Over the years, I’ve expressed my deep appreciation for Batman: The Animated Series countless times, even recently. There’s no need to reiterate its impact or details – it’s BTAS, a cornerstone for many of us.
When considering ranking action figure lines, this one initially felt the most daunting. The sheer volume of figures seemed overwhelming. However, diving into the Batman: The Animated Series action figures turned out to be incredibly enjoyable, perhaps the most fun I’ve had reviewing a toy line yet. So, let’s revisit Gotham City and explore this iconic collection.
Vehicles and Playsets
Kenner Batman The Animated Series Ice Hammer vehicle toy packaging
- Ice Hammer: None of these vehicles are genuinely bad; this ranking moves from “good” to “great.” The Ice Hammer is a solid vehicle I’d happily own, but the subsequent 13 options are slightly more appealing.
Electronic Crime Stalker vehicle from the BTAS toy line
- Electronic Crime Stalker: Exactly what you need for electronically stalking crime.
BATV vehicle toy based on Batman The Animated Series
- B.A.T.V.: A fantastic acronym. Honestly, many vehicles in the lower half of this list feel like they could belong to other ’80s lines like Masters of the Universe or G.I. Joe. They’re still cool, and it would have been great to see them animated in the show.
Hoverbat vehicle with Batman figure packaging art
- Hoverbat: It seems a bit over-designed for what should be a simpler vehicle. My appreciation stems more from the box art: Two-Face looks furious about being captured, while Batman seems merely annoyed, like he missed his freeway exit. Classic.
Bruce Wayne Street Jet toy vehicle packaging
- Bruce Wayne Street Jet: Comparing this to the Bruce Wayne Custom Coupe from the Batman Returns line, it’s hard to tell if it’s the same mold or just remarkably similar. Regardless, Bruce needs stylish transport when out of costume. Kudos for the yellow shirt accessory, though it needs a touch more mustard color for perfection.
Hydro Bat water vehicle toy with Batman figure
- Hydro Bat: The vehicle boasts a nice, compact design, and water play capability is a definite plus. However, my favorite part is the packaging art where Batman looks like he’s desperately clinging on. He is clearly not in control.
Bat-Signal Jet vehicle toy with light feature
- Bat-Signal Jet: “Why does Batman need a jet with a Bat-Signal?” you might wonder. Why not? Imagine fighting crime by zipping around on a small rocket, blinding foes with a massive spotlight. Plus, it looks like a fun toy, which is paramount.
Aero Bat compact flying vehicle toy packaging
- Aero Bat: Its neat, compact design is appealing, and the painted eyes on the windshield making the entire vehicle resemble a giant Batman face is simply brilliant.
Batcave Command Center playset for BTAS action figures
- Batcave Command Center: Playsets can be hit-or-miss, but this one’s a definite hit. It offers multiple play levels, including facades for Wayne Manor, the Batcave, and the Batmobile exit. It even appears foldable for convenient storage and transport. A solid addition.
The Jokermobile vehicle toy with Joker-themed design
- The Jokermobile: My only complaint is its absence from the animated series itself, because this vehicle perfectly captures the Joker’s style. The launching smile missile is the icing on the cake.
Robin Dragster vehicle toy inspired by BTAS
- Robin Dragster: Another vehicle that didn’t appear on the show, and perhaps not quite as perfectly on-brand as the Jokermobile. My fondness mainly stems from liking Robin, whose figures were notoriously hard to find initially due to a factory fire incident.
Classic Batmobile toy from Batman The Animated Series line
- Batmobile: Sleek and classic, this is nearly the perfect rendition of the Animated Batmobile toy. While I like this design, I don’t absolutely love it compared to some other Batmobiles. Nevertheless, it’s awesome and perfectly aligns with the show’s aesthetic.
Batcycle motorcycle toy from the BTAS Kenner line
- Batcycle: A great design, and I believe it features pull-and-release action, far superior to ripcords. No further comments needed.
Batplane flying vehicle toy packaging from BTAS line
- Batplane: My only minor issue is that “Batwing” sounds cooler than “Batplane.” Regardless, this toy rocks. I honestly prefer its design over the show’s Batmobile. It’s a perfect Bat-themed flying vehicle from every angle. Fantastic.
Miniatures
Gotham City Police Helicopter miniature toy packaging
- Gotham City Police Helicopter: Should have been the Police Blimp. Fail.
Bruce Wayne’s Car miniature toy from BTAS line
- Bruce Wayne’s Car: As a Hot Wheels-type item, it might be more appealing. Within this line featuring more dynamic vehicles and characters, it feels somewhat bland.
Batman Standing Tall miniature figure BTAS
- Batman: A solid, decent-looking Batman miniature. Very basic, however, compared to the more interesting sculpts among the other figures.
Catwoman miniature figure from Batman The Animated Series
- Catwoman: Her pose is better than Batman’s but still slightly awkward. A hand-on-hip pose conveying grace, confidence, and a hint of danger would have been preferable. This looks more like she’s saying “rawr!”
Batcycle miniature vehicle toy from BTAS
- Batcycle: Miniature motorcycle figures often look odd without a rider. However, the Batcycle’s design is so sleek that it works well even riderless, making this miniature look cool.
The Batmobile miniature toy vehicle BTAS
- The Batmobile: Simple. Cool. Simply cool.
The Penguin miniature figure with umbrella BTAS
- The Penguin: Short and squat, just as he should be. Love the umbrella accessory and the fun sticker art.
Batboat miniature vehicle toy from BTAS line
- Batboat: It’s strange that a larger Batboat toy wasn’t produced, so having this miniature somewhat compensates. Somewhat.
Robin miniature figure BTAS Kenner toys
- Robin: Coincidentally, I bought this on eBay a few months ago. It has a nice pose and a great sticker illustration.
Batplane miniature flying vehicle toy BTAS
- Batplane: Looks great and would undoubtedly be fun to play with.
The Joker miniature figure dynamic pose BTAS
- The Joker: Great colors and a dynamic sculpt capture the essence of the Joker.
Batman crouched pose miniature figure BTAS
- Batman (crouched): Simply a superior, more interesting sculpt and pose compared to the other Batman miniature. I also love the sticker illustration.
Action Figures Ranked
Action Figures 36-31
Bola Trap Robin action figure packaging BTAS
- Bola Trap Robin: Unsurprisingly, many lower rankings feel arbitrary as they involve repainted figures with odd names, accessories, or designs. This one fits that description.
Cyber Gear Batman action figure with tech accessories BTAS
- Cyber Gear Batman: Also strange, and looks marginally less cheap than the Bola Trap Robin. Marginally.
Glider Robin action figure with wing accessory BTAS
- Glider Robin: The concept is decent, and the glider pack itself is quite nice. The colors are just too garish.
Ninja Power Pack Batman and Robin action figure two-pack BTAS
- Ninja Power Pack Batman and Robin: Another good idea hampered by execution. Dressing them in ninja-like attire would have improved this significantly. The two large shuriken accessories are cool, but otherwise, the ninja theme feels tangential. Two-packs are always a bonus, though.
Sky Dive Batman action figure with parachute BTAS
- Sky Dive Batman: A cool parachute accessory and a Batsuit color scheme reminiscent of a Dreamsicle. It could be worse.
Knight Star Batman action figure gold suit variant BTAS
- Knight Star Batman: Borrows the cool accessories from the Ninja Power Pack and pairs them with a slightly better Batman costume. The gold suit is actually quite sharp.
Action Figures 30-21
Anti-Freeze Batman action figure white and red suit BTAS
- Anti-Freeze Batman: One of the figures that instantly comes to mind when thinking about this line, as I recall seeing it frequently in stores. Though I never owned it, I’m very familiar with it. The white evoking “freeze” and red piping suggesting heat generation helps it align somewhat with its concept.
Lightning Strike Batman action figure packaging BTAS
- Lightning Strike Batman: Similar to Anti-Freeze Batman, this figure is strongly associated with the line in my memory. The ambiguous name—does Batman use lightning or get struck by it?—is amusing enough to edge it one spot higher.
High Wire Batman action figure with zipline accessory BTAS
- High Wire Batman: Might have been more fitting as a Robin figure, given the circus connection. It features a cool accessory and play action, and the yellow highlights on the suit are somewhat appealing.
Ground Assault Batman action figure variant color BTAS
- Ground Assault Batman: The colors and the large bat-shaped chest plate are interesting. The generic glider/board accessory doesn’t add much distinction.
Radar Scope Batman action figure with unique suit design BTAS
- Radar Scope Batman: Another cool suit design featuring nice paneling on the legs and arms. The “radar” concept is implemented more creatively than just attaching a huge dish to his back, which is a plus.
Dick Grayson Robin action figure civilian disguise BTAS
- Dick Grayson Robin: A good Dick Grayson figure, but only an okay Robin. If the tunic snapped over the black shirt without the extra attachments, it could look sharp. However, the silly radar dish on the right shoulder and clunky mask attachment on the left detract from it. The wrist-mounted Batarang launcher is a nice touch, though.
Infrared Batman action figure deep red suit BTAS
- Infrared Batman: Love the look of the suit itself; the deep red feels like an update of the Batman: The Movie poster aesthetic. The accessory is unremarkable, neither adding nor detracting significantly.
Tornado Batman action figure silver and blue suit BTAS
- Tornado Batman: The suit’s colors are great, with silver and blue contrasting nicely against the black cowl, cape, boots, and gloves. The launcher accessory seems fun, although parts like the disc, ripcord, or launcher itself seem prone to getting lost.
Turbojet Batman action figure with jetpack BTAS
- Turbojet Batman: A good-looking Batman figure that’s fairly screen-accurate in terms of color. The harnesses and straps across his body aren’t bad, though a dark brown might have looked better. The jetpack is fun, albeit a bit small.
Ninja Robin action figure with ninja accessories BTAS
- Ninja Robin: Not a bad-looking Robin figure. The accessories fit the ninja theme this time, and the “chopping arm action” feature is fun. It could almost pass for a standard Robin figure if not for the black accents.
Action Figures 20-11
Bane action figure from Batman The Animated Series toy line
- Bane: Yep. That’s definitely Bane. A solid representation from the Batman The Animated Series action figures collection.
Bruce Wayne action figure with snap-on Batman costume BTAS
- Bruce Wayne: The idea of Bruce Wayne changing into this specific bulky Batman costume is amusing. The fact that the boots and leggings are the same color makes it look like pajamas, adding to the humor.
The Joker action figure with gas mask and squirt gun BTAS
- The Joker: Genuinely love the included gas mask, and the water-squirting gun is a nice, classic Joker touch. Yet, something about this figure feels a bit plain and uninspired, though it’s hard to pinpoint why.
Mech-Wing Batman action figure silver suit large wings BTAS
- Mech-Wing Batman: Features better strap colors against a shiny silver suit. The oversized wing pack is fantastic and makes me appreciate its inherent ridiculousness.
The Riddler action figure with question mark bazooka BTAS
- The Riddler: Not a bad Nygma figure at all. I wish the question mark bazooka had more color variation, but simply typing “question mark bazooka” brightened my day, so it balances out.
Power Vision Batman action figure light-up feature BTAS
- Power Vision Batman: A great suit design, a cool light-up feature, and a huge backpack accessory. This figure nicely encapsulates many elements found throughout the entire line.
Killer Croc action figure with crocodile accessory BTAS
- Killer Croc: Plain and simple. It’s Croc, complete with a crocodile accessory to wrestle. The only potential improvement would be including a big rock.
Poison Ivy action figure with piranha plant weapon BTAS
- Poison Ivy: With a strong character design and an interesting gimmick, excessive frills aren’t necessary. Poison Ivy works well with just her small crossbow. However, including a giant piranha plant bazooka? Sometimes, frills are indeed nice.
Rapid Attack Batman action figure with grapple launcher BTAS
- Rapid Attack Batman: Features a great grapple launcher accessory and appealing colors. Simple, effective, and needs nothing more.
Ultimate Batman action figure light-up eyes and symbol BTAS
- Ultimate Batman: Even after the batteries deplete and the light-up eyes and Bat-symbol cease to function, this remains a stunning, no-frills Batman figure. Hard to beat that kind of core design.
Action Figures 10-1
- Two-Face: The top 10 is heavily populated by villains, making these final rankings incredibly difficult. As a figure, Two-Face looks excellent. His lower ranking is due to his accessory – it looks somewhat fun but is also bizarre and random. A Tommy gun accessory would have catapulted him up the list. As is, he secures a respectable number 10 spot among the Batman The Animated Series action figures.
Battle Helmet Batman mail-away action figure BTAS
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Battle Helmet Batman: Although the suit’s blueish tint doesn’t perfectly match the show, I think it looks stellar. If it had a better accessory, this mail-away exclusive might be the best Batman figure in the entire line.
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Catwoman: The slightly awkward pose and somewhat silly cat claw accessories are the only minor drawbacks. Otherwise, she looks great, includes a whip, and comes with a small cat figure. A solid figure overall.
Mr. Freeze action figure Kenner BTAS line
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Mr. Freeze: A great sculpt throughout, and the water-squirting accessory is inspired. My only wish is that he also included a smaller, more screen-accurate freeze gun.
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The Penguin: Like Mr. Freeze, the sculpt is fantastic, and the accessory concept is clever. The only change I’d suggest is including a standard umbrella alongside the launcher device. But these are very minor nitpicks for such a well-executed villain figure.
Man-Bat action figure with articulated wings BTAS
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Man-Bat: Now the rankings become truly challenging. Man-Bat doesn’t require much complexity – he’s a man who is also a bat. Including string with hooks for aerial suspension is a brilliant idea, and the sculpting, particularly on the wings and face, is excellent.
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Scarecrow: Envision the ideal BTAS Scarecrow figure, and this is likely it. The face might be slightly off, perhaps a blend of his two main appearances on the show, but that’s literally my only quibble. Given his evolving looks in the series, a figure with a slightly different appearance still feels appropriate.
Combat Belt Batman action figure classic design BTAS
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Combat Belt Batman: The top three figures are practically interchangeable in quality. This Batman boasts a perfect suit sculpt, numerous cool accessories, and a clean, classic paint job. I honestly can’t find a single fault with it.
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Robin: Much like Combat Belt Batman, this Robin figure is perfect as it is. It features a fantastic sculpt, gorgeous colors, and I love the rendering of his hair and smile. The glider accessory is large, brightly colored, and adds significant play value. A truly great Robin figure from the Batman The Animated Series action figures line.
Clayface action figure with mace hand accessory BTAS
- Clayface: Good ol’ Matt Hagen here is appropriately big, lumpy, and somewhat gross. The sculpt is excellent, and the firing mace hand feature is simply awesome. While children might naturally gravitate towards hero figures, as adults, we can fully appreciate a truly well-crafted villain figure, especially one as cool as this Clayface.
All images were obtained from Figure-Archive.net, unless otherwise noted.
