Tweeterhead

Whether you're a statue collector or not, you have to respect one thing about Tweeterhead's line of Classic Batman statues: They're certainly not taking the easy way out. Sure, they've done the characters you'd expect from a line inspired by the Batman stories of the '50s and '60s, with Batman, Robin, the Joker, Penguin, and Two-Face, all represented, and they've even stepped outside the roster of characters that endured to the modern day with a tribute to Kathy Kane's Bat-Woman. Now, though, they're digging deep with their next release: Bat-Girl!

You know what's weird about the Joker? I mean, yes, there are a lot of things that are weird about the Joker that are kind of inherent in the fact that he's a murderous clown who primarily exists to fight against a millionaire who dresses like Dracula and drives a rocket car. Beyond that, though, there's one thing that always sticks out: That dude is obsessed with his own head. He has a cane where the handle is shaped like his own head, he once lived in a house that was shaped like his own head, he used to drive a car that was shaped like his own head, and his most well-known criminal plot involves making fish look like... well, you get the idea. Even when you stack that up against Batman, whose branding is always 100% on point, that's pretty extreme. And yet, you rarely see that reflected in his associated merchandise.

Batman statues are a dime a dozen. I mean, not literally --- they're generally going to set you back a pretty penny --- but there are enough of them out there that if you want to decorate your home exclusively in miniature replicas of the Dark Knight, you could do so pretty easily. There's one for every era, all manner of sizes, and thanks to DC's Black and White line, there's one for almost every artist who's done a notable take on the character. Robin, though? Robins are a whole lot harder to find.

The classic DC Comics hits keep on coming from Tweeterhead. The company just announced the Batman Classics Collection, based on the art of Dick Sprang, will finally get its Batman. To this point the line had consisted solely mostly of villains, but now the statuesque Gotham will finally have its Dark Knight defender. But Tweeterhead isn't just growing its comic book line, and will also add another egg-centric member to those nefarious n'er-do-wells from the 1966 Batman television show to its roster of rogues. The Sprang-inspired maquettes both look solid, and give us a glimpse at a Batman we don't see a whole lot of today. While DC has typically been fairly good about paying tribute to the classic artists and their interpretations of icons like Batman, there just aren't a lot of Dick Sprang collectibles out there. Tweeterhead's commitment to the style extends far beyond a single limited statue, too, which helps paint a picture of the entire Batman universe as portrayed by Sprang in the 1940s.

When it's up for... pre-sale! Eeehehehehehe! Okay, so maybe my sinister clues aren't quite supervillain material, but how else am I supposed to let you all know that Tweeterhead has released some new images of its upcoming Riddler maquette? I mean, just look at those wide eyes and that crooked grin! This thing demands a level of theatricality, just like Frank Gorshin did every time he zipped up those green tights and started hounding the Dynamic Duo. And if you're the kind of person who wants a tangible reminder of that criminal career, then get ready to open up your wallet, because this thing is up for pre-sale starting tomorrow.

I'm a grown man who writes about toys, games and comics on the Internet, so when I tell you this Two-Face statue makes me want to throw up, you know I mean it as a compliment. Tweeterhead's latest Batman Classic statue is a fairly spot-on rendering of the man formerly known as Harvey Dent from the Dick Sprang era. As gnarly as Two-Face's design has gotten over the years, there's something to be said for how gag reflex-inducing this incarnation still is all these decades later. Now, you might be thinking this Two-Face isn't actually that bad-looking. Why on Earth would this version be more terrifying to look at than the Aaron Eckhart version from The Dark Knight, or the version from the Batman and Two-Face storyline? Well, I'll tell you. It's all about trypophobia. The paint app on this Two-Face's scarred eye is eerily reminiscent of the louts seed head, which is commonly used to give people with trypophobia the heebie-jeebies. Two-Face is already repulsive enough, but this version's eye just keeps staring at me, giving me the immediate urge to look away. It's not often you can say that about a character design from the '50s, so good job, Tweeterhead.

If you thought Tweeterhead's Batman '66 Yvonne Craig Batgirl statue was something else, wait until you get a load of the company's upcoming Batman Returns Michelle Pfeiffer Catwoman maquette. Capturing everything that was awesome about Pfeiffer's memorable portrayal of Selina Kyle in Tim Burton's 1992 sequel, Tweeterhead's statue brings Catwoman's ferocity, charisma and bad-ass attitude to life in great detail. At 15.5" tall, this is no small piece, but the 1/6 scale does offer Tweeterhead the ability to pack in a lot more detail in the costume. There's a great deal of stitching to render, along with the threading on her boots. While the costume itself is rather plain, the paint app gets the patent leather/vinyl sheen right. Standing atop a miniaturized version of the Shreck's Deparment Store rooftop, Catwoman stands at the ready with her whip poised to strike. It's a familiar pose to anyone that's seen the film, and you can almost hear her giving the security guards inside the store grief over how terrible they are at their jobs.

The resurgence of Batman '66 has led to a number of collectibles celebrating the classic TV series. While there have been numerous Adam West Batman figures and Batmobile models, there haven't been nearly enough Batgirl options for longtime fans. Part of that has to do with actress Yvonne Craig being the last member of the show to agree to license her likeness with Warner Bros. (she did so in 2013). As such, many companies worked on the line without including any Batgirl goods. The other part has to do with the reluctance of some companies to produce items centered on women in what are traditionally considered "boys'" lines, which is why the long awaited Batgirl figure in Mattel's Batman '66 line is an SDCC exclusive this year.