First pics 1966 tv batman, robin, joker, riddler!

[megocrazy]

These look promising, but I'll wait for the released product to be reviewed, so my hopes aren't thrown off the cliff to the jagged rocks below.

[boss]

Yeah, but I was paid for my opinion. ;-)

[Hedji]

The figures look nice thugh, love that Joker...

Couldn't help but think of the 1989 Smilex Commercial... "Love that Joker!"

[Earth 2 Chris]

^Yeah, I don't mean to be overly negative, because these guys have some great stuff going on here. I just wish they'd put an equal amount of effort into the packaging.

Chris

[David Lee]

I wasn't gonna pile on, but I do have to say they could have done way better on the Card artwork. Sure the licensor gives you guidelines, but as the manufacturer you may have to push them a bit for the sake of YOUR product. This looks phoned in... The figures look nice thugh, love that Joker... Oh well good thing somebody makes great looking aftermarket cards.

Dave

[enyawd72]

Earth 2 Chris and mego above are correct. Everybody was given the same crappy components to work with. However, CTVT put little effort in designing the overall look of the packaging. There is a way to design that makes the whole greater than the sum of the parts. The design choices here are about at a junior high level. I qualify that statement by saying that I spent nearly 20 years in advertising (several of which involved creating ads that had to follow strict manufacturer style guides regarding color choices, art elements, size of logo, etc. I ended my career as a Creative Director who would have fired the designer that submitted that package art). This design is beyond bad.

It's a matter of opinion though...I'm an artist myself, and honestly, while neither are good I find the FTC cardback slightly more attractive than the NECA box.

[boss]

Earth 2 Chris and mego above are correct. Everybody was given the same crappy components to work with. However, CTVT put little effort in designing the overall look of the packaging. There is a way to design that makes the whole greater than the sum of the parts. The design choices here are about at a junior high level. I qualify that statement by saying that I spent nearly 20 years in advertising (several of which involved creating ads that had to follow strict manufacturer style guides regarding color choices, art elements, size of logo, etc. I ended my career as a Creative Director who would have fired the designer that submitted that package art). This design is beyond bad.

[Earth 2 Chris]

^Yes. My understanding is DC provides style guide files with artwork, swatch colors, backgrounds, etc., but each licensee can assemble them as they chose, provide they get DC's approval.

This packaging looks like CTVT's early phoned-in designs from nearly a decade ago, honestly. Their Mego repro packaging is much better. Not fantastic, but as you put it, looks designed.

Chris

[mego]

I'm sure that DC does indeed have standards that are required for the packaging (color, font, logos, etc), but how the designer organizes those things is up to the individual designer. That being said, FTC's graphic design is consistently poor quality. (These figures look really good.. just talking package design here) The words on the Robin package seem random and unconsidered. The NECA box above is an example of a box design that looks designed. Yeah, those colors are ugly and the icons are old and clunky, but that's the aesthetic DC chooses to use.

[Earth 2 Chris]

^I've actually liked the Mattel stuff, for the most part. Those packages don't seem phoned in. This does. And NECA's is hideous, you're right. Not sure why the green from the end title cards wasn't used more...

Chris

[enyawd72]

Folks bashing the card art for these should know, this design was more than likely mandated by DC themselves, and all they would approve. ALL the 66 Batman toy packaging has been ugly, using the same terrible color schemes, line art and photos.
The box for the beautiful 1/4 scale NECA figure was absolutely hideous. Note the grotesque orange color, TINY Batman logo, boring and uninspired font, and horrible new DC logo...
61242_Quarter_Scale_Batman_1966_Adam_West_TVPkg1.jpg

[Earth 2 Chris]

I am super excited for these as well. They seem to have brought their A-game with the costuming, and some of the sculpts. I'm hoping that the waxy issues for Robin are just the photo.

I'm not going to give them a pass on ugly packaging or crappy bodies though. The Cast-A-Way guys have proven a small operation can create a totally satisfying package, without making the customer compromise with new bodies, custom packaging, etc.

I'm super-excited about their licenses, and am happy to see them make strides past their early mistakes, but the bar for ReMegos has been set very high, often by folks with far less financial backing.

Chris

[Hedji]

I'm hoping the waxy look is somewhat due to the lighting. It's not a great picture, so I'm hoping it'll look better in hand. Disappointed to see the over-application of lip paint, but it's no dealbreaker. Quite honestly, I can't wait to get these babies in my hands. It's okay to pick nits and criticize, but at the end of the day, I can't believe we're getting these! Hot Diggity!!!

[jayraytee]

Yikes, talking about this reminded me of when I watched this travesty at 9 years old...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legends_of_the_Superheroes

Anything with Ruth Buzzi in the cast HAS to be good.

[Iron Mego]

Burt had a very generic, smooth face. Kind of like Shatner, in a way. Makes it hard to capture.

Chris

This is a good point. The picutures on the card kind of attest to that very fact.