Review – Kenner Legends of Batman, Dark Rider Batman

I think it’s time we take another look back almost twenty years at Kenner’s Legends of Batman (Amazon.com search*) action figure series. Today’s review is of a toy from 1994 that’s not nearly as awesome up close at it can look in photos. But it’s still incredibly fun. Why is that? Keep right on reading and I’ll tell you everything.

Packaging

Kenner created original artwork for the Dark Rider Batman and seemed to love it so much that they used the same artwork on both the front and back of the box; the two sides are identical! Any information about the toy, including the backstory and instructions, is shown on the sides of the box (see below). It’s an attractive enough box, but both Batman and his horse look just slightly off and unusual in that painting. Maybe the artist used the toys as reference? That would certainly explain why Batman looks a little squat in the painting.

Ride, Batman!

Standing 5-inches tall and roughly 8-inches long, Batman’s horse has zero points of articulation and is more a small statue than it is an action figure. The saddle and harness are permanently attached to the odd-looking horse and the sculpt is clean — very smooth lines and professionally done — but the horse also looks as if it has been compressed and has unusual proportions. Those legs, for example, feel awfully fat and stubby for such a big beast.

Silly, but Very Fun!

Though I may be less than glowing in my words about the horse, I have to admit that Batman on a horse is just too cool for this not to be at least a little fun. And as the Dark Rider Batman review at ThEpic Review says:

My love for this figure doesn’t have any rhyme or reason to it, but I don’t feel it needs to; this is simply a mighty cool toy that is indicative of the weird, wild, wacky things Kenner was willing to do with the Batman license.

So very true! And the black and gold coloring of the horse makes it even better and makes it easy for me to look beyond the odd sculpt and proportions of the horse . . . and I can see beyond Batman’s “I ride now” pose.

A Whip and Sword

Batman’s action feature is a hidden lever (look under the cape!) that triggers his right arm, causing the toy to use its whip on the villains. The whip is made of a very soft plastic and it curls and flips everywhere, resisting almost every attempt that I make to pose the whip in a meaningful way. And the sword? How can a Zorro-like Batman action figure not come with a sword?

The Kenner Five

Neck, hips, and shoulders are articulated and that is all, and it works for kids who want to play with a Batman on horseback. The Batman action figure looks really odd standing on his own, but once you place him in the saddle the bowed legs work just fine with the total package. The sculpt of the figure isn’t some of Kenner’s best work of the era, but it works and there’s no doubt in my mind that this is definitely Batman.

Closing Thoughts

Compared to the action figures of today the entire Legends of Batman series (Amazon.com search*) looks a little crude, but the fun and excitement behind all of the designs is so strong that I can overlook the simple, unusual sculpts and designs of the figures in the line.

Dark Rider Batman isn’t the greatest Batman action figure in my collection, but between the black and gold coloring and the horse statue it’s one of the really great stars of the old Legends of Batman series. I am sure that if I had reviewed this two decades ago I would have been far more critical of everything about the toy, but today I can sit back and say:

This is a fun toy. And that’s ultimately what is most important when it comes to the design of an action figure and its accessories.