LEGO Batman 76271 Gotham City first impressions: ‘a bit too much to love’

Check out the Brick Fanatics team’s initial reactions to the newly-revealed LEGO Batman 76271 Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City, a set that one of us reckons has ‘a bit too much to love’.

No LEGO set is going to satisfy all of the people all of the time, but you can see what the LEGO Group is going for in 76271 Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City, a kind of halfway house between a superhero direct-to-consumer set and a LEGO Art model. The 4,210-piece set trades on nostalgia for Batman: The Animated Series in a year devoid of DC movies on the silver screen, and comes complete with four retro minifigures in Batman, Catwoman, Harley Quinn and Joker.

You can take a closer look at everything in the box in our visual guide, but if you just want some instant impressions from the Brick Fanatics team, stick with us here.

Chris – ‘I’m glad this isn’t just another giant Batmobile’

Remember when you first ran out of shelf space and had to start picking and choosing which LEGO sets to display? We’ve pretty much reached that point with wall-hanging sets now. I’ve only got so much wall space to devote to LEGO, and I’ve already got 31208 Hokusai – The Great Wave, 21333 Vincent van Gogh – The Starry Night and 31205 Jim Lee Batman Collection covering various parts of my house. Where am I going to find room for 76271 Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City?

It's a question I’d really love an answer to, because this set looks right up my street. The art deco vibes really capture the aesthetic of the TV show in a unique format for the LEGO Batman theme – I’m very glad this isn’t just another giant Batmobile – and I’m very much here for the Joker and Harley minifigures. (Batman and Catwoman less so.) If only I had my own Wayne Manor in which to hang it.

Rachael – ‘If only it were a little smaller’

At first glance, it seems like 76271 Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City could have been a slam dunk – if only it were a little smaller. The plethora of references to Gotham and characters from Batman stories multiply the more you look at it but would have worked just as well in a set that’s a quarter of the size and (more importantly) a quarter of the price.

It’s a great display model that would look good on a wall without broadcasting superhero chic for those that want that but, again, would probably appeal to more people when sized down. It’s a shame because there’s a lot to love – but perhaps just a bit too much overall.

Matthew – ‘Wall-hanging sets are the future of LEGO’

Let’s face it: wall-hanging art sets are the future of LEGO. When I first caught wind that there was a Gotham City skyline set on the horizon (no pun intended) I was cautiously optimistic, but concerned that it would need as much display space as the gargantuan 76252 Batcave – Shadow Box.

Colour me surprised when it turned out that 76271 Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City instead fits more comfortably alongside 31205 Jim Lee Batman Collection; a delightful framed piece that can be hung on the shelf for all visitors to marvel at (no pun intended). It would probably be a bit more subtle without the large ‘BATMAN’ text on the top, though.

Matt – ‘It feels like a misfire to me’

I’m a huge fan of both DC Comics and Batman: The Animated Series, but this set feels like a misfire to me. If you’re going to go all-out for the 85th anniversary of the Dark Knight, then why not just release a massive LEGO Batman playset based on the ‘90s show, complete with a whole rogue’s gallery of minifigures?

It’s clear that the design team behind 76271 Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City has tried to capture the nostalgic feel and overall tone of Bruce Timm and Paul Dini’s ground-breaking animated series and there are some interesting building techniques on display. However, the LEGO DC set could have been a stand-out release for a theme that relies way too heavily on endless iterations of Batman as it is.

76271 Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City launches April 1 for LEGO Insiders and April 4 for everyone else for £259.99 / $299.99 / €299.99. Let us know your first impressions on the latest LEGO Batman set in the comments.

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