Welcome/Lego Technic 'TheBatman-Batmobile'

January 23, 2022

Welcome/Lego Technic 'TheBatman-Batmobile'

By Eric Carter

If you’re reading this, firstly, thank you!

Secondly, you most likely listen to the podcast that I host with Joe Fornarotto. That podcast, The Fire Rises, is always introduced as a platform that focuses on all things the Dark Knight and his world. While that is true, some things just don’t fit the medium of podcasting. That is why I have decided to launch this blog. It will be a companion of sorts to the flagship, being the podcast of course. The TFR Bat Cave (as I’ve decided to christen it) will be a place where I can expand upon things that we discuss on the show, as well as cover things that we don’t. These things will include occasional big comic reviews, toy/collectible reviews, movie musings, and so on. If more nerdy Batman content is your bag, then welcome! If not, I humbly thank you for visiting this time and hope that you continue listening to the show!

So now let us get to the meat and potatoes of this very first entry into the annals of the TFR Bat Cave! As you all well know, 2022 is here. This means we are rapidly approaching one the biggest tentpole event movies of the year; Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’. With that, we all also know that these gigantic films also come with a plethora of marketing opportunities. We as nerds gobble up these awesome pieces of tie-in merch that makes these companies oh so much money. I am one of the biggest suckers of them all.. so when I found out that Lego was producing a Technic version of the new Batmobile from the film, I jumped at the chance to get it! This version of the Batmobile had me hooked from the first images I saw of it. I am fully aware that it has a great many detractors, but being a muscle car enthusiast I absolutely love it. The car harkens back to the early Neal Adams days of the Batmobile, while also giving Batman a strong foundation on which to build future variations of the machine we all know and love. With all that being said, let’s get into the actual Lego Technic version of the car!

’The Batman-Batmobile’ is Lego Technic set number 42127. Recommended build age for this set is 10+, as it is a Technic set and is more advanced than your standard Lego products. It consists of 1,360 pieces, and has several unique features including two light bricks (one red, one yellow) and a "Hand of God" steering mechanism. Note that this a Lego Technic set and does not fit with other Lego models. It dwarfs the Lego Batman mini-figs, so you won’t be putting one in the driver seat. While I am by no means a master Lego builder, this set took me around seven hours to complete. It is a fun but challenging build, and can test your patience at times. Be warned, there are a multitude of tiny blue pins to be pushed in. You will have sore fingertips by the end of the build.

The most interesting parts of this build are most certainly the Technic aspects of it. Building one part that doesn’t make much sense in the moment becomes extremely satisfying when the end result is function throughout the model. A great example of this the gear system which engages when the car is rolled so that you see the pistons moving in the massive engine at the rear of the car. This system also rotates the flames coming out of the rear of the car, which adds to the effect. The "Hand of God" steering mechanism is also a great example. This function is activated by turning the knob on the top of the car, which is connected through an axle system attached to the front wheels. In essence, you can actually physically steer the car. This is impressive because it gives the car a much greater turning radius for a model this large. The steering knob also serves a dual purpose; when you press down on the knob it activates the rear light brick. This light brick gives the the rear compartment a red glowing effect, as if the engine is aflame. The other light brick is activated by pressing forward on the gear shift in the cabin of the car, which lights the engine compartment yellow. The doors and hood open on the model, though there is little to see under the hood. The interior of the car is decently detailed; with two bucket seats, roll cage, and a steering column complete with stickers to represent all of Batman’s many screens.

To get into the few negatives I have to say about this piece, let’s start with screen accuracy. The car looks amazing, but is slightly lacking in the overall shape. The actual car has a shape that sweeps into points at the rear, almost in the way of fins. The Lego technic version loses that look at the rear, as it doesn’t have that sharp look to the back quarter panels. It also has a tiny bit of an odd stance, as the front wheels are much smaller than the rear wheels. This disparity in wheel size seems to be much more pronounced than in the actual car. I previously mentioned the challenge of the build, and at times this can be a definite negative if you are not someone who has built many Lego sets in the past. Even if you are accustomed to Lego, this presents a new challenge in that there are not many bricks to be found here. The few other nitpicks I have are in the way of function. For a Technic vehicle model, the Batmobile is missing some of the Technic hallmarks. The suspension is a big one here.. because this car has none. Most Technic sets these days include a suspension system with actual shocks that you build into the vehicle. This system is noticeably absent here. The switch to activate the front light brick being in the cab of the car is also very inconvenient as there is no simple way to activate both bricks at the same time. The car is massive once built, and it presents a slight challenge to find display space. It will not fit on a detolf shelf. The other small nitpick is the steering wheel. It is free standing and does not attach to the actual steering system, so you do not get the effect of the steering wheel as you turn the mechanism on top. These are not deal breakers for the car, just small things to take note of along the way.

Now for the positives. This car is damn cool. It has a mean and tough look to it, and is immediately recognizable as the car from the film. The light brick effects look amazing. When you can activate both of them in a darker room, the car really stands as a unique piece. The inner workings of the build give you a sense of accomplishment when it all comes together and you see the fruits of your labor. Moving the car across the table and seeing the pistons pump through he engine block is such a satisfying sight to behold. This is definitely not your run-of-the-mill Lego Batmobile, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is a Batman fan... especially if you’re liking what we are seeing from the marketing of the upcoming film. As I am a massive fan of the look of the new Batmobile, this model is a wonderful addition to my collection. It is definitely a piece that stands out from everything else in my “Bat Loft”... It draws the eye as soon as you walk in the room!

To give my final rating of the model overall, lets go to the Batarang rating system! The Batarang system is a rating out of 10 and is used frequently on the podcast when we review newer movies or things of the like. For the Lego Technic ‘The Batman-Batmobile’; I give a rating of 8 out of 10 Batarangs! If you are interested in purchasing your own Lego Technic Batmobile, they are now readily available. You can purchase them directly from Lego at Lego.com, on Amazon, or in stores wherever Lego is sold! I have seen them recently on shelves at Target, Wal-Mart, and at Best Buy. So, happy hunting!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog/review! Hopefully you will come back soon, as I’m sure I’ll have plenty of Batman musings in the future to fill the TFR Bat Cave. Thank you for reading, and until next time… make sure you keep that Bat-signal lit, and pointed skyward! 🦇

The Fire Rises: A Batman Podcast, and the TFR Bat Cave are in now way associated with AT&T, Warner Media, or DC Comics. All thoughts and opinions expressed through the blog or podcast are solely those of the contributor and do not represent the companies they work for, or those being discussed.

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