Duplo Batman, Joker and Batmobile!

This blog has been getting a bit too girly lately, so let's bring it back to manliness with some toddler toys!

Duplo started releasing Batman and some of his pals about a year or two ago. It's taken me this long to get some because I like to rely on the flea market for gathering figures which come in expensive sets that contain a bunch of components I don't need around the house. Well, the flea market finally came through in spades the other weekend when I found not only Batman...

 ...but his Batmobile too!

I had seen the Duplo Batman/Batmobile set in stores but never really looked all that closely at the Batmobile itself. I hadn't really thought about it until I owned this thing, but it's amazing that the Batmobile they went with is the '89 Keaton/Burton movie Batmobile. I mean, think about it: 25 plus years later and Duplo goes straight to the '89 movie (this isn't 'inspired by', this IS the '89 Batmobile!) They even sculpted in the machine gun ports, fer-cryin-out-loud! This is literally a toy that SHOULD have existed 25 years ago, just now being slapped on toy store shelves. That's pretty awesome, and I'm delighted to have added this Batmobile to my collection.

Ironically the set did not come with an all black '89 Batman, but a blue-grey batman.

The Batmobile breaks down to two pieces (three if you count the flame.) A wheeled base and the chassis.

When I found Batman and the Batmobile I also found the Duplo Joker. My intern already has a Duplo circus so I experienced that awkward moment...

...when I realized the Duplo Circus contains the Joker in disguise!

Seriously, that's the go-to Duplo clown above, and below...

...is Duplo's Joker!

Sadly my flea market Joker has some scratches on his face - he may have pushed Catwoman too far in his previous toy life. Or some kid stepped on him and drove his face into the concrete. But he only cost a dollar, so I figured he'll do until I can find a cleaner specimen.

Duplo Joker also goes well with the Duplo clowns we already have lying around. He has a built-in gang!

"That disguise doesn't fool me, Joker!"

The Duplo Red Triangle Circus Gang.

Back to the Batcave!

2014 San Diego Comic Con :: 75 Years of Batman

So it only took me until I'm almost 40, but I finally got to my first San Diego Comic Con! And I gotta tell 'ya, it is everything it is cracked up to be. Fun, amazing, crazy, packed, insane, awesome...but enough about me HAW HAW!

Here I am with my 'Professional' badge because I am a pro, baby! More on the project that got me there in the future; today I am going to show you some pics from the Warner Brothers/DC Comics Batman movie display!

But first - after all these years on this digital playground, I finally met Dork Hordak himself, Reis! Meeting Reis in person was definitely one of the Con highlights! And I have to say, he's taller in person than he looks online.

Now on to the Bat-stuff!

Yes sir, that is the one and (probably not) only Ben Affleck Bat Cowl!

The thing looks great. The tiny ears are a nice change of pace, and it has a leathery texture, unlike all the shiny rubber cowls of movies past.

Upon entering the convention center, I made a B-Line straight for the Batman display, and I wasn't dissapointed  to find this beauty rotating around in a glass case.

Also on display were masks from movies past, including Bane's re-breather or whatever this mask did for him besides mess up his voice.

Cowls cowls and more cowls!

Here's the statue of Batman from the end of The Dark Knight Rises.

Anne Hathaway's Catwoman goggles. It's a testament to Nolan's 'realism' that these things did not look fake up close. They look like they could actually function, and not like a simple prop.

A couple of Michelle Pfieffer's Catwoman masks, the Riddler's...whatever...and Penguin's mayoral campaign button.

Christian Bale's Batsuit...

...and a couple of his cowls.

All the Joker Goon masks from the epic opening bank robbery sequence in The Dark Knight.

And last but not least for today...Michael Keaton's Batman costume. He is pretty short.

Well, that's it for today's post. Stay Tuned for more from the 2014 San Diego Comic Con!