For years now I’ve been ogling Sideshow’s Premium Format statues, but it wasn’t until Power Girl that I came close (oh, so close!) to pulling the trigger on one. I’ve managed to tell myself I didn’t have the space to collect these quarter-scaled behemoths and the fact that they run in the $400-500 price range also helped keep me away. Nonetheless, when Sideshow was running a Giveaway for the Power Girl I entered. I also entered a few more. I didn’t win Power Girl, but I sure as shit won the Batman Returns Catwoman! So, it just goes to show you, people do win these things! There was about a six month lead time before it shipped, and I was responsible to pay the shipping, which came to about $45, but eventually a mammoth box showed up at my door and I was pretty damn excited to check it out!

The statue ships in a standard Sideshow mailer and is without a doubt the largest box I have ever received containing a single collectible. My neighbors probably thought it was a new dishwasher. People who collect these things regularly probably think I’m just adorable at how impressed I was, but that’s OK, because I’m not ashamed to admit it. Inside the mailer, you get a colorful, fully enclosed box, that basically houses a massive brick of Styrofoam. Sorry for the crappy flash picture, but there was no way I could get this thing onto my photo area. It was difficult enough to get it rigged to handle the statue, let alone the box it came in.

The statue requires a bit of assembly and there are no instructions included. You can always visit Sideshow’s site if you need to download a PDF or watch a video showing the assembly. In this case it was pretty easy. The base is one solid piece, and makes up most of the whopping 12 pounds that this statue weighs. The figure itself pegs into the base via a metal rod. I’ve heard tons of horror stories about the rods on Premium Formats not going in smoothly, but this one went in fine. The arms and head attach via powerful magnets, and the whip just needs to be coiled around the body.

When all set up, Catwoman stands a respectable 22-inches tall, which puts the figure at about a quarter scale and includes around 4 or 5 inches for the impressive slab of a base. I absolutely love the pose, which has Selina leaning seductively on a corner of brickwork, one foot in front of the other, and her whip coiled around her body. I think the stance here really nails Michelle Pfeiffer’s body language in the film, while also perfectly accentuating the beautiful curves of the figure in that ever-so-tight suit.

I was a bit surprised that this figure features no mixed-media, unless you count the whip. It’s not uncommon for these PFs to feature completely stitched costumes, but Catwoman is done entirely with sculpted polystone and paintwork. I’m fine with that, especially when the outcome looks this good. The high gloss paint used on her latex outfit certainly gets the job done, creating a mirror finish like a brand new car. The individual stitches are each sculpted and painted white with the seams splitting here and there to show her skin. Even the laced strings for her corset are sculpted up and down her back. The matte finish on the boots offers a nice contrast to the rest of the gloss black.

I really dig the portrait. Her eyes are gorgeous and the paint used on her lips is shiny and crisp. Despite the high prices, it’s not unheard of to experience paint issues on PF statues, or at least that’s what I gather from years of living vicariously through reviews and message boards. I’ll confess that even though I didn’t pay for her, I was plenty nervous unwrapping the head, as well as the rest of the body, for fear of some glaring paint problem. In the end, I needn’t have worried because the paint on this lady holds up to the sticker price of the piece. There aren’t any blemishes on the finish or any askew brush strokes. I know a few people have had issues with the head not seating properly in the neck, but mine doesn’t have any play in it at all.

Another great little touch are her nails, which are patterned after their haphazard look in the film. They also happen to be pretty damn sharp! I’d also imagine that they’re probably the most delicate parts of this entire piece.

The diorama section is a piece of Gotham rooftop set upon a beveled circular base. It’s a great choice for the figure and the brickwork is extremely convincing both in appearance and even to the touch. You also get a little chimney pipe in the corner. Selina’s boots stand flush with the rooftop surface keeping her steady and sure. The bottom of the base actually features a full color illustration along with the numbering and limitation. I usually post pictures of these when reviewing statues, but with how large and heavy this thing is, there’s no way I was going to risk it. However, I will say that mine is #616 of 2,500. Ironically, that’s one of the lowest numbers I’ve ever received on one of these limited pieces. Even most of my DC Collectibles statues are in the 2,000’s.

Getting this Catwoman statue into my collection was a pretty exciting event for me. It’s my first Premium Format and it’s the first time I ever won something as amazing and valuable as this statue. Unfortunately, it’s really turned me on to these pieces and the temptation to get another is burning inside me. On the other hand, I was lucky enough to find somewhere to display this one, as I happened to have an accent table in the corner of my Den that’s perfect for her, but I can’t imagine where I would go with another. Not to mention the huge box is sitting in one of my storage closets and taking up almost half the floor space! With a retail of $450, she’s probably the most expensive single collectible I own, and I have to say I think she’s certainly worth the money. I’ll confess that I have a hell of a lot of Catwoman items in my collection, and while this isn’t the Premium Format I would have chosen to sink that much money into, I’m still very pleased to own it. Plus, she seems to have been a pretty popular piece, as Sideshow’s site is already flashing the Low Stock warning on her page.