I don't get the Batman thing. Why did they debut the line with a clear comic interpretation choice like the Dark Knight Returns Batman, only to then abandon the concept and do their own thing in the end?
Besides, aren't they competing with themselves by releasing the "Ascending" and "Sovereign" Knight Batman figures so close together? I mean, I get what they're going for I guess. The "mezflair" is basically their own "realistic" spin on the character, like it's some kind of movie or some ****. Ascending is the year one Batman that's first starting out, sovereign is the seasoned Batman that's been at it for awhile and the next figure will most likely be Dark Knight Returns lite, i.e. old grizzled Batman or some Batman of the future BS or whatever.
But I just don't get. The Ascending and Sovereign Batmen look so similar. They're both black and grey, they're both modern takes with the tactical look. It looks like the same guy in a kinda of different suit. These all look like variations of a modern Nolan/Snyder/New 52 Batman/Arkham game Batman. There's nothing fun about them at all.
For "Ascending" you could have made a poppin' 1930s Batman. Give him the big wide ears, the glider cape, stitched on plated black batsymbol, some creepy bug eye lenses, a pouched belt. Make it look realistic. It doesn't have to be cheesy looking like the black and white serials from the 40s and it doesn't have to look like a direct interpretation of Bob Kane's art work. Just make a cool 1930s Batman.
For "Sovereign", I always thought the 1970s Batman was the Batman in his prime. The Neal Adams/Jose Luis Garcia Lopez/Jim Aparo/Super Powers that's blue and grey with the yellow bat emblem chest badge and the capsule belt. Make him a little more techy and exaggerated since he's an established figure.
Then the final piece is the black and grey again where he's looking like the love child of Frank Miller and Ben Affleck, which Mezco has already done with their awesome TDKR comic and BvS Batman figures.
I just don't get what they're going for here with this "Trilogy" of Batman. You're not making a movie or a fictional story here, you're making a ****ing action figure. What is the third piece going to be and how is it going to differentiate from the 4 Batmen (TDKR, BvS, Ascending and Sovereign) you've already done? The lack of trunks, the rubber vinyl pieces, the "tactical" fish net look shrunk to 1:12 scale. I just don't get it. It's a shame too, because these headsculpts for these Batman figures are awesome.
As far as the Keaton Batman thing goes, I'm not even miffed about it. I guarantee such a classic figure by them would outsell Justice League Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, Superman, John Wick, Wesley Snipes Blade, etc. but if they want to be hardasses about it, whatever. Why the **** did they even obtain the license for it if they're just going to keep being hush hush and screwing around with it? You could have been the first ****ers to make a 1:12 Keaton Batmobile. People would eat that **** up and use it for any interpretation of Batman. It just seems like stubbornness at this point. You can't say people have been impatient about it either, it's been a looooong time since that Dark Knight Returns Batman first hit.