Review : LEGO Batman 76122 Batcave Clayface Invasion

Today we are quickly interested in the largest set of the wave of boxes marketed for the 80th anniversary of Batman: the LEGO Batman reference 76122 Batcave Clayface Invasion with its 1038 pieces and its public price set at 119.99 €.

A box was needed that would allow the contents of the four sets marketed this summer to be grouped together and it is therefore this new interpretation of the Batcave that will serve as a garage. I was hungry for more with the Batcave from The LEGO Batman Movie delivered in 2016 in the set 70909 Batcave Break-In and I logically did not expect much from this new, somewhat similar model.

However, after having put it aside for a few days and being interested in it again, I tell myself that this new set has some advantages that the mediocre 2016 reproduction of the gigantic lair seen in the movie The LEGO Batman Movie did not have. not.

This new Batcave is indeed a little similar to that of 2016 in principle: three modules linked together, including a central space that serves as an office for the justice of Gotham City with a slew of control screens. On the form, we therefore remain on familiar ground with a relative modularity and the possibility if the heart tells you to arrange the whole according to your mood of the day or to enlarge the Batcave by connecting your own extensions via the Technic parts. placed at the foot of each of the constructions delivered here.

It is undoubtedly very subjective, but I find that this Batcave has a side really more "serious" than the version of 2016 which seemed to me more "crazy", the fault of the film from which it was inspired. Even the stickers in two colors to stick carefully on the parts which embody the various control screens are here of appreciable sobriety.

For lack of a real cave, we find here some brown meta-pieces that perfectly embody the walls of the underground lair. Again, it's relatively understated and almost a bit drab but the Batcave really benefits from that "serious" vibe.

The different spaces are full of nods to the universe of Gotham City vigilante that will appeal to the most assiduous fans with the giant Penny recovered during the capture of Joe Coyne aka The Penny Plunderer, the green dinosaur in memory of Dinosaur Island, the playing card in reference to the Joker, the gym or the techno space with a Jetpack prototype.

The real cool feature is not the small cell with removable wall but the "transformation tower" which allows Bruce Wayne to be installed, made to disappear and Batman appearing in full gear. It is very well done, the mechanism works every time and recalls certain magic tricks based on the same principle. I really had fun with this very well integrated feature.

The only vehicle in the set is a rather successful Bat-Tank. The machine may seem a little crude at first, but looking more closely we get here a micro-tank a little chibi  and very detailed which changes us from the usual Batmobiles and other Batwings. The rotating missile launcher module offers good playability to the machine. It may be missing some tracks to polish the appearance of this Bat-Tank with its six hard plastic wheels but we will do with the proposed model.

As the name of the set suggests, Clayface "invades" the Batcave. The buildable minifigure is not as finished as the one in The LEGO Batman Movie set 70904 Clayface Splat Attack (2017), but it at least allows for a new version of this big bad guy that will appeal to all those who had not appreciated the texture based on round pieces of the 2017 figurine. Clayface is stable on its two legs and numerous joints allow him to take different poses on a shelf.

On the minifig side, this box offers a bit of new and a lot of déjà vu: Batwoman's minifig is identical to the one delivered in the set 76111 Batman: Brother Eye Takedown (2018) and Robin is identical to the minifig present in the set 76118 Mr. Freeze Batcycle Battle marketed this year. The Batman figurine is the exact copy of the version supplied in all boxes marketed for the character's 80th birthday.

Bruce Wayne is a mixture of existing elements: he uses the face of Kaz Xiono (75240 Major Vonreg's TIE Fighter) or Happy Hogan (76130 Stark Jet and the Drone Attack) and the character's torso is the one used for Gunnar Eversol in the set 75930 Indoraptor Rampage at Lockwood Estate.

The minifigs of Catwoman and Two-Face are however new and for the moment exclusive to this box. The face of Two-Face is in my opinion very successful and with the two-tone hair we obtain an aesthetically impeccable ensemble. I'm less a fan of the red torso which has the purple jacket and black shirt pad printed on, the tie using the base color of the torso. The minifigure in my opinion deserved a more elaborate costume with matching legs.

Catwoman takes advantage here of the mask of the version seen in two of the sets of the The LEGO Batman Movie range, but in black. The character's face works perfectly with the mask, except for the slightly pale chin area. Too bad for the neutral legs, some patterns would have been welcome.

In short, this new Batcave is in my opinion a good surprise. It's a balanced set, less crazy than the previous versions and in my opinion more faithful to the somewhat dark universe of Batman.

The presence of the Bat-Tank, Clayface and a large handful of characters make it a real playset that is self-sufficient. LEGO has of course imagined that fans will want to take advantage of this Batcave to store the content of their other sets with the integration of a support for the Batwing above the cell.

120 € is probably a bit expensive, but the set is already available at a reduced price at Amazon. I valid.

THE SET 76122 BATCAVE CLAYFACE INVASION ON THE LEGO SHOP >>

[amazon box="B07KTVR1J4"]

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included as usual. To participate in the draw, all you have to do is post a comment (avoid "I participate, I try, etc ..." be a little more constructive) on this article before the August 29, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.