In this bite-sized, ongoing Power Action! series, we look at two notable and nerdy artifacts: One’s new to the market, and the other has been unearthed from the depths of auction sites. This week, we begin with the “New”:
NEW: LEGO DC Batman Batmobile: The Penguin Chase ($30)
The best way to get to know a Batmobile? Build one.
That’s why I picked up one of The Batman’s tie-in LEGO sets featuring Bats’ newest ride, which made me even more excited to see it in action in March. (You may remember a previous Power Action! that went deep-ish on some previous ones.) This vehicle might not have the classic rear “ears” of previous takes, yet there are still great gadgets—like the two spring-loaded shooters activated by pressing on the hood.
LEGO's released two versions of the new Batmobile: this $30 one at 392 pieces ($30) and the much larger, 1,360-piece Technic version with glowing light bricks, among other more complex features. I found plenty of fun in building the former, which took about two hours because I had a 7-year-old “helping” me.
USED: Ghost Rider II Trading Cards (prices vary)
Both vintage and new comic book cards—just like sports cards—have exploded in popularity over the past couple years. (Sealed boxes of, say, the 1994 Marvel Masterpieces set run around $2,000 on eBay.) While single sealed packs can run a decent chunk, there are accessible ones out there, including one centered on Ghost Rider, whose all-star Fantastic Four roster with Wolverine, Spider-Man, and Hulk will be returning this year.
Featuring art by the vastly underrated Mark Texeira, this set was released in 1992 and is remembered for its glow-in-the-dark variants. I grabbed two packs off the ’Bay for less than $4, and broke them on my Instagram account to an audience of seven, including two NFT bots. Yes, the Marvel Masterpieces are far more elegant, but these are fun, too, with some fun story points on the back.
I expect the sets to go up if Ghostie indeed gets another movie in the coming years. People really want Norman Reedus to play him, but it’s more likely that the Johnny Blaze chapter is closed for now. Don’t blame Cage for the last couple stinkers, though: I’m not sure a guy with a flaming skull for a head is destined for anything but camp, which the most recent film surely recognized.