Review: 76158 Batboat The Penguin Pursuit!
Posted by CapnRex101,
The newest collection of DC Super Heroes sets features various interesting minifigures. These include an exclusive Penguin and Batman, who wears an updated cape which appears notably dramatic. 76158 Batboat The Penguin Pursuit! contains both characters.
4+ sets sometimes feature limited detail but I think this rendition of the Batboat looks quite reasonable and the Penguin's duck appears appropriately ridiculous! Moreover, the price of £8.99 or $9.99 seems to represent good value, given the presence of various larger elements.
Minifigures
Numerous specialist Batman minifigures have been created since 2006, although his standard suit has remained unchanged since 2012. The cowl and double-sided head appear accordingly familiar here while the torso features Batman's traditional emblem with a printed belt. I hope the separate belt component will return with future Batman figures.
However, the standard cape has been replaced with an alternative which appears particularly dramatic! This is presumably intended to depict Batman gliding and its shape looks wonderful. Unfortunately, this fabric component does not hang naturally behind the minifigure, unless you crease it firmly, because it only features one connection point around the neck.
The Penguin has made several past appearances but this minifigure has also been updated, now featuring a bright orange and yellow waistcoat which looks marvellous. I love the bulging buttons that recreate Oswald's traditionally rotund figure and the lavender lapels are excellent, matching his short legs. The contrasting white gloves look splendid as well.
Furthermore, this minifigure features a new head which appears even crueler than previous examples. The cunning smile looks superb and I like the wrinkles around his eyes, returning from the earlier minifigures. I favour the impressive top hat which was created for The LEGO Batman Movie but this element also looks reasonable. As usual, the Penguin carries a black umbrella.
The Completed Model
Several renditions of the Batboat have been released, beginning with 7780 The Batboat: Hunt for Killer Croc during 2006. This model measures 13cm in length so is relatively small and the 4+ age recommendation restricts the level of detail. Nevertheless, the vessel appears suitably sleek and feels sturdy, due primarily to its assembly around a light bluish grey spacecraft base.
The curved elements across the nose look lovely, flanking a printed 2x4 slope which features Batman's famous symbol beside some armour panels. The yellow highlights are perfect and I like the trans-yellow 1x1 cone which could represent a weapon or a searchlight. However, the blue 2x2 round jumper plate underneath appears out of place and should have been replaced by a black component in my opinion.
Batman's chair is also blue, maintaining some consistency throughout the vehicle. The base element is particularly visible here and its light bluish grey colour does stand out between the black pieces, although not to a detrimental extent. The pronounced fins that surround the pilot look splendid but the Batboat lacks visible engines which is disappointing, especially since two Technic pin holes remain vacant at the stern.
By contrast, the Penguin's duck includes a trans-orange 2x2 round brick which represents its thruster. The decorative head in front of the driver is equally simple, although I like this design because it appears reminiscent of 30541 Build a Duck. Two eyes decorate a 1x2 bow over the red beak, varying from the Penguin's previous duck-based vehicles where the eyes have faced outwards to either side.
There is ample room for the Penguin to stand inside, although a minifigure with standard legs could also sit down. Trans-red 1x1 cones form weapons on each side but this model lacks the spectacular armaments which covered the Duckmobile in 70909 Batcave Break-In. Admittedly, this model is smaller and seems focused upon speed for evading Batman rather than weapons to contend with the Dark Knight.
Overall
76158 Batboat The Penguin Pursuit! has attracted particular attention because of its appealing minifigures and that interest is certainly warranted. This version of the Penguin appears delightfully cartoonish and Batman's enormous cape seems impressive, albeit only after creasing the fabric to hang naturally behind the figure.
The vehicles should not be overlooked either. They are both relatively basic, as one might anticipate in a 4+ set, but the appropriate details are included. The new Batboat looks fairly sleek and I think paring the Penguin's duck down to its simplest design features works in its favour as this vessel is inherently silly. On that basis, I think this is a worthy addition to the DC Super Heroes theme.
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12 comments on this article
Good review, I wonder if he mid height legs from Potter would have made for a better Penguin - but maybe those didn’t go anywhere?
I’d also assume the belt piece was skipped for 4+ suitability, it being small and fragile.
Two figures, one of which is an 'exclusive' printing to the set (at least for now), plus a couple of vehicles of only 9.99 (USD)? I think LEGO got this one right.
Still the white color print issue. The penguin torso would be much better with real white and not just the white-ish. Compare with the hands.
Nice to see a colorful outfit for the Penguin. I'd still prefer the exaggerated top hat, though. The model itself looks very meh, but it's not too surprising for the age range.
@sparrownest said:
"Good review, I wonder if he mid height legs from Potter would have made for a better Penguin - but maybe those didn’t go anywhere? "
Definitely.
The works needs more medium legs; such a valuable element.
Cute set I like it but I chose to buy the Joker trike chase instead but this is fine for the details & price!!
Nice decent set. Great price, especially for the boat, new Penguin fig, and Batman's cape (which I love).
@sparrownest:
In terms of DC characters, that utility belt has appeared exclusively in sets based on The LEGO Batman Movie with only three exceptions. The two versions of Batman from the Apocalypsburg scenes of The LEGO Movie 2 both got yellow utility belts, and the Huntress minifig from the DC CMF wave got a dark-purple one. It's not used on this Batman because they simply haven't used it on any Batman based on print or live-action media.
That said, I'm starting to wonder how long it'll be before they finally retire this torso. It's appeared in a whopping 18 sets and has lasted three times longer than the original Batman theme.
I gotta say, there have been some really nifty 4+ sets, released this year. A Ninjago 4+ set seems to be the only way to get the tech-ed version of Cole's outfit, cheaply, and I really loved the Jurassic World set with the seaplane and the raptor.
Am I the only person troubled by how every single Penguin minifigure (outside of TLBM) is smiling?! Not really an expression one would associate with a cruel, high-class gangster. Would rather an angry smirk or a neutral frown. On a separate note, I think that LEGO included the Arkham glide cape for Batman here as it only contains one neck hole - similar to previous 4+ capes.
Here's my video review of the set: https://youtu.be/-DAAgIAWtKk Sorry for the shameless plug, but I am desperate for those YouTube views >)
@PurpleDave said:
" @sparrownest:
In terms of DC characters, that utility belt has appeared exclusively in sets based on The LEGO Batman Movie."
TIL (and cap?)
Should have looked at the parts link, 28 sets with the belt feels like a lot, but that shows the tie in saturation they’ve been doing...
And used in SW and Ninjago sets! Cool.
https://brickset.com/sets/containing-part-6171858
@sparrownest:
I mean, they used it for a _lot_ of TLBM characters. Besides almost every regular Batman (excluding one instance where it interfered with the plastic wing-cape) getting one, there were some Batsuits, almost every version of Batgirl, both regular and Arkham Catwoman, Catman, one version each of Alfred and Robin...
I just realized that Arkham Catwoman has an orange belt, not dark-purple...and that it's supposed to be on backwards! I'll have to correct the Catwomen, and see if I need to swap belts for Arkham Catman.
If "TIL" stands for "Tie-In License", and "cap" stands for "production capacity", I think a large part of it actually has more to do with the fact that they were going for an over-the-top, goofy-broody Batman in TLBM, and they need to make sure the belts match the Batsuits for live-action/comic designs. I mean, pretty much every non-TLBM Batman torso has had a distinct belt design that doesn't match any other versions, and you can match them up to pre-existing Batsuit designs from various print/TV/film sources. And they may have theme-locked the belt just for the first year of production and relaxed that after the belt was no longer shiny and new. But yeah, maybe they did decide that TLBM needed so many belts that they couldn't risk letting anyone else monopolizing the mold.