Here we have Silver Age Batman in-hand. This figure is a retool of the Knightfall buck, only with the chest emblem removed in favor of a flat surface that was previously used by the Dick Grayson version of the character. For a logo like this, I'm fine with a simple tampograph. The bright blue and cooler gray are a signature element of the character from this era, and the shading applied to the trunks and mask is done much better than expected. It's all about how it's done, and it works much better than the crappy pixelated messes on the Task Force figures. The proportions are already good, especially for a Batman of this era, and while I like seeing a cloth goods cape with a wire implemented on each side, it would be nice if it wasn't metallic AND going past the feet. It was an issue that Adam West faced with his figure since many assumed he and Hugo Strange had their capes swapped in the factory, but with no other Batman figure to swap capes with, he's stuck having to drag it and get it all wrinkly.
The head sculpt, with its black shadow around the forehead and eyes as well as the blue highlights for the eyebrows and nose, is great to see on a figure like this, especially with how much it completes the look on a Batman of this era than it would be without the black detailing. It also influenced the look of the Adam West Batman mask, which was known for having the eyebrows drawn on to simulate the art style. The articulation is standard for the McFarlane line, but the dynamic wired cape adds some extra life to this figure. He also comes with the weapon-holding hands and Batarang as expected.
He also comes with more open hands that were previously used on the proper Knightfall 2-pack featuring a damaged Batman and a Bane with classic colors. They were used to go with the agony of the character's pain he dealt with during that story, but now they're used here to give some scratches to his trusty dog, Ace the Bat-Hound. As for Ace, I got nothing much else to say beyond the sculptwork being good, the paint apps helping the fur on his body stand out better, and appreciating that he has a mask over his head as well as being in a good pose to make up for the lack of articulation. I don't have Krypto, but I'm sure they have different proportions and sculptwork from one another, especially beyond being different breeds. While he isn't the same breed as Batman Beyond, I'm tempted to pretend this is more like the version from that show; I always preferred the DCAU version of Ace, given how he was reworked to fit better with his master's torment. See, you can change up how a Superpet looks and is introduced in the media without trying to make them solely for cutesy marketing. Ain't that right, James Gunn?
Let's quickly cover variants and reuses themed after the Silver Age. The first direct reuse featuring Ace is Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, which is another relic of the era, and it depicted an alien version of the character from an entirely different planet. The alternate logo, gaudy color scheme, and smiling head are unique to this character, though the deco and identity were repurposed for proper Bruce Wayne when he went insane and violent. The Bruce version of Zur-En-Arrh Batman was made before we got the Silver Age alien, so keep that in mind if you want one over the other. Batman also had purple and orange suit variants of his costume, which are both not only reminders of how wacky the comics got in that period, but they also don't have Ace the Bat Hound.
Here we have Silver Age Batman next to the more traditional design we're all familiar with in the form of the Knightfall buck. While I prefer the logo and mask on the Knightfall version, I do prefer the shade of gray on the Silver Age version and hoped I could get my hands on the SDCC variant of the more modern Batman. I generally think cooler grays look better than warmer grays. And while Knightfall Batman doesn't have a wired cape, at least his isn't dragging on the ground.
As for Superman, this figure doesn't really look like he belongs in the Silver Age. Sure, artist consistency is not a particularly strong suit for the comics of that period, but he actually looks more Bronze Age. Specifically, this is modeled after Jose Luis Garcia Lopez's control art for the character. I don't mind since I always preferred the size of the logo on his chest, as well as the cape length and facial structure on that character. Being a reuse of the Crisis body is also a treat, especially since it means he has a better balance of musculature without being too bulky (Hush) or skinny in some areas (Action Comics 1000). Is this the best Superman figure made in the world? I'm going to have to say that, as far as McFarlanes are concerned, this is the best-looking in terms of regular comic offerings. That being said, I wish the black outline for the logo wasn't there.
His head sculpt may look like a reuse of AC1000, but it is a new mold altogether to better match the artstyle that JLGL made at the time. Very well made and fits the character so well for a neutral expression. His articulation and wired cape work the same as Batman, so now we need to talk about the lack of accessories. He doesn't come with a flight stand, which I wish he did since the regular Digital display stands are average for a flying character like himself. He also comes with only one pair of hands in the form of the open gestural hands like how the Fleischer Superman did. With this being a simple sculpt reuse, wouldn't it be hard to give this figure some additional hands like the ones that came with Christopher Reeve? Or at least give him a head with laser vision? I mean, even that DC Classic Superman with the goofy smile on the Page Punchers body has more alternate hands than this figure AND a flight stand!
I mean, what he does come with is at least benefitting for action figure photography, such as Superman telling his friend, Goku, to eat an apple a day to keep the doctors away since the Saiyan himself is afraid of needles. I bet he's surprised to see an apple THAT big! Still, we could really use more alternate parts to make this simple character design feel less "bare minimum".
For another size comparison, here he is with the Action Comics 1000 version, who shows its age with the skinnier arms and legs, the less natural torso cut, the lack of flesh tones for the artist joints, and the overall added details McFarlane added that were not originally on the suit. Best of all, we've got double-jointed elbows! The height is especially appreciative since he isn't going to end up shorter than Wonder Woman.
Overall, I find that the value in Batman is much stronger overall than with Superman. The higher accessory count with two extra pairs of hands, a single Batarang, and Ace are already enough to go against the mere single set of alternate hands Superman comes with. They both have wired capes and the same basic stand, so don't think those would push any favors for the Man of Steel. Not only that, but how many people give a crap about the digital aspect compared to the toy proper? I ended up liking the new Batman much more than I expected, even if I prefer the Neal Adams-onwards style of design more than I do the Golden and Silver Age looks. While I still like this Superman figure (even if I prefer the darker blue like in the Fleischer, DCAU, or BvS suits), the lack of accessories beyond the alternate set of hands has me feeling like this won't necessarily be the best version of the character in toy form in regards to value. A figure may win people over for looking nice or matching the artwork, but the value for money you're getting should also be worth looking into. If you think the lack of value on Superman's bad, wait till you see how Dr. Fate and Two-Face turned out!
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Batman)
⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Superman)
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