Retro Toy Review: Iron Winch Batman by Kenner

I've been enjoying buying some of the older Batman figures on the cheap. And as per URS' recommendation, I decided to pick up Iron Winch Batman from The Dark Knight Collection. A bunch of these Dark Knight Collection figs are pretty inexpensive, and there are a lot of cool figures in this assortment. Is Iron Winch Batman one of them? Read on!

Stats
Year Released: 1990
Company: Kenner
Size: 4" scale
Price: $6 (MIP) from eBay
Packaging: Carded

Looks: 4/5
This figure is a repaint of the Batman sculpt based on the costume from the 1989 movie by Tim Burton. As such, the sculpt definitely has the look and feel of the Batman costume from the film. First, the figure actually looks like Michael Keaton, so kudos on the face sculpt. The belt, boots, and cowl also mimic the film costume surprisingly well. The only criticism I would have is that the gloves are just generic bat-gloves, while those in the movie had some armor detailing. And the cape isn't attached to the bat-symbol... but that's just nit-picking. For a figure of the early 90's, it's a pretty nice sculpt.

Kenner decided on a more classic Batman color scheme with a gray body suit and dark blue cowl/gloves/boots. I like the color choices here because unlike the all-black bat-suit, this figure differentiates the cowl/gloves/boots from the rest of the suit. But to be a true retro homage the blue needed to be brighter. The paint apps are pretty sharp (except the chin, which has a chip) and the bat-symbol looks great.

Posability: 2.5/5
Iron Winch Batman's classic Kenner 5-point articulation (swivel neck, shoulders, and hips) was the norm in the early 90's. But that doesn't excuse this figure's lack of posability. The Playmates TMNT line was released a few years before this figure and that line's articulation was far superior. The lack of articulation makes the figure seem stiff.

Accessories: 4.5/5
This is another Batman figure with really cool accessories. Not only is the cape removable, but Iron Winch Batman also comes with (you guessed it) an "iron winch" that looks very much like Batman's grappling hook gun in the movie. You extend the rope and it clicks into place; press the button and the grappling hook is retracted. Batman can not only use this to scale walls, he can also lasso criminals with it and reel them in (see Beastman getting bat-pwned below). Not only is it cool because it looks like it came from the movie, but it's also fun. I imagine it would get plenty of playtime with kids.

Value: 5/5
$6 for this figure is a great deal. This is a cool way to relive toy collecting of the past for relatively little cost.

Coolness: 3.5/5
I really like the Tim Burton-style sculpt. The gray/blue colors are retro (and I love retro Batman), but because the blue coloration is too dark, the figure isn't quite as retro as it should be. Still, it's one of the few Batman repaints with a color scheme that actually seems like something Batman would wear.

Overall: 3.5/5
I love the fact that Kenner tried out a classic color scheme on a movie figure, even if the blue was a little too dark (lighten up the blue a bit and this figure becomes seriously bodacious). The grappling gun is also pretty sweet and it's a lot of fun even for an adult. The articulation is weak but the 90's were the Dark Ages of articulation, so take that as you may.