Teen Titans GO! Robin...UNMASKED!!!

"Hello, ladies!"

Mattel recently released a line of Teen Titans GO! minifigures, which are a little bit 'super-deformed' and are also made up of interchangeable parts. They are being sold in multi packs as well as individually in blind bags. I'm not terribly impressed by them (I'm holding out for the Imaginext line of Teen Titans GO! figures and playsets!) and have ignored them up to now, but when I discovered this Robin was available as part of the blind bag Series 2, I knew I had to have him!

I mean JUST LOOK AT THAT MUG!

I watch Teen Titans GO! with my kids pretty often. It can really get my oldest daughter cracking up to the point of tears. I don't follow it episode to episode, but it has some hilarious moments and unlike a lot of children's programming, I can stand to watch it. I vaguely remember this episode, wherein Robin removes his mask to reveal he's super handsome underneath. I'm sure it'll pop up in a rerun soon as well, and I'll pay a little closer attention to the storyline next time.

But just the mere concept and execution are so silly and stupid that I couldn't pass up on a chance to own a figure of this Teen Titans GO! unmasked Robin. The blind bags have embossed number codes on the back, and Robin's bag ends in '09'. I found what appeared to be a fresh box, and went through every figure in the box, only to find one lone Robin. Not sure if that's the way every box is, but Handsome Robin may be shortpacked.

Regardless, I got one! Now I need a big stick to keep the ladies away!

66 Batman BootLEGO Minifigs

Since the 66 Batman Batcave LEGO set is priced way out of my range (and I wouldn't know where to display the thing if I did buy and build it) I did the next best thing and bought a set of eight 66 Batman bootLEGO minifigs off eBay for about a buck each!

As great as the character selection is with this set (it lacks a Riddler, but otherwise has all the minifigs from LEGO set 76052) the quality of these bootLEGOs is relatively low. Not low enough to pass on them for around a buck each, but not the best quality bootLEGOs out there by any means. There's lots of plastic 'flashing' and many paint apps don't line up. A couple of the figures' feet' barely lock into the base (or other LEGO pieces) and there's been some plastic stress marks show up on pieces that fit tightly together. Also, as happens with many bootLEGOs, once I had Batman's cowl in place it's pretty permanent. So he does have two expressions, but it's going to be a task getting the cowl off to turn his head around. That's ok, as I picked the expression I liked best first. I've learned what to expect with bootLEGOs!

Robin has two expressions too, and fortunately his hair pops off easy enough to spin his head around. Unfortunately...

...the paint apps are not too clean and it looks like he may be missing a tooth or something.

'The umm, ahem, blue phone, sirs.'

Alfred is a welcome addition tot he set, the first minifig Alfred I've ever owned, LEGO, bootLEGO or otherwise.

Alfred also has two expressions and, inexplicably, a translucent blue phone. But who cares, he's awesome!

Adam West's Bruce Wayne. Keen!

Brucie also has an alternate expression.

Burt Ward's Dick Grayson.

And alternate expression.

Catwoman. She looks more like Lee Meriwether to me, but who can say.

Catwoman's alternate head is a masked face! 

Cesar Romero's Joker!

With mustache and yellow teeth!

This Joker's alt expression is classic Romero! I love it!

Burgess Merideth as Penguin! Penguin only has one expression, but he comes with a bootLEGO umbrella so I guess that makes up for his lack of a cigarette holder in his mouth.

The best part of having Bruce and Dick minifigs is being able to make maskless Batman...

...and maskless Robin minifigs!

Even Alfred got in on the fun...

Umm...err...ahem...nevermind, nothing to see here. Goodbye.

Imaginext Nightwing

The Target exclusive Imaginext Nightwing/Slade (aka Deathstroke) two figure set has been out for some time now, but I only just found it this week when I picked up Solomon Grundy. So perhaps the set is being shipped in greater numbers along with 'ol Grundy now? Who knows. What I do know is that it's a Target exclusive and it's popular among fans, so grab it if you see it!

The detail on Nightwing is amazing. His sculpt is just incredible, especially considering the fact that Fisher-Price could have simply released a Nightwing with plain black body/legs/arms and kids and fans all would have still gobbled this guy right up. The set also comes with two weapons, and I can only assume the bo staff is for Nightwing even though it is much more a Tim Drake Robin weapon or even a Deathstroke weapon for that matter. But to paraphrase the Beastie Boys, you can do what do what do what'cha want with it.

Here's another great detail: Nightwing is taller than Robin! I was surprised to discover this and I think it really shows the level of love that the designers over at Fisher-Price are putting into the line.

Interestingly, while Robin's mask is part of the head-sculpt, Nightwing's is a paint application. I prefer the sculpted mask but it does make each character that much more unique when next to each other.

Robins of Toyriffic Past :: Robin Week Concludes

All good things must end, including Robin Week. But if you haven't had enough of that red, green and yellow kid's stuff, check out a sampling of  Toyriffic's past Robin posts!

Batman Returns Tim Drake Robin.


DCUC Robin and DCUC predecessor 6" Batman line Robin.



Toybiz Robin.

The New Batman Adventures Robin.


Redbird by Corgi.

Teen Titans Red X Robins.



DC Infinite Heroes Earth 2 Robin (with DCIH Tim Drake Robin.)

Three cheers for the original kid sideckick!

Bandai Teen Titans Robin Variants :: Robin Week

I wasn't paying any attention to the Teen Titans cartoon or toyline when it was originally released. That's not entirely true - I did pick up a Speedy off the shelves. Otherwise I didn't bother with the Bandai toyline until I started finding them at the flea market and thrift stores years later. Scale is all over the place, and some of the sculpts are pretty off-model, but it was a fun line with a lot of different hero and villain characters released.

In fact, some of the figures saw multiple releases, and variations as the toys evolved and tried to get closer to their cartoon counterparts.

I believe this version of Robin, with a larger anime head, was the first sculpt released. I found this guy at the flea market a couple weeks ago and his paint is a little rough, but he's still a fun figure to have around.

I believe this version of the Teen Titan Robin, with the smaller, more 'animated' head, came later. This guy belongs to my oldest daughter - we've had him for a few years and she doesn't play with him anymore, so he now resides in my collection. For safe-keeping, of course!

Having no emotional connection to the cartoon these figures are based on, I can't say I have a preference for one over the other. They are both fun and uniquely stylized versions of Robin, and that's cool enough for me!

Tech Glider Robin :: Robin Week

Robin Week continues with Tech Glider Robin by Mattel:

Tech Glider Robin comes from the 4" Batman 'evergreen' action figure line mostly warming the pegs right now. The toyline has just been re-branded as 'Batman Unlimited,' and this Robin has been repackaged with a robot hawk, which looks to be a better accessory than the forgettable glider this guy came with (not pictured, because it's pretty lame.)

I like to think of this Robin as Dick Grayson, but I suppose an argument could be made that this guy is Tim Drake.

This particular Robin's sculpt is a shrunken down and re-colored version of the 6" Batman Power Attack Strike Shield Robin, which I regret not having picked up at retail before the 6" line was cancelled and the 4" line took over. But I only saw that one on the shelves once, and had no idea I'd never see it again.

At least I have the figure in this smaller size and more classic color scheme, as I do like the cartoony style of these figures.

A Little Dick

I found this Mego Pocket Super Heroes Robin at a thrift store a few months back in their mad messy toy bins. I couldn't believe he had ended up there all alone - I kept digging through the detritus of so many dead young dreams in the vain hopes of finding Batman or Superman or even Penguin; anyone else who might have accompanied Robin on his strange journey from someone's collection to a thrift store in downtown Santa Cruz.

 He's in great shape - he had to have been cared for or about over the past few decades. Only to be tossed to a dirty thrift store and sold for fifty cents. Thankfully to me, who will continue to appreciate him, even if he's forever stuck in that wanker pose.

I mean 'ready to punch crime in the jowls!' pose. Yeah, that's it!

Random Toy Pic :: Batman Animated Family

I took this picture over 11 years ago. At the time I had a spare room and put together a little Bat-Family shelf with all the key members from the Batman Animated toyline.

Alfred
Nightwing
Batman
Robin (Tim Drake)
Batgirl
Commissioner Gordon.

I see a Robin and I want it painted black...

Stealth Robin, Shadow Robin, Ninja Robin...? I don't know.

It's just a Teen Titans Robin action figure cast in all black. Only the whites of his eyes are painted...well...white. It would be cooler if his skin was painted so it would be an all black costume, but if I wanted I could paint him I suppose.

I'm sure there was a reason for this figure, but I didn't follow the Teen Titans cartoon or the toyline closely enough to know on sight. I found this guy a while back at the flea market and had to have him though. He's odd and cool and Robin is a great character so he's in my collection now!

"Fade...to black!"