Say 'Ello to My Littol Fren'

Another awesome (set of) villain action figure(s) from The Batman is (are) The Ventriloquist and Scarface!


There actually was a version of this figure released in the Batman: The Animated Series style, but it was in a four pack very late in the game, long after the cartoon's run had ended (to be reviewed later.)

So it was a little surprising to see good old Arnold Wesker released in The Batman series' relatively short run.


He was released in a three pack, with Clayface and Batman. There was also apparently a chase figure with some other muppety looking puppet. I don't know that puppet's story, or if he had any significance in the cartoon, and since I don't have him anyways this is all about Scarface!

Although Scarface is traditionally a gangster of the Al Capone mold, The Batman twisted the concept in a VERY cool manner. The Batman's Scarface has been designed after Al Pacino's famous film role, complete with leisure suit, sandals, and gold medallion. Since Pacino's Scarface was a "modern" retelling of the Capone story, it's fitting that The Batman took this design twist on the villain in order to separate it from Batman: TAS, or any other take on the character for that matter.


Wesker still remains a sheepish, non-descript nobody. A nice contrast of personalities, even if they share the same brain.

The only real "bad" thing about this series as a whole is the scale - it tends to be all over the place. A few of the figures are just too big compared to Batman, who one would assume is the standard for the line. Robin was huge, Poison Ivy was a smidge too big, and Ventriloquist is a little large as well. Oh well, he actually fits pretty nicely with the DCUC figures, so I'll adjust ;)

Articulation is extremely limited as you can see. But then, Ventriloquist is a coward and Scarface is an inanimate puppet, so what'dya expect?

Wesker's elbow does bend on his Scarface arm, so he can adjust the angle to allow the boss to yell at his goons. What more does one need?


One component of the comics that was never translated to the cartoons was that The Ventriloquist is a mediocre ventriloquist. He never could get the "B" sound out, as that would required moving his lips. So whenever Scarface was talking he'd say something like "Glock 'da doors ya' gastards! The Gatman is gound to arrive any minute!"

How he got the "M" sounds out is beyond me.

I've always liked the character of Scarface/The Ventriloquist. (Ironically, I'm no fan of Jeff Dunham.) I'd love to see the character(s) in some capacity in the next Batman film, if only as a minor mob boss in a scene or two. I don't know if he (they) could carry a whole movie on his (their) own, but he (they) does (do) fit into the "realism" that the current films have created.