The Batman & Robin Adventures #3

I've managed to find some more Batman & Robin Adventures in the dollar comics bins, including this well worn copy of issue #3, A Christmas Riddle! Just in time for the holidays!  In addition to the fun art, I'm pleased that all of these I've found were well read: some kid read this two dozen times, loaned it to a friend, who loaned it to a friend... it was really enjoyed, then enjoyed again by me  :D

During the yearly holiday festivities at Gotham City's exclusive Peregrinator Club, an appearance by Father Christmas turns out to be one Edward Nygma in disguise, who literally holds his wealthy audience captive! Insisting that Batman must be wealthy to afford his war on crime, the Riddler begins to call out names of Gotham's patriarchs, listing aloud the reasons why each might be the one which wields the gauntlet of the Dark Knight. Television reporter Summer Gleeson gets caught in the fray, Nygma now given a live media platform on which to expose & humiliate his arch enemy & his teen sidekick!

Picking up the news in the Batmobile, Batman quickly realizes that while a couple good guesses were made, Nygma doesn't really know the identity of the caped crusaders, and that his very public stunt is merely cover for the real crime- stealing the club's treasured pair of gold Mayan statues!

The Dynamic Duo nab Riddler's henchmen robbing priceless statues, and confront the Riddler in the club's ballroom, where cornered, he detonates a bomb planted in the giant Christmas tree! Batman & Robin are forced to let Riddler escape with one of the statues in order to save the trapped patrons.

Slipping through Commissioner Gordon's line of officers surrounding the Peregrinator Club dressed in swat gear, Nygma commandeers a paddy wagon for his getaway. But the Dynamic Duo hitch a ride atop the stolen vehicle, and Nygma runs it off a bridge in the struggle, crashing into the icy lake with Batman while the Boy Wonder leaps onto shore. "It's not fair", the defeated villain coughs as Batman pulls him and one of the gold Mayan statues to the surface.

In the epilogue, Bruce Wayne & his young ward survey the club's damage, and the young billionaire is asked if he will finally accept the invitation to join in light of his generous donation toward the building's repair. Straightening an oil painting on the wall of his father & former member Thomas Wayne, Bruce declines, adding that while his father wanted him to become a Peregrinator, he never was the club-joining type   :)

***Merry Christmas to my partners in blogging BubbaShelby & ChunkyB, and to all of our readers here at Batman the Animated Toys!***

-Colin, the Boyish Wonder

The Batman & Robin Aventures #9

The Batman & Robin Adventures was a DC Comics title that ran from 1995-1997, set in the continuity & style of the popular animated series. From 1992-1995 it had been The Batman Adventures until the television series Batman: The Animated Series was re-branded The Adventures of Batman and Robin. There were twenty-five issues, two annuals, and two specials. I picked up this ragged issue in the dollar bin at a local comics retailer, having never read one of these upbeat, kid-friendly little books. I mean, who could resist that cover with Batgirl flying into action?? Any of you kids ever have any of these?

Taking courses in criminal toxicology, Barbara Gordon returns from her locker to find the nightwatchmen tranquilized on the lobby floor. With the police five minutes away, she decides Batgirl may be needed before it's too late!

As it turns out, Barbara's professor, Dr. Fazil (now Mr. Siddiq), was formerly employed/enslaved by Ra's Al Ghul, and Talia was sent to retrieve the renowned disease & immunity expert after his sudden disappearance.

Talia proceeds to give the younger, less experienced Babs a scathing beat down, and while laying in the closet floor of the laboratory she spots a can of bromide powder. Remembering a childhood chemistry lesson, she also grabs a container of denzenel on the way downstairs, in pursuit of Talia & her hostage. Her confidence is regained in the knowledge that together these are the ingredients to a form of tear gas, which puts Talia down as the Gotham police arrive onto the scene.

Pulling Mr. Siddiq to safety, Babs loses his kidnapper- never having learned Talia's name nor her intent. Writing in her journal that night, Barbara recalls what Talia said during their confrontation, about it taking more than a costume to make a warrior. Talia was right about that, Barbara noted, adding that "it takes courage & brains, too."   :)

*Writer: Ty Templeton

*Pencils: Brandon Kruse

See my post on the New 52 Bagirl #1 at The Super-DuperToyBox!

Batman (the Animated Toys Blog) Begins

Welcome to Batman the Animated Toys blog!

This blog was the brainchild of Charles, best known for his pop culture and toy blog Eclectorama. Charles approached me a long time ago about collaborating with him here, due to our similar interest in Batman and Batman the Animated Series. Apparently Charles and I also share a deep interest in procrastination, as it has taken many many months for a post to appear here.

Well, the wait is over true believers! For the first (and long overdue) official toy post on this blog, I'm reaching back to 1995 and that immortal villain, Ra's Al Ghul!

Long time readers of my personal toy blog Toyriffic may know that I have a funny habit of shunning a character's action figure until I get a certain iconic look. I may love a character, but if the figures released don't do him justice, I'll pass and wait until one comes along that fits my world-view of how that character should be represented.

Which is why in 1995 I shunned this figure. In my mind, a Batman Animated inspired Ra's Al Ghul should be sporting his more conservative suit and cape (which was finally released in the Shadows of Gotham box set many years later.)

But in 1995 all we got was this armor clad Ra's in the retitled "The Adventures of Batman and Robin" line. Now don't get me wrong, this is actually a really good figure. I just have that OCD about getting a "proper" figure first. By the time I did, this guy was long gone from store shelves.

But as luck and patience would have it, I finally came across an armored Ra's at the Swap Meet last weekend. So after fourteen years in limbo, let's bust this guy out of his packaging and have a look, shall we?

Ra's has his iconic green and yellow colors, and his armor is actually pretty cool. It's not over-done (especially considering how a lot of the Batman variants that Kenner was pumping out at the time looked!)

Ra's Al Ghul came with a few accessories as well. He has a cool sword...

...and a demon looking helmet (get it - Demon's Head!)

The helmet is easily slipped on and off and fits quite well. Ra's head sculpt is pretty cartoon accurate as well. His armored chest also sports a demon looking symbol. Cool.

He's a simple figure and time-period appropriately articulated. His sword fits in his hand nicely and Ra's looks quite regal and kingly holding it.


Finally, Ra's came with a silly projectile shooter (again, a sign of the times.) But this piece is easy to throw in a drawer and ignore (or keep by your desk to shoot at cats and others who may wander too closely while you are blogging about toys.)

All in all Ra's Al Ghul is a great figure and a good toy for any Batman Animated collection. I'm glad I have him in his suit so I could finally add this version to my collection.