Lego brought the 1966 version of Adam West's "Batman" back to everyone's vision, the Batmobile from the batman classic TV series debuted as a superhero series set, 76188 Batmobile, containing 345 particles, will be released on April 26. How does this version compare to LEGO's previous set? Let's take a look at It with The Brothers Brick!
<h1>Packaging and contents</h1>
For the Batman-themed set, the thumb-punched packaging is standard. On the front packaging is a bunch of logos – Lego, Batman, DC, and a logo for a classic Batman TV series. In the middle is a clear set of physical photos, and the background is a non-Lego live action. Appearing in the top right corner is the black mask version of the LEGO Batman minifigure, not sure why it's not the 1966 blue mask version in the set.
On the back of the box there is a photo of the Batmobile parked on the display stand, and the background shows that it is in the Batcash. There are two illustrations at the bottom that show the gameplay features of the set — the Batmobile has two bump launchers on the hood and a trunk that can be opened. As you may have noticed, there are no bump launchers on the Batmobil on the display stand, which we'll cover in more detail later.
Inside the box were three numbered bag of parts, an 82-page unpackaged building instruction manual, and a small sticker.
<h1>part</h1>
There aren't any elements of the new mold in this set, but there are also some interesting parts. For example, there are five printed bat wheel hubs, which are the same as the prints seen in the bat cave suits last released in 2016, but look like the silver grains are slightly brighter (and may also be due to the aging of these five years...). ）。 There is also a new part that has been repainted, the first clamp element to appear in silver.
Stickers are mainly display stand labels, but there are also some nice other designs, such as bat motifs. The sticker inside the set was slightly curled, but fortunately there were no creases.
<h1>Build</h1>
The build started with the Batmobile's display stand, which is very similar to the one in the 40433 1989 Batmobile Limited Edition Set (76139 1989 Batmobile Scaled Down). Is there a UCS set for the 1966 Batmobile one day?
The construction of the Batmobile is first of all a solid chassis and a technological pin used as an axle. The first sticker was used as a 1x4 light panel for the door position.
Speaking of stickers, there are stickers in the set that need to be attached to 1x1 particles, and I think this is a great practical opportunity to try out the trick I just worked out: stickers with the help of a brick separator. The effect is very good, I suggest you can also try it (but this set does not include a separator, you need to use the previous, I think you should already have a bunch of it at home). These small stickers are used to decorate the parachute bag next to the jet exhaust pipe of the parking space.
At this stage, you can see the open gray space, which will be the area of the trunk. You can also see the 1x2 hinged elements located on either side of the hub, which are separated by 1x1 dome bricks, which is a strange design that we'll talk about in a moment.
The next sticker is meant to provide some fun consoles inside. Although the details from the TV series are not accurately restored, it is still funny, and the red Batman phone evokes classic scenes in memory.
The body made extensive use of new curved beveled tiles and light panels, and the final stickers were pasted on both sides of the front and tail. Now just add the wheels and it's ready to go!
Coupled with shark fins – well, there's a design flaw that's obvious at this point, and the 1x1 dome bricks that are placed between the hinged elements make a big unsightly gap here.
<h1>Finished product model</h1>
The finished Batmobile looks legendary. My favorite building technique is the 2x2 wedge board embedded in a 1x1 wedge plate above the headlights.
The interior of the Batmobile has enough detail to feel uniform and not cluttered. When no one is sitting inside, the sticker operator station and the Batman phone offer a lot to watch. However, there is a small problem, Lego uses the 1x6 fender element as a space between the two seats, this curve looks great, but the two sides of the fender are not the same arc structure, which makes the appearance a little asymmetrical.
From the rear of the car, you can see the shape of the windshield and the silver launch tube, but the asymmetry of the fenders is becoming more and more obvious.
As another minor gameplay feature, the Batmobile's trunk can be opened. The stepped ramp elements on the trunk have many bumps and are easy to open for easy operation. It would be more fun to have some Bat Lab equipment stored in it, but that's not bad.
One of the more interesting things about the set is that – if you want – you can remove the gameplay features. The kit contains spare parts for the slope elements with a bump emitter, and the box even shows that the spare parts are stored in the trunk.
After removing the Bump Launcher, the Batmobile was immediately upgraded to a more realistic look. The only caveat here is that replacing the bump emitter is not very simple, and you may need to remove some of the surrounding body parts.
If you have parts on hand, I suggest replacing the dome bricks above the rear wheels with three 1x2 hinged bricks. It's a simple and quick modification that solves one of the shortcomings of this new version of the Batmobile. You can also add those bare studs on the front of the car with 1x2 grid elements, I think it looks better without studs.
The seat of the Batmobile is just right for the doll, and the Batman's cape can also flutter in the wind. It's a pity that there is no classic Robin to sit in the co-pilot, but I think this is to ensure the cost performance of the suit, after all, the superhero suit needs to have opposing scene plots, so the classic villain is a must.
Put the Batmobile on the display stand and you get a cool display, even next to any 18+ display set. Just don't take the bump shooter out of the trunk and put it on.
<h1>Version comparison</h1>
LEGO has previously launched two classic TV versions of batmobiles with figure-to-figure proportions. The first is the COMCON037 classic Batman and Batmobile released in 2014, which reflects the "cute" style more than a replica of the original. As a ComicCon (San Diego International Comic Con) limited edition, it is destined that most players will not be able to get it, but the reaction of fans also fully proves its influence.
In 2016, the 76052 Batman Classic TV series Batcave was released. It was a big set that included a lot of vehicles and scenes from the TV series, including the classic Batmobile. The 2021 version of the Batmobile is clearly based on the 2016 version of the design, but with some upgrades, using parts that didn't appear five years ago. Most notably, with more body curves, sloping bricks and light panels outline many of the batmobile's lines, making it feel more trendy, shinier, and more in line with the original car's appearance.
Other differences include a redesigned front grille, a change in the red siren in the middle of the seat, and the replacement of the two silver technology connection tubes of the launch tube with a more precise three-clamp hand bar design. The trunk lid has been upgraded to take advantage of the stepped ramp element introduced in the 2020 NINJAGO® set. The parachutes on either side of the jet pipe are also brand new.
When the front of the car is opposed, you will also find that the 2016 version of the Batmobile has a lot more logos. I think the 2021 version of the Batmobile can also make more stickers. From the point of view of the display, the new version is indeed more in line with what the Batmobile looks like when it looks from a distance.
Overall, the upgrades are big improvements, except for that strange shark fin gap...
<h1>The doll</h1>
The set features Adam West's version of Batman and Caesar Ramolo's version of the Joker. At first glance, they are exactly the same as in the 2016 76052 Batman classic TV series Batcave, but they do have differences, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
The Batman minifigure has all the iconic details of the 1966 edition and beyond, with a light blue nose and eyebrows on the bat mask, a small pouch with a downward opening on the belt, and a dark blue cloth cape with wavy edges at the bottom.
After removing the mask, you will find that there has been a clever upgrade to the previous version, and now there is a pair of goggles that replace the previous long white headband to partially whiten the eyes when masked. This makes this head printed emoticon more useful for other characters, although this two-sided emoticon means you may want to find the right helmet.
Another interesting detail is the zipper on the back of the bat costume, a detail that was really not expected before.
Looking side by side, it's easy to distinguish between the two versions of batman dolls. The most obvious changes are the adjusted white areas of the head and the color of the clothes. But the body's print has also changed: the bat abs and zippers are missing from the 2016 minifigure. The leg is also a new version, but unfortunately the updated version in 2021 is of worse quality than in 2016, not a two-color mold, but a lower cost printing style. The mask has also been tweaked very slightly, feeling that the light blue lines in the new version are more vivid (it may just be that the old mask is aging, or the difference in production batches).
The clown dolly also performed well. Caesar Ramolo is famous for refusing to shave while playing the clown, so this detail is reflected in the two-sided expression of the newcomer. He has bright green hair, double-sided printed body and single-sided printed legs.
When placed together with the 2016 version of the clown doll, it will be more difficult to distinguish, but the head, body and legs are different. The head is the most obvious, the new version brings us two new expressions of this dangerous and terrible criminal, the smile expression is similar in both versions, but the new version of the eyebrows are more picky. The second expression is obviously different, the new version is a grumpy expression, rather than the previous "Oh hehe" like a smiley face.
Like Batman, the Joker's legs were demoted. The 2016 version has a side print, and the print at the crotch is more complete. The adjustment of the body is much more subtle, at least in the front, and there is obviously a vertical direct stitch in the back, which seems to be the new clothing in 2021.
<h1>Summary and recommendations</h1>
Needless to say, I really like this set. This is my favorite version of the Batmobile, which is a nice update to the 2016 design and comes with two good-looking exclusive figures. The expected price is 299 yuan, 345 pieces of granules, and the cost performance can also be. This set can be used as a regular LEGO play set, or it may easily be converted into a showcase, feeling like any other 18+ superhero set at home. If you're a fan of the 1966 version of Batman (and if you read that, I think you should), then I suggest you set aside some space in your budget for this set, and I'm sure you'll be happy.
The 76188 Batmobile, which contains 345 pieces of pellets, is priced at 299 yuan, is 6 cm high, 20 cm long and 7 cm wide, and will go on sale on April 26.