Review: 30653 Batman 1992
Posted by CapnRex101,
Polybags sometimes provide an opportunity to collect uncommon minifigures, which is always welcome. 30653 Batman 1992 is an impressive example, providing a minifigure only otherwise found in 76252 Batcave - Shadow Box!
The accompanying rooftop structure looks fun too, forming an interesting base to display the minifigure.
Summary
30653 Batman 1992, 40 pieces.
Buy at LEGO.com »
30653 Batman 1992 is essentially the perfect polybag, especially for its minifigure
- Exceptional minifigure
- Attractive rooftop model
- Rooftop base is slightly fragile
Minifigure
76139 1989 Batmobile was released in 2019 and introduced a new Batman minifigure, taking inspiration from the 1989 movie. Batman Returns arrived three years later and the Batsuit was updated, so the minifigure found here and in 76252 Batcave - Shadow Box is similarly adjusted. The bat symbol, utility belt and sculpted abs therefore differ from the prior version of Batman.
However, the moulded detail on the combined cape and cowl element remains unaltered, with sharp lines around the eyes and texture on the cape. The transition between the cowl and the cape looks particularly striking, as the material appears to change. Furthermore, the shape of the cape works perfectly for a minifigure on display, as though billowing in the wind.
The double-sided head underneath the cowl also debuted in 76252 Batcave - Shadow Box, featuring a serious expression with white goggles on one side and a smirk on the other. The minifigure could have been displayed like this, but lacks a hair element, unfortunately. Batman does come with a Batarang though, as usual.
The Completed Model
While the minifigure is undoubtedly the highlight of this polybag, the base for Batman to stand should not be overlooked. This model is intended to portray the corner of a building in Gotham City, from where the Dark Knight can surveil his targets. I like the contrast between Batman and the grey structure underneath, as well as the winged grotesque, which is close to those on the minifigure stand in 76139 1989 Batmobile.
Batman stands at an angle, fitted on a 1x2 rounded plate. The position of the minifigure looks great, but the rounded plate can easily be detached accidentally when removing Batman. The base is otherwise faultless though and there is even a clip for another Batarang, although I am not sure why this is necessary.
Overall
Earlier this year, I published a review of 30652 Doctor Strange's Interdimensional Portal and commented that the most satisfying polybags include a desirable minifigure beside a creative model. 30653 Batman 1992 is an excellent example, especially for the minifigure, which is only available in 76252 Batcave - Shadow Box, outside this polybag.
The rooftop base for Batman looks lovely too, packing impressive detail into a small structure and complementing the minifigure. The polybag has been relatively widely available worldwide, from Tesco in the UK, Target in the US and LEGO stores in Australia, which is fortunate because I consider it a must-have.
158 likes
54 comments on this article
I haven't gotten too many polybags recently, but I'm seriously considering this one just because of how awesome it it.
You know what's coming: but how does it compare to the shadow box version?
Edit: Great minds think alike.
But how does it compare to the version in the Shadow Box-set?
PERFECT timing. I'm so proud.
It is not readily available in the US. I can’t find any retailer listings for it except Amazon and the Lego subreddit has plenty of posts of folks trying to help each other find it for sale.
My local Wal-Mart had a bunch of them a few weeks ago, you might want to try the polybag bin at Wal-Mart. They were kind of mixed in and under some City polybags, but they had about 10.
@erikeric said:
"It is not readily available in the US. I can’t find any retailer listings for it except Amazon and the Lego subreddit has plenty of posts of folks trying to help each other find it for sale. "
I bought it from Walmart in california. 1 or 2 months ago.
It's a neat set. However, as I opened this review, the Batman's 1966 theme song came on my SiriusXM radio.... Coincidence? I think NOT!
I got this at my local Wal-Mart two weeks ago. There were a bunch in the polybag bins. This is essentially a perfect polybag.
Good to know they are at Tesco.
Will have to keep my eyes out. Though my local never seems to have good polybags. Only City/Duplo ones
That looks a lot like the Shadow Box version.
Dang, not the first.
To whoever at LEGO managed to get this version of Batman in this $5 poly bag, thank you!
This is one of my favorite versions of the character. I couldn’t afford the very expensive 1989 sets, and he wasn’t exactly cheap on the second-hand market. I can’t drop hundreds for a minifigure or two, so this made me very happy to find in Wal-Mart.
Minifig will look even better in 77903 (limited edition, but easily obtainable by parts).
I have yet to find these at any of my local stores. They have the shelf tag for them, but I guess they've sold out. Some of my stores don't even carry polybags anymore. This is certainly one of the better polybags to miss though since I can't reuse the figure elements. I think the Dr. Strange polybag is still my favorite this year, mostly for the parts included. Although the Ninjago temple fight is a close second. Regardless, Lego has been making some really good polybags lately.
I have not found it at Target, but when i got mine, there were loads at Walmart. Recent visits have not had it, but I imagine its just a matter of time before it's restocked.
@PixelTheDragon said:
"To whoever at LEGO managed to get this version of Batman in this $5 poly bag, thank you!"
I am sad to realize I haven't had this same thought yet because this is my second favorite of all time. (My favorite is 2853590.) Huge thanks to someone that made a monumentally good decision for Lego and Batman fans!
This is Batman minifig is awesome! The build is also awesome. What a fantastic value. I got mine at Walmart a few weeks ago. As of this week, they still had some.
as well as the winged grotesque,
I think you may have meant gargoyle?
Why is it that we can't order Polybags from Lego.com?
@eric_moirez said:
"Why is it that we can't order Polybags from Lego.com?"
I have no idea why they don't sell them directly. There are so many every year that I'd buy if I could just find somewhere that sold them. We get one or two in supermarkets but honestly it's a crapshoot. I mostly get them on eBay at twice the MRSP.
@fredted said:
"as well as the winged grotesque,
I think you may have meant gargoyle?"
A gargoyle serves as a waterspout, whereas a grotesque is purely a decorative statue. Since there is no plumbing around this statue, it should probably be considered a grotesque.
Best set of 2023 right there, folks.
There are lots of these for sale online ( currently 237 listings on Bricklink) just none in brick and mortar stores. Searching "Lego 30653" on both Target and Walmart shows nothing. It seems they've all been bought up by reseller @$$H0l3$ to flip for over double the retail price.
PS: I was wrong about Walmart. There's a listing from a flipper selling the Batman polybag for $25!
@CapnRex101 said:
" A gargoyle serves as a waterspout, whereas a grotesque is purely a decorative statue. Since there is no plumbing around this statue, it should probably be considered a grotesque."
Glad to see someone using the correct term, and educating people on the difference.
Gargoyle comes from the old French gargoulle, meaning 'throat', as usually the water is expelled from the mouth. Otherwise as said, its a grotesque.
Does anyone know how to get one in Norway without paying 2.5x RRP?
Anyone knows if it will be available at Walmart in Canada? It was first sold at Toys R Us but it seems it quickly sold out before I even had a chance to go to a store. I haven't seen it anywhere since then :(
Once again, another appealing set built in black, and sometimes, very very dark grey.
Weird. For some reason, I was thinking the copy I opened and built had the triple tail deco from the 89 Batsuit, but I just checked and all three of my copies have the 92 torso and 92 cowl.
Edit: I may have been thinking of 76224 or 76265, either of which come with the 89 logo.
Anyways, could use a smidge more Batman.
@ThunderCracker81:
You mean besides skulking around a post office, waiting for someone else who paid 2.5x to giddily skip their way out the front door?
An excellent model, fits very well onto the corner of my shelf. While I'm sure that a kid would get more enjoyment from the Ninjago polybag also currently in Walmart with its two figures, having Batman atop a gargoyle at long last with the fancy cape is really nice.
It's in Tesco!? I'd better look.
I look forward to not seeing this in stores!
My local Walmart finally got this in and I was happy to actually stop in while they had some, so picked up a couple.
does anyone know why Lego doesn't just sell polybags on their own website? what's with all the cloak and dagger trying to find these?
@bricks4everyone said:
"Anyone knows if it will be available at Walmart in Canada? It was first sold at Toys R Us but it seems it quickly sold out before I even had a chance to go to a store. I haven't seen it anywhere since then :("
They get more stock all the time, at least in BC. Try ordering on line from TRU. Also, some Dollaramas have it.
I was so happy to find this in Walmart the other day, along with another polybag I'd been wanting, 30636. This one makes for the better display piece though.
Chiming in with the Walmart sighting here in central Illinois. Might get this one, haven't decided yet
Weirdly, there's a link the review summary box above inviting one to "Buy at LEGO.com" but the link does not enable one to buy one at LEGO.com.
It does, however, lead to LEGO.com's 404 page which I am continually delighted to see still features panic-Emmet.
Bought two a while ago, since they were plentiful. One's currently standing on LEGO Optimus Prime's shoulder.
@Havok211: Just because you don't like being educated, you don't have to sling insults.
Brilliant polybag indeed!
I bought three copies when I went to Essen and dropped by the Smyths Toys shop near the station; there were none at the Legoland Discovery Centre of Oberhausen, though.
Later I saw that they were sold at the Lego (not 'Legoland', by the way) Discovery Centre of Brussels, too. Maybe they'll show up at Kruidvat at some point, as they are — to my knowledge — the only place where polybags are (occasionally) sold in Belgium.
@TheOtherMike said:
" @Havok211: Just because you don't like being educated, you don't have to sling insults."
Unless he means that the French (and the Dutch, and many other countries) simply use "douche" as our preferred word for "shower (of water, not so much 'someone who shows things')". It was never the "douche"-part itself that was the insult. I mean, in that case, it's more than fitting, since a gargoyle also expels water.
You cannot begin to understand how weird it was to learn that our word for "shower" is considered to be a fighting-word in some parts of the world. Isn't language fun, and aren't people just the worst?
I picked this one up a while back at not-TRU. It does indeed look quite good sitting on the corner of a shelf, though I built a small extension so I could stick it in place with some tac. Wouldn't want the Dark Knight tumbling two metres down to the floor.
I got mine and the cowl/cape piece is sorta sticky
@Ridgeheart said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @Havok211: Just because you don't like being educated, you don't have to sling insults."
Unless he means that the French (and the Dutch, and many other countries) simply use "douche" as our preferred word for "shower (of water, not so much 'someone who shows things')". It was never the "douche"-part itself that was the insult. I mean, in that case, it's more than fitting, since a gargoyle also expels water.
You cannot begin to understand how weird it was to learn that our word for "shower" is considered to be a fighting-word in some parts of the world. Isn't language fun, and aren't people just the worst?"
As someone who studies linguistics, I can definitely agree with you there! On both accounts.
Just got it in.
Now I can build the SDCC Gotham diorama they had a couple years back around this poly.
@TheOtherMike @Ridgeheart @The1RealmShifter
Looks like I missed out on some drama... I also echo aren't some people just the worst.
@Ridgeheart, @The1RealmShifter Yes, I'm aware of the origin of the word, word nerd that I am, but considering that the comment that I was responding to has been removed, it would seem that someone agrees with me that no wordplay was intended. Considering the way the comment was phrased, I think assuming it was might have been a joke is giving the commenter in question too much credit, especially since they're from the US, where it is either an insult.
@elangab said:
" @bricks4everyone said:
"Anyone knows if it will be available at Walmart in Canada? It was first sold at Toys R Us but it seems it quickly sold out before I even had a chance to go to a store. I haven't seen it anywhere since then :("
They get more stock all the time, at least in BC. Try ordering on line from TRU. Also, some Dollaramas have it."
Thank you for the suggestion! I had given up ordering online from Toys R Us as it always showed as "out of stock". I tried again today and to my surprise it was available!
Managed to get one from Tesco this morning along with a few other polybags,
for those interested, their full selection seemed to be.
30435
30647
30650
30652
30653
30654
I assume it will be the same selection in all Tescos
@bnic99 said:
"Managed to get one from Tesco this morning along with a few other polybags,
for those interested, their full selection seemed to be.
30435
30647
30650
30652
30653
30654
I assume it will be the same selection in all Tescos"
Thanks for that. I'll have to check my local big Tesco as its not normally a lego shopping location for me.
@bnic99 said:
"30650"
Would YOU like a way to easily accumulate loads of that cool new Technoblade? Hahaha, not so fast!
I am thinking the clip on the back is to easily connect it to a larger structure, not to store the batarang.
@vjl said:
"I am thinking the clip on the back is to easily connect it to a larger structure, not to store the batarang. "
Step 7 shows you attaching a batarang to the clip, and every step thereafter shows at least the upper tip. The main image at the top of the instructions and the "built" image at the end are rotated so you can see the full batarang attached to the clip. That's really what it's there for.
@vjl said:
"I am thinking the clip on the back is to easily connect it to a larger structure, not to store the batarang. "
But wouldn't there be studs / anti studs beneath to easy connect?
I'm thinking the clip on the back is made to clip onto 3.18mm bars, or maybe tiles if you're nasty. I wouldn't risk putting an actual plate in the clip, not behind Batman's back, anyhow.
Batman frowns on illegal building-techniques, but then again, Batman frowns on most things.
@PurpleDave said:
" @vjl said:
"I am thinking the clip on the back is to easily connect it to a larger structure, not to store the batarang. "
Step 7 shows you attaching a batarang to the clip, and every step thereafter shows at least the upper tip. The main image at the top of the instructions and the "built" image at the end are rotated so you can see the full batarang attached to the clip. That's really what it's there for."
Gotcha. Thanks for checking that! I stand corrected. :)