Review of Batman Black and White statue
Cliff Chiang Version/Design

Introduction

Batman and guns. That's a combo that hasn't been together for a very, very long time. Back in his earliest days of the golden age of comics, he did pack heat on occasion. But that didn't last long, and most fans simply can't reconcile the Batman they know with the concept of blazing iron.

A couple years ago, the comic series First Wave, written by Brian Azzarello, brought together classic DC characters with many of the old pulp fiction heroes, like Doc Savage. Obviously, this was a separate fictional universe, part of the DC Multiverse, but that also means anything goes. For Batman, that anything means he's strapped.

The latest Batman Black and White statue is based on this concept, designed by Cliff Chiang and sculpted by Paul Harding. The statue is limited to 3500, and is available now at most comic shops and online retailers.

Packaging - ***
Nice photography, good text, and sturdy, high density foam trays combine to make these solid packages.

There's no Certificate of Authenticity, but they do print the edition number on the bottom of the box and the bottom of the statue base.

Sculpting - ***
If you simply can't have Batman shooting guns, then this statue is not for you. But if you enjoy something a little out of the ordinary, or you enjoyed his portrayal in First Wave...or you just love Chiang's work, then this just might be right up your alley.

The statue fits in nicely with the rest of the series in terms of scale, and the base design remains consistent. The pose works well, and I really like the use of different textures on the sculpted surfaces. The costume is different from the cape is different from the holster is different from the emblem...that sort of attention to detail is what makes a statue like this stand out from the pack.

However, the overall sculpt drops to a B average here because of the alignment of the gun and head. Bats is clearly aiming at someone in front of him, but the barrel of the gun is actually pointing off to his left slightly, not tracking with his eyes. It's a minor slip up, but enough to bring down the score for me. I included a shot at the end that clearly shows what I'm referring to.

Paint - ***
The paint work is fairly clean, and I like how they used the general gray scale concept to their advantage across the costume.

They've also used a nice gloss finish on the emblem, boots and gloves, but went with a clean matte finish on the cape and cowl. The contrast works well, and adds to the overall appearance of the statue.

There's still a little slop here and there though, especially around the face and guns, but there's no major issues here.

Value - ***
While other collectibles - especially action figures - have jumped in price the last few years, the Batman Black and White statues have remained just about the same. In fact, you can pick this guy up for less than $60 at some retailers, which is a great price.

Things to Watch Out For -
This is one of those statues that comes in two pieces - a figure and a stand. There are metal posts extending out the bottom of the feet that slip into holes on the base. The caveat here is that the metal posts can easily scratch or chip the much softer polystone base, so be very careful when inserting them.

Overall - ***
While some people may not like a Batman shooting guns, I think it really adds something unique to the Batman Black and White display. Let's face it, when you've done this many statues of the same character, there's only so much you can do to differentiate each one.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ***
Paint - ***
Value - ***
Overall - ***

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has him at $70.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I've covered quite a few of these statues:

- most recent was the Finch version, which I liked quite a bit and was a very nice surprise.

- the Bermejo Joker.

- the Tony Daniel Batman.

- prior to that it was Arkham Asylum.

- back before the holidays, I looked at the cool Man-bat, and don't forget the other black and white Joker by a Lee - Jim Lee.

- before that, we had the Quitely version of Batman, the Bermejo, the McGuinness version, the Dave Mazzucchelli version, the Penguin, Gotham Knight 2 version, the Bruce Timm version, the Ethan Van Sciver version, the Aparo, the Neal Adams and George Perez versions, the Gotham Knight, Bob Kane, Frank Miller, Jim Lee, Matt Wagner, Mike Mignola, and Kelley Jones. *whew*

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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