work on the B&R figures is a bit lacklustre, the actually sculpts are really intricately detailed.
This is definitely a fun one if you can find it.
Joel Schumacher's two Batman films are incredibly special to me but... there's only so many times I can watch them. I try to leave it to just once a year so that it always feels like special event.
I love find other ways to experience them - looking at toys and other merchandise. One of my favourite things for Batman Forever is the audiobook read by Rene Auberjonois, based on the novelisation by Peter David.
It's a three hour abridged version of the novelisation but it has lots of extra details as well as Auberjonois' great reading style.
Back in 1997, for Batman & Robin, they only did a short 30 minute radio play adaptation of the film that was really cheesy and over the top (which is saying something given the film it's based on). Jan Michael Friedman's slightly more mature novelisation - which has lot of fun extra details and scenes - was never recorded...
...until now.
Recently, fan of this website Drew Griffin has dedicated a ton of time and effort recording a 6+ hour reading of the book with music. It's a great book and Drew does a fantastic job reading it. I can't thank him enough for doing this and giving us all a new way to experience the film.
What are you waiting for? Start listening now.
To celebrate this year being the 85th anniversary of Batman, Cineworld and Vue cinemas are showing 7 Batman movies.
Most important to readers of this blog, Batman & Robin will be back on the big screen for one night only.
Details for Cineworld (Wednesday 11th September) here
Details for Vue cinemas (Friday 13th September) here
A lot of the time the Batman & Robin figure line looked a little cheap. Most of them only had a simple 2 colour scheme. Often a really garish bright colour and black. Thankfully Battle Board Batman bucks that trend and goes for a mix of cool blue and light purple. I think it works really well.
The sculpt is also a little different from the other Batman. There's some neat little details on the gloves in particular.
The actual accessory is something that Kenner did again and again. A hoverboard that clips onto Batman's feet and can also be stuck on his back. I'm less keen on that but on the whole I like this figure. Definitely one of the better ones.
Even though we got those Batman Forever figures from Hot Toys a few years back, I really didn't think they would also do ones for the 1997 follow up Batman & Robin. I assumed the negative reputation that has dogged the film for years would mean that Hot Toys would think they financially unviable.
Turns out I was wrong, these two prototypes were just unveiled today! I've got to say, I'm glad I was wrong.
These are just prototypes at the moment and if you remember those Batman Forever prototypes were shown at toy fairs for at least a year before they hit retail shelves so you probably have some time to save up your pennies.
Looking at the initial designs, I think they look great. Chris' hair looks a little too light brown and I know some people would prefer them to have more of a blue hue but overall, stunning. I wonder if they'll come with add on ice patches like the McFarlane figures.
I imagine they will have similar issues to the Forever figures (ie. the rubber suits crease awkwardly when you bend the arm or legs) but I can live with that.
Here's hoping they consider an Alicia Silverstone Batgirl figure down the line. Seems like a shame to miss her out.
Although I usually like my movie action figures to look like they did on screen, I also enjoy when a toy designer throws out the rule book and makes their own wild and crazy reinterpretation. The Batgirl Ice Strike Cycle is definitely one of the latter.
The figure is a predominantly light purple with a visor - worlds away from the look in the film. I really dig it though - it reminds me of the Batman vs Predator comic from the early 90s. Maybe that inspired the toy designer too.
The cycle itself is fairly close to the look of the film. It's missing the big bat symbol on the front and a few other details but it's close enough. I like that they've made it so the character can sit up properly and not have to lie down on top of the bike like so many other Kenner cycle (I'm looking at you Redbird Robin and Street Racer Batman). The wheel missile is a nice addition too. I didn't note it in the video but apparently you can take that missile launcher off and attach it to Batgirl.
All in all, this one is a hearty recommendation.
No, I haven't lost my mind and decided to sell my collection. Don't worry. It's going nowhere.
I have though been in touch with a fellow Batman collector called Laurent.
He is very active on Instagram and is selling a TON of Batman merchandise - from the movies, cartoons, comics.
Most interesting to readers of this blog, he has a big collection of Batman Forever and Batman & Robin merchandise.
Here are a couple of photos below show some of what he has available. Some really rare pieces. He also has a lot of carded figures too. Check his Instagram page out here - give him and follow and maybe strike up a deal.
I may have finished off all the Batman Forever figures but there's still plenty of Batman & Robin ones to go.
Here is a fairly standard "peg warmer" called Blade Blast Robin. He sports the same shade of neon orange as Heat Scan Batman so you can make a good pairing with him. I'm surprised Kenner didn't re-release them as a two pack.
The missile he comes with is very cumbersome. There's no way you can stand the figure on its own while holding it. It does have a cool switch that flicks out the yellow blades though.
Beast Kingdom has previewed these 8 inch (I think) figures at the Licensing Expo 2024.
They seem to be doing the same thing as McFarlane and making a whole range of Batman movie figures from Michael Keaton to Robert Pattinson and everything in between.
Most interesting are some new figures of Val Kilmer's Batman, George Clooney's Batman and a Jim Carrey Riddler figure.
I've got to say I love the look of the Riddler (maybe even more than the forthcoming McFarlane figure). The cloth jacket and bowler hat look ace.
I'm less keen on the Clooney and Kilmer figures though. I don't know, something feels a bit off about them. Their heads seem quite far off their bodies.
Finally at the end of the McFarlane line. This episode looks at Batman (which I've already reviewed) and the Build a Figure Mr Freeze. I've got to say they did a great job with Mr Freeze. I wish we had a Jeep Swenson Bane figure as well but hey, maybe that was too much to ask for.
The Mr Freeze has a great head sculpt. Really good Arnold Schwarzenegger vibes. And I love that they used a semi-translucent blue for the see-through parts of the helmet.
The only criticism I really have are the colours of the suit. The blue parts of the suit feel a bit light and flat. Obviously these lit up on the real suit but that's impossible to do on this scale. I still feel they could have come with a brighter colour.
I've had a look at other people's customs and I think I'm going to find some shiny pearlescent blue plastic to stick over the top of these bits.
The other issue is the grey suit which really should have been painted with chrome. I'm going to try and rectify this by using a "Molotow Liquid Chrome pen, 2.0 tip" as recommended by ace action figure customizer Les Walker.
Third in the McFarlane Batman & Robin wave is Chris O'Donnell's Robin.
It's a pretty great figure. The likeness isn't as perfect as Poison Ivy but I think it's a solid effort. The pouty lips and big jawline are there.
I love that they added some accessories for this one. There are two ice pieces that can go over his head and arm so you can recreate the part of the movie where Mr Freeze blasts him with his freeze ray. That's a neat touch.
Hopefully if this line sells well, we'll get an Ice Suit Robin in the near future. If not, I'll just have to buy a duplicate and get out the old Chrome paint.
If any character from Batman & Robin deserved a better action figure it's Poison Ivy. She got two versions for the Kenner toyline and both had a face sculpt that looked nothing like Uma Thurman and both costumes looked nothing like any of the outfits she had in the film.
25 years later McFarlane had righted that wrong and made - in my opinion - the highlight of their Batman & Robin line.
The body is really accurate to the movie costume. If I was pedantic, some of the colours could gave been closer - the red hair for instance is maybe too vibrant. But they're accurate enough for me.
It's the face sculpt that is the most impressive element. They've really captured Uma's likeness. If you only buy one figure, this is the one to get.
I've finally tracked down all four of the recent McFarlane Batman & Robin figures and they are glorious. I still can't quite believe they are real and not a dream.
I'm not a big collector of modern figures. I mostly buy vintage stuff from the 90s so forgive me if I don't have the knowledge to compare how these are to other modern figures.
Anyway, first off is the Alicia Silverstone Batgirl. Apart from the matt black colour (why not blue, like the movie?) I don't have much to critique.
The face could have been slightly better. Certainly adding a little black mole on his cheek help with the likeness.
The most surprising element I like is actually the molded plastic cape. I usually hate these things but this one is really well done, the ripple on the cape really give it a realism.
I'll put the Mr Freeze bits to one side and build him at the end.
Anyway, goes with out saying. If you read this blog you should buy this figure. Who knows, they sell enough we may get a Batmobile to go with it!
Diecast vehicles are never my favourite things to collect but I had to pick this Batman & Robin set because it was going cheap on eBay.
It contains 4 of the vehicles seen in the film - the Batmobile, Bathammer, Redbird cycle and Mr Freeze's Freezemobile. All at various scales.
Sadly Batgirl's ice cycle doesn't get a look in. Instead we're given an exclusive Mr Freeze's Thugmobile - which I'm fairly certain is a repaint from another line.
Anyway, these are fun but not essential. The accuracy is pretty loose and the paintwork isn't great. But if you want to put in the time with your own painting skills they might be worth it.
Thanks to an extremely generous fan I have the George Clooney Batman figure from the McFarlane Ultimate Batman Collection to review.
If you are a fan of the movie Batman & Robin this is the figure you've been waiting for. The sculpt is really spot on. Maybe not as much as the Val Kilmer one but it's recognizably Clooney's face. All the details are there - yep, even the nipples.
Articulation is excellent. The only one I didn't need is the neck. They should have kept it like the movie suit and not have him able to turn his head.
The figure is also available as a solo release (as part of a 4 figure wave (with bonus build a Figure Mr Freeze). That one comes with a plastic cape. This one has the cloth cape which is nicer.
Anyway, what are you doing reading this review. Get out there and buy one. If this sells well, maybe we'll get a Batmobile!
Review by Neil Rickatson
I have to preface this review and state that I am acknowledged twice within the text of this book. I will do my best to stay as impartial as possible.
