Review – Batman Blox

Funko’s Blox series of vinyl toys (Amazon.com search*) continues the company’s tradition of awesome sculpts with poor-quality paint apps. The SDCC exclusive Franken Berry Blox (review here) frustrated me, as did other Funko toys, but I just cannot deny that their sculpts are fantastic and keep drawing me back. And now Batman has joined the other toys in my collection . . . but how’s the paint?

Unique Sculpts

One of the things that impresses me most about Funko’s various designer toys is that the company seems to skip the concept of platform toys — stock molds in which the paint apps define the character — and instead focus on unique sculpts for each character that they release. This is expensive since the company has to pay for sculpts and tooling for every character in their line, but the company must be happy with their system since they continue to use original sculpts. And the results are incredible. Batman here, as you can see, has his own special look and I feel that the artist really sunk a lot of love into the toy’s sculpt and gave us something that’s very special.

In Batman’s case, the two parts of the sculpt that I love most are the mismatched ears — they just don’t even come close to being identical — and the texture and detail in the utility belt. Rather than painting on the belt they sculpted it, and they even went so far as to sculpt the details in the belt. Yeah, those are my favorite points but in terms of sculpt I have absolutely no complaints with the toy’s design. This is a blocky, angular Batman toy that is cute and looks so neat that I can’t help but love it.

Bad Paint

Now this isn’t the worst example of Funko’s poor paint apps, but Batman suffers from the usual spillover and sloppiness that tarnishes each and every Funko toy that I buy. PLEASE, Funko, raise your prices by a couple of bucks per toy and spend more money on the paint apps. You have really fun sculpts that are being damaged by bad paint. Rough, uneven, jagged, and just simply terrible paint apps that take away from all of the work and skill you’ve sunk into the sculpts.

Still No Articulation

The action figure fans in the audience will be annoyed that this Batman toy has zero points of articulation. The toy just stands there and looks cool and you have no options at all in posing him; well, except for how you face him on your shelf. The lack of poseability bothers me a little, but again the sculpt is so neat that I’m happy to have Batman on my shelf and can live with the fact that I can’t turn his head or raise his arm.

Closing Thoughts

Funko’s Blox series (Amazon.com search*) isn’t perfect, but if you can get past the horrible paint apps and see the sculpts then I think you’ll find a range of fun, kinda silly toys that look even better in a group than as single pieces. I’m not sure if I’ll grab as many of these as I will the Pop! Vinyl toys, but no matter what there will definitely be more Blox purchases in my future.

Philip Reed hopes someone at Funko sees this review and considers improving their paint apps.