DCD Batman: Arkham Asylum Scarecrow Review
"What are you, Batman? Chicken?"
The best villains are the ones that can work themselves into the head of the hero and break his defenses from within. That’s why we’ve always liked Scarecrow. While he’s not much of a fighter, anytime this macabre creature rears his head in the Bat-books, you just know there’s going to be a huge pile of insanity on its way! Today we’re reviewing the figure of Scarecrow from DC Direct’s line of Batman: Arkham Asylum toys, based on the hit videogame. Let’s make this review what it should be – a lesson in fear!
Jonathan Crane specializes in the study of psychological fears and uses his biological research to create fear-inducing toxins that can drive even the sanest person mad with fright! He has taken on the guise of the Scarecrow and has generally terrorized Gotham City for years, thanks to one scheme or another, which inevitably puts him at the ass-kicking ends of Batman’s boots. In the Arkham Asylum game, Scarecrow is one of the many inmates released by the Joker to help defeat Batman. The player encounters Crane multiple times – usually in a hallucinatory state in which Scarecrow towers over everything and screams threats while raking his syringe-covered fingers in your direction. Fantastic!
Dysmorphophobia: A phobic obsession with a real or imaginary body defect
Scarecrow’s sculpt is a testament to just how wickedly detailed DC Direct figures can be. From the stitched up facemask to the straps and burlap-like clothing, Crane looks exactly as creepy as he did in the hit videogame. The team really outdid themselves on this figure, and really the whole line of Arkham Asylum toys. The sheer amount of detail, coupled with the amount of usable articulation make these toys comparable to any of the horror-based toys put out by DC’s peers over at NECA; and that’s a compliment!
Chromatophobia: Fear of colors
The paint apps used on the Scarecrow also help set it apart from DC figures from other companies. Lots of washes and drybrushing effects have been used in order to bring out the grittiness and sickly pallor for this denizen of Arkham. There was no slop on the figure we reviewed, and we’re not sure you’d be able to even notice if there was thanks to the purposefully-rough look of the toy. The fear toxin in the vials on his glove are yellow, and while this matches the in game look, still puts us in the mind of urine. Just think about Crane running around injecting his pee into people – now that’s terrifying!
Ankylophobia: Fear of stiff or immobile joints
Articulation on this Scarecrow figure is pretty solid. A ball-joint neck, swivel/hinge shoulders, swivel biceps, hinged elbows, swivel wrists, swivel waist, hinged hips, hinged knees, swivel lower legs, and ball-joint ankles round out the list. None of the joints were loose, and all work well. The ball-joint neck, in particular, offers a large range of motion that helps to add expression to the Scarecrow’s poses.
Disposophobia: The fear of getting rid of or losing things
Scarecrow is packaged with two accessories: a small burlap sack, and a round figure stand. What’s in the sack? Could be mind-destroying fear powder, nasty orange Circus Peanuts, Killer Croc’s fecal matter – no one knows but the Scarecrow! However, it fits in the figure’s hand perfectly and matches the detailed paint style of the rest of the toy. Crane also comes with a plain, round figure stand. With the extreme manner in which the figure is hunched over, the stand is necessary if you want to feel secure with him standing on a shelf. While it would have been nice for the Arkham logo to have incorporated onto the stand, it’s not really needed and actually helps the stand blend better on the shelf so as to not be quite as noticeable.
Chiroptophobia: Fear of bats
Scarecrow is truly a fine action figure and perfectly represents his in-game look. In fact, this toy has become our default Scarecrow and now crouches next to many of our other DC Direct and CUC Bat-villains. Be sure to check your local comic book store for Crane and the rest of the Arkham Asylum figures – you won’t be disappointed!
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