REVIEW: Grab Zags DC Comics Batman

Produced by Grab Zags | Released 2014

Grab Zags

If you've ever checked out the trading cards, blind-bag/box figures or other ''impulse buy'' toys at your local store, chances are you'll have seen these rather unusual toy bags from Zag Toys. I say ''unusual'' because normally each pack contains not just a random toy but a random toy type - one may feature a pen topper, another a ''mini projector'' flashlight, yet another a disc launcher. But recently, Zag Toys has begun to release a series of minifigure packs, including sets themed around such Marvel properties as Ultimate Spider-Man and The Avengers and, as you may have gathered from today's subject, characters from DC Comics.

Retailing at around the $3 mark, each pack features a ''Super-Deformed''-style rendition of DC's biggest hitters, one of a series of eight in total (that's Batman, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Superman, Cyborg, Catwoman, The Joker and Wonder Woman for those keeping track), with each figure being a surprise until it's opened (unless you give each a feel, as it's pretty easy to figure out who's who!)

So let's take a closer look at the figure I received, the New 52 rendition of The Dark Knight himself.

Batman

The figure molded in a single piece of fairly rigid, albeit slightly rubbery plastic. It's flexible enough so as not to be brittle but firm enough so as not to feel cheap or bendy. It certainly doesn't feel like a lower grade of plastic, so initial impressions when you open the bag are good.

As you can see (and I must apologize, I moved my camera ''studio'' and I'm still trying to replicate my previous set-up, hence the slightly blurry images), the figure is a really cool, cute rendition of the Caped Crusader, captured in a dynamic gliding pose. It's a pretty good '''hero'' pose for Batman and conveys a lot of his characteristic style of movement.

The sculpt work itself is also good, with plenty of close-up detail on his costume (such as armored pads, glove fins and so on) and - for the size - there's plenty to draw the attention. Of course, it's an SD-style figure, so the head is oversized but that not only serves to make these things cute but also to highlight some of the close-up detailing on the head. And whilst it's not massively detailed it's accurate, with some cool plating and a good, stoic expression on Batman's face.

The paint app on my Batman figure is, overall, pretty good. There's a nasty blob on his neck (which appears to be an injection/molding point they failed to clean/cover up properly) and a very minor ''scrub'' mark on his face but beyond that, the app is clean.

Extras & Accessories

I particularly like that the figure comes with an ''in flight'' stand, which allows him to be posed and displayed correctly. I was initially confused by the stand, as I didn't see the ''invisible'' support strut (and subsequently had to fish it out from the trash) and even then getting him to stay posed took a second until I realized how deeply the horizontal peg could be pushed into the back port. I'm pleased to say that once it's all put together, the stand is incredibly sturdy and balanced. It's nice to see display bases being included with figures, especially ones as small as this...

It's surprising to see, however, that the pack does not include any kind of ''collect them all'' brochure, as is common with a lot of these kinds of toys. You can, however, check out the other figures on the rear of the pack.

Final Thoughts

It's always difficult to write Reviews of these kind of ''impulse buy/allowance-level'' blind-bags without sounding dismissive of them. When I say ''it's only $3, what have you to lose?'' it somehow implies you'll probably be disappointed but, hey, at least you didn't waste much money on these toys. And whilst sometimes that can be the case, the Grab Zags DC Comics Batman most definitely does not fall into that category.

Yes, he's a tiny, 2'' figure and there's not much to him, but what we do get is of a very high quality. The plastic feels good, the paint app is interesting and neat and the sculpting is accurate and engaging. I particularly like that the figure comes with such a cool display base (which can be connected to other figures to form a kind of super-base) and it's great to see a company actually taking the time to think about what collectors do with their toys once they've taken them out of the pack. 

If you're a fan of blind-bag toys and/or DC (particularly the Justice League), then the Grab Zags DC Comics line is definitely something you should check out. I'll certainly be taking a look at adding a few more to my collection and I'm sure once you take the first step, you'll be doing the same.

A really cool, minifigure that will make a great addition to any Batfan or DC reader's collection.

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