MOONBASE CENTRAL: Batman

Showing posts with label Batman. Show all posts

Saturday, 19 September 2026

Wednesday, 2 September 2026

They were Perfect Things

As I often warble in about, I'm a massive super hero movie nut.

I've seen the Marvel and DC universes so often they're old friends now. I know what they're going to say and join in.

Occasionally though, if freely available online, I'll watch an outlier, a hero movie in between franchises. A ronin.

These standalones are always risky affairs, both for the film companies and the ardent fan like me.

DC are a case in point, having done it with their two hottest properties, Supe and Bats, both of whom I adore.

But ..

The two Supe and one Batman standalones are not memorable in any way, at least not for me.

I think it's the actors.

They were newly chosen after other famous actors had retired. They're complete unknowns and alas, to me, wholly forgettable.

Harsh, I know.

How do you follow Christopher Reeves and Henry Cavill, both total heavyweights of Krypton and arguably the best Supermen ever.

And How do you follow Ben Affleck as the Dark Knight, my absolute dark fave after of course, Michael Keaton.

All Perfect things.

So, The three rogue movies I'm talking about are:

Superman Returns with Brandon Routh as Superman. Who?

You would have thought in 2006 they could have given Kal-El a magnificent reboot, but Returns is awful. Everyone on screen seems bored, muted, half-asleep. There's just no umph at all. Routh's Reevesian antics are true copycatting. Alas, I slumbered and only fan curiosity will get me to go back to this Metropolis. It would take Man of Steel, 2013, to show how it's really done.

The Batman, 2022 with Robert Pattinson wearing the bat mask. Who?

Described as a gritty crime thriller I seem to recall it being filmed entirely in the dark. Other than a growling Batmobile Dodge car I remember absolutely nothing. Someone must do because there's a sequel coming. For Gotham's sake, turn the lights on!

Superman, 2025 with David Corenswet donning the red cape. Who?

I saw this last year and my memory of it is zero, zilch. Maybe Krypto the Superdog is cast. That's it. Wuff said.

OK, I'm completely biased. I am.

If I was re-marrying I would want two Best Men, Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck please, dressed in their costumes, doing their thing, diamond absolutes.

Oh Why oh why have they hung up their capes? I'm bereft.

I can't be alone.

PS.

In a similar way they did the same with Hell Boy. Ron Perlman's films were definitive. Why reboot them with a completely unmemorable lead?

Monday, 10 August 2026

The Dark Sight: plastic Bat Specs

Arto picked up these terrific bat glasses this year.

I remember having a pair of these as a budding Batman.

I remember a vinyl cape and mask too. Not sure if they came with the specs.

Do you remember these?

Wednesday, 5 August 2026

Arto's Knock-Offs Galore!

Woodsy

Attached please find a couple of interesting HK knock-offs I came across at the Nostalgia Fair held in Karkkila this weekend.

First up is the Space Wars Sparking Machine Gun on a 53 x 17 cm backing card, featuring an Imperial Trooper and Chewbacca in a gunfight.

Followed by a bagged Secret Agent 008 Automatic Cap Firing Pistol with a silencer. There is a "winged W" logo on the header card.

And lastly an interesting motorcycling Batman figure in orange, measuring 7 cm. It would be nice to find out which Batcycle it belongs to.

Arto

Helsinki Base

Monday, 13 July 2026

Holy Spokes! Batman Pedal Cars

I just found this You Tube video from a few years ago on Batman pedal cars and ride-on toys (including the Marx version you covered recently), along with fair-ground rides, and Batmobile beds ! There were a lot of these vehicles, both powered and unpowered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4nifz_xvNc

The narrator has a slightly creepy voice, but the Batmobiles are great. I had no idea there were so many different types.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Sunday, 28 June 2026

Arto's Specstacular Bat Specs

Arto recently found these ace Bat Specs and kindly sent me a pic.

I so remember them as a kid. Hard plastic with an actual bat's face on top!

So cool! I wonder if they came with a costume?

Did you have Bat Specs?

Do you wear normal specs like me? I have since age 11!

Wednesday, 3 June 2026

Flying Batman and his Zip Line

Even the copycat toys sell for big bucks but wouldn’t a zipline Batman have been great as a toy when we were young.

Anyone got one?

https://buyee.jp/paypayfleamarket/item/z484734642?lang=en

Regards

Terry

Sunday, 12 April 2026

Arto's Lincolns: the Batamaran and Catamaran

Woodsy

As a response to your Blog post, I'm sending you these photos of my pair of Lincoln catamarans.

The Batamaran is a repurposing of their Air Powered Catamaran toy.

Arto

Helsinki Base

Boy Oh Boy! It's a Batman Toy!

Imagine having to choose between these two glorious Lincoln Toys Batman wonders!

The magnificent Freez Ray Gun and the stupendous Batamaran.

How utterly superb.

I'd want them both!

Have you got either?

Tuesday, 17 March 2026

Holy Spawning! The McFarlane Batboat

I was amazed yesterday to see a whole range of modern Batman toys spawned by wunderkind McFarlane Toys.

They'd just passed me by!

The batboat looks so gothamly fantastic, as do all these top-notch caped creations.

Cor! I want them all!

See what you think.

Wednesday, 11 March 2026

Arto's Batman Swim Ring

Here we have Arto's fabulous new 1967 Batman Swimming Ring by Ideal Toy Corp. Japan.

Have you any TV related swimming merchandise?

Thursday, 5 February 2026

MJ's Lightyear Batman

https://youtube.com/shorts/n0ZLipI9ddo?si=vDxyhk3YMnbTEbgh

hi Woodsy, This short features the Lightyear XL15 custom i did a while back and the CT toys Batman figure cos he's a little smaller than the mcfarlane figure is originally customised this for and is a better fit😁

Regards

Wednesday, 4 February 2026

Tarboro Batman

I noticed this FB post browsing the other day, a Batman bike accessory by Empire of Tarboro, USA. Empire were the successors to Tarheel in Tarboro, celebrated on MC in the early days because they released Project SWORD toys in North America.

It looks like the FB messager was the son of Empire's boss or owner.

BATMAN: YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER | Made by my dad's company empire Tarboro NC 1966 | Facebook https://share.google/rYpgXnMMGXymz2OYR

Monday, 12 January 2026

Hot Wheels 1966 Bat Boat

Hi Woodsy

Hot Wheels have been producing Batman models, in several sizes, for the last couple of decades. Mostly in the Mainline series.

Most years there has been a Batman sub-series of five (occasionally ten) models, all depicting actual Bat-vehicles. These are sold individually on cards.

Then there is a 5-pack, containing five different models, only one or two of which are Bat-vehicles; with a Gotham City Police car, and two or three villain cars. The latter are unique to these sets, and not available as individual models.

For 2025 there were four different Batmobiles in the Batman series, from live-action television, cartoons, and films. All were existing models in new colours.

The sole new model for the year is something really special – a small scale 1966 Bat Boat. Overall length is 78mm.

This first appeared in the 1966 Batman movie, which was a spin-off from the TV series, and was based on a modified Glastron motor boat. Aurora did a plastic kit of the boat, to go with their other Bat-models.

Corgi released a die-cast boat at the time, with a trailer, and plastic figures of Batman and Robin. There was also a Corgi Juniors version, again with a trailer.

In addition to their small-scale models, Hot Wheels have a 1/50th scale Batman line, and a Batboat on Trailer appeared in 2009. This has been re-issued several times.

The new Mainline Bat Boat has a metal deck and fin (with cast-in Bat-logo), in metallic blue; with a blue plastic hull; silver-grey seats; and clear windscreens. The tampo printing is excellent.

The model will not float, and runs on three black plastic wheels hidden under the hull – this time there is no trailer. The underside markings describe the model as the 1966 Bat Boat, with various copyright notices, the Hot Wheels logo, and give the country of manufacture as Malaysia, but there is no copyright date for the model itself.

The card is very nice, with an illustration of the boat, but the figures shown are not included. Both the DC comics and Batman Classic TV Series logos appear in the upper left corner, with the new for 2025 logo on the right.

Four photographs.

Like it?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Monday, 5 January 2026

Ed's 2010 Batman 5-Pack

Woodsy,

As a follow-on to Paul Adam's 2026 Mattel Batman vehicle 5-pack post, here's my only set. It was a 2010 issue that I bought perhaps ten years ago.

From The Vegas Batcave

Sunday, 21 December 2025

The Noir Knight

https://youtube.com/shorts/GOqpdtN8dSM?si=k_TRIg7BBswFjLCp

hi woodsy check out this Batman film Noir short i created with some black and white photos i took recently, somehow the ai took it upon its self to add dialogue 😀 who knew 😀

Have a great Christmas

MJSCB