One of Hot Toys’ earliest movie-based figures is Batman from Batman Begins. Since its release sometime in 2006, the character has seen a couple of iterations. The latest incarnation is the Batman Begins Toy Convention Exclusive which debuted for sale during this year’s Ani-Com & Games in Hong Kong last July.

The design on the “gift box” packaging is that of the climbing harness Bruce Wayne used as an early experimental costume in the first movie. It, of course, clues the person in on what to expect inside the box (as if the preview photos from Hot Toys didn’t already do that :-)).

Out of the box, Bruce is already geared up with the climbing harness. That was great because putting on a 1/6 chest harness has always been quite a chore for me. So if you plan to display this figure simply as Bruce Wayne on your toy shelf, then all you have to do is take him out of the box and put him on the stand. That’s it.

Of course, nobody displays a Hot Toys figure straight out of the box (save those who purchase an extra or two). There’s always a stage in the un-boxing process where the owner has to try on all of the attachments and accessories that come along with the figure. Play time!

While waiting for the actual release, the 2 most common questions I’ve seen asked about this exclusive set are (1) how will the climbing harness compare with the old Takara version? and (2) how will the Batman Begins costume differ from the one released under the The Dark Knight line?

Well, let’s look at the climbing harness first. Compared to Takara’s version, Hot Toys came up with a lighter yet more in-scale set of harness. For the longest time, I thought Takara’s version was spot-on. But somehow Hot Toys, in spite of it looking light and fragile, supplied us with a more realistic set of harness. Side by side, I’d say Hot Toys wins out on realism (which admittedly is rather unfair of me to say because Takara’s version is already 5 years older).

The new Bruce Wayne head that comes with this exclusive was sculpted by Kojun. The likeness to Christian Bale is there and the paint job on this, like its predecessors, is indescribably fantastic. How they manage to achieve this level of realism on a mass produced item still boggles me.

Realistic sculpt and superb paint job on Bruce Wayne.

Bruce also comes with a cat burglar’s ski mask and it fits like a glove. Just be careful when putting it on and taking it off. The holes can easily get snagged on Bruce’s pointy nose. It’ll be such a shame to rip the holes bigger.

Bruce Wayne w/ ski mask

Enough of Bruce, now let’s have a look at Batman.

The costume, as far as I can tell, was cast from the same mold as the one released under the TDK line. The first noticeable difference I see is the texture on the rubber. This version seems to have less sheen than its earlier counterpart. The rubber also feels that it has more flexibility and “give” – perhaps to allow more “extreme” poses. But even with the notion that Hot Toys uses nothing but the finest materials, it still makes me nervous trying to achieve said “extreme” poses or even just putting on/taking off an accessory. The utility belt, the clips on the harness and the gauntlets in particular have pointy edges that can very easily puncture the rubber.

The new cape is also different. Unlike the older version, it’s bulkier because it has 2 different fabrics used on it. The outer side has a velvety texture while the inner side looks like its made of satin. My concern about this new material (if it is indeed velvet) is that it will certainly be a huge dust magnet. But on the other hand, it’s a lot better looking.

The utility belt is superbly detailed. As mentioned earlier, I’d advise being extra careful putting it on or taking it off. It’s made of hard plastic and has some protrusions that could easily damage the rubber suit. So handle with extreme care.

Detailed sculpting on Batman's Utility Belt

There is no question about the figure’s poseability. Underneath the rubber suit is a body/skeleton with 30 points of articulation that Hot Toys is known for. The rubber suit is another matter. While I did mention that the new suit feels like it is more flexible than the earlier version, it is still material that can be punctured or tear. So when setting up Bats in a rather compromising position, take extreme care. Unlike in the movie, the suit is not made of Kevlar.

Another great incentive to getting this figure is having the ability to change Batman’s facial expression. The set comes with 3 different interchangeable faces (lower portion) which attach to the head via magnets.

Standard weaponry and arsenal include a pair of Batarangs, a grappling gun and 1 bomb. Along with that are several extra hands (relaxed and fisted) for achieving various poses and a Hot Toys stand with the standard name plate.

Different people with varying degree of preferences will likely disagree on whether this is a must-have or simply a nice-to-have. If you’re a Hot Toys completist, then the answer is obvious. If you’re a Batman fan, you’re probably going to side with the completist because, while this is in a way just a re-issue of the last Batman Begins figure, there are just a bunch of add-ons that makes acquiring this so much worth it. Overall, the set is great addition to one’s Hot Toys ensemble.

You can order this fine figure from Sideshow Collectibles by clicking on the banner below.

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