Arkham Asylum: Harley Quinn Statue:

I recently purchased a stunning statue by DC Collectibles that is based off of the appearance of Harley Quinn in the award-winning and groundbreaking video-game Arkham Asylum. The current retail value of the piece is €125 which seems like a steep price, that is until you take into account the stunning detail that I'm going to discuss with you. 

The statue stands at 9.5" tall, which is the perfect size for a statue of it's depth and detail. It has been manufactured as a cold-cast porcelain statue and it is arguably the best work I have ever seen by sculptor Jonathan Matthews who really took no shortcuts on this eye-catching work. 

The paint work is immensely detailed, with nothing left overlooked. It has been painted in a black and white colour scale, aside from the red of Harley's clothing, lips, blush and in particular the dash of blood across her skirt which works to amp-up the contrast. The paintwork featured on this piece is so precise and so fine that even Harley's badge that she is wearing features legible print detailing that it belongs to Warden Sharp. Harley taking the cane and badge of the Arkham Asylum Warden actually occurred in the game, making this statue a 100% authentic representation of in-game events.

Many statues feature an excellent paintjob and sculpt, especially in today's world of collectibles. However, very few feature details such as real fabric fishnets and a clear plastic "crystal" atop the cane that is a part of the piece. Both of these features are boasted by this unbelievable work of art and the outstanding paintwork helps them to blend in and become much more subtle and eye-catching.

There is also a base that accompanies the statue, it is shaped in the shape of a bat, just like in the Arkham Asylum logo. It features a worn and cracked surface and it's textured look really polishes this statue off.

The bottom line is that this is one of the best, if not the best statue I have ever come across. For the price of €125 you get a display piece that will liven up any environment and it's a piece that holds true to the original flair that was depicted through the character of Harley Quinn in the first game in the Arkham Trilogy. 

The photos that accompany this blog post were taken by me and are copyright of Batman Collection Ireland.

Custom Painted Statues: 

Quite often, statues are sold with no paint applied to them. These statues are generally a flat grey colour, or are of whatever colour the material they are made from naturally is. These statues are also generally made from a mould, using materials such as resin, porcelain and also a really wide variety of plastics. 

Many people enjoy the D.I.Y aspect of painting these pieces themselves, however, many people also hire painters on commission to make their piece unique and unlike any other that is available on the market through a stunning paint-job. 

The quality of these works vary hugely from painter to painter (as you can see in the photos which accompany this post) and because of this, so does the price you must pay to get the results you want. 

The Two-Face statue which is pictured in this post is a stunning example of such a work and whilst it is not considered an official DC statue, it shows off a stunning portrayal of the character none-the-less. There are many different textures to be seen on the statue, such as the marble floor and textile suit.

On the other hand, we have the Batman statue (also pictured), which is heavily based on the artwork of comic book artist Frank Miller. This statue shows a very flat coat of paint, with no form of layering. The details are lacking in comparison to Two-Face, and even the paint is beginning to flake in certain parts which is from being hastily applied. The difference in standard is huge, thus why most statue painters use acrylic type paints on their works for best results. 

I advise you to have a look at a painters past works before you even consider asking them to paint a piece for you, as commission painting is a costly arrangement, and you want to make sure you are getting the best standard for your money.

(For those unsure as to who Two-Face is, he is a villain who is at constant battle with Batman. He makes each of his decisions by flipping his coin and deciding accordingly. He is obsessed with things being "fair", thus why he utilises a coin which offers a 50/50 chance.) 

The Photos Which Accompany This Blog Post Were Taken By Me. 

Batman Black & White: Harley Quinn Statue: 

Today I purchased the Harley Quinn statue from the Batman Black & White statue line. As the title would suggest, the entire statue is portrayed in a really high quality black and white colour scheme. 

This statue is cold-casted in porcelain and the sculpt itself is based on the Harley Quinn portrayal from the 1990's show: Batman: The Animated Series. 

I previously discussed a line of  action figures which were based on the show and how they really bring the work of Bruce Timm to life, well let me tell you that this statue does the same job, except the quality standard is tenfold. 

The statue itself was sculpted by Jonathan Matthews, who is well known within the Batman community for his stunning replications of famous works in the physical form. 

The statue measures approximately 7.25" high from it's base to it's head and is a stunning interpretation of Harley Quinn in the statue medium. 

My statue is the second edition as opposed to the first edition, for which the only real difference is a different colour on it's base and a slightly lighter grey used in the colouring of the statue. First edition sold out in stores long ago, and second edition is being snapped up here in Ireland and it was only released here as of this morning. 

The statue comes in three pieces, which just push together and are really stable and sturdy once properly connected. The pieces comprise of her base stand, her puff of smoke (which goes into the top of her gun), and then her herself. 

The statue is retailing for €93 which is by no measure a small price to pay, however, when you take into account the stunning craftsmanship that went into making this sculpture possible, the price becomes reasonably understandable. According to the box, the statue was manufactured in China.

There are many other statues in this line,  take for instance the Batman statue which is sculpted based on the art of Brian Bolland.

For those of you who may not be familiar with Harley Quinn, she is essentially the Joker's right-hand woman and is one of Batman's biggest enemies. 

I thought it may be useful to include the statement made by DC Collectibles on the back of the packaging of this statue in order to aid in your understanding of Harley Quinn: 

"The fun-loving, psychotic, Arkham Asylum doctor-turned-inmate Harley Quinn joins the best-selling Batman Black & White line with this eye-catching statue, designed by award-winning animator, artist and producer Bruce Timm!" - DC Collectibles.

The photos which accompany this blog post were taken by me.