Review: LEGO Batman Movie Minifigure Series
January 1, 2017
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Time to end 2016 on a high note with a review of one of the most anticipated LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series yet, the LEGO Batman Movie Series!
I’m extremely excited to be able to finally bring you my review of the LEGO Batman Movie Series, which will be officially released worldwide on 1 January 2017. You can buy them from LEGO’s online shop or you should be able to find them at your local toy store.
The series, which features a whopping 20 minifigs to collect and hunt down is probably one of the most eagerly awaited sets of 2017, given the enormous hype and anticipation of the LEGO Batman Movie which debuts in cinemas worldwide on 9 February 2017, except for Australia and New Zealand, where we get the movie 48 days later simply because Village Roadshow are a bunch of turds.
If you’d like to check out some of my previous LEGO Minifigure reviews, check out the Minifigure Series Reviews section in the Review Hub.
LEGO have set the bar really high in 2016, with the much-beloved Disney Series, Series 16 and Series 15 all being stellar outings.
Tying it in with The LEGO Batman Movie, which I believe will eclipse The LEGO Movie’s performance at the box office, this series should become one of LEGO’s most popular.
If you’re new to LEGO’s Collectible Minifigure Series, you get a “random” minifigure in each blind bag which will cost AU$6 ($4 in the US) and there are a total of 20 to collect. These series usually only have 16 to collect, but LEGO decided to go all out with The LEGO Batman Movie Series, with 20 in an entire set.
Interestingly, this also marks LEGO’s first Superhero-themed Minifigure Series, which is something that fans have been clamouring for for years.
I’ve also heard (from numerous sources) that the LEGO Batman Movie Series is going to be a very small run (at least initially) in Australia. We’re talking LEGO Disney Series small, which probably means that whatever boxes that are on sale are probably going to sell out really fast.
My advice? Don’t wait around and secure your set immediately if this is on your radar. The Disney Series was notoriously popular and in the first few months, shortages and people trying to profiteer of fans were rampant due to the low supply of sets on the market. No idea if this will be the case worldwide, but I wouldn’t be surprised.
Here’s a look at the leaflet included in each blind bag which serves as a checklist for all the characters in the series. As I mentioned above, the appearance of the “Limited Edition” label on this leaflet is certainly cause for concern and I suspect that LEGO have added that there to manage expectations if this Series sells out really quickly.
On the other side, we have an ad for the LEGO Batman Movie Website and instructions on how to assemble Red Hood, Glam Metal Batman and Fairy Batman. There’s also a teaser for the next Minifigure Series, which should be Series 17 which will be released in May 2017.
For a set with 20 minifigures to collect, I’m really glad that LEGO retained the 3 full sets per box (of 60) ratio. The box breakdown of The LEGO Batman Movie Series is thus very straight forward, with 3 of each character in each box. Simple!
3x Lobster-Lovin’ Batman
3x Dick Grayson
3x Arkham Asylum Joker
3x Nurse Harley Quinn
3x Commissioner Gordon
3x Barbara Gordon
3x Glam Metal Batman
3x Clan of the Cave Batman
3x Vacation Batman
3x Fairy Batman
3x Pink Power Batgirl
3x Catman
3x Red Hood
3x Calculator
3x Zodiac Master
3x Orca
3x King Tut
3x March Harriet
3x Eraser
3x Mime
If you click the name of each minifigure, you’ll instantly jump to the corresponding minifigure review! For the “feelers out there”, my reviews also contain a “How To Find One” section with actual tips on how you can best identify the minifigs in their blind bags.
If you’re new to my LEGO Minifigure reviews, I use a 5-point scale review scale to rate each minifig. Here’s what the numbers mean!
5/5 – I love it
4/5 – I really like it
3/5 – I like it
2/5 – I don’t like it
1/5 – I didn’t really like it
0/5 – I hate it
Now all of the formalities are out of the way, let’s get into the review. It’s my biggest Minifigure review yet with 20 characters, so this is going to be quite a lengthy read! Grab a beverage of your choice, get comfortable, and dig in!
Lobster-lovin’ Batman
We got our very first look at Lobster-Lovin’ Batman in the first LEGO Batman Movie teaser which introduced us to Batman when he gets home after a long day of crime fighting and being awesome. Trading in his Batsuit for a more comfortable and luxurious bathrobe that’s a direct reference to Hugh Hefner, who is also coincidentally a billionaire (?) playboy!
I really like the bathrobe, it has a regal geometric pattern across it and I also like that you can see Batman’s muscular torso, and also the highly suggestive thigh split.
The accessories included are the best part. I absolutely LOVE the new Lobster piece. It’s just downright adorable, thanks to its beady little eyes and a front runner of one of my favourite new LEGO animals of 2016. I really hope we get to see more Lobsters being used in other sets.
I was also delighted (and surprised) to discover that the dish is printed with some bits of lettuce and some dressing.
Here’s a look at the back printing. Unfortunately, the technology still isn’t quite there for us to get prints on the back of LEGO minifigure legs!
Here’s a look at Lobster-lovin’ Batman’s arm & leg print, as well as his head under the classic cowl.
I’m pretty happy about Lobster-Lovin’ Batman, he’s got a really useful torso that can easily be reused for other minifigures and I’m absolutely in love with the Lobster. In fact, I think the Lobster on its own, is the MVP and competely steals the thunder from Bat Hefner.
How To Find One: Try feeling for the dish, which has a circular shape, with a rounded brim and a hole at the bottom that fits the stud.
Minifig Rating: 3/5
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson aka Robin who is voiced by the ultra-adorable Michael Cera looks set to steal the limelight from Bats in The LEGO Batman Movie thanks to his wimpy take on the Boy Wonder.
This casual version of Dick Grayson is one of the few appearances without his Robin Costume. Dressed in a red sweater and blue denim pants, Dick has got the preppy look down to a T. He comes with a new headpiece, which has his oversized glasses fused together with the hairpiece and a cheery smile.
Most people are undoubtedly going to focus on the can of Shark Repellent, a brilliant nod to one of the most iconic (in a so bad its good way) scenes from Adam West’s 1960s Batman series which sees Batman struggling against a rubber shark, before Robin swoops in to save the day with some Shark Repellent.
I’m so glad that this LEGO Batman Movie seems to be so self-aware in all the best ways. Bonus points that the 1 x 1 round brick is printed as well!
That said, the Shark Repellent isn’t my favourite thing about the Dick Grayson minifigure – it’s actually the tiny little robins printed on both the front and back of his red jumper which are utterly adorable.
I quite like Dick Grayson – the casualwear works really well for him, and like Lobster-Lovin’ Batman, you can easily reuse his torso and legs for other minifigures. The can of Shark Repellent is a cute little touch and there’s plenty of comedic potential begging to realised, but it doesn’t make me wish that we got another more substantial accessory.
How To Find One: Dick Grayson is a bit of a tricky one to feel for. Your best shot is to feel for the round 1 x 1 brick, but just be sure that you don’t accidentally confuse it with Eraser’s head, which has a similar shape.
Minifig Rating: 3/5
Arkham Asylum Joker
The Clown Prince of Crime himself, The Joker comes dressed in his inmate orange overalls, as a result of his incarceration in Arkham Asylum. It’s not truly unique , as it’s pretty much the same as the one from 70912 Arkham Asylum with only a different face.
As Arkham Asylum is a pretty pricey set that’s probably out of reach for most fans, it’s still a decent way to get your hands on the Arkham Asylum Joker. The orange prison costume is quite eye-catching – I like the Arkham name badge printed on its back.
It diminishes the utility of the torso, but it’s still useful, especially if you’re working on some sort of Orange is the New Black MOC.
Of note is Joker’s fantastic new hairpiece and face. Given that he’s quite a big fixture in The LEGO Batman Movie sets, you’re probably going to end up with multiples of him. I do like both his faces, especially the alternate face which has an incredibly sad face, complete with teary eyes.
The accessory is a bit of a letdown, just a regular pair of grey handcuffs which are extremely common. Given that The Joker is really common in the LEGO Batman Movie sets, the Arkham Asylum Joker only gives you a unique Joker head, which for the price that you’re paying per blind bag, is pretty poor value.
I just wish that we’d gotten a more unique Joker Costume because this one falls on the uninteresting side of the spectrum.
How To Find One: Joker is a bit tricky to find as the handcuffs are his only defining accessory. This can be a little confusing as Barbara Gordon has a pair of handcuffs too. To differentiate them, Barbara Gordon has more accessories (a round 1×1 tile and 1×1 square stud) but alternatively, you can try feeling for The Joker’s hairpiece, which is quite large and has a hard, defined ridges.
Minifig Rating: 2/5
Nurse Harley Quinn
Nurse Harley Quinn is one of the highlights of the LEGO Batman Movie Minifigure Series, and this Nurse variant is right up there as one of the best Harley Quinn variants ever. As I raved in my review of 70906 The Joker Notorious Lowrider, this version of Harley Quinn is my favourite take on the iconic DC Comics character.
Her nurse costume is brilliant, with plenty of cool details such as the stethoscope, and I also really like the red lining on her lab coat, The print is sensational, especially her boots. Her hairpiece is immaculate and is quite possibly one of the best LEGO hairpieces ever produced.
Here’s a look at her back printing. You can also see that her Nurse Hat is detachable – it’s a small accessory that fits into a small hole in her hairpiece.
My favourite thing about Nurse Harley Quinn is her arm print, where you can see the clearly defined pink surgical gloves. Here, you can also see the printed tile, which has The Joker’s file, followed with some lovey dovey scribbles.
This is a minifigure variant done right, as it’s unique, and perfectly complements Dr Harleen Quinzel from 70912 Arkham Asylum. I’m very impressed with Nurse Harley Quinn and she’s hands down one of the best minifigures in this series.
Her design is outstanding, filled with so much personality and flavour that makes good use of a unique slot in this Minifigure Series.
How To Find One: Harley Quinn’s big hairpiece is quite easy to feel for, as its hard and you should try to feel for her two pigtails. Try and picture her hairpiece as an M-shaped piece with a rounded bit in the middle. To confirm, try and feel for her 2 x 2 tile, but be careful that you don’t confuse it with Commissioner Gordon or Eraser.
Minifig Rating: 5/5
Commissioner Gordon
Commissioner Gordon is widely regarded as Batman’s BFF and one of his biggest allies in the fight against crime in Gotham. The Police Commissioner is a grizzled man of integrity and is one of the few people who has deduced Batman’s identity. His personality is reflected very well in this minifigure, as James Gordon has all the trappings of a serious police officer.
For a film that has a decidedly lighter and zanier tone, the Commissioner Gordon minifigure has a much more serious tone, which I think provides a bit of nice variety in this Series.
His torso and leg print is excellent, with a grey vest, messy red tie against a crumpled shirt and handgun holsters. The print on his legs are great as well, I really like his detailed belt and GCPD badge.
Back printing is almost a given with Minifigures in 2017.
When I first saw photos of Gordon, I dismissed his hairpiece as being a recolour of Obi Wan Kenobi Clone Wars hairdo, but it turns out that it’s a new mould with a bit more hair volume. A very nice surprise!
The differences are pretty subtle that it took me awhile to pick up on them, but new hairpieces are always very welcome. Oh, and he has bits of grey hair peeking out the sides too.
Commissioner Gordon comes with a Walkie Talkie piece, one of the new ones with a more detailed grill on the back.
The most interesting accessory is the Wanted Poster tile, featuring The Joker. These will be great to hang up around Gotham. Printed tiles are LEGO’s go-to accessory in Minifigure Series if they don’t want to introduce a new part, but want to still give fans a unique “part”.
I’m mostly very happy with Commissioner Gordon – his minifigure design nails the quintessential “detective’ look and as a bonus, it’s relatively easy to repurpose his torso and legs for other minifigures. I also liked that he’s not “flesh coloured” – more diversity thanks to Gordon’s tanned skin is always a good thing.
How To Find One: To feel for Commissioner Gordon, your best bet is to try and identify the walkie talkie by using its thin antennae that’s attached to the body. The walkie talkie should feel like a slightly chunkier 2 x 1 plate which has a long thin spoke emerging out of it, and quite an easily identifiable handle as well.
Minifig Rating: 4/5
Barbara Gordon
Up next is James Gordon’s daughter, Barbara Gordon who appears in a slightly more formal and ceremonial police uniform. The navy blue uniform has a decent amount of detail, with the red sash being the most prominent feature.
She comes with a pair of handcuffs, and some sort of Bat-button which I’m assuming is some sort of buzzer to get Batman’s attention. Either that or its a Batman-themed cake or something. The tile with the Batlogo is printed, which is always a nice touch.
Here’s a look at Barbara’s back printing and arm printing, which has the GCPD badge on it. By far the best thing about Barbara Gordon is her hat, which has her red hair fused to make a single piece. I’m starting to warm up to these “hats with hair” accessories, as it allows minifigures to have some headgear on and not have their hair completely vanish.
Barbara Gordon is a bit on the plain side for a minifigure in this series. It’s a well designed minifigure, but sadly she doesn’t find herself on equal footing with the slightly more zany and outlandish minifigures in this series.
At the very least, she combos quite well with her dad and they both look nice when displayed together.
How To Find One: The smaller bits, namely the 1 x 1 stud and the 1 x 1 tile are your best shot at identifying Barbara. To do that, you should try and vigorously shake the bag to let the small pieces fall to the corner. Alternatively, you can also feel for her police hat, which has a flat top, and a large, bulbous and rough bottom part where her hair is.
Minifig Rating: 2/5
Glam Metal Batman
For the first of Batman’s outrageous costumes, Glam Metal Batman serves as the perfect love letter to the Glam Rock bands of the 1970s, known for their flamboyant outfits and larger than life personas, complete with metallic spikes, studs and face paint.
It’s a brilliant homage to the band KISS, and I can totally picture Batman rocking out and singing his infamous song from 2014’s The LEGO Movie (Darkness! No parents!!) in this outfit.
There’s so much to love about Glam Metal Batman. Where do I begin? Firstly, I love the Bat-symbol printed on his cowl in silvery paint. His leather top with the deep-V revealing his muscular torso is also great, I really like the studs on it and the Bat-belt-buckle down the middle.
His spiky shoulderpads are also really cool, and they can be re-used in a whole myriad of ways. The printing on his legs are also nice and I like the new black electric guitar, which is a recolour of the one found with Series 12’s Rock Star – a guitar that’s loosely based on the Dean ML.
Do note that the cape is supposed to go over the spiked shoulderpads! I kinda like it better with the spiked shoulderpads being more prominent which is why I photographed it this way!
Here’s a look at Bruce Wayne’s face beneath the cowl, which funnily enough, has a bit of a quizzical expression. One of the things that I like about this series and all the Batman minifigures is that we get so many different facial expressions for Batman, instead of the usual curt smile and teeth baring angry look of determination.
That said, I would love it if we had gotten a face with a tongue sticking out ala Gene Simmons from KISS!
Glam Metal Batman is an excellent Batman costume. It hits all the right notes in that it’s something you can totally picture Batman (from The LEGO Movie universe) doing in his free time, it’s got a fantastic design, is inspired by pop culture and has the perfect mix of new and recoloured accessories. It also screams a lot of fun!
How To Find One: The electric guitar is the easiest way to identify Glam Metal Batman. Look out for the long and thin neck which extends into the forked body which also feels like a lumpy X-shaped piece.
Minifig Rating: 4/5
Clan of the Cave Batman
Clan of the Cave Batman is what happens when you cross Bruce Wayne and a prehistoric era Caveman. I’m not completely sure of the significance of “Clan of the Cave” (Google returns nothing) but the closest tie-in would probably be The Return of Bruce Wayne where Batman has to traverse through historical settings after Darkseid drops him in the distant past.
It’s an interesting take on Batman, while not being the most exciting or outlandish. The costume is well designed, I really like the crude stitches on Batman’s cowl and his caveman toga has a great Leopard (Sabretooth Tiger?) prints on it, as well as a stone plaque with the Batman logo around his neck.
I have to say, LEGO’s printing has gained incredible strides in recent months, as the transition of the printing from torso to legs is almost seamless as you can see in this example. Not sure if mine was a special case, but I didn’t quite like that Batman’s eyes didn’t line up properly with the cowl’s eyeholes.
Here’s a look at Batman’s face, and the print on the side of the arm and legs. The leg printing unfortunately looks quite out of place, as it doesn’t match up with the plain torso side – maybe one day when the technology catches up, we’ll get a well-rounded paintjob on minifigures.
Accessory-wise, we get a wooden club, which is decent but not terribly exciting. As a Batman minifigure, Clan of the Cave Batman is honestly quite boring as the whole Caveman aesthetic doesn’t appeal strongly to me. The lack of humour or “cool-factor” also kinda hurts his desirability.
How To Find One: To find Clan of the Cave Batman, your best bet will be his club, which is quite large and has little “thorns” or spikes sticking out that feel quite sharp if you apply pressure with your fingers.
Minifig Rating: 2/5
Vacation Batman
The very idea of Batman taking a holiday in a sunny location by the beach is downright laughable, which is what makes Vacation Batman such a stellar minifigure!
From his goggles that are fused to his cowl (didn’t know they could do that!), to his Bat-print swimsuit which is a-mazing and of course, the yellow rubber duckie float (complete with eye-mask!), there’s so much to love about the absurdity of this minifigure.
Here’s a look at the back and arm print of Batman’s swimsuit, which is endearingly childish, like something you’d see in the kids section at Kmart. He also has a regular face which I unfortunately didn’t take a photo of, without the silly jogger band on his forehead.
The rubber duckie float absolutely steals the show and is one of the most amazing minifigure accessories that LEGO have ever crafted. Firstly, it’s made out of solid plastic and feels great in your hand.
The moulding is exceptional, especially with the tiny ridges all around the brim which accurately capture what floats look like in real life. The eye mask on the duck is icing on an already very delicious cake.
Vacation Batman is a winner through and through, most notably because of the float. It’s such a great accessory that I’ll have no qualms picking up several blind bags when they hit store shelves just so that I can assemble a floatilla (heh) of rubber duckie floats.
It’s a bit of a shame that the float doesn’t actually float. I guess if LEGO had willed it so, they could’ve probably hollowed out the float and filled it with air. The photo above was achieved with some sticky tape 😉
Vacation Batman is my second favourite Batman minifigure in this series. No prizes for guessing which one claims first place!
How To Find One: The float is extremely easy to feel for. It’s very large, and has a rigid feel to it so you can’t quite miss it. The rounded curves and the square indent in the middle should make it very easy to identify.
Minifig Rating: 5/5
Fairy Batman
If Batman on Vacation is outrageous, Batman in a pink ballerina costume, complete with tutu and fairy wings is just pure unadulterated absurdity. Fairy Batman is a revelation, and quite possibly, not joking in the slightest, the BEST Batman costume ever.
There’s just something about Batman in a skintight leotard and bright pink tutu that makes you love what LEGO has done with the LEGO Batman Movie. Batman never does half-asses things, so when he embraces his girly side, he goes full throttle.
I love the pink cowl and most of all, his unimpressed smile which is most likely a nod to McKayla Maroney’s iconic photo turned meme when she won silver at the 2012 Olympics.
Here’s a look at Batman’s face under the cowl, as well as the arm printing and side leg printing. I really like the ubiquity of leg printing, as his shoe straps look great from the side.
The LEGO Minifigure Series has always been an avenue where Minifigure Designs could flourish in a less restrictive setting, and Fairy Batman represents the continuation of this proud tradition. Fairy Batman is hands down the best minifigure out of this entire Series, and I will most likely be buying multiples of him to assemble my very own troupe of Bat-let dancers.
How To Find One: There are two easy ways to identify Fairy Batman – first being his wings which are made of rigid plastic. You can easily tell that you have the wings by feeling for its X-shape and confirming it by feeling for the neck clip. Secondly, you can also try feeling for his tutu, which is equally rigid and is quite large with a frilled texture around it.
Minifig Rating: 5/5
Pink Power Batgirl
Batman isn’t the only one embracing all things pink, as Batgirl aka Barbara Gordon also wants in on the girly action with the Pink Power Batgirl suit. As the movie isn’t out yet, I’m not sure what this costume has to play in the movie, but for the most part, it’s a fun and brightly coloured take on Batgirl.
In addition to a Pink eyemask and cape, Batgirl also sports a pink Batarang, the ultimate accessory to fight crime while looking fabulous at the same time. She also has a pink skirt piece, which we first saw in the Disney series that adds an extra touch of girliness to the entire package.
Batgirl comes with her new hairpiece, which is orangey red, and has a shiny silver hairtie in her ponytail. It’s a nice looking hairpiece, that I welcome adding to my collection. From this view, you can also see her pink cufflets on her arms.
Pink Power Batgirl also has an alternate face, which has a slightly more serious expression which is a nice touch since there aren’t too many dual-sided faces in this series (Joker being the other). Without her skirt.. I have to say that her legs are a tad suggestive.
Pink Power Batgirl doesn’t have the same “shock value” as Fairy Batman, but is still a great alternative costume to the typical Batgirl suit and as a DC Comics fan and collector, makes for a wonderful addition to my collection of costumed heroes.
How To Find One: To identify Pink Power Batgirl, your best shot is to feel for her skirt, which is hard and has a distinct wavy shape all across the piece. It has a deep indent and is quite large which should make it quite easy to feel for.
Minifig Rating: 3/5
Catman
First of all, let’s get one thing clear. Catman isn’t an alternate Batman costume, however much he looks like him. And no, Bruce Wayne doesn’t have some weird obsession with cosplaying as a Cat. Catman is a villain in the DC Comics universe, not a terribly popular one, but in recent times, he’s gotten a lot less lame.
Catman isn’t just a budget male Catwoman. Sure, he did start off as a bit of a joke, but DC Comics writers eventually turned him into quite a formidable foe, transforming Catman into a tracker that could square off against Batman. He was also an integral part of the Secret Six series, a criminally underrated comic book that also showcases his bromance with Deadshot.
Catman’s colours do bear a curious resemblance to classic Wolverine, which is probably not a coincidence. He comes with a brown Batman cowl with short ears, as well as a pair of claws. His costume is fairly average, with your stock standard muscle definition and his signature three cat scratches on his chest.
I do like the brown utility belt, and its nice that they’re producing this accessory in colours other than yellow. Without the cowl, Catman could pass off as Batman, with just a bit more facial hair.
Catman may be considered a D-list villain in the DC Comics Universe, but I think that they did him justice as a minifigure. It’s not the most exciting minifigure of this series, but it does add some variety to LEGO DC Comics minifigures. For hardcore DC fans, any new character, however obscure he or she is, is always going to be a good thing.
How To Find One: Catman is going to be quite tricky to feel for as the only defining accessory is his claws, which are quite small. Try and feel for their triangular shape where the claws are a little soft and flexible.
Minifig Rating: 3/5
Red Hood
In a Series filled with obscure, D-list Batman villains, the inclusion of the Red Hood is bound to delight DC fans. This also marks Red Hood’s second appearance as a LEGO minifigure, and I’m delighted that they did an awesome job with his design.
Update: This version of the Red Hood with the giant red dome is a nod to to the Joker version, and the one with the face below is probably a nod to Jason Todd. Thanks to Batzack for the correction!
Red Hood is the alias of Jason Todd, which may sound familiar to you, as prior to donning Red Hood, Jason was fighting crime as Robin alongside Batman. He was then famously killed off by The Joker, before being resurrected, becoming an antihero and taking on the Red Hood mantle. Batman regularly deals with the guilt and regret of letting Jason die at the hands of The Joker, making him an integral part of the DC mythos.
The Red Hood minifigure is nothing short of exceptional – he comes with a red shoulderpad armour thingy, and a stylish 3-piece suit underneath it all. He comes equipped with 2 Uzis, a relatively rare LEGO weapon that I’m glad is making a return in this Series.
He has an opaque red dome piece that fits snugly on top of his shoulder armour. It’s a little large and does make Red Hood look a little comical.
Pop open the Red Hood, and you get to see the Red Hood’s face, which conveniently enough also has a Red Hood and looks a lot more comic-accurate. I like this minifigure head design a lot more than the one in 76055 Killer Croc Sewer Smash as this one looks a lot more terrifying.
As a big fan of DC Comics, I am beyond thrilled with this version of Red Hood. The armour piece and the red dome may look a little over the top at times, but I appreciate the flexibility afforded by swapping them out.
Red Hood is a truly versatile minifigure and one of the standout minifigs in The LEGO Batman Movie series.
How To Find One: Red Hood’s massive dome is really easy to feel. Just find the large curved top and the empty part on the bottom and you’re gold.
Minifig Rating: 5/5
Calculator
For obscure D-list Batman villains, look no further than the Calculator, a genius mathematician supervillain that umm, probably uses sums to terrorise Gotham city. Or something like that! This version of the Calculator hearkens back to an early version of the supervillain, in which he has a Battlesuit with a large calculator in the chest area.
It’s a little funny that DC Comics didn’t phase him out, or merge him with some new supervillain called the Smartphone, since no one really uses calculators these days.
The white armour piece is a pretty sweet accessory, modelled after the armour piece that first made an appearance in Series 7’s Galaxy Patrol. He also has a helmet, which has the numbers 07734 displayed on the visor – HELLO for those that don’t get it. Just look at it upside down and it’ll make sense.
For a minifigure with a chunky armour piece, it’s very nice to get tons of printing throughout the Calculator’s body, especially on parts that are typically obscured. This also adds some extra versatility to the Calculator, as it allows him to look good even without the battle armour on.
As an added bonus, the printed calculator tile is a pretty nice accessory, except that it’s slightly inaccurate as there are only 9 buttons on the numberpad instead of 10. Maybe the calculator doesn’t use zeroes in his sums.
I’m mostly very impressed by the Calculator. For a pretty obscure villain with a “lame” superpower, the Calculator more than makes up for it by embracing the silliness of a character that can easily be replaced by a smartphone app. Having a great minifig design also adds to the Calculator’s appeal.
How To Find One: The Calculator’s armour is very large and chunky and is almost unmissable. I believe its the largest accessory in the entire series, so you can easily feel for it. It has a deep dip on the top, followed by a large gap at the bottom where the torso goes into, to help you visualise the shape of it.
Minifig Rating: 4/5
Zodiac Master
We continue the run of Z-list supervillains with Zodiac Master, yet another obscure Batman villain whose powers are… wait for it, based on predicting the future using astrology. Yes, he is that one person you know who constantly shares these Zodiac predictions on their Facebook page. You can trust me on this, because I’m a Gemini, and I’m full of shit.
Despite being a pretty silly concept for a Supervillain, it’s hard to fault Zodiac Master’s minifig design. He has a snazzy light blue costume, which has some of the (thanks Fiona!) all 12 Zodiac symbols plastered across his body.
Yes, they even extend all the way on his arms and legs. He also has a silver crab and fish – I’m not sure if the crab has ever been done in pearl silver before (I don’t think it has), so that’s kinda cool.
For such a silly supervillain, my expectations were decidedly low, but thanks to the decent printing across his body and the potential to maybe turn him into something cooler like the Zodiac Killer, I don’t completely hate it. In fact, he’s got a fair bit of charm purely because of how goofy he looks.
How To Find One: The Fish should be quite easy to find. It has a flat and curved body and a short gap before the tail which should be quite easy to feel for. It’s also worth a shot feeling for the crab, which is quite large and flat and has several pointy legs sticking out.
Minifig Rating: 3/5
Orca
Orca is yet another DC Comics villain that I would be unaware of, if not for The LEGO Batman Movie Minifigures. Google has revealed that Dr. Grace Balin was a marine biologist that got paralysed, before attempting to use some dodgy chemistry derived from a killer whale, which of course backfired and turned her into a strange Orca-Human mutant hybrid.
Pretty lame, so let’s cut to the chase. Orca uses Series 15’s Shark Suit Guy’s costume and flippers, except that this time, we get a lot more detail such as the evil red eyes, eyebrows (probably Orca patterns, but whatever) and of course is black in colour.
Because I’m terribly unfamiliar with the character, Orca doesn’t really do anything for me, but as its some sort of pseudo “animal suit”, it’s nice that LEGO are getting quite a bit of mileage out of this mould, and to get a recoloured shark costume.
It’s still pretty useful, as you can swap out this head for a regular minifig head to get a slightly sinister and evil-looking Orca costume!
Interestingly, Orca’s head is just a big wide mouth, complete with a tongue and uvula (the dangly thing behind your throat). The possibilities of using this for other applications, say if you had plans to build a large realistic human face tickle my fancy, and I can’t wait to see how this interesting headpiece will be used in the future.
It would make a great decorative item in the upcoming LEGO Assembly Square set, which has a Dentist’s office!
All in all, a pretty average minifigure with little to no appeal to me as a DC fan, but at the very least, we get a new recoloured Shark Costume which is a bit of a decent consolation.
How To Find One: Just like Shark Suit Guy, the Shark Costume is extremely easy to feel for as it has a large bulbous head, followed by a thin and rigid backbone that ends in the forked tail. The forked tail section is the easiest way to pick Orca out.
Minifig Rating: 3/5
King Tut
King Tut is an Egypt-obsessed villain who operates using a similar MO to The Riddler, leaving Ancient Egypt-type riddles after murders. Again, this isn’t a villain that I’m familiar with (a very common theme in this series), so the character appeal isn’t there.
But once you remove the context of the DC Universe from King Tut, he makes for a fantastic Egyptian Pharaoh, quite possibly one of the best depictions that LEGO have ever produced. One of my favourite LEGO themes is Pharaoh’s Quest, and King Tut will be able to effortlessly stroll into anyone of those sets.
King Tut has a new Pharaoh’s headgear, which is white with gold accents and some really detailed torso and leg printing. The rich red robes, coupled with the jewellery that includes a nice gold scarab beetle pendant makes him look suitably regal.
My favourite bit of detail on King Tut is his leg printing, especially on his left leg where you can see his striped undies.
As a generic minifigure, King Tut is pretty cool, and one of the best Ancient Egypt characters that LEGO have ever designed. In addition to the great print on his headgear, body and legs, you also get a snake and a pearl gold snake staff, which is always a nice accessory to have as its relatively rare.
I’m more than impressed with King Tut, given its utility, especially since there aren’t any distinct features that tie it to the DC Comics universe.
How To Find One: For King Tut, try feeling for his snake staff, which is long and feels like a spear. It’s the only long staff in this series, so if you feel a reasonably long stick, you can be quite confident that you’ve got your hands on King Tut.
Minifig Rating: 4/5
March Harriet
March Harriet is yet another fringe DC villain that’s just another excellent vehicle for LEGO to pump out a recoloured Bunny Ear accessory. Which isn’t a complain because the Bunny Suit Guy is my favourite minifigure of all time.
March Harriet is a sex worker whose gimmick seems to be a Bunny Suit outfit – I wonder how the DC writers thought that up. She’s affiliated with Tweedledum, Tweedledee and the Mad Hatter in just one comic from 2008, making her extremely obscure.
Like King Tut, if you disregard her DC Comics origins, she makes for a pretty decent minifigure. The brown Bunny ears are a great new recoloured accessory, and she has pretty nice body and leg print – a bit of a suggestive costume given her occupation that can easily be reused for custom minifigures.
She also comes with a Tommy Gun, which is always a nice weapon to add to your arsenal.
Here’s a comparison with Bunny Suit Guy. It should be relatively easy to modify her body to give her an all-brown torso and legs, to turn her into a hare and inducting her into the Animal Suit Costume club.
Despite her obscure origins, I quite like March Harriet, mostly because of her ears and Tommy Gun. If I were to receive a femme-fatale bunny rocking a machine gun in any other minifigure series, I would be a happy man and this case is certainly no exception.
How To Find One: The Bunny Ears are the easiest accessory to feel for. Try feeling for the distinct ears, which are solid and pop out of the headpiece. Each ear has a slight indent in them and curve out slightly towards the end.
Minifig Rating: 3/5
Eraser
Out of all the obscure Batman villains, the Eraser definitely takes the cake for being the most bizarre. When official images of the LEGO Batman Movie series were first unveiled, I was prepared to slam the Eraser for being one of the dumbest minifigures that LEGO have ever produced… until I got it in my hands.
That was when I realised that it was a minifigure dressed up as a pencil. I can’t believe I missed that the first time but now that I can’t unsee it, I get a little internal giggle everytime I lay my eyes on the Eraser.
The villain’s origin story and abilities are downright hilarious – he was bullied throughout school for making mistakes on his homework, which drove him to a life of crime in a Pencil Costume. His Eraser mask contains a special compound that the ability to (wait for it), erase all evidence from a crime scene. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
You’ve got to hand it to the LEGO Designers, they’ve made the right call with bringing the Eraser to life as a minifigure. I really love his pencil suit which is designed really well. Love the pencil tip on his feet and the snazzy black stripes. His novelty tile with a “To Erase” list which fittingly has nothing written on it is also pretty damn funny.
I was also surprised to discover that The Eraser’s head is a modified 1 x 1 round brick with ridges instead of a plain old vanilla one. It also looks like a some sort of sentient tin can.
As absurd as The Eraser is as a DC Comics villain, I do have to admit that it’s also one of the most flavourful and interesting minifigures in this series, making it one of my top picks for the best villains in this series. I also love that my other LEGO minifigures can now dress up as a pencil for Halloween next year!
How To Find One: First, try and feel for Eraser’s 2 x 2 tile. Once you’re sure that you’ve got the tile, you have to locate Eraser’s head, which feels a lot like a round 1 x 1 brick with some very small ridges on each end.
Minifig Rating: 5/5
Mime
The Mime rounds up our cast of some of the most obscure villains in the DC Comics universe. Like all other Z-list villains, she has a pretty funny (but sad) origin story. She started a theatre company that focused on the art of miming after her parents died in a fireworks factory explosion. Her theatre company then underwent financial difficulties which forced her into a life of crime.
Which makes her some sort of Crime Mime.
Now I read all of that on a website, so I’m not even sure that it’s real, but heck, it sounds outlandish enough so it has to be true! As a minifigure, I think that the Mime’s design is decent. It’s not bad. I like her activewear-inspired getup which consists of a black leotard and pink skins, although the fishnet mesh on her chest area is a little too risque for the gym.
No idea why she has thunderbolts shooting out of her hands. Maybe she’s secretly some sort of Sith Lord that goes by the alias Darth Muteis.
I do like the Mime’s very unhappy face, complete with the classic white face paint, and her new dark blue mohawk hairpiece, but apart from that it’s a decidedly average minifigure that I wouldn’t think twice of.
If the Mime is looking for applause from LEGO Minifig collectors, the silence is pretty deafening. Okay, I’ll hush and refrain from making any more Mime puns.
How To Find One: The Mime’s two lightning bolts should be the easiest to find as they’re rigid, flat and have a jagged shape, followed by the handles, which are quite large and stick out abruptly. Failing that, her mohawk hairpiece is also quite easy to identify. It’s slightly rubbery and the thickness also narrows as you reach the edge of her hairtips.
Minifig Rating: 2/5
As this was quite a heavily anticipated Minifigure Series, riding on the excitement generated by The LEGO Batman Movie, I felt that this series was a bit of a letdown. Mostly because of the really high benchmarks that previous minifigure series has set, but also because of some of the bizarre characters included.
While I think that it’s pretty awesome fan-service for LEGO to include all these obscure and bizarre D-list Batman villains into this series, it just fall flat because I don’t have a solid emotional connection to these characters.
It’s a bit of a double-edged sword, sure we can please all the hardcore DC Comics fans by referencing one-off characters which have the wackiest stories or powers, but for the general population, I doubt they’ll hit home.
That said, I have to give props to the LEGO Design Team for the insane level of printing detail, accessories and other small flourishes that has made this contain some of the best designed minifigures in any series. Seriously, all the arm, back and leg printing has come a long way, and the inclusion of great new accessories like the Rubber Duckie Float and printed cowls are an excellent move.
The LEGO Batman Movie minifigure series shines strongest with the presence of the licensed characters. Having the Joker, Barbara Gordon, Commissioner Gordon, a drop-dead gorgeous Harley Quinn and 5 different Batmans in wacky costumes does help make this series a strong one, just not an exceptional one.
I understand that LEGO are in the business of selling toys, and gating rare minifigures behind expensive sets has been a proven strategy, but I would’ve liked to have seen them pack this series with more recognizable names, and leave the obscure characters to round out the boxed sets.
If you’re a Batman or DC Comics fan, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy this series, but if you’re just a regular LEGO or Minifigure fan, I don’t think that there’s a compelling reason to collect them all this time round.
This is also compounded by the price increase in most countries (it’s up to $6 here in Australia from $5), which further detracts from the overall value of the minifigures.
All in all, this isn’t a shabby Minifigure Series, but a decidedly weak one (relatively speaking) especially if you compare it to the last 3 series, which have all been stellar. The Disney series, despite its narrow licensed focus, also has a lot more universal appeal than say the likes of Mime, and Orca (who?).
If I were to rank my top 5 minifigures for this series, they’d be:
- Fairy Batman
- Vacation Batman
- Nurse Harley Quinn
- Red Hood
- Eraser
So there you have it, my ultra-lengthy review of The LEGO Batman Movie Minifigure series. They officially start to go on sale worldwide on 1 January so good luck on your hunt for them!
I’d love to hear what you thought of the LEGO Batman Movie Series if you already have them. Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
