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The Review
Originally published June 21, 2017. This article preserves One Sixth Society’s original reporting and images; product availability, pricing, and opinions reflect the original publication period.
Spider-Man has his spidey-sense, but what does Batman have? He has the Bat-Signal, typically stationed on top of the Gotham City Police Department Headquarters. With so many sixth-scale Batman figures available, a compatible Bat-Signal is a natural display accessory. With that said, let’s dive into the Hero Club Bat Spotlight Review!
This is not the first time a Bat-Signal has been recreated in one-sixth-scale. Hot Toys created one from the Dark Knight films and included it with the John Blake figure, or the John Blake and Gordon set. Hot Toys did a lovely job with theirs and it is a great piece, but nothing was available for the earlier Keaton Batman, or the later Affleck Batman. Hero-Club certainly filled that void though!
What’s that in the clouds?
Beginning with the outer packaging, we have a pretty standard box displaying vector artwork of the Bat-Signal. Inside we have standard bubble packaging cradling the spotlight, the logo, the cord, as well as instructions. The piece is relatively straightforward, but looking over the instructions is generally a good idea! The construction of the spotlight is nice, especially for a third-party piece. The ratcheted spotlight holds its position on the reviewed example.
As mentioned previously, the spotlight comes with two interchangeable emblems: one for Michael Keaton’s Batman and one for Ben Affleck’s. Swapping these out is a relatively easy process. The light is bright, particularly in a dark room, and remains impressive with the room lights on.
The main drawback is its power supply. The spotlight must stay connected to a powered USB port through its mini-USB connection. It cannot run on batteries, and the connection does not charge an internal battery. That limits where you can place an illuminated display.
The Verdict
Even with that one issue, the Hero Club Bat Spotlight is a piece that is certainly worth owning. Even without the lights on, it makes a rather impressive accessory to display alongside Gotham’s defender. The video above gives a clearer view of the light and projection than a written description can. Be sure to pick up this piece if you want to enhance something like your DX Michael Keaton Batman, or perhaps your Suicide Squad Batman figure!
Watch the accompanying Hero Club Bat-Signal Spotlight Video Review.
Planning the Cable Route
This signal needs its mini-USB connection for the lamp to work. In a display, position the base and cable together before setting the surrounding figures in place. That avoids having to move Batman whenever the connection needs attention. The two emblems change which screen interpretation the prop suits, while the ratcheting lamp changes where it points.
Those are useful features to check on a secondhand example: show both emblems, the cable connection and the lamp at more than one angle. The review describes the sample’s bright light; it does not establish a projection distance or promise a sharply focused symbol across a room.
Judging the spotlight in photographs
A photograph of a bright Bat-Signal can make the surrounding figure look darker than it does to your eyes. The camera may reduce exposure for the lamp, so compare the shots with the room lights on as well as the dark-room examples. This review’s images show the effect in those settings; they do not establish a measured brightness rating.
Look at two separate things: whether the bat shape reads clearly, and whether Batman’s face and costume remain visible beside it. A glowing emblem can look excellent on its own while calling for a little separate light on the figure in a photograph.
