DC Direct Batman Incorporated ~12.7cm Action Figure - Damian As Robin

A stark contrast to his father's controlled fury, Damian is the head strong teenage son of Batman and Talia Al Ghul. While DC Direct has produced a Damian action figure previously (sold as a pack in along with then Robin, Tim Drake, as part of the Batman and Son line), this is the first plastic representation of the character as Robin.
As is always the case with DC Direct, the figure features exceptional sculpting throughout, despite his small scale (he stands a slight bit over 5" tall). Every detail, from strands of hair to the shoestrings on his boots, has been etched in sharp, with creases and lines being used to effectively replicate Frank Quitely's rough-yet-beautiful style of artwork, and is very impressive. Overall, there are tons of small details on the figure that add up to one remarkable final product.
It is a true gauge of the figure's quality that it is very, very hard to discern the painted surfaces from the ones cast in color. Even the obvious ones, like his boots, the "R" insignia, and the domino mask are cut too clean to be simple paint apps. The boots, in particular, have each shoestring meticulously painted red against the deep green on the boot, with almost no slop visible; we're talking a surface that is sculpted on to a piece no wider than half an inch! Even pieces that are cast in color have none of the usual problems (mis-matching tones, glossy plastic, etc.), and the whole comes together just as exceptionally beautiful as it's parts.
Articulation is low for a toy, especially one based on a character that is as physically capable as Damian, but is still more than what DC Direct usually has to offer: Ball jointed neck and shoulders, hinged knees and elbows, t-crotch, and swivel wrists and waist. While the joints do work together to create a suitable no. of poses, I really found the lack of bicep cuts to be sorely missed, especially since the arms are sculpted with a little groove right along where articulation normally lies. Also, his arms don't fully go down by his sides, which caused me to continually bend his rather weak and gummy elbow joints slightly inwards. Caution, as these are likely to rip.
Lastly, the figure's left leg broke off of the t-shaped barbell while I pushed it upwards; this is especially frustrating considering the relative strength of the joint considering the rest of the figure. The figure is made for collectors and primarily to be displayed, though, so these might not even be issues of concern to you.
Damian's accessories include the signature Robin bo staff, sculpted and painted with the same exceptional detail as the rest of the figure, and a katana sword which is too big for him to hold. The staff is springy in its construction so as to prevent it from breaking, but is still stiff enough to not cause any sort of warping.
Had the quality control been a little better on this figure, it would've easily been one of the best Robin figures made by DC Direct. As it stands, it's only above average, but still a recommended pick up, especially if you have a bat family display set up.