Review 1: Hot Toys VGM "Batman: Arkham City" 1/6th scale Batman 12" Collectible Action Figure

You can preorder this from Sideshow Collectibles

Batman: Arkham City is a 2011 action-adventure video game developed by Rocksteady Studios and released by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it is the sequel to the 2009 video game Batman: Arkham Asylum and the second installment in the Batman: Arkham series.

Batman: Arkham City is based on the franchise's long-running comic book mythos. In the game's main storyline, Batman is incarcerated in Arkham City, a huge new super-prison enclosing the decaying urban slums of fictional Gotham City. He must uncover the secret behind the sinister scheme, "Protocol 10", orchestrated by the facility's warden, Hugo Strange. The game's leading characters are predominantly voiced by actors from the DC Animated Universe, with Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprising their roles as Batman and the Joker, respectively. The game is presented from the third-person perspective with a primary focus on Batman's combat and stealth abilities, detective skills, and gadgets that can be used in both combat and exploration. Arkham City expands Batman's arsenal of gadgets and combat attacks and offers a more open world structure, allowing the player to complete side missions away from the primary storyline.

This is the recently released Hot Toys VGM18 (Video Game Masterpiece Series) "Batman: Arkham City" 1/6th scale Batman Collectible Figure - see my June haul HERE. The collectible figure is specially crafted based on the image of Batman from the game featuring a newly developed masked head sculpt with 2 interchangeable lower faces, newly sculpted muscular body and Batsuit, and detailed weapons.

Although not based on any particular actor under the cowl, Arkham City Batman still looks very life-like and real, especially with the detailed skin texture and facial expression. The batsuit appears more akin to that of the cloth versions often seen in the comics. But underneath the aesthetic layer was a series of armor to protect against ballistic damage. In this case, Hot Toys chose to fit Batman with a suit made of soft rubber.

You can preorder this from Sideshow Collectibles

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Box packaging front (picture above) and back (picture below). This is not the usual shoebox design; instead it's more of a wraparound design with a side flap which stays closed via magnets.

The flap opens to reveal the Hot Toys Arkham City Batman in his tray with all his accessories, seen through a window box display.

Here's the Hot Toys VGM18 (Video Game Masterpiece Series) "Batman: Arkham City" 1/6th scale Batman 12-inch (31cm) Collectible Figure straight out of the box. In the game Batman is a 6' 2" mass of muscle so as a 1:6 scale action figure, he looks BIG! And he's ready for action almost immediately with his fist hands!

His costume consists of: Batsuit with iconic Batman logo on chest, cape, utility belt, dark grey gauntlets, boots. The suit is made up of soft flexible rubber and it covers the whole body. Even though the approximately 31 cm (12-inch) tall newly sculpted muscular body comes with over 30 points of articulations, you won't be able to get a lot of poses in because some of the poses does not look good or natural at all due to the rubber suit bunching up too much when the arms are bent or lifted. It's even worse for the legs. When you bend the legs more than a certain angle, the rubber suit rides up further than the legs, thus exposing the under-body.

So you won't get any extreme poses from this Batman but I still like this Hot Toys VGM "Batman: Arkham City" figure and have no regrets about getting him because I like the sculpt, the costume and the overall look. I'm bias because I'm just a big Batman fan :) Check out the turnaround views

The cape is made up of a leather-like material which I like. I'm glad that it's not cloth.

Here's a peek at what's under the cape. The gauntlets and boots appear more armored than the comic book version and Batman will have to be quite strong to move about quickly with all that added weight. But hey, he's Batman! If he can't do it, no one can.

Here are close-up views of the Hot Toys VGM18 (Video Game Masterpiece Series) "Batman: Arkham City" 1/6th scale Batman head sculpt. Two (2) interchangeable lower part of faces capturing Batman’s facial expressions are provided and this is the one that comes with the figure. This is the closed mouth version. I think going with the rubber batsuit wasn't such a bad idea as you get the nice body shape and form that Batman deserves. After all, Batman has to be rather muscular and bulky to be able to deal with the scum and villainy he comes across in Gotham City. Check out the gauntlets and utility belt as well. The gauntlets not only have Batman's signature spiked blades but is also supposed to contain a hardened mini computer and remote for his vehicles. His utility belt is supposed to contain an array of gadgets some of which he either builds and accumulates over the course of the games. This 1:6 scale version is non-removable and the pouches do not open. Purely decorative but still very nicely done.

Check out the lower half of the body and the armored boots which is assembled in two parts so that the feet portion can be moved separately from the legs for more pose-ability. I mentioned earlier that you cannot bend the legs too much as the rubber suit will ride up and expose the naked legs.

Hot Toys VGM18 (Video Game Masterpiece Series) "Batman: Arkham City" 1/6th scale Batman Collectible Figure also comes with the following accessories: Figure stand with Batman nameplate and "Batman: Arkham City" game logo, explosive gel, line launcher, Batclaw with interchangeable hook, and Batarang

Close-up of Batman's weapons.

Also included: seven extra pieces of interchangeable gloved palms including: One (1) pair of partially-clenched palms, One (1) pair of relaxed palms, One (1) right palm for holding Batclaw, One (1) left palm for holding line launcher, One (1) right palm for holding Batarang and interchangeable lower part of face showing teeth

Let's not forget the all important Instructions Sheet with instructions on how to switch faces, which hands / palms to use for holding each particular weapon / gadget...

how to equip the Batclaw and cautions on turning the head sculpt to prevent paint fading or rubbing off. We are advised not to remove the cape and utility belt. That also means the batsuit.

NEXT: More pictures and poses of Hot Toys VGM18 (Video Game Masterpiece Series) "Batman: Arkham City" 1/6th scale Batman Collectible Figure with alternate lower face sculpt and weapons / gadgets.

You can preorder this from Sideshow Collectibles

Related post:
July 25, 2014 – First seen at SDCC2014: Hot Toys previews - Arkham Batman, 1/6 DeLorean, John Blake, RoboCop etc posted HERE
June 2, 2013 – Kotobukiya Batman Arkham City Collectors Edition 14 cm (5.5") Statue posted in my toy blog HERE
October 28, 2013 – Review of DC Direct Jim Lee inspired All Star Series 1: Batman 6.75 inches Tall Action Figure HERE
November 4, 2013 – Check out Mattel DC Universe Batman Legacy Arkham City Batman 7-Inch Action Figure HERE
February 8, 2014 – Preview pictures of the Kotobukiya DC Comics Batman Arkham City ARTFX+ 1/10 scale Statue posted HERE