Originally published April 6, 2017. This page preserves a historical announcement or event; availability, dates, and pricing are no longer current.
If you’re like me, you may have waited too long to realize that the Hot Toys Dawn of Justice Batman figure was a home run. After it sold out at the usual retailers, collectors turned to eBay and private sales, often at a higher price. Many were asking several hundred dollars more than the figure was retailing for, especially for the exclusive versions of Batman. That being said, our prayers have been answered with a nearly identical Hot Toys Suicide Squad Batman Figure release, albeit with some tweaks.
What’s the Same, and What Has Changed?
Judging from the pre-order information and the photos of the Hot Toys Suicide Squad Batman figure, there are a lot of comparisons to be made to the Dawn of Justice Batman figure. Namely, the fact that it is nearly identical to the previous release. The Suicide Squad figure reuses the hands, grenade launcher, batarangs, interchangeable mouths and eyes, bat brand and grappling gun.
Now, many may shame Hot Toys for reusing these assets and charging the same price. But personally I think it is better to release a figure with more rather than fewer accessories. Batman is in Suicide Squad for a very small amount of time. As a result he does not use the grenade launcher or bat brand but it’s a nice inclusion for those that have not had the chance to get the Dawn of Justice figure. Additionally, the Dawn of Justice figure does still have the exclusive rifle and tech-cowl limited to that release. So there are differences there. The Suicide Squad figure does have three distinctive differences setting it apart from the Dawn of Justice figure as well.
Suicide Squad Batman Figure Cape and Accessories
The Suicide Squad figure obviously comes with a different stand than the Dawn of Justice figure. It appears to be a rectangular stand as has been seen with the other Suicide Squad figures. Suicide Squad Batman features an extended pole to support flying poses. Of course for Batman to fly he needs his cape. The Suicide Squad Batman figure comes with an absolutely massive cape to achieve flying poses. It appears to be much larger than the Dawn of Justice cape based on what we have seen in flying poses, as well as photos of the cape flowing alongside Batman. Finally, he comes with the rebreather that he uses in order to save Harley Quinn from drowning in the Gotham River. All in all, plenty of changes to set the release apart from its predecessor.
Original Release Availability
Now, Hot Toys and their distributors must know how popular the Dawn of Justice Batman figure is. They announced the edition size of the Suicide Squad version of the figure: 3,000 units worldwide. That being said, this second chance has come for those who were patient. The figure was on Sideshow’s waitlist when this article was published. Overall, as a collector it is nice to see a company respond to high demand by making it more possible for collectors to get the figure that they really want.
Identifying this Batman in a used listing
The release name matters more than a photograph of the shared suit. Ask to see the Suicide Squad packaging and the actual accessories together, particularly the rebreather and the larger display pieces discussed here. A seller combining Batman parts from several releases can produce an attractive figure without reproducing the contents of this particular box.
For a film-specific collection, decide whether you want the complete Suicide Squad release or a Batman assembled for a preferred appearance. Either can be an intentional choice, but they are different purchases. Do not count a borrowed Batman v Superman accessory as evidence that it originally came with this edition.
