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ADVANCE REVIEW: Kotobukiya DC Comics New 52 NIGHTWING ARTFX+ Statue
Former Robin And Fan Favorite Debuts In Koto’s Fun New Scale...
Last year we followed along as Kotobukiya released the first series in a recently debuted scale, the DC Comics New 52 Justice League ARTFX+ statues. Since the initial run brought fans the “Big 7” members of that headlining team, Koto has expanded the lineup to include other popular heroes and villains from the New 52 like Black Adam, Shazam, Catwoman, and Supergirl. Captured in 1/10th scale with magnetic bases, these statues have all of the great details you’d expect from the Japanese company and uniquely styled characters at a lower, and more easily collectible, price point. Today we’ll be taking a look at the next upcoming release in the New 52 ARTFX+ series, Nightwing!
Richard “Dick” Grayson followed in his parents’ footsteps as an acrobat in the family troop known as the Flying Graysons, first appearing in the pages of Detective Comics in 1940. During a Gotham City performance with Bruce Wayne in the crowd, the Graysons’ act was sabotaged and all of Dick’s family fell to their deaths. Intent on revenge, the young boy was taken in by Wayne and trained in the ways of crime fighting, eventually becoming Bruce’s adopted son. Dick would serve at Batman’s side as sidekick Robin for a time before branching out on his own as Nightwing, a more acrobatic and upbeat hero than his dark and brooding mentor. Considered one of the most noble and good characters in the DC universe, Nightwing got an upgraded costume in the New 52 as depicted here.
While Koto has moved on past the Justice League members, further New 52 ARTFX+ statues continue the package design first seen on the superhero team. Nightwing comes in a tall, relatively narrow box that’s mostly clear and has different decorations on each side. Through the clear front panel you’ll see the statue (though it’s partly wrapped in a protective plastic sheet) surrounded by small logos for Koto, DC Comics, and the character with his name at the bottom. On one side of the box is his name again and a large Nightwing bat logo, while the other side has a large image of the character from the comics. Finally, the back panel has a cool, angular broken glass kind of art with a Nightwing logo at the center over a bat.
You may recall that the Justice League members were all standing in some degree of attention, based on the Jim Lee artwork showing off the team. Nightwing, on the other hand, is a bit more active with an active pose that captures the character preparing to strike. The statue is just over 7 inches tall (1/10 scale), rising to right at 7 ½ on the included solid black base. Dick is posed with his left leg forward as he leans on the right one, and drops his left hand in front of him while his right grips a fighting stick behind him. As he does all of that he twists subtly at the waist and angles his head forward to get a better look at his opponents. The complex pose gives Nightwing a sense of movement and relaxed grace, perfect for the athletic hero.
Even alongside members of the Justice League series, Nightwing stands out with an excellent sculpt. His bodysuit is mostly skin tight, and so it shows off his highly defined physique that’s muscular but not to the extent of Superman or even his mentor Batman (that definition extends even to his famous derriere, a very popular feature of the character appreciated by his female fans). Meanwhile, what appears to be a one-piece suit is, upon closer examination, actually detailed with armor, layered segments, and different textures. The paneled look decorates the integral boots and gloves, the latter including the three blades on the underside, as well as the collar extending down to the mid-torso. The outer layer of the costume breaks up to reveal a textured, softer looking material at the back of the knees, the underarms, the insides of the elbows, and the palms of the hands. Finally, Nightwing has a really top notch head sculpt with a focused face partially covered by a mask and long, spiky hair that has a movement of its own.
Nightwing has even fewer colors than his dark and brooding father Batman, but everything is comic accurate and crafted beautifully. Most of Dick’s suit is a highly glossy and reflective black, most notably broken up by the dark metallic red of the bird-like “V” shape decorating his chest and extending halfway down his arms. The sections of textured suit (described in the previous paragraph) are a slightly lighter shade than the black of the rest of the costume and are done in matte so they stand out. Nightwing has a relatively pale skin tone seen only on his head along with the slightest pink line in his barely open mouth, black hair, and a black mask with bright white eye lenses. As a very small but cool detail there are three tiny red bands on Nightwing’s stick.
The Justice League ARTFX+ statues were very cool, but I have to say I think I’m even more impressed by Nightwing. It’s a great representation of the character from the pose to the costume, paint and colors, and even the addition of the fighting stick accessory. For fans of the character or the extended Bat Family (and you’ve got even more to collect with the upcoming Batgirl), this is a must buy and one of the best representations of the New 52 Nightwing I’ve seen. Dick is scheduled for release any day now, and you can still find pre-orders available for between $40 and $45.
Review and Photos by Scott Rubin
Review Sample Courtesy of Kotobukiya
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