Bane

Review by Optimal III

The first of wave of DC and Mattel's new (back in 2006) venture actually consists of repaints and retools from the last wave of the previous Batman toy line that Mattel had been cranking out. Good news (sort of) is that the Four Horsemen were already involved by this point.

It's also all Batman-related at first. For the life of this line, it was nothing but Batman and and Superman stuff, because that's all Mattel could get licenses for at the time.

Not too much to see here, because Bane's design is sort of simple. First thing I noticed was how wide his stance is. Kind of ridiculous at first thought, but since these toys don't have ball-jointed hips at this point, it works for him. He's very top-heavy.

All black, very tactical. Feet swing at the ankles, knees bend back, and hips swing forward.

I love comic books, and I read my fair share of DC, but I'll be the first person to tell you DC in general sucks, especially compared to Marvel. To that end and point, you'll really only need exposure to two things to get Bane.

I do like his overall sculpt. It does capture the essence of the comics. That tube of venom looks pretty cool too.

If you want to know about Bane in less than 30 minutes, look up the episode by that same name from Batman: the Animated Series. It's an excellent 22 minutes of animation.

Hands rotate at the wrists, elbows bend in, and his shoulders are ball-jointed. Kind of real too, in that their range of motion is actually limited the way human anatomy dictates.

If you'd rather read about Bane, then you're looking at bargain bin issues or TPBs of the KnightSaga, officially known in these three parts: KnightFall, KnightQuest, and KnightsEnd. It wasn't his debut, but it was his breakout onto the major scene, and the biggest Batman story line ever up to then, the biggest since the death of Jason Todd (the second Robin) and Barbara Gordon (the original Batgirl) becoming paralyzed.

The tube moves with his arm, no problem. It being rubber makes sense, but I wonder why they made his shirt rubber too. You couldn't remove it without tearing it, but it does move.

Is that supposed to be stubbly hair, or does he wax?

His belt of looks like a crime-fighter's utility belt. Bane has a rotating waist joint.

S&M for the win.

Bane is one of Batman's deadliest, most intelligent foes. But at the end of the day, you can sum him up in three catchphrases, regardless of how good or bad his position is.

Catchphrase #1...

Catchphrase #2...

Catchphrase #3...

He is Bane, he will (try to) break you, and he wants you to scream his name. Always.

Detective Comics #736 dropped in September 1999. On paper, it should be an excellent comic. It features Batman & Bane, was writing by Larry Hama, and was penciled by Mike Deodato. But it isn't anything too special. The art is solid, but Deodato looks best when colored by Rain Beredo.

Besides that, this issue is in the middle of an event story line, No Man's Land. Basically, Gotham City is separated from its surroundings by a massive earthquake. Lawlessness and the like ensues, etc. Not a story I'd go out of my way to read.

The overall quality of this figure is better than the Spider-Man Classics I've reviewed so far. But Bane pales to them when it comes to articulation. He also loses points for not having a great comic, and having no kind of stand or any other accessory.

DC and Mattel get some slack because this is them at the beginning of their best work together. But there is a lot of room for improvement. And this isn't cheap. You'll spend $30+ to pick Bane up. Not sure if he's worth it. You also might prefer the later repaint with camo pants and a teddy bear (seriously). Recommended for Bane-a-holics. I'd say Four Horsemen fans too, but I think they buy anything the 4H touch anyways.