My Corgi gloss black reissue of the 1966 Batmobile arrived yesterday, but when I snapped the above photo, the camera flash didn't exactly do it any favours. The matte black version is due out in October and one will be winging its way to me then 'cos I'm a member of the Corgi Model Club and get sent each new release automatically.
For the first six months of its life, Corgi's Batmobile was matte black, before being switched to gloss for the remainder of its run. Why? Speculation on my part, but when George Barris first customised the only existing prototype of the Lincoln Futura into the Batmobile, it was given a matte black finish, which was changed to gloss before filming of the TV show began.
I therefore assume Corgi was sent photographic reference of the car with a matte finish when they began manufacturing the toy, which was changed when it was realised the car on the telly had a gloss finish. Who knows, maybe the show's producers pointed out the error and asked Corgi to amend it. Anyway, my photo doesn't do it justice so here's Corgi's own.
Will you be buying this great toy and reliving your childhood?
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14 comments:
Gosh, that's one beautiful model. I'd have bought one, but a few years back I found an original with the Batboat and trailer for free in a giveaway box at a thrift store. They were welI loved, but all the dings is part of their charm. I still need to get replica figures of Batman and Robin, and I'd love the display box. Sigh. So many wants, so little money! Do you also have the Monkeemobile and Black Beauty? I bought those reissues ages ago, but I love those original display boxes! (Also wish I had more display room as well! )
Never bought the Monkeemobile or Black Beauty cars when I was a kid, LM (or any later reissues), so they're not high on my list. However, CMC will probably reissue them and they'll be sent to me automatically. Check out eBay for repro boxes and spare B&R figures, as they're usually not hard to come by.
Ordered this a long time ago, Kid. I'm told it is winging its way across the pond to me to arrive soon. Can't wait. It'll be Christmas 1966 all over again.
When it arrives, B, check out the aerial and let me know if it swivels around. Mine isn't as 'fixed' as on my original. A minor thing to be sure, but I wonder if they're all the same as the one I received.
It's an undeniable classic. I would love to own this but I sold my set of batmobile, batcopter and batboat a few years back and I am trying to slim down my collection. I have a sudden yearning to put the 1966 Batman film on which is also an undeniable classic. Some things just can't be bettered.
I first saw the '60s film on TV around the mid-'70s and it was highly absurd in an immensely enjoyable way. "Somedays you just can't get rid of a bomb!"
I'll check out the aeriel to see if it swivels and let you know. Did you also order the limited-edition matt-black Corgi repro?
As I said in the first paragraph, B, it'll be sent to me automatically upon release as I'm a CMC member. I get sent each new model every month.
The aerial on mine (arrived yesterday) does not easily swivel and seems to be a harder plastic than my original (from memory). Also my memory of my original is that it swiveled more easily. Not a definitive answer, I'm afraid.
Odd, because the aerials on my two originals are slightly harder plastic (could be due to age) and don't move at all, B, whereas on my new one, it's more flexible and shoogles easily, allowing it to swivel - sometimes of it's own accord. I contacted CMC about it, but they haven't responded yet aside from an acknowledgement of my enquiry. Did you notice that the certificate says Dick Grayson played Robin in the TV show? I let them know when they made this mistake in the ad (and they corrected it), so you'd think they'd amend the certificates before sending them out.
The aerial on the new replica actually showed up with the curve on the aerial facing frontwards. I've only just now managed to twist it around and it took quite a bit of effort to swivel it - certainly not loose in any way. Thanks for the pointed to the "Dick Grayson" (as opposed to Burt Ward) typo, which was on my certificate as well.
Unfortunately, that seems to be a common flaw with quite a few of the CMC reissues, B. Some details just aren't consistent on different copies of the same model.
I still have my 1966 original with Batboat. . I have it parked on its shelf next to the 1989 Michael Keaton Batmobile. Us kids at heart never grow old 👍
I've got two 1966 originals, LH, but neither of them I've had since a kid. One of them I got in 1991, and the other one was a few years later. However, I've still got my original 1989 Batmobile by Ertl.
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