Subject | Lego Batman |
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Licensed from | DC Comics |
Availability | 2006–2008; 2012-present (part of DC Universe Super Hero sets) |
Total sets | 20 |
Official website |
Lego Batman is a theme and product range of the Lego construction toy, introduced in 2006, based on the superhero character Batman, under license from DC Comics. The sets feature vehicles, characters and scenes from the comics and films. The inspirations for the design of these varies widely. For example, the Batmobile retains its basic sleek shape and prominent fins from the Tim Burton films, whereas the "Bat-Tank" seems to be based on the tank-like Batmobile in Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. In 2008, a video game based on the theme, Lego Batman: The Videogame, was released, along with four new sets. The theme was relaunched in early 2012 as part of the Lego DC Universe Superheroes line, which is a sub-theme of the Lego Super Heroes line. In total there were seventeen sets, almost all of them including Batman.
Batman is given a wide range of vehicles, their appearances resembling their accepted forms. Several vehicles, including the "Batman Dragster", "Batman's Buggy", and "Bat-Tank", have also been introduced. The Batmobile appears similar to the way it does in the 1989 film, while the Batboat takes on a hovercraft-like form. All the set-boxes feature a comic strip by artist Greg Hyland at the back, featuring stylized versions of the set in action.
Lego obtained the license to produce sets based on all available mediums in which Batman appears. Lego released a line of Batman sets in June 2008 to tie in (albeit indirectly) with the release of The Dark Knight. However, these sets do not directly reflect sequences or scenarios in the film, unlike most of Lego's other movie tie-in lines with all Batman sets. Sets include villains from TV shows and movies.
In 2006, there were packs of the same minifigures used in the sets.
The first sets were updated versions of the older sets. The new sets are not known as Lego Batman, but Lego DC Universe Super Heroes instead, because the new series features not just Batman characters, but also Superman, Aquaman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman characters. The Lego Super Heroes theme is due to expand in April 2012 with the Lego Marvel Super Heroes sub-theme.