Super Powers Batcave Command Center

Earlier, a Super Powers Batcave diorama was created on an Ultarama display system. Today, a Kenner Batcave Command Center playset has been modified into a Super Powers Batcave!

Kenner originally envisioned spin-off toylines from the Super Powers Collection featuring such characters as Batman. Conceptual artwork does survive from that time which shows that a playset for the batcave was at least designed on paper. This Batcave looks amazing, but would have probably been too expensive to produce at the time. The Kenner Batcave Command Center was never part of the Super Powers Collection and a Batcave playset for the Super Powers Collection most likely wouldn't have looked anything like it.

The Kenner Batcave Command center playset has been released in a variety of versions since it was first released 1992 as part of Kenner's Batman Returns Collection. The playset was originally intended to be part the Dark Knight Collection, a short lived toyline based on the 1989 Batman movie, starring Micheal Keaton. Shortly before Batman was released, a company called Toy Biz had taken the license to produce DC Comics toys away from Kenner, but by 1991 Kenner had wrested it back. Kenner played catch-up by quickly releasing the Dark Knight Collection. However, by the time the Batcave playset was ready for production , Batman Returns was in theaters and the Dark Knight Collection had been replaced with the new Batman Returns Collection.

Looking over the set, all the features of the original movie are there: break-away skylights, a zipline for saving Vicki Vale from the Joker, a feature allowing Bruce Wayne to hang upside down, the Batcave computer and monitoring station, the costume vault, and finally the Axis Chemical Factory! The set was later rebranded for Batman the Animated series, Batman Forever, Batman & Robin, the New Batman Adventures, Batman Beyond, and finally Mask of the Phantasm! It has to be one of the, if not the most reused Kenner playsets of all time! The version used for this display is for Batman the Animated Series.

The only thing changed on the playset is the application of different decals to the Command Center monitors and on the costume vault door. Since the swinging garage door piece, needed to block off the Wayne Manor side, is missing, a backdrop is being used in its place.

The crime lab is just some pieces left over from the first diorama effort, most which were just re-scaled papercrafts from AFTDownloads. The T-Rex is from a cheap Jurassic Park like knock-off playset found at Wal-Mart. The Joker card and giant penny can be found at Iron-Cow Productions or in my earlier post.

Download the image below for Super Powers themed replacement stickers:

Share your thoughts on the Super Powers Batcave Command Center playset in the comment section below!