Welcome to another Dan's ToyBox action figure review. Today we're talking about a figure that I've been wanting for a long time. When Tim Drake was introduced in the pages of Batman and his new costume debuted in Batman #457, I was impressed with the character. I enjoyed watching him grow into the role as Robin and eventually get his own comic series. He initially tried to get Dick Grayson to return to the role, after Jason Todd's death, as he felt that Batman needed a Robin to help keep him grounded. When Grayson refused, Tim proved his worth on a case in which Batman and Nightwing were trapped by Two-Face. Reluctantly, at first, Batman took the young man on as his partner. Tim originally donned the Grayson's version of the Robin costume, but after what happened to Todd, Batman redesigned his young partner's look. This new design retained the color scheme, while giving the youth more protection and a more practical look. This is my all-time favorite look for Robin and finally getting a relatively accurate figure for my collection has brought me a great deal of joy.
Let's jump into our review with a look at our four main categories: Accessories, Appearance, Articulation, and Affordability.
Accessories: 5/10 McFarlane's DC Universe Tim Drake Robin comes with a batarang, a bo staff, a card, and a display disc. The bo staff, while being Robin's weapon of choice is very fat in circumference, making it look more like a small pole instead of a traditional martial arts weapon. It is also a bit warped, and though I've heated it up to try and straighten it, the weapon still has a mild curve to it. The batarang is nicely done, molded in black and sits relatively well in his hands. The card is a representation of the cover of his first solo mini-series and is kind of a surprising choice given that he's mostly obscured by his cape.
Appearance: 5/10 The McFarlane Toys Tim Drake (Robin Reborn) action figure, on first glance, promises a lot with its detailed sculpt and dynamic pose. However, a closer inspection reveals some noticeable issues. The most prominent problem is the paint chips on his arm, which are quite disappointing. While I like the yellow trim around his cape's collar, the application is lacking cohesion and consistency. These imperfections significantly detract from the overall visual appeal. I'm also not a big fan of the facial sculpt, given the "chunkiness" of his face. This Robin is about 15 years old in the comics and has the lean look of a teenager. This face seems swollen and has kind of a "Jay Leno" chin going on. I'm also not a huge fan of the hair sculpt as it's not really accurate to how Tim's hair looked in the book at the time. This head sculpt looks like an adult trying to emulate a teenager. Otherwise, I do like sculpting for the most part. I am a bit confused by how deeply the abs are sculpted though, given that the costume in the comics doesn't actually have armor plating, but is rather a very supple kevlar mix. The design of this makes the costume look more armored than it actually is. The boots even have shin guards sculpted onto them, while the comic look does not. Oddly enough, the legs are very undefined, even though they are thick and muscular, there's no definition to them. Surprisingly though, I'm good with that. Probably the most egregious error on this figure lies in the sculpt of the shoulder sleeve and bicep/upper arm. The sleeve bottom is solid and when you rotate the bicep the sculpts break horribly, looking absolutely awful. I saw this initially and was very disappointed by how bad it looked. My other complaint about the figure is his height. This version of Robin, as mentioned earlier, is a teenager and much shorter than Batman and Nightwing. This figure is scaled to be almost the exact same height as other McFarlane figures. I really don't understand why this was done, but though he looks good next to Batman... he is so terribly proportioned in terms of height that I don't actually like standing them next to one another.
Articulation: 6/10 In terms of articulation, the McFarlane Toys Tim Drake figure has its share of hits and misses. It features a fairly wide range of articulation points, allowing for some dynamic posing and playability. The joints are sturdy, and the figure holds its poses well. His head will turn sideways and has very nice tilt. It can look up to a degree and down reasonably well. The shoulders have nice functionality even though the butterfly joints are limited. The arms can raise to a nice T pose and rotate fully. As mentioned above, the bicep has a swivel which looks awful when used. The elbows can bend in fully, bringing his hands to his face and the wrists hinge vertically, and swivel easily. The upper torso joint can rotate and has some side tilt, but there is virtually no crunch at all. The lower torso also swivels and can offer some crunch but, again, not enough to look good. The legs are capable of doing a full split, which is fantastic, but cannot kick forward very high, because of the crotch piece. There is some hidden thigh swivel though, which helps somewhat. The knees bend in quite well, which is good for posing and the ankles are on the same type of joints as the wrists, which offer good range of motion. The toe articulation works well and is fairly tight, which helps keep the figure steady.
Affordability: 6/10 Considering the issues with paint chipping and the minimal accessories, Robin pretty much falls in line with the pricing of other McFarlane figures. Sadly, for what you get, it may leave you wishing for a bit more. I ordered mine from GameStop and paid $19.99, still better than Hasbro by a long shot.
Overall, the McFarlane Toys Tim Drake (Robin Reborn) action figure has its strengths and weaknesses. The accessories and articulation are commendable, making it enjoyable for collectors who like to pose their figures creatively. I do admit that I'm a bit more disappointed with the figure and as such, he really doesn't jump out in any way and earns:
6 out of 10 ToyBoxes
In conclusion, while the Tim Drake figure has its merits, it falls short in some key areas. It's a decent addition to a collection if you can overlook the flaws, but it may not be the best choice for those seeking a flawless representation of the character. Until next time... GEEK OUT!!!