McFarlane Batman The Animated Series Wave 1: A Collector’s Review and Disappointment
For years, action figures based on the iconic Batman: The Animated Series were a staple from DC Direct, populating comic shops with stylized figures and vehicles that captured the show’s look. This line featured a wide array of characters and even multi-figure packs and larger items like the Batmobile. However, DC (or parent company Warner Bros.) eventually exited the action figure market, dissolving their toy division and licensing the DC property to McFarlane Toys. Since then, McFarlane has heavily invested in its DC Multiverse line, known for its 1:10 scale, varied character selection, and distinct style. While an early DC Multiverse release included a BTAS-inspired Batman, it didn’t quite capture the original show’s aesthetic for many collectors.
The lineup for McFarlane’s first wave of dedicated Batman: The Animated Series action figures.
During the peak of the DC Direct line, I wasn’t actively collecting. By the time I returned to the hobby, I found the available offerings somewhat underwhelming. They were often expensive, lacked articulation, and were hard to find consistently—more of a limited release than an evergreen series. Towards the end of the DC Direct run, some reissues appeared under The Adventures Continue tagline. I managed to acquire the last standard Batman from this specific sub-line. It was decent, with a good likeness and improved hips compared to earlier versions, plus a more detailed paint job. I also added a Gray Ghost figure purely for nostalgic reasons. However, the exorbitant aftermarket prices for other figures quickly dampened my desire to collect more of the DC Direct BTAS line, with figures often fetching hundreds of dollars.
A comparison showing DC Direct’s later Batman figure alongside McFarlane’s approach, highlighting differing styles.
Last year, McFarlane made a seemingly smart move by beginning to reissue these long-out-of-production figures. With access to the original molds, this represented a potentially low-cost way to satisfy fan demand for classic BTAS characters. The first dedicated wave, the subject of this review focused on Mcfarlane Batman The Animated Series Wave 1, arrived about a year ago. This wave included Batman, Robin, Mr. Freeze, and Scarecrow, featuring a Build-a-Figure of The Condiment King. All four standard figures are direct reissues of previous DC Direct releases, with The Condiment King being the only entirely new sculpt. To distinguish these new releases from the originals and potentially avoid crashing the aftermarket value (and upsetting dedicated fans), McFarlane applied a new deco to each figure and introduced new packaging—oversized window boxes that feel unnecessarily large. The question remains: does this return to retail live up to collectors’ hopes? Read on for the detailed breakdown, but be prepared, the answer might not be what you want to hear. For those interested in the legacy figures, the original dc collectibles batman animated series line set a high bar.
The Return of BTAS Figures: McFarlane’s Approach
Let’s begin with the Batman figure from Mcfarlane Batman The Animated Series Wave 1. This figure is a reissue of the one originally packed with the Batcycle. It features a soft goods cape and an ab crunch joint, intended to make it easier to pose on the vehicle. As a standalone figure, the sculpt is less appealing due to these adaptations. The most prominent — and problematic — aspect across this wave is the paint job. McFarlane opted to attempt cel-shading, a technique DC Direct successfully employed on their final Batman figure from The Adventures Continue, which subtly incorporated blue highlights on the cape, gray under the chest, and blue on the gloves and boots, effectively evoking the show’s animation. This McFarlane Batman fails dramatically. It has an unsightly brown smudge on the face, dark gray haphazardly slapped onto the side of the body, and minimal, poorly applied blue on the boots and gloves. It’s quite frankly hideous and a baffling deviation from a proven method.
An attempt at cel-shading on McFarlane’s Batman figure from the wave.
Unfortunately, the other figures in the wave mostly follow suit. Robin suffers from similar poor cel-shading, including the regrettable brown on his face, though the red and green of his costume tolerate the shading slightly better. A major oversight is the complete absence of the yellow interior detail on his cape, which is also plastic, hindering vehicle posing. Mr. Freeze also features noticeable, poorly executed cel-shading, though seemingly less heavy than Batman’s. Scarecrow is arguably the only figure whose paint job isn’t awful, primarily because his brown and red costume colors interact better with the shading; it’s barely visible on the red and the dark brown doesn’t clash severely. This is the second appearance Scarecrow design, and overall, he is the best-looking and most on-model figure in the wave. Mr. Freeze would be second, despite being undersized and having an incorrectly colored oxygen tank. Scale consistency isn’t a strong point of this line. Robin’s head seems too large, resembling a reinterpretation of an older Kenner figure, while Batman simply looks bad.
Robin and Mr. Freeze figures from the wave showcasing the criticized hip joints.
Accessories and Articulation
Each figure in the wave includes a set of accessories. Batman comes with various hands, including one molded with a grapnel gun. He also has an all-black Batarang and a separate all-black grapnel gun. Robin features fists, relaxed hands, gripping hands, and a hand with a molded grapnel gun, plus a simple plastic piece representing his bollo, which lacks a dynamic effect. Scarecrow includes open hands, a gripping right hand for his scythe (which looks good but the grip isn’t great), a left fist, and an unmasked head sculpt. Mr. Freeze is packed with his freeze gun and an excessive number of hands: fists, trigger hands, gripping hands, clenching hands, and open hands. The variety of gripping and clenching hands suggests potential cut accessories (like a snow globe), making the sheer volume feel comical for a figure designed primarily to hold one weapon.
A collection of accessories included with the figures in McFarlane’s BTAS Wave 1.
Articulation, a weakness of the original DC Direct line partially due to the character designs, remains a significant issue here. The figures feature ball peg heads, ball-hinge shoulders, single elbows, and wrists with swivel and horizontal hinge movement. Overall range is limited, perhaps decent only at the head. The hips, however, are particularly inconsistent and strange. Batman has updated ball socket hips allowing reasonable forward kicks and near-splits, though he lacks a thigh swivel. Scarecrow also has ball socket hips, but with terrible range, compensated slightly by an included thigh swivel. Freeze and Robin utilize peculiar hinge and peg hips. This T-shaped cut on the thigh side allows for full splits but looks visually unappealing and is one of the worst joint types seen. Neither can kick forward effectively. While most figures have double-jointed knees, Freeze and Robin do not, though Freeze can still achieve a 90-degree bend. Robin’s knee bend is more limited. All figures have ankle swivel and hinge, but only Batman and Robin have ankle rockers. Everyone but Scarecrow has a boot cut. The combination of poor articulation and small feet (except Freeze) makes most figures difficult to stand stably. Freeze’s arms are the most limited due to his design, with almost functionally useless elbow cuts, and he’s the only one without a waist twist.
Price, Value, and The Condiment King Build-a-Figure
Considering these figures utilize old molds and were initially Target exclusives, a collector might expect a friendly price point. This is not the case, as each figure retails for around $30. The main draw, aside from the characters themselves, is the Build-a-Figure included when purchasing all four standard releases: The Condiment King. This figure is an entirely new sculpt and comes with his backpack and signature ketchup and mustard guns. Threads connect the guns to the backpack, limiting posing options, but it’s good they are included. The sculpt is well-done, capturing the look of this intentionally silly character from the show. As a BAF choice, he’s a fun, if niche, inclusion that hardcore fans will appreciate building. His light blue costume with white accents is painted acceptably, and the cel-shading, while present, is less offensive than on other figures, except for another unfortunate brown smear on the side of his face. Articulation is standard for the wave (single elbows, double knee, ball-socket hips), but his hips are notably loose. Combined with the weight of the backpack, standing him is challenging. Build quality is questionable; the handle on my ketchup gun broke off when inserting it into his hand, likely due to the two-piece molding required for the string. It’s fixable with glue but annoying. However, the biggest issue with Condiment King is his scale. He is significantly too large, standing around 6.75 inches compared to Batman’s 6.25 inches. He appears disproportionately large, almost as if from a different toy line entirely, looking more like a match for Batman in size than the lanky, slightly pathetic character from the show.
The Condiment King Build-a-Figure. Note his oversized scale compared to standard figures.
Paying $120 for five figures in this wave raises the question of value. Based on the quality, the answer is likely no. The paint application is not only a poor artistic choice but also often sloppy. Batman’s cape feels cheap, and the articulation cuts, particularly the torso cut on Batman and the hips on Freeze and Robin, are visually unappealing. Scarecrow is the only figure that comes close to justifying the price, but he still doesn’t feel like a $30 toy. All figures feel fragile and cheap to handle. Moving the thin limbs or swapping hands is a poor experience. Their poor poseability means there’s little temptation to interact with them much anyway.
The Vehicles: A Brighter Spot?
What prompted this review, despite the figure disappointments, were the vehicles McFarlane also reissued: the Batcycle and Batmobile, with the Batwing and previously unreleased Jokermobile also planned or available. Initially, these vehicles were pricey but appealing. However, I acquired both on significant sale. The Batcycle, originally priced around $40-50, was purchased for $10. At full price, it’s decent; at $10, it’s an absolute steal. It’s a straightforward re-release of the original DC Direct bike and base. It features battery-operated lights (requiring the button to be held) and a reversible base (Batcave or street) allowing the bike to be tilted, with a “swoosh” effect piece. Unlike the figures, the applied cel-shading on the Batcycle is excellent, using blue highlights that make it strongly resemble the show’s design. It includes an alternate helmeted head for Batman (though a similar one for Robin would have been welcome). The tires are rubber, and the vehicle feels solid. For the price I paid, it’s terrific.
The Batcycle reissue from McFarlane’s BTAS line.
The Batcycle with its display base.
The Batcycle reissue, highlighting its cel-shaded paint application.
The Batmobile shares similar positive qualities regarding its re-release. While not fully painted like the Batcycle, the sides are black and the top is a dark blue, better matching the show’s appearance than the original all-black version. The canopy slides forward, accommodating two figures. The steering wheel telescopes for easier figure placement. A light-up feature illuminates the dashboard (made of transparent plastic), headlights, interior, rear lights, and the thruster. It’s also massive, measuring about 25.5 inches long and over 8.5 inches wide—a definite shelf hog. Being mostly hollow plastic, it lacks the solid feel of the Batcycle. It features nice rubber tires with steerable front wheels (not connected to the steering wheel). The MSRP is $80, but I bought it for $40 on sale, and some have found it even cheaper. At $80, it’s a luxury item for dedicated fans with space. At $40, it’s a great deal, even if you’re unsure where to display it. Below that price, it’s a must-buy. While I don’t buy toys as investments, purchasing this Batmobile under $40 and holding onto it would likely yield a profit later.
The McFarlane Batmobile reissue from the BTAS line.
Comparing the massive size of the McFarlane Batmobile to a standard Hot Wheels vehicle.
The interior of the Batmobile, designed to fit two figures.
The light-up feature on the Batmobile’s dashboard.
Illuminated headlights on the McFarlane BTAS Batmobile.
Rear view of the Batmobile showing the light-up thruster.
The Batmobile interior with figures placed inside, illustrating space and fit.
Final Thoughts on the McFarlane Batman The Animated Series Wave 1
McFarlane’s venture into reissuing the old BTAS toy line presents a mixed bag. On the one hand, it’s commendable that these molds are back on the market, making previously expensive figures accessible again. I initially bought Freeze and Scarecrow because I’m a fan of Mr. Freeze and thought Scarecrow looked decent. I only recently acquired Batman and Robin specifically to pair with the Batmobile, drawn in by a great sale price on the vehicle which then incentivized buying the figures (a clever marketing strategy). Scarecrow remains a passable figure; he’s limited in poseability but looks the part, which is likely the priority for collectors of a BTAS line. The Condiment King BAF is a fun inclusion with a good sculpt, though his scale is a significant issue. Mr. Freeze is imperfect and overpriced. Batman and Robin are arguably quite bad. Why did I feel compelled to buy them just to put them in a car? My older DC Direct Batman figure, with his rigid plastic cape, doesn’t fit well in the Batmobile, and frankly, he looks better and I prefer him displayed prominently rather than hidden away. These McFarlane versions, unfortunately, are fine for hiding.
The Batmobile alongside some figures from the wave, highlighting the vehicle’s appeal despite figure flaws.
Ultimately, if you desire a quality BTAS Batman figure, tracking down an original dc collectibles batman animated series release might be the better option. The McFarlane Batman and Robin figures from this wave are simply not worth the price, and unlike the vehicles, they rarely seem to go on sale. Mr. Freeze and Scarecrow aren’t worth $30 either, though Scarecrow is the least regrettable purchase if you must get one. The vehicles, however, are great, especially when found on sale. If you collect the original DC Direct line and missed the vehicles, reconsider. The Batcycle is particularly cool and display-friendly. The Batmobile is large and presents display challenges, but it’s a fantastic value at a discounted price. This experience even has me contemplating the huge Batwing reissue. While I know I shouldn’t, finding it for $40 would make it hard to resist. As for the figure line itself, I sincerely hope McFarlane invests in improving future waves—better hips, better ankles, and either figure out proper cel-shading or abandon the attempt. No collector would be upset if the figures improved. This line seems driven solely by love for the show because better alternatives in this scale are scarce and unlikely to appear soon.
